Midday Memories: Twins 1991 World Series Game 4

Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE 8/19/2011

The 1991 World Series was named the #1 Fall Classic of all time by ESPN. Relive the memories this postseason by celebrating the anniversary of the ’91 World Series games.

After losing Game 3 in a tight twelfth-inning affair, the Minnesota Twins hoped they could right the ship with Jack Morris back on the mound.  The Atlanta Braves countered with John Smoltz.  Smoltz, a Detroit native, had grown up as a fan of Morris, who spent 14 years as a Detroit Tiger.

The game was tense, and it stayed close for the duration.  The Twins took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second, but the Braves tied it up in the bottom of the third.  Morris and Smoltz dueled, with neither giving up any more ground until the top of the seventh, when Twins third baseman Mike Pagliarulo hit a solo homerun off of Smoltz to put the Twins up 2-1.  In the bottom half of the inning, the Braves sent left field Lonnie Smith to the plate.  Smith had only hit seven homeruns in the regular season, but he tied up game for with a solo homerun off of Twins reliever Carl Willis.

As the game entered the bottom of the ninth, the Twins were hoping for the second night in a row of extra inning play.  But it was not to be.  The Braves, with rally caps on, had one out with Mark Lemke at third and Jeff Blauser on first.  Jerry Willard came to the plate and hit a fly ball to right field.  It was caught by Shane Mack, who sent a bullet to Brian Harper at the plate.  Lemke slid, reaching around Harper to touch the plate.  The umpire called Lemke safe on a close play, angering Harper and deflating the Twins.  The replay showed that Harper tagged Lemke with his shoulder, and not with the ball.  The series was now tied 2-2.

Check back at lunchtime on Wednesday for a Game 5 recap, a game that saw the Braves put up a few crooked numbers.