KOD 27 World Series: ’91 Atlanta Braves Sweep ’83 Toronto Blue Jays

Game 1  Atlanta (Leibrandt) at Toronto (Stieb)

The NL Champions Atlanta Braves travel north of the border to take the AL Champion Toronto Blue Jays in game 1 of the KOD27 World Series.  Charlie Leibrandt and Dave Stieb duel one another in the first 3 innings with each pitcher giving up 1 hit a piece.  Atlanta strikes first in the 4th inning on a hit and 2 walks as Rafael Belliard singles in Terry Pendleton to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.  Two innings later DH Keith Mitchell drills a ball to the bleachers and it is 2-0 after 6 innings.  Still trailing by 2 runs Toronto finally gets something going against Leibrandt in the bottom of the 8th as DH Cliff Johnson ties the game with a 1 out 418 foot HR.  Joey McLaughlin comes on in the 9th to try and keep the game tied but he allows Sid Bream a leadoff single and Belliard bunts him over to 2nd.  Roy Lee Jackson comes on for McLaughlin and gets the second out before Otis Nixon singles to center to score Bream and give the Braves a 3-2 lead.  Marvin Freeman comes on for Atlanta to try and get the save but he gives up a lead off walk.  He then retires the next 2 batters but then hits a batter and Kent Merker comes on to get the last out.
Atlanta 3   Toronto 2   (Atlanta leads series 1-0)

Game 2  Atlanta (Gavine) at Toronto (Clancy)

The usually reliable Tom Gavine did not have a good season so he needs to pick up his game as he faces Toronto’s Jim Clancy.  Clancy immediately gets in trouble as with 1 out he gives up singles to Jeff Treadway and Terry Pendleton before he walks David Justice to load the base.  It looks like Clancy will get out of the inning unscathed when he strikesout Ron Gant but then he walks Sid Bream to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.  After Glavine retires Toronto in the 1st Atlanta breaks the game open in the second off of Clancy as he gives up 3 more walks 3 hits and a Toronto error to score 6 runs the big blow a Gant 3 run HR.  Atlanta scored once again in the 3rd and Toronto scored in the 4th on a Lloyd Mosby double.  Atlanta added its last run in the 9th and Mark Wohlers came on to pitch the 9th as the Braves win both games in Toronto and head south for the next 3 games.
Atlanta  10  Toronto 1  (Atlanta leads series 2-0)

Game 3  Toronto (Leal) at Atlanta (Smoltz)

The Braves could only manage a single hit off of Luis Leal over the first 3 inning while Toronto left 2 on the third before taking their first lead of the series in the 4th on Garth Iorg single.  However Atlanta, as in game 2 put up a 6 spot in the bottom of the inning with 6 hits capped off with a 2 run Terry Pendleton HR and a Ron Gant solo HR and the Braves let 6-1 after 4.  That was the score for the next for innings until Atlanta finished off Toronto with 8 runs in the 8th highlighted with a Sid Bream Grand Slam.
Atlanta  14  Toronto  1   (Atlanta leads series 3-0)

 

Game 4  Toronto  (Gott) at Atlanta (Avery)

Down to their last game the Blue Jays send Jim Gott to the mound against the Braves Steve Avery.  Once again the starting pitchers shut down the offense for the first 3 innings until Atlanta opens the scoring for the 3rd time in 4 games.  Sid Bream gets a one out single and back-up catcher Franciso Cabrera follows with a 2 run HR for a 2-0 lead.  Gott pitched well as shut the Braves down for the next 3 innings and Avery did the same thing.  The Blue Jays could not figure Avery out as he tossed a complete game shutout on 5 hits. 
Atlanta 2  Toronto 0  (Atlanta wins World Series 4-0)

In a most surprising season for the ’91 Atlanta Braves they saved their best baseball for the post season going 11-3 and defeating 3 Divisional winners and only getting into the post season by beating Philadelphia.  The Braves got timely hitting, great pitching and, of course, a little bit of luck to win the KOD27 World Series.

Congratulations to Robert for taking his Toronto team to the World Series and for having a great season of his own.

--submitted by Erik Nelson--

ALCS: '83 Jays defeat '15 'Stros in 6

The two surprises of the ACLS. Toronto up 3-1 started Acker in Game 5 to give the full time starters an extra days rest (Acker did have 5 real life games started) and surprisingly went to Clancy in Game 6 to hopefully save a well rested Stieb for the finals.

GAME 1 - Exhibition Stadium
Fiers vs Stieb
TOR 7, HOU 0

Ace hurler Dave Steib goes the distance, fans 8, walks none and allows just 2 hits in a tidy shutout of the 'Stros.  The Jays offense staked Steib to an early 2-0 lead and never looked back.  Barfield, Moseby and Cliff Johnson each had 2 RBI days.
TOR leads series 1-0

GAME 2
Keuchel vs Clancy
HOU 4, TOR 1

Houston even the series by scoring 4 runs in the first 2 innings, then trusting Dallas Keuchel to hold the fort.  Houston's offense came via a pair of 2 run shots by Jose Altuve (1st inn) and Colby Rasmus (2nd inn).  Lloyd Moseby and Cliff Johnson were 3-4 for Toronto in a losing effort.
Series Tied 1-1

GAME 3 - Juice Box
Leal vs McCullers
TOR 3, HOU 2

With the game deadlocked at 2 runs apiece after 6 innings the Jays pushed across the eventual winning run with a 2 out double by Wille Upshaw that scored Rance Mulliniks all the way from first.  Starter Luis Leal finished up 8 innings of work then handed the ball off to Randy Moffitt, who pitched a scoreless 9th for the save.
TOR leads series 2-1

GAME 4
Gott vs McHugh
TOR 5, HOU 3

A 3 run explosion by the Jays in the top ot the 7th erased Houston's 1 run lead and chased starter Colin McHugh from the hill.  Walks and a 2 run single by Rance Mulliniks help post the crooked number that would ensure victory for the ment from the Great White North.  Jim Gott pitched 7 strong innings before handing the baton to the pen.  Geisel and Stan Clarke held Houston scoreless to ensure victory.
TOR leads series 3-1

GAME 5
Acker vs Fiers
HOU 4, TOR 2

Manager Chiz starterd Acker in hopes of setting up his rotation for possible games 6 and 7.  Acker took the loss, but ate up 6 innings.  Mike Fiers gave up just one run in 7 innings as the game remained tight.  Houston holds on to win at least one of their 3 home games to force a game 6 in Toronto.  Correa (2-3) was the offensive star with his 14th homer of the season and 2 RBI's.
TOR leads series 3-2

GAME 6 - Exhibition Stadium
Keuchel vs Clancy
TOR 6, HOU 2

Jim Clancy gave up just 2 runs in 8 1/3 innings of solid work.  Tornto staked him to a 3-0 lead with a big 3rd inning.  After sending 8 men to the plate in the 8th and scoring 2 runs, a tight 4-2 game was now 6-2 and Jays fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief.  Cliff Johnson knocked in 3 with his 3 run shot in the 3rd.  Light hitting Buck Martinez chipped in with a solo shot of his own as the Jays clinched the AL Pennant is style.
TOR wins series 4-2

NLCS: '91 Bravos drop '69 Doyers in 6 for NL Pennant

National League Championship

91 Atlanta Braves vs 69 Los Angeles Dodgers

KOD 27 National League Championship gets underway with 91 Atlanta facing off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Los Angeles made it to title game as the Western Division Champions and then beating 86 San Francisco in 5 games while Atlanta made it as a Wild Card team and then beating 93 Philadelphia in the Wild Card game and knocking off the Eastern Division winners 84 Chicago Cubs in 4 games.

Game 1    Atlanta (Smoltz) at Los Angeles (Osteen)

The Western Division Champions get the early lead as they send 7 men to the plate in the second and score 2 runs on RBI singles by Claude Osteen and Maury Wills.  Atlanta got 1 run back in the top of the third on a Jeff Blauser RBI single. The Dodgers again took a 2 run lead as Willie Davis plated Osteen and the the score after 5 innings was 3-1 Los Angeles.  The Dodgers broke it open in the bottom of the 7th when Davis drove in 2 more runs and Bill Sudakis a third giving the Dodgers a 6-1 lead.  Atlanta’s Mark Lemke doubled in a meaningless run in the 9th and the Dodgers take the opening game 6-2.

Los Angeles 6  Atlanta 2 (LA leads series 1-0)

Game 2   Atlanta (Avery) at Los Angeles (Sutton)

Los Angeles again got off to a quick start as they again sent 7 men to the plate against Steve Avery scoring 2 runs on a Manny Mota Home Run.  Like the first game, the Braves got 1 back in the top of the 2nd inning on a Sid Bream Home Run.  Atlanta tied it up in the 5th inning on a Ron Gant walk and an RBI double by Greg Olson.  Atlanta took their first lead of the series when Bream led off the inning with a double off of Don Sutton and Rafael Belliard singled him home two batters latter giving Atlanta a 3-2 lead.  Juan Berenguer came on in the 9th to save the game for Avery.

Atlanta 3   Los Angeles 2  (Series tied at 1)

Game 3   Los Angeles (Singer) at Atlanta (Leibrandt)

The series now moves to Atlanta with Bill Singer taking the mound for LA and Charlie Leibrandt for Atlanta.  Neither team scores in the first two innings but in the bottom of the 3rd Otis Nixon singles with 2 out, steals 2nd and scores on a Jeff Treadway double for an Atlanta 1-0 lead.  Sutton looses his control in the 4th as he walks 2 in the inning and Francisco Cabrera makes him pay for it with a 3 run HR as Atlanta leads 4-0 after 4 innings.  The ever dangerous Dodgers are down but not out as they chip away with a run in the 6th on a Tom Haller single and tie it in the 7th on an RBI double by Willie Davis and a 2 run HR by Wes Parker.  The score remains tie until the bottom of the 9th when Jim Brewer comes on in relief of Sutton.  The sure handed RF Andy Kosco opens the door for Atlanta when he drops Rafael Belliards fly ball for a 2 base error.  He moves to third on a ground out and scores the game winning run when Otis Nixon lines a single between 3rd and short.

Atlanta 5   Los Angeles 4    (Atlanta leads series 2-1)

Game 4    Los Angeles (Bunning)  at Atlanta (Glavine)

In an important game for both teams, Atlanta hoping to stretch their lead 3-1 and Los Angeles

hoping to square the series, the Dodgers send 37 year old Jim Bunning to the hill while the Braves counter with Tom Glavine.  Sid Bream gives Atlanta the early lead in the 2nd on a sac fly but Los Angeles ties the game in the 4th on a Tom Haller single.  Atlanta retakes the lead in the bottom half of the inning on Bream HR and an RBI double by Glavine.   Maury Wills finds enough juice in his bat to tie the game up in the 5th with a 2 run dinger.  The game remained tied until the 8th inning when Ted Sizemore gave LA a 4-3 lead with an RBI single.  Atlanta wasted a hit and 2 walks in the 8th inning and the Dodgers take a 1 run lead into the 9th.  LA fails to score in the top of the 9th and Jim Brewer, the tough luck loser of game 3, comes on to try and get the save.  PH Keith Mitchell leads off the 9th with a single and moves to 3rd on an Otis Nixon SAC.  Brewer than walks Jeff Treadway and Terry Pendleton singles to load up the bases.  Dave Justice than drives the ball deep enough to score Mitchell and tie the game at 4 and when Gant strikes out the game goes to extra innings.  Both teams had their opportunities in extra innings. LA had a man on 3rd with 2 outs in the 10th and 12th but couldn’t score him.  Atlanta had a runner on 2nd with 1 out in the 11th and 2 out in the 13th but failed to score.  LA had a man on 2nd with 1 out in the 14th and 2 outs in the 15th without scoring.  Atlanta had a runner on second with no outs in the 14th and 2 outs in the 15th with the same results.  Both teams went down in order in the 16th and LA went out in order in the 17th inning.  In the bottom of the 17th Brian Hunter leads off the inning with a double, moves to 3rd on a wild pitch and scores the winning run on a Rafael Belliard single to end the 5 hour and 15 minute marathon.

Atlanta 5  Los Angeles 4   (Atlanta leads series 3-1)

Game 5   Los Angeles (Osteen) at Atlanta (Smoltz)

Game 1 starters faced each other once again and LA was hoping Claude Osteen could duplicate his performance.  As in game 1 the Dodgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second on 3 singles and 2 walks. Osteen got the 1st run in on an RBI walk and Maury Wills walked to get the 2nd run in.  The score remained 2-0 until the bottom of the sixth when Atlanta tied the game on consecutive singles by Jeff Blauser andTerry Pendleton.  The Dodgers untied it in the top of the 7th on a 2 out single by Maury Wills, a wild pitch, a walk to Willie Davis and an RBI double by Wes Parker that gave LA a 3-2 lead.  Once again Claude Osteen was effective and pitched his 2nd complete game of the series and allowed the Dodgers to return home and play another day.

Los Angeles 3   Atlanta 2 (Atlanta leads series 3-2)

Game 6   Atlanta (Avery) at Los Angeles (Sutton)

With game 6 Los Angeles faces going home and Atlanta moving on to the World Series so it is a

meaningful game for both teams.  Atlanta wants to try and end it early and put 3 runs on the board in the first inning sending 8 men to the plate and getting a 2 run double from David Justice and a SF from Jeff Blauser.  But as we all know baseball is a 9 inning game and the Dodgers game right back in the bottom of the 1st to put a 4 spot on the board for a 4-3 lead.  Wes Parker drove in the first run, Bill Sudakis doubled in the next 2 and Andy Kosco doubled in the 4th run of the inning for a 4-3 Dodger lead.  Terry Pendleton tied the game 2nd with an RBI single and the Braves added 2 more in the top of the 3rd on a Francisco RBI double and an Otis Nixon ground out.  Atlanta extended their lead in the 5th on a Nixon single but Los Angeles came back in the bottom of the inning to score 2 on a Wes Parker round tripper to close the gap to 7-6 Atlanta lead.  Jim Bunning, who started game 4, came on in relief of Sutton in the 6th inning and ran into trouble.  He gave up 4 hits and a walk and surrendered 4 runs on a SF by Jeff Blauser and a 3 run HR by Francisco Cabrera giving the Braves a 11-6 lead after 6 innings.  The two teams traded 3 run innings in the 7th on Sid Bream and Blauser singles and an Avery ground out while LA scored their 3 runs on a Wes Parker 3 run HR bringing this slugfest to a 14-9 Atlanta advantage.  In the 8th Ron Gant put the final nail into the Dodgers coffin with a 2 run HR and the Wild Card ’91 Atlanta Braves move on to the World Series to face the ’83 Toronto Blue Jays who won their division and beat the ’15 Houston Astros, another Wild Card team, in 6 games to advance to the Fall Classic.
Atlanta 16  Los Angeles 9  (Atlanta wins series 4-2) 

--submitted by Erik Nelson--