1989 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Manhattan Gas Hornets vs. Steel City Sluggers

Preview:  The National League Championship Series Battle! Steel City gambles by holding out its best two pitchers (Saberhagen and Hurst) at home so they can start on the road in games 3 and 4.

steelcityGame #1:  Scott Garrelts (18-4 1.85) vs. Tim Belcher (18-7  2.56) – We knew this was going to be a tough one, and also knew that if Belcher could pull out the W it would greatly tilt the series in our favor.  Belcher does not disappoint — but neither does Garrelts, as he wins it 3-1

Game #2:  Mike Scott (16-10 3.00) vs. Joe Magrane (16-6  2.60) – With a Game 1 loss, the Sluggers definitely don’t want to go down 0-2… but again are facing tough odds with Scott the superior pitcher. It’s a tough game, and Steel City goes up 1-0 in the 2nd and then 2-1 in the 4th. And in the 6th, the teams trade runs again as Steel City clings to a 3-2 lead. The Slugger bullpen makes that stand up as they hold on for the victory and a 1-1 series tie.

Series Notes:  The NL LCS moves to Manhattan with the teams splitting the 2 game at Steel City. The Gas Hornets suffered yet another injury while at the Sluggers home – Andre Dawson will miss the 3 games in Manhattan – on top of losing Bradley throughout the remainder of the post season.

The Sluggers gambled on saving Saberhagen for game 3 and Hurst for game 4 – will that work out. How will the Gas Hornets handle their rotation with the injuries to the players behind them?

Game #3:  Bret Saberhagen (19-4, 1.88) vs. Rick Reuschel (17-5, 2.28) No slouches on the mound today!
The pitchers step up their games for the post season (or maybe they are just being themselves) as the game proceeds through 4 innings knotted at zeroes.

Bottom of the 5th, Oberkfell takes a Saberhagen pitch tot he right center gap and legs out a double. He’s replaced by speedy Pat Sheridan who promptly steals 3b. With Anderson up, Sheridan scores when Anderson grounds one past Smith, 1-0 Gas Hornets! Santiago up and Saberhagen tosses a wild pitch, Anderson to 2nd. That sets the stage for more daring base running and Anderson steals 3rd. Infield stays deep, Santiago smashes one down the chalk line that Grace snares and touches up himself while holding the runner at 3rd. Reuschel then steps in and works his counterpart for a walk (Saberhagen doesn’t look happy out there on the mound). Sax to the plate – and Saberhagen definitely is having composure issues as he tosses his 2nd wild pitch of the inning scoring Anderson giving Manhattan the big 2-0 lead after 5.

Top 6 – how will Reuschel deal with the lead, how will the Sluggers respond? Grace leads off with a blow that has HR written all over it – all over it until Bass goes back and times his leap perfectly and catches the ball over the wall and robs the homer. But he crashes hard into the wall – manages to hang on to it, but he’s injured – another injury for the Gas Hornets and he’ll be out for 13 days (most likely gone for the post season – no matter how long Manhattan is around). Yikes!

Sandberg then hits a weak single to right. Esasky then flies out to CF, 2 outs. Fisk up, Sandberg takes off and Fisk singles him to 3rd. Ernest Riles up, remember that name, the pitch, OH MAN – the ball just explodes out the park – the crowd is silenced and the once huge 2-0 lead vanishes into a 3-2 deficit as Steel City grabs command of the game (and perhaps the series).

Saberhagen pitches the 6th but then exits and Plesac and Burns toss perfect relief innings – as do Jones and Henke and the game ends up 3-2 Steel City.

So the gamble has paid off – installment #1 as Saberhagen (and his support staff) take game 3 and a 2-1 lead in the series.
WP Saberhagen (1-0)
LP Reuschel (0-1)

Game #4:  Bruce Hurst (16-5, 2.39) vs. Scott Garrelts (winner of game 1).
With the Gas Hornets OF depleted for this one, they will try to make up things with some rotation juggling of their own sending Garrelts back out there to try and turn the tied back to a level playing field. Meanwhile Hurst will work to keep the momentum going the Sluggers way.

Garrelts is brilliant again going through the 1st 4 with little damage and no runs. Meanwhile the Gas Hornets get a run in the 3rd when Anderson singles and steals 2nd. It looked like he’d be stranded their when Santiago and Garrelts were unable to move him, but Sax up with 2 outs hits one hard down the LF line that Esasky gets to, but he DROPS its scoring Anderson for a 1-0 lead.

Bottom of the 4th, Yount singles and steals 2nd. He moves to 3rd on a McReynolds fly out to RF. The infield is pulled in and Joyner fans, 2 outs. Again waiting until the last second, Jacoby up, 2 down and he drives one down the LF line – it stays fair, Esasky doesn’t muff it because it hits the wall for an rbi triple! 2-0 Manhattan.

Top 6 – Steel City gets to Garrelts when Fisk leads off with a double. Riles whiffs. Briley then walks and Ozzie Smith singles scoring Fisk and moving Briley to 3rd – one out. Hurst steps in and Garrelts lets him hit the ball – right to Sax who turns a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning with Manhattan up 2-1. In the bottom half, Sax hits a 2 run HR (1) to give Garrelts a commanding 4-1 lead.

Garrelts then leaves midway through the 7th – he may see more action later should the series go to 7 games, so he needs some rest. Righetti and Worrell pitch perfectly through the 7th and 8th and into the 9th. Dave Smith comes on with 1 out n the 9th (to clear any rust) and gets Esasky for the 2nd out. Gas Hornets turn it over to McClure to get the final out.

Fisk lines his first pitch to RF. Kittle comes in to PH for Corsi and he doubles, Fisk holds at 3rd. Dickie Thon in to PH for Briley and he hits one deep to left, Moses the long run and he can’t get to it and it ends up a 2 run double. McClure – get ONE OUT!!. With Thon, the tying run at 2nd, Ozzie steps to the plate and he smashes one deep to left center – another double (3 of them with 2 outs) and the game is tied! McClendon up, McClure still out there and McClendon strikes out. The grapefruit size ball shrank to the pea and he missed it. So the sure thing 4-1 win with 2 outs ended up a 4-4 nightmare for the home fans. But …
Bottom of the 9th, Orosco on the hill Joyner leads off with double off the wall (the 9th is full of doubles!). Jacoby up and he’s given the IW, T.Jones in to PR for Joyner, runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs. Here’s where it gets really interesting. Alfredo Griffin up, he misses the BUNT SIGN, but the runners take off, a double steal. [ read that Schindel clicked the wrong icon!!] However, apparently the Sluggers were so caught off base that Jones went to 3rd uncontested, Fisk throws down to 2nd and Jacoby is safe. The broadcaster thought it a daring play – but really a missed signal! Griffin then looks back into the dugout, walks over and talks to the coach – what am I supposed to do now, suicide (literal or with the bat?)? He’s given a green light and he wallops one to CF that might clear the fence. It matters not, the run scores as the ball rattles off the wall and Manhattan salvages what should have been an easier win, 5-4.
WP McClure (1-0) does he deserve it?
LP Orosco (0-1)
Garrelts was thinking 2-0, but was let down.

Game #5: pivotal match to see who goes back to Steel City with the 3-2 lead. On the mound will be Tim Belcher (18-7  2.56) from game 1 and Mike Scott (16-10 3.00) from Game 2 – each looking for their 1st win in the LCS.
Game starts quickly for the Slugges as Raines opens up with triple. Grace then walks (Scott digs the mound a new hole). Sanberg then grounds into the DP scoring Raines, 1-0 Sluggers.

Then boredom sets in – or PITCHING DUEL. Belcher has great command on the hill and goes 7.2 innings giving up 3 hits and 2 walks and no runs. He leaves in the 8th and Burns gets the final out in the inning to keep the game at 1-0 Steel City. Scott settled in going 5 innings before exiting for a PH and Jones pitched the next 3 and Henke the 9th keeping the game close at 1-0 going to the bottom of the 9th.

manhattanBurns still in for the 9th, he gets Yount to fly out then walks McReynolds. Pat Sheridan comes in, desperate times call for desperate measures. Joyner up, Sheridan is asked to steal and he does. Runner on 2nd Joyner connect and loops on toward the gap in RF. No questions asked, Sheridan is sent around 3rd and he beats the throw to the plate scoring standing up. TIE GAME. Burns then settles in and get the Gas Hornets so we go to extra innings. New Pitchers – McClure comes in – him again? He gives up a 1 out single to Kittle in the 10th, but that was it, for now. Barry Jones comes in for the Sluggers.
10th inning, nothing but the Kittle single.
11th inning, a Grace 1 out walk is erased by a Sandberg DP. Nothing for the Gas Hornets.
12th inning, McClure will face the nightmare from game 4 – but this time he gets McClendon, Fisk and PH Thon 1-2-3.
Bottom half Joyner leads off with a walk.McClure up (no one left on the bench to PH) and he executes the sacrifice. Dave Anderson up, and he’s given the IW – they’re going after Andy Allanson. That was all the challenge Allanson needed as he smashes one hard at Grace that gets through, Pettis is racing in, Speedy Joyner is given the green light, Anderson is given the green light to go to 3rd and Allanson is given the green light to go to 2nd on the throw. All the green lights flashing must have taken something off the throw, the slide, the dust, it clears and the ump calls Joyner safe! Gas Hornets win 2-1 in 12 innings!
WP McClure (2-0)
LP B.Jones (0-1) Burns BS #2

Series Notes:  Series can’t get much tighter – but probably will. Gas Hornets go back on the road up 3-2, but Steel City has their home park to use to their advantage.   An epic series for the ages!   Manhattan is up 3-2 but the games have been amazingly competitive.

The big decision: does Steel City start Saberhagen in Game 6 in a favorable matchup against Reuschel, or is he better saved against Garrelts in Game 7? What if Steel City doesn’t make it to the 7th game?

Game #6:  Bret Saberhagen (19-4, 1.88) vs. Rick Reuschel (17-5, 2.28) 
After careful consideration, the Sluggers decide to send Bret Saberhagen (19-4, 1.88)to the hill. Saving him and losing Game 6 would be an unforgivable sin!

This was an amazing game, with the teams trading runs in the 4th, Sluggers taking the lead in the 5th, and then Manhattan tying it up 2-2 in the 6th. Steel City scores two in the 8th to prevail 4-2 and force the Game 7.
Does Steel City start Hurst or Magrane? Hurst is the better pitcher, but was roughed up a bit in his first appearance in Game 4. Magrane junkballed his way to a no decision in Game 2’s Slugger win.   The ball goes to Bruce Hurst (16-5, 2.39).

Game #7:  Scott Garrelts (18-4 1.85) vs. Bruce Hurst (16-5, 2.39)

With the games Sluggers up 2-1 after 5 innings, they add on a single run in the 6th to take a 3-1 lead.  Manhattan gets a single run in the 7th to pull within 1 run. In the top of 8th with runners on 1st & 3rd playing for the double play ball The Gas Hornets have Wally Joyner facing Dan Plesac, a ground ball to second to Ryne Sandberg’s left, with no chance at a double gets the sure out at first.  That ties the score at 3 apiece.  It stays that way though the end of that inning until the 11th.  In the bottom of the 11th with the Sluggers batting Gino Petralli facing Doug Jones with two out and Ozzie Smith on 2nd, the Gas Hornets elect to walk Petralli to set up the force at any bag.   Doug Jones now facing Tim Raines, who grounds one to deep short.  Dick Schofield can’t get there it’s through for a base hit … Andrew Dawson running in … still coming … Ozzie Smith is well around third, Petralli is rounding second – they’re waving Smith in Petralli’s headed for third – the throw home – here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … safe easily – the Sluggers win on a walk off single by Tim Raines, scoring Ozzie Smith.

Final Score:  Steel City 4 – Manhattan 3

The Sluggers will stay home and await the well rest Chihuahuas from Mexico City.  A few days later Steel City heads down across the border for the first Mid-West Winter League World Series Games in Mexico City!

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