1990 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Detroit Stars @ Chicago Demolition
Preview: American League East Champions the Chicago Demolition take on American League Wild Card #1 Seed the Detroit Stars in a 7 game League Championship Series Match up.
Game #1: Scott Champarino (3-1 2.66) vs. Roger Clemens (26-4 1.66)
Champarino @ Clemens locked horns in this instant classic pitchers duel. Both pitchers went 9 full inning (Clemens 10) & neither was around in the 11th for the win. Wade Boggs lead off the bottom of the 11th with a clean single to right field. Chicago Manager Stray Corrado pinch ran for Boggs with the speedy Donell Nixon. Nixon promptly stole 2nd & went to 3rd on a single by Gene Larkin. The Demolition 3rd base coach held Nixon thinking that with Brett, Davis & Strawberry due up at least one of them could knock home Nixon. With the outfield pulled in a little Brett ripped the Bobby Thigpen pitch deep to center field where Brett Butler had no chance of catching it or throwing out Nixon at the plate. Brett was mobbed by his teammates and Chicago won walk off style.
Final Score: Chicago 1 – Detroit 0 (11 Innings)
Game #2: Ed Whitson (20-8 2.74) vs. Dave Stewart (21-10 2.11)
A Jim Eisenrich single scored Julio Franco in the top of the 2nd for the Stars. Two costly errors in the 3rd inning by the stars allows 3 Unearned Runs to score. RBI’s from Bill Doran, George Brett & Eric Davis plate Ozzie Guillen, Wade Boggs & Doran. Dave Stewart is masterful going 7.2 innings & sending chill up spine of the Chicago Manager as Stew never likes to be pulled during an Inning. Larry Andersen (.1 Innings) & Dennis Eckesley (1 Inning) would hold things together, notching Eckersley with his 1st save of the series.
Final Score: Chicago 3 – Detroit 1
Game #3: Doug Drabek (15-11 3.97) vs. Chris Nabholz (4-3 2.91)
Chicago picked up 2 Hits apiece from Wade Boggs, Eric Davis, Darryl Strawberry, Kal Daniels & Ozzie Guillen, scoring 2 Runs in the 2nd, & 2 more in the 6th, all off Starter Stars Chris Nabolz. Doug Drabek went 5.2 Innings allowing only 2 Hits & 1 Walk. Four Chicago relievers followed Drabek allowing only one single. Chicago cruised in this one as the Stars can’t find their hitting shoes as they have scored only 1 Run in 3 Games.
Final Score: Chicago 4 – Detroit 0
Game #4: Dave Stieb (16-13 3.39) vs. Mike Harkey (11-7 2.83)
In the top of 4th inning of a scoreless tie with George Brett on 2nd Eric Davis doubles him home. After a Strawberry ground out advancing Davis to 3rd, Kal Daniels smashes a single by Julio Franco giving the Demolition a 2-0 lead. In the top of the 6th, Davis Doubles home Brett for his 2nd RBI. Bottom 6th John Kruk singles scoring Vince Coleman from 1st, but Kruk is gunned down at second limiting the damage to 1 Run. The Demolition tack on another single Run in the 9th. Stieb goes 7 Innings followed by Larry Anderson (.2) & Dennis Eckersley is asked to get a 4 out Save & does just that.
Final Score: Chicago 4 – Detroit 1
Summary: Chicago sweeps the series 4 games to 0. The Demolition outscored the Stars 12 to 2 in the four Game Series. The Chicago Demolition are the American League Champions for the 1990 Mid-West Winter League Season & will take on the National League Champions between the Manhattan Gas Hornets or the Clovis Cougars, in the 1990 Mid-West Winter League World Series.