The 1986 American League Championship Series was a back-and-forth battle between the Boston Red Sox and the California Angels for the right to advance to the 1986 World Series to face the winner of the 1986 National League Championship Series. The Red Sox came in with a 95–66 record and the AL East division title….while the Angels went 92–70 during the regular season to win the AL West.
Game 4 was played on Saturday, October 11, 1986 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California….in a game that featured two opposing pitchers who would end their careers with a combined total 678 wins….with Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens (354) and California Angels Don Sutton (324)….as two of the best right-handed pitchers of modern day history would face off in a duel of epic proportions….as Game 1 loser Clemens was solid for most of the game….when Boston put up a run in the sixth and two more in the eighth on two hits, a wild pitch, a passed ball, and two errors…..but left the bases loaded in taking a lead of 3 – 0 through eight innings…but iIn the bottom of the ninth….Angels 3B Doug DeCinces led off with a home run…..and after the next batter grounded out, Dick Schofield and Bob Boone had back to back singles….and after coming within two outs of a complete game….Clemens was removed….while Boone was replaced with a pinch runner with speedy Gary Pettis batting next….who doubled to score Schofield….then Ruppert Jones was intentionally walked to load the bases…..which proved to be a fatal mistake….as two batters later, Bryan Downing was hit by a pitch, bringing in the tying run. Angels relief pitcher Doug Corbett pitched a perfect tenth and eleventh innings….as California broke through in the bottom of the 11th when Jerry Narron scored on Bobby Grich’s one-out single….giving California a 4–3 win and a 3–1 series lead.
What makes this a must see video is the duel between Clemens and Sutton….for it was high pressure pitching by two of the games best.
