The Detroit Tigers finished the 1987 regular season with the best record in all of baseball, at 98–64 (.605)….as they won the American League East Division by two games in thrilling fashion over the Toronto Blue Jays by overcoming a 31⁄2-game deficit with a week to go….and clinching the division on the last day of the season with a 1–0 win over the Jays. The Twins, by contrast, finished with the worst record of any of the four teams that made the playoffs, at 85–77 (.525)….although they held off the Kansas City Royals by two games to take the American League West….for they were clearly seen as the underdogs against the power of the Tigers in the 1987 ALCS.
For Game 2, the Twins sent their future Hall of Fame Member pitcher Bert Blyleven to the hill against the Tiger’s ace, Jack Morris.. In the top of the second, the Tigers opened the scoring when Chet Lemon hit a two-run home run off Blyleven….however, in the bottom half of the inning the Twins stormed back….as 3B Gary Gaetti doubled to right and scored on another double by Tom Brunansky….then after a walk to 2B Greg Gagne….catcher Tim Laudner hit the third double of the inning off Morris….thus scoring both Brunansky and Gagne for a 3–2 Minnesota lead. The Twins extended their lead in the fourth inning as OF Randy Bush singled and then stole second and third….then after consecutive walks to Brunansky and Gagne….OF Dan Gladden singled to left to drive in Bush and Brunansky. Twins 1B Kent Hrbek then added a solo homer in the fifth, giving Minnesota a 6–2 lead….then Tigers 2B Lou Whitaker touched Blyleven for a solo homer in the eighth….but the Twins hurler would not allow anything more. Former Tiger Juan Berenguer struck out the side in the ninth to hand the Twins a 6–3 victory and a 2–0 series lead.
The Twins would go on to win the first of two World’s Championships in the next four years. As for Detroit, after their elimination in this series….the Tigers would not see the playoffs again for 19 years….when they won the American League Pennant in 2006. Any way you cut the pie….this was a wonderful World Series because nobody expected the Twins to beat the team with the best record in MLB for the regular season..
