The 1987 American League Championship Series pitted the American League West champion Minnesota Twins against the the American League East champion Detroit Tigers….in a series in which Detroit came into as a heavy favorite….after posting the best win/loss record in MLB in 1987….after posting a 98 – 64 record.
Entering Game 2 already being one game down in the 1987 ALCS….the Tigers pitted their “bulldog” ace Jack Morris against the Twins future Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven….the first native Dutchman to make the HOF….as the crafty curveballing Blyleven would pitch a dandy of a game en route to winning Game 2….thus putting the Twins up 2 game to none…..en route to winning the 1987 ALCS four games to one over the heavily favored Tigers.
The 8th inning featured an incredible put out at 1B by Twins Kent Hrbek on an errant throw by ALCS MVP 3B Gary Gaetti….but after a single by Darrell Evans….Twins Manager Tom Kelly would pull Blyleven and put in his closer Juan Berenguer….who had pitched for the Tigers the year before….as the Twins closer would slam the door on his former teammates…..in a game that saw home runs by Detroit’s Chet Lemon and Lou Whitaker…. along with Twins Kent Hrbek.
