It was 17 years ago today that Joe Carter drove a Mitch Williams pitch down the left line, just stay fair, giving us a walk-off World Series win. It gave us our second straight World Series win and the second straight baseball season that ended with Joe Carter jumping up and down, higher than you would think anyone could. How many guys have been the last player to touch (more like make contact with) the ball to end two seasons in a row. If you don't remember Carter was playing first base at the end of the last game of the 1992 World Series and caught the throw from Mike Timlin, on Otis Nixon's bunt single attempt.
It is one of those moments I remember very well. Down by a run in the bottom of the 9th, Ricky Henderson walked to lead off the inning. Devon White flied out. Paul Molitor singled. I had been figuring that Henderson would try to steal. Down by a run and Williams pitching, seems like a prime moment to try to get into scoring position. Maybe, if he stolen he could have scored on Molitor's single?
Anyway, when Carter was up, I was thinking that all was ok. Pat Hentgen was to start game 7. He was so good that year and had pitched great in game 3, I had confidence in him in for game 7. I guess I didn't have as much confidence in Carter. As it turned out, we didn't have to worry about how Hentgen would pitch in game 7.
The pitch to Carter was down and in. I don't know how he kept it fair. But all that matters is it was fair and we won. And he never did hit a bigger home run. I don't think anyone has since.
What do you remember about the game?