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Favorite Comeback
June 4, 1989. Blue Jays were down 10-0 to Boston going into the 7th inning. Jays load the bases with nobody out on 3 straight walks (that in itself is a miracle as the Jays of that era rarely walked) score 2 in the 7th on a DP and a Junior Felix double. The Jays score 4 in the 8th on a Lloyd Moseby two run single, Rance Mulliniks RBI double and Nelson Liriano single. 10-6 Boston after 8.
The 9th starts with a Tony Fernandez base hit. Lee Smith replaces Rob Murphy. He walks Kelly Gruber. George Bell doubles in a run. Ks Fred McGriff. Walks Moseby on four straight. It's pretty much panic time in Boston as the Fenway crowd has become stunned by this change of events as Game 6, 1986 WS is still fresh in their minds and Boston's sense of dread/doom/despair overcomes them. Lee Smith hangs a 2-1 fastball to noted fastball hitter, Ernie Whitt who hooks it around the Pesky Pole for a grand slam. 11-10. I was jumping and screaming at this point and my dad, who left the game in disgust, came running back to watch the rest of the game with me.
The Red Sox tie it in a tense 9th and then Marty Barrett grounds out with the bases loaded and wrecks his knee for the final out.
Junior Felix would win the game in the 13th with a 2 run HR off of Denis Lamp deep to right centre.
Hated Comeback
Of course, it has to be freaking Tampa Bay. The starters that day were David Price and Brian Tallet. Total mismatch, right? Didn't look that way for a while. The Jays pounded David Price for 6 runs in 3 innings of work. Gives up 3Hrs. One of two home runs by Aaron Hill, one each to Alex Rios and some guy named Joey Bats.
After 4 innings, it is 8-0 Toronto. Looks like an easy day, right? Nope. Tallet's carriage becomes a pumpkin in the 7th. Leading 9-1, he loads the bases with nobody out. Gives up a triple to BJ Upton who scores on a ground out. 9-5 Toronto.
Jeremy Accardo coughs up a 2 out, 2 run single to Pat Burrell in the 8th. 9-7 Toronto.
Closer Snakeface comes on in the 9th and gives up a home run to Carlos Pena (LHB!), a ground out and then a long home run to Willy FREAKING AYBAR!!! One of 12 that he would hit that season.
Shawn Camp would lose it in the 12th on a two out double by Jason Bartlett who had a career year in 09.
I nearly heaved my remote through the TV that day.
Mention yours in the comments.