[Westheim]

1993 WORLD SERIES
Portland Raccoons (91-71) @ Washington Capitals (100-62)

Game 6 – Kisho Saito vs. Archie Dye

Kisho Saito had to ace us into a hypothetical game 7. Well, scoring a run would not be bad, either. Maybe two.

Hall played in left, despite Dye being a right-hander. Kinnear was batting even less than him in the World Series. Moreno was back at second base. Hall even batted cleanup. O-Mo was fifth in the lineup. For the heck of it. We could not do much more.

Continuity was the one thing the Raccoons managed to do best. When they lost, they lost for years on end. When they won, they did that for years. When they grounded into double plays….. Baldivía ended the top 2nd that way.

Saito pitched two good innings, before it went to hell in the third inning. Shimpei Iwamoto drew a leadoff walk, before Marc Shaw sent a 1-2 pitch into center, just under Moreno’s glove. Dye laid down a bunt that O’Morrissey misfielded and everybody was safe. Diego Rodriguez hit a sac fly, before Saito punched out Ito. Then Marc Shaw grounded past Salazar – another grounder missed by inches. Three of those in one inning combined for two runs Saito could not afford to give up.

Two out in the fourth, Lopez doubled his way on, but Hall struck out. O-Mo drew a leadoff walk in the fifth, bringing the tying run to the plate again. Baldivía grounded into ANOTHER double play, which made like four in this World Series for him. And THEN came Moreno, and homered to right.

There is only so much facepalming one can do during one game. It was not enough.

Saito walked the edge of annihilation, 2-1 behind, loading the bags with one out in the bottom 5th, before he somehow got out due to Jeffery Brown grounding into a force at home masterfully played by Saito himself. Cleveland then grounded to Moreno for the final out.

Top 6th, another chance to kill Dye. Salazar walked with one out, then Quinn doubled. The go-ahead runs were in scoring position for Lopez and Hall. Lopez struck out, and Hall grounded the first pitch from Dye up the middle, where Ito made a masterful play to nab him at first base. Inning over again. Instead, the Capitals hit three singles off Saito in the bottom of the inning to get their insurance run back.

Desperation grew. In the top 7th, O-Mo was on first with two down. Vinson was up, but batting .150 in the playoffs. Adams came out to pinch-hit for him, and would then replace Baldivía in the field. Adams flew deep to left, but into Freddy Gonzalez’ glove.

Saito put Ito and Cleveland on in the bottom 7th. With two out, Gonzalez came up. That was Saito’s last batter, already over 110 pitches. He went to 1-2 on Gonzalez, before Gonzalez made contact. A huge fly ball into the gap in left center. It falls in, it’s over. Hall was on the express train out there, launching – AND CAUGHT IT! The inning was over.

Two runs to make up in two innings. It was not over. Salazar took Dye deep with one out in the eighth! A home run cut the gap in half. More, boys! More! Quinn singled his way on. Still only one out, Dye still in the game. Lopez came up and struck out.

Daniel Hall to the plate. Two out. One on. This was the point to make history. He flew out to short center.

Lagarde held the Capitals at bay, bringing us to the top 9th still one run short. Domingo Rivera faced Ben O’Morrissey, Jose Rodriguez (who had to bat with Vinson used up) and Sixto Moreno (but Allen and Kinnear were available).

O’Morrissey singled to left on a 1-0 pitch. Then Rodriguez bunted foul twice, then turned an 0-2 count around to work a walk. Moreno struck out and Adams grounded out, moving up the runners. The pitcher’s spot was up, but Kinnear came out to pat. Vern Kinnear, who had enjoyed a terrible sophomore slump, against Domingo Rivera, 463 career saves including the playoffs. Rivera threw a ball. And the he threw a wild pitch. O-Mo scored. The game was tied. The park gasped.

Kinnear walked, and Rivera punched out Salazar, but the game was tied. Kinnear replaced Hall for defense, and Martinez came out to pitch and 1-2-3 sent the game to extras.

The Coons left Lopez on second base in the top 10th, but Martinez put two men on and managed to wiggle out of the bottom 10th. Ken Burnett pitched a 1-2-3 11th, then was hurt, back pain.*

Movement then in the top 12th, a leadoff double by Salazar off Jeff Hodge! A Quinn single put runners on the corners. Alejandro Lopez flew to left into an out, but deep enough for Salazar to tag and score. A lead!!

Daniel Miller was warmed up to pitch the bottom 12th but Grant West got ready in a hurry. Miller struck out the only left-hander in the Capitals lineup, Rivera. Maybe he could do this? Cleveland grounded out, two outs! Gonzalez singled his way on, bringing up shortstop Nuno Andresen. Grounder to Salazar, to first – OUT!!!

Raccoons 4, Capitals 3 (12) (series tied 3-3); Salazar 2-5, BB, HR, RBI; Quinn 3-6, 2B; Lopez 2-5, 2B, RBI; O’Morrissey 3-5; Moreno 2-5, HR, RBI; Martinez 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

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*Same as game 2. I had to put Miller in, who was to bat fourth in the top 12th.