American League
Toronto Blue Jays (105-57) v Chicago White Sox (97-65)
Note, the LCS are now best-of-seven.
Well if it’s true what they say, that you usually have to lose one to win one, then that’s just another reason to favour this really talented Blue Jays squad, whose 105 wins this season were the most by some margin.
They certainly look to have no obvious weakness and, while the White Sox are also replete with quality players, I think Toronto will go all the way this year.
Game 1 is a fantastic way to kick things off as the Jays rally with 4 in the 9th to tie it at 4-4 and then win it walkoff two frames later on a Johnny Bench single.
Game 2 is a more straightforward victory for the home side as Jimmy Key goes the distance, allowing just one run on 2 hits in a 9-1 cakewalk.
The White Sox ride a fine outing by Mike Moore to get on the board with a 2-1 win at Comiskey and in a classic Game 4 come all the way back from 7-2 down to win it 10-9 in 11 on a walkoff RBI double by Gary Alexander.
They pull a similar trick the next day as the Jays blow another lead and the White Sox prevail 4-3 in 13 and the Jays will look at this series as the one that got away as they blow yet another late lead and Chicago advances with yet another 4-3 win.
Harold Baines wins MVP honours.
National League
Montreal Expos (98-64) v Atlanta Braves (94-68)
What a fantastic playoff series for the neutrals. Four titles all told between the four remaining teams and just one in the past 50 seasons, two of them yet to win it all.
These two NL clubs have just one of those four: the Braves sole win in 1933 while still in Boston.
Point being, both should be well up for this one and it should be very tight especially with the Expos’ loss of Ron Robinson.
The Expos grind out a 4-2 win in Game 1, the first playoff game ever played in Montreal, but blow a lead late the next day and the Braves pounce, squaring the series with a 4-3 win.
A 6-hit shutout by Len Barker in a 1-0 win edges Montreal back ahead but Jay Tibbs returns serve the next day as the Braves tie it up at 2 look set the next day to take the series lead for the first time when they take a 5-1 lead into the top 9th. Montreal has other ideas, however, posting a 7-spot and then closing it out for a famous 8-5 victory, sending them back across the border needing just one win.
They don’t get it in Game 6, but rather pull a good old-fashioned choke as the Braves force a Game 7 with a comfortable 7-2 win.
They do, however, get it in Game 7 as this pretty epic contest ends in a 5-3 win for
Les Expos.
Tim Raines is named MVP.