October 26, 1991: Game 6 of the Greatest World Series Ever

For those of you looking to satisfy your Series jones after last night's rainout, you've come to the right place. The RVS Machine is still dialed back to 1991, when 15 years ago today the Twins and Braves hooked up for Game 6.

This game had it all: great individual performances, defense, pitching, base running, Charlie Liebrandt ... everything.

Be sure to scroll down for video of Kirby's Game 6 highlights (and a bizarre rendition of "Take Me out to the Ball Game.")

Puckett, Twins have a blast
HR in 11th pushes Series to Game 7
The Associated Press
October 27, 1991
MINNEAPOLIS — Kirby Puckett was just the difference the Minnesota Twins needed to make one of the closest World Series even closer.

Puckett, already a hero for a leaping, run-saving catch and 2 hits and 2 RBI, led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a home run Saturday night to give the Twins a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves and force a decisive seventh game.

Puckett sent Charlie Leibrandt's 2-1 changeup on a line over the left-center field fence.

"They've been throwing me a lot of changeups the whole Series," Puckett said. "I'm such an aggressive-type hitter—I just go up there and hack. I just wanted to make him get the ball up.

"He got it up and I got it out."

Atlanta manager Bobby Cox gambled in bringing in Leibrandt, who started and lost Game 1. Leibrandt was making his first relief appearance in two years and defying baseball odds as a left-hander facing the righty-hitting Puckett.

It was the second extra-inning game of the Series — the first time that's happened since 1975 — and the fourth of six to be decided by 1 run on the winning team's last at-bat.

"I feel like I've been in a 15-round fight," Puckett said. "I'm so drained you can't believe it."

The Twins returned home after three straight losses in Atlanta and improved to 7-0 in Series games at the Metrodome. Jack Morris, among baseball's best big-game pitchers, will start for Minnesota tonight against John Smoltz, who shut out Pittsburgh in Game 7 of the NL playoffs.

The Braves hoped to clinch it behind 21-year-old Steve Avery. He had been winless in 4 starts this season on three days' rest, and the playoff MVP was not able to close it out, allowing 3 runs in 6 innings.

Puckett, the MVP of the AL playoffs, began this game in a 3-for-l8 slump. He changed his luck, and that of the Twins, with a run-scoring triple in the first inning and a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fifth. He also kept Minnesota ahead with a leaping catch at the fence in the third inning that robbed Ron Gant of extra bases.

Puckett, however, saved his best for last. Leibrandt, who started and lost the opener, made his first relief appearance in two years to start the 11th and Puckett met him with a line drive into the crowd. Rick Aguilera worked around leadoff singles in the 10th and 11th innings for the victory. Twins relievers were shellacked in Atlanta, but shut out the Braves in the final 5 innings.

The World Series has not gone seven games since 1987. That year, the Twins beat St. Louis in the only Series in which the home team won every game, the same scenario this one has followed.

Mark Lemke keyed the Braves' three victories at home, and sparked Atlanta's rally in the seventh inning that tied it 3-3. Lemke led off with a single, making him 9-for-19 in the Series, and Mark Guthrie relieved Scott Erickson. Guthrie struck out pinch hitter Jeff Blauser, but a walk and Terry Pendleton's squib single to the right side of the mound loaded the bases.

Carl Willis replaced Guthrie and got Gant to hit the grounder the Twins needed. But the ball was hit too slowly for Minnesota to turn a double play, and Gant waved safe as he crossed first a shade ahead of the relay as Lemke scored.

Puckett again was at the center of things in the fifth inning, hitting a sacrifice fly for a 3-2 lead.

Dan Gladden fouled off several tough 3-2 pitches before drawing a leadoff walk, and then stole second on the first pitch to Chuck Knoblauch.

Knoblauch tried to hit the other way and succeeded with a flyball to right that sent Gladden to third. Puckett put Minnesota ahead with a fly shy of the warning track in center.

Pendleton hit one much farther to center in the top half of the inning, tying it 2-2.

Pendleton's second homer of the Series was set up by sloppy play on a potential double-play bouncer. Rafael Belliard opened with an infield single off the spongy turf and Lonnie Smith followed with a hard grounder to Scott Leius at third. Leius' throw to second almost pulled Knoblauch off the base, and he was unable to make a smooth relay.

Puckett put the Twins ahead with a triple in the first inning and preserved a 2-0 lead with a great grab in the third.

With one out and a runner on first, Gant hit a long drive to left-center field, and Puckett was off at the crack of the bat.

At the last instant, the 5-foot-8 Puckett leaped at the 13-foot fence and plucked the ball off the Plexiglas.






Morris is exactly who Twins want on the mound in Game 7
The Associated Press
October 27, 1991
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins will have the man they want on the mound for Game 7: Jack Morris.

And the Atlanta Braves will have a pitcher with Game 7 experience: John Smoltz.

A veteran and a youngster. With the World Series championship at stake.

Morris said he cherishes the big games. Smoltz said Morris was his idol growing up.

"What I remember most is his competitiveness," Smoltz said earlier in the week. "He went after each batter with 100 percent no matter what the score was."

And 100 percent is Morris' record in the World Series: 3-0 with a no-decision in Game 4 this year.

His World Series ERA is 2.03 in 31 innings. His next victory will make him just the 31st pitcher to win four or more games in the Series.

He's 6-1 in postseason games, and he hasn't lost this year in his last 7 starts. Plus, he's 23-5 in the Metrodome.

"I've learned to appreciate the dome for its environment being climate-controlled," Morris said. "There's no wind and that's more important than cold. At least you don't get stiff and achey without wind and I feel as strong at the end of a game as I did in the beginning."

Smoltz's Game 7 start in the NL playoffs was in the cold at Three Rivers Stadium. But Smoltz was hot, pitching a 6-hitter as Atlanta beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 for the pennant.

"To me, there can't be any greater pressure than I felt in Game 7 of the playoffs," he said.

Smoltz, the only right-hander in Atlanta's starting rotation, was 14-13 during the season with a 3.80 ERA while Morris was 18-12 with a 3.43 ERA.

And he may have one more start left, his team's most important game of the season.

"What could be more exciting that, pitching in two Game 7s in one season," Smoltz said.

Before Game 3, when the Braves were trailing 2-0, Smoltz made a remark that seems rather prescient now.

"I'd much rather not pitch in Game 7," he said, "and have us win in six."



Minnesota's Puckett saves his best performance for last
The Associated Press
October 27, 1991
MINNEAPOLIS — Through nine innings, Kirby Puckett did everything but win the game for the Minnesota Twins. He saved that for the 11th.

Puckett tripled in a run in the first. Drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. And saved a run with a leaping catch against the wall in the third.

Then, in the 11th, Puckett homered off Charlie Leibrandt to give the Twins a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves and send the World Series to a seventh game.

"I feel like I just went 15 rounds," Puckett said. "I'm completely drained."

Puckett entered the game 3-for-l8 in the Series after slumping in Atlanta. In Game 1, he struck out twice against Leibrandt.

"He's one of the impact players in the game," Twins manager Tom Kelly said of his 5-foot-8, 216-pound center fielder. "He can just take over a game offensively and defensively."

After Chuck Knoblauch singled in the first inning, Puckett tripled him home to put the Twins ahead 1-0 against Steve Avery. Puckett scored on Shane Mack's single.

"This was an amazing game," Puckett said. "This whole Series has been that way."

Puckett also saved the Twins with his glove in the third inning on Ron Gant's drive to center with a runner on first. Puckett timed his leap perfectly and plucked the ball just as it was about to hit the Plexiglas fence.

But he wasn't finished.

The Twins and Braves went to extra innings for the second time of the Series and Puckett knew what he wanted from Leibrandt.

"I wanted to lay off the low changeup," Puckett said. "I wanted to get a pitch I could drive."

Leibrandt threw a change and Puckett hit the ball over the left-center field fence to set off a frenzy of Homer Hankies.

"I was pointing to my family as I rounded the bases," Puckett said. "This is a game I will never forget."