Bob Gordon’s 1979 postseason: Twins ride roller coaster to ALCS Game 3 victory

Bob Gordon’s 1979 ALCS heads into Game 3.  Here’s his wrapup.  – Tom

The series shifts to the Charm City (I lived there, liked it and still don’t know why it got dubbed the Charm City) with the Twins down two games to none. They’ve been outscored 18-4 and are looking to Geoff Zahn (Grade CZ, 16-17, 4.59) to best Steve Stone (Grade C, 16-7, 3.49). Stone has shown flashes of brilliance this year, and could even win the Cy Young someday if he can keep that curve ball working (Wink. Nod.)

Rivera leads off for the Twins and fouls out to Dempsey at catcher. Rob Wilfong, a .333 hitter this year, sends a single to right center field. Smalley doubles in to the right field corner scoring Wilfong standing up and the Twins are up quickly, 1-0. Landreaux flies to Roenicke – who drops it! – scoring Smalley. Adams sees a pitch he likes and singles to put runners on the corners with one down. Powell (still Hosken, not Boog) grounds to Dauer at second and Rich starts a 4-6-3 double play. The O’s will bat trailing 2-0. Zahn got them in order in the first, and got the first two batters in the second. Benny Ayala walloped one over the fence in right field and Memorial Stadium started to come to life. DeCinces singled, and Dauer singled to left as the O’s third baseman took third. Rick Dempsey drew a base on balls and the bases were loaded for Bumbry. Al hit a one hopper to Smalley who threw to Wilfong for the force and Zahn had dodged a bullet.

Wilfong starts the Twins 3rd with his second single of the day. Smalley comes to the plate, he doubled in a similar situation in the first. He drills Stone’s pitch past a diving Eddie Murray and in to the right field corner again! 3-1 Twins. Stone settled down. Landreux grounded to Eddie unassisted, Smalley taking third. Adams struck out swinging (Weaver finishing his first pack of the day during the at bat) and Powell flew to Bumbry in center. O’s third, one down and Singleton the batter. Ken drives one to left center and makes the turn at first but holds there. Murray, who homered twice yesterday, strides in and gets in to his crouch. Zahn slips one past him for a strike out and the 2nd out of the inning. On comes Roenicke looking to make up for his first inning error. He hits one to deep left and you can kiss that one good-bye. Roenicke has homered in all three games – this one has tied it at 3. Ayala flies to Rivera in center to end the inning.

Stone takes the mound in the fifth after setting the Twins down in order in the 4th. Rivera greets him with a single to left center. Wilfong works a walk (Earl working on his 3rdpack…), Smalley 2-2, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs steps in. He walks. (Earl calling bullpen and sending out for more cigarettes). Landreaux singles over Dauer’s head and 2 runs score. 5-3, Minnesota. Glenn Adams due up and Earl wants the left hander, Scott McGregor (Grade CZ) to face him. Scott gets Adams, Powell and Jackson to fly to Singleton in right. Singleton ties Denny Walling for most put outs in an inning – Denny did the same in the 6th inning of the Bucs Astros game. O’s come to the plate in the 5th down by 2. Singleton up with one out and he swats a drive to right – if it’s fair it’s out of here. Fair ball, home run Singleton, his 3rd in 2 games. Murray singled through the box and the tie run was on with one down. Roenicke to the plate. He homered earlier today….this time all he can manage is a grounder to Wilfong that forces Singleton at second. Benny Ayala, who homered earlier today (is it me, or am I typing that often?). Benny scorches one down past Jackson at first and in to the right field corner. Roenicke scores and the Birds have evened the score at 5.

The Twins made some noise in the 6th. Cubbage reached on an error by Rich Dauer. Wynegar singled to left and Cubbage tried for 3rd. Roenicke’s throw easily beats him for the first out of the inning. Rivera then grounds in to a 5-4-3 double play and Weaver looks brilliant for going to McGregor. (He still has some left in his 3rd pack!) Wilfong walks to start the Twins 7th. Smalley singles for first and second. Roy is 3-3 with a walk and 2 RBIs. McGregor kicks and fires to Landreaux – strike 3. One gone. Up comes Adams. Ground ball to Belanger – who had just come in to the game. Over to Dauer and on to Eddie (you can chant Eddie yourself, I’m not gonna keep typing it) for the inning ending double play. Singleton walks to start the home 7th. Up steps Eddie (hope you’re still chanting). Mauch decides he has gotten all he can from Zahn and goes to Pete Redfern (Grade BXZ). (And you don’t have to chant Eddie through the pitching change unless you want to.) Murray nubs one towards Cubbage at third and it’s an infield hit (if it makes you feel better, I do feel guilty making you chant all that time for just an infield hit). Up comes Roenicke and he does his Ron Hunt imitation. The sacks are loaded (or the bases are drunk if you prefer) for Ayala. Ayala hits one to deep center. It stays in the park, but is deep enough even Singleton can tag and score from third. The O’s will take the field in the 8th with a 6-5 lead.

McGregor on for his fourth inning of work. He walks Powell to start the inning. Earl goes to the pen for Jim Palmer (Grade C) and to the 7-11 for a carton. Palmer to the stretch. He whirls and throws to Belanger at second and they pick off Powell. (Maybe it was Boog…) Jackson hits Palmer’s next pitch all the way back to Palmer. Who calmly throws it in to the dugout – Jackson goes to second on the error. Cubbage and Wynegar then hammered back to back doubles and the Twins had taken a 7-6 lead. Palmer restores order getting Rivera to pop to DeCinces at third and Wilfong to ground to Eddie at first, who tossed to Palmer covering.

Redfern puts the Orioles down in order in the 8th. First time since the first inning. The Twins come to the plate in the 9th looking for more. Tippy Martinez (Grade BX) on for the home side. Smalley skies to Singleton for the first out. Landreaux singles over a leaping Mark Belanger and Adams stands in. He rips a single to center and the charging Bumbry boots it, Landreaux taking third on the error. Powell comes on and lofts on to Roenicke in left. A sac fly gives the Twins a 2 run lead and they want more. Earl calls on Don Stanhouse (Grade BW) to face the right hand hitting Ron Jackson. Always an adventure with the guy they call Full Pack. But Stanhouse gets Jackson to fly to Singleton on one pitch. Cue the Orioles Magic for the 9th…

Mauch goes to Marshall to try and save this one. Mike was 3-5 with 29 saves and 2.03 ERA in the regular season. Singleton to lead off (Murray on deck so warm up your vocal cords…). He bloops one safely in to left field and the tie run comes to the plate. Murray swings – and it’s a ground ball to Wilfong. 4-6-3. (you guys must not be chanting right…) Lowenstein comes in to hit for the right handed Roenicke, but can only muster a fly to Powell in right. Redfern gets the win, Marshall the save. Palmer gives up 2 runs, 1 earned and takes the loss. The teams have combined for 63 hits and 12 homers in 3 games, so tomorrow’s starters – Koosman (0-1) and Martinez (1-0) have their work cut out for them.

thanks, Bob. I’m enjoying these more and more!