On This Date in Sports August 24, 1983
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
Tippy Martinez of the Baltimore Orioles picks off three Toronto Blue Jays in the tenth inning of a game at Memorial Stadium. The Jays were seeking to take advantage of Lenn Sakata who was pressed into emergency duty behind home plate. The Orioles would win the game 7-4 in the bottom of the tenth on a three-run walk off home by Sakata.
As August was nearing an end, the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays were part of a five-team battle for first place in the American League East. The Orioles were a half game back of the first place Milwaukee Brewers after losing the opening game of a three game series with the Blue Jays 9-3. As September drew near five teams were within three and a half games of first place in the Eastern Division. The Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers were each a game and a half out, while the New York Yankees were in fifth place, three and a half back.
Each team had one of their top pitchers on the mound, as Jim Clancy got the start for Toronto, while Scott McGregor got the start for the Orioles. Each team scratched out a run in the third inning as Garth Iorg and Al Bumbry each had run scoring sacrifice flies. The Jays would take a lead in the fifth inning, scoring on an error by Baltimore third baseman Todd Cruz. Heading into the ninth inning the lead was 3-1 following a sac fly by Buck Martinez in the eighth inning. The Orioles would rally to tie the game in the ninth inning on a pair of two-out base hits by Benny Ayala and Al Bumbry. Joey McLaughlin prevented any further damage striking out Dan Ford to end the ninth inning.
With the game tied 3-3 in the tenth inning, Orioles Manager Joe Altobelli had painted himself into a corner. In the seventh inning, he sent Joe Nolan to pinch hit for Catcher Rick Dempsey. In the ninth Benny Ayala who was key, the Orioles rally pinch hit for Nolan, leaving Baltimore without a Catcher for the tenth inning. With no other viable option, the Orioles Manager called on Lenn Sakata to don the tools of ignorance. Sakata had entered the game in the eighth inning at second base after Jim Dwyer pinch hit for Todd Cruz as Rich Dauer moved from second base to third base. In addition, to have an inexperienced catcher, the Orioles had a pair of outfielders playing on the infield, as John Lowenstein moved from Leftfield to second base, while pinch hitter Gary Roenicke played at third.
It would not matter where anybody played as Cliff Johnson led off the tenth inning with a home run off Tim Stoddard to give Toronto a 4-3 lead. After Barry Bonnell singled, Joe Altobelli called on his Closer Tippy Martinez to prevent further damage. Tippy Martinez was not known for a good pick off move, and it was clear Manager Bobby Cox was looking take advantage as Bonnell took a big lead looking to take second. Barry Bonnell took off too soon and was caught in a run down between first and second with Eddie Murray slapping down the tag. After Bonnell was thrown out, Tippy Martinez walked Dave Collins. Collins himself a big lead at first when he was caught leaning by Martinez for the second out. Willie Upshaw replaced Collins at first with an infield single to Lowenstein at second who showed his inexperience on the infield. No sooner than Upshaw took his first lead, where the Orioles out of the inning as Tippy completed the trifecta with a perfect pickoff toss to Murray.
Still, down 4-3, there was a sense there was more Oriole Magic to come as the crowd at Memorial Stadium was brought to their feet. It would not take long for them to be proven right as Cal Ripken Jr. playing on his 23rd birthday tied the game by leading off the tenth with a homer off Joey McLaughlin. Eddie Murray followed with a walk. He later advanced to second on a ground out by John Lowenstein. John Shelby would be intentionally walked by McLaughlin to set up the double play as Randy Moffitt entered the game. Moffitt, the brother of tennis legend Billie Jean King struck out Gary Roenicke for the second out of the inning. Stepping up to the plate next was Lenn Sakata. The Hawaiian utility man was not known for his power, with just one home run and seven RBI entering the game. However, Sakata drove the ball over the left-field wall to give the Orioles a dramatic 7-4 win.
The win helped spark the Orioles to a strong finish as they won the American League East with a record of 98-64. They would go on to beat the Chicago White Sox in the ALCS and won the World Series by beating the Philadelphia Phillies in five games.