1992 Alternate Season - World Series Conclusion (OOTP)

John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves.

GAME 6 (at Minnesota)

The Braves' John Smoltz faces off against the Twins' Kevin Tapani. The game has not started as like Smoltz has planned, loading up the bases with runners Chuck Knoblauch (walk), Marty Cordova (hit by pitch) and Chili Davis (single to right) for their star player Kirby Puckett. Puckett hits one to the third baseman Terry Pendleton, who makes a diving stop, but is not able to make a play anywhere as Knoblauch scores & gives Minnesota a 1-0 lead. Smoltz continues his 1st inning slide, by walking Kent Hrbek, another run crosses the plate & his pitch count is already at 25 pitches with no outs. Brian Harper narrowly beats out the double play bid, as Hrbek is out at second, Davis crosses the plate to give Minnesota, a 3-0 lead.

Bobby Cox visits mound early, and chats with Smoltz, hopefully he can settle down & not let this game get away in a hurry. Smoltz against Greg Gagne, throws a wild pitch as Puckett scores from third. Smoltz would momentarily find a groove as he strikes out both Gagne & Pedro Munoz to get out of the 1st inning... but not before the Twins put a four-spot on the scoreboard.

Smoltz would settle down the next two innings, but after giving up two walks in the bottom of the 4th to Greg Gagne & Pedro Munoz, the Braves decided to go to the pen in favor of Charlie Leibrandt. Smoltz pitches 3.2 innings, while throwing 84 pitches in such a short ugly stretch, allowing an uncharacteristic 5 walk. Chuck Knoblauch scores in two (off of Leibrandt) with a triple, with the Twins making this game pretty lopsided early on, 6-0. Marty Cordova would make it back-to-back triples as the Braves are down, 7-0.

A solo HR by Sid Bream & RBI single by Terry Pendleton, puts a small chink into the Twins' armor during the top of the 5th.

The Braves just couldn't keep up, down 12-3 during the top of the 9th, with two outs, and Otis Nixon at the plate against Willie Banks, the game would end on a 5-4 force at second...

The Minnesota Twins complete the repeat! 

This series will look back at the Game 2 meltdown, which witnessed the Twins coming back from a Major League World Series record of 8 runs down in the bottom of the 9th, to win Game 2, with the score of 10-9. The Braves were up 7-0 after 4 innings in that game. The Braves' bullpen in Games 2 & 3 combined, allowed 15 runs during the 8th & 9th innings alone... which makes Braves fans sick to their stomachs.

Brian Harper was named the 1992 World Series Most Valuable Player, while batting .417 (10-for-24), .986 OPS with 5 RBI in the series, while Marty Cordova (.348, HR & 5 RBI / 1.009 OPS) & Chuck Knoblauch (.375, 4 RBI & 1.006 OPS) both had great series as well; They did all without Kirby Puckett's bat (.208 AVG, 5 RBI).

Off to the off-season....