October 04, Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim

California 5, Minnesota 3

Bobby Grich homered twice, Doug DeCinces homered once, and Mike Witt pitched 8.2 innings to lead the Angels to a 5-3 win in the series opener.  Rob Wilfong’s first inning HR had given the Twins the early lead. But the game quickly turned into a nip-and-tuck affair with no team leading by more than 1 run until Brian Downing’s 8^th inning sacrifice fly made the score 5-3 California.  Brian Harper’s 2-out double brought the tying run to the plate for Minnesota in the top of the 9^th.  But Bryan Harvey induced a harmless fly ball off the bat of Dan Gladden to earn the save and preserve the game for Witt.

California leads the Series 1-0.

October 05, Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim

Minnesota 5, California 4

Kirby Puckett went 3-5 as part of a 12-hit team attack, and Mike Smithson tossed 6 strong innings, as Minnesota knotted the series with a 5-4 victory in game 2. California managed to claw back into the game after the Twins had built a 4-0 lead.  But Tom Brunansky’s 8^th inning solo HR off Andy Hassler proved to be the game winner.  Four Minnesota relievers carried the team for the final 9 outs, with Jeff Reardon getting the save.  Wally Joyner and Jack Howell homered for the Angels in a losing cause.  

Series tied 1-1.

October 07, HHH Metrodome, Minneaplis

California 8, Minnesota 7

The strong starting pitching that was present in the first two games was not the case as the series moved to Minneapolis. Neither team’s starter lasted through the 5^th inning, as runs were scored in every inning of the game. Doug DeCinces and Brian Downing homered for the Angels, while Rob Wilfong and Dan Gladden did the same for the Twins. By the time the dust settled, California had managed to hold on for the win. Luis Sanchez picked up the victory with 2 innings of excellent relief, with Bryan Harvey getting the save.

California leads the Series 2-1.

October 08, HHH Metrodome, Minneaplis

California 12, Minnesota 8

California jumped all over Twins ace Frank Viola in game 4, scoring 7 times in the first two innings, with Reggie Jackson’s 3-run homer being the big blow.  But then Viola settled down, and Angels’ starter Don Sutton became progressively shakier. Kirby Puckett and Gary Gaetti each hit home runs, and by the end of the 5^th inning it was 1-run game.  Amazingly, Reggie Jackson took the wind out of the Minnesota comeback sails with yet another HR off Viola in the top of the 7^th.  The two teams traded a few more runs off the bullpen of the other, and each team ended up banging out 15 hits. The Twins refused to go quietly, placing runners on 2^nd and 3^rd with only one out in the bottom of the 9^th. But once again California’s closer Bryan Harvey managed to settle down enough to strike out the final two batters to give the Angels the game and the series win.

California wins the Series 3-1.