1991 ALCS: Game 1

Game 1:

Tuesday, October 8, 1991 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Toronto	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	4	9	3
Minnesota	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	x	5	11	0
WP: Jack Morris (1–0) LP: Tom Candiotti (0–1) SV: Rick Aguilera (1)

Box Score Info. - (read me)

BATTING

Toronto Blue Jays            AB   R   H RBI      BB  SO      PO   A
White cf                      4   1   1   0       0   1       5   0
Alomar 2b                     4   1   2   0       0   1       3   2
Carter rf                     4   2   2   0       0   0       2   1
Olerud 1b                     4   0   2   2       0   0       3   0
  Gonzales pr,1b              0   0   0   0       0   0       2   0
Gruber 3b                     4   0   2   2       0   2       1   1
Maldonado lf                  4   0   0   0       0   2       0   0
Mulliniks dh                  4   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Borders c                     4   0   0   0       0   0       8   2
Lee ss                        3   0   0   0       0   2       0   1
Candiotti p                   0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
  Wells p                     0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
  Timlin p                    0   0   0   0       0   0       0   2
Totals                       35   4   9   4       0   8      24   9

FIELDING - 
DP: 1. Alomar-Olerud.
E: Gruber 2 (2), Borders (1).

BATTING - 
2B: Carter (1,off Morris).
Team LOB: 4.

BASERUNNING - 
SB: Gruber (1,2nd base off Morris/Harper).

Minnesota Twins              AB   R   H RBI      BB  SO      PO   A
Gladden lf                    5   1   2   0       0   1       5   0
Knoblauch 2b                  3   1   2   1       1   0       0   5
Puckett cf                    4   0   0   0       0   1       3   1
Hrbek 1b                      4   0   1   0       0   0       7   1
Davis dh                      2   1   1   2       2   0       0   0
Harper c                      4   0   2   0       0   1       6   0
  Ortiz c                     0   0   0   0       0   0       3   0
Mack rf                       3   1   2   1       1   1       0   0
Pagliarulo 3b                 2   0   0   0       0   0       1   0
  Leius ph,3b                 1   0   0   0       0   1       1   0
  Larkin ph                   1   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
  Newman 3b                   0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Gagne ss                      4   1   1   1       0   1       0   2
Morris p                      0   0   0   0       0   0       1   1
  Willis p                    0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
  Aguilera p                  0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Totals                       33   5  11   5       4   6      27  10

BATTING - 
2B: Mack (1,off Candiotti); Harper (1,off Wells).
GDP: Hrbek (1,off Timlin).
IBB: Mack (1,by Wells).
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING - 
SB: Knoblauch 2 (2,2nd base off Candiotti/Borders 2); Mack (1,2nd base off
Candiotti/Borders); Davis (1,2nd base off Candiotti/Borders).
CS: Mack (1,Home by Wells/Borders); Knoblauch (1,2nd base by Timlin/Borders).

PITCHING

Toronto Blue Jays            IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP
Candiotti L(0-1)              2.2   8   5   5   1   2   0  16
Wells                         3     2   0   0   2   2   0  13
Timlin                        2.1   1   0   0   1   2   0   8
Totals                        8    11   5   5   4   6   0  37

IBB: Wells (1,Mack).

Minnesota Twins              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP
Morris W(1-0)                 5.1   8   4   4   0   4   0  23
Willis                        2.1   0   0   0   0   2   0   7
Aguilera SV(1)                1.1   1   0   0   0   2   0   5
Totals                        9     9   4   4   0   8   0  35

Umpires: HP - Larry Barnett, 1B - Mark Johnson, 2B - Rocky Roe, 3B - Tim Welke, 
LF - Mike Reilly, RF - Jim McKean

Time of Game: 3:17   Attendance: 54766

Starting Lineups:

   Toronto Blue Jays             Minnesota Twins          
1. White               cf        Gladden             lf
2. Alomar              2b        Knoblauch           2b
3. Carter              rf        Puckett             cf
4. Olerud              1b        Hrbek               1b
5. Gruber              3b        Davis               dh
6. Maldonado           lf        Harper              c
7. Mulliniks           dh        Mack                rf
8. Borders             c         Pagliarulo          3b
9. Lee                 ss        Gagne               ss
   Candiotti           p         Morris              p

Game 1 saw a surprise starter for Toronto as Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston chose knuckleballer Tom Candiotti to face the Twins over his new young gun Juan Guzmán and his left-handed ace Jimmy Key. Twins manager Tom Kelly opted to counter with All-Star Game starter and Minnesota native Jack Morris. Gaston would draw questions later when the decision seemingly swung the series against Toronto.

In the bottom of the first, Dan Gladden singled and Chuck Knoblauch did the same. After a strikeout by Kirby Puckett, Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek flied out to center field, moving Gladden to third. Knoblauch stole second and with two on and two out, Chili Davis singled both home to give the Twins an early 2–0 lead.

In the second, the Twins added two more runs. Shane Mack singled off Candotti, stole second, and moved to third on a line out to right by Mike Pagliarulo. He then scored on a Greg Gagne single, and consecutive singles again by Gladden and Knoblauch plated Gagne to give the Twins a 4–0 lead.

In the third, Davis walked with one out, stole second, and scored on a double by Mack. Candiotti's line read: sixteen batters faced, five runs, eight hits, and four stolen bases. He was also responsible for Mack, perched on second. But reliever David Wells, as well as the rest of the Blue Jays relievers shut down the Twins and held them scoreless for the rest of the game.

In the top of the fourth, the Blue Jays tried to claw back into the game. After a Roberto Alomar single, Joe Carter doubled and Blue Jays third base coach Rich Hacker sent Alomar home. Two perfect throws from the Twins nailed Alomar at the plate for the first out and the squelching of the Blue Jay rally. Carter went to third and scored on John Olerud's subsequent ground out to make the score 5–1.

In the sixth, the Blue Jays got within a single run. Five consecutive singles by Devon White, Alomar, Carter, Olerud, and Kelly Gruber with only one out plated three runs and made the score, 5–4. But Carl Willis came on to get the last two outs, and the Minnesota relief corps held the Blue Jays the rest of the way for a 5–4 victory for the Twins and starter Jack Morris. Rick Aguilera got the save while Candiotti was saddled with the loss.

The victory gave the Twins a 1–0 lead in games in the ALCS. It also put them one win short of tying the post-season record for most consecutive wins at home held by the New York Yankees.