Visitor: Toronto Blue Jays

Home: Kansas City Royals

Date: October 11, 1985

ALCS Game 3

Scoring:

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

TOR 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 5 13 1

KC 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 x 6 10 1

Visitor playmakers:

Barfield, Rance Mulliniks

Home playmakers:

3B George Brett, Jim Sundberg

Network: NBC

Announcers: Bob Costas, Tony Kubek

Pregame:

Postgame:

Commercials:

Grade:

Notes: In past years, a 2-0 hole would mean a must-win game, but the Royals entered game three not having to win to keep playing but only to keep the series close. Game three saw the Royals send the 1985 Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen to the mound against Doyle Alexander for the Blue Jays. And George Brett's one-man show put the Royals back into the series. Entering the game, Dick Howser had an all-time post-season managerial record of 0-11.

With two outs in the first, Brett unloaded a home run to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. The Blue Jays threatened in the third when Garcia doubled and reached third on Lonnie Smith's throwing error. Moseby grounded to Brett at third, who stunned everybody by gunning the ball home and getting Garcia to preserve the 1-0 Kansas City lead. In the fourth, Brett opened with a double, went to third on McRae's fly to right, and scored on White's fly to right to give the Royals a 2-0 lead.

But the Blue Jays fought back. In the fifth, Whitt singled and Barfield homered to tie the game at two. Garcia then doubled and Moseby singled off of Saberhagen's leg to put two on. Whether it was the injury to Saberhagen, momentum for Toronto, or simple ability, Rance Mulliniks drilled a three-run homer and the Blue Jays were suddenly out front, 5-2. Bud Black succeeded Saberhagen and promptly loaded the bases on singles by Johnson and Bell and a walk to Whitt. With Barfield, who had already homered, at the plate, Howser sent for Steve Farr who got the Royals out of the jam with a 4-3 ground out.

The Royals fought back, getting a Jim Sundberg solo home run in the fifth to make it 5-3. In the sixth, Wilson singled and Brett hit his second homer to tie the game at five. Dennis Lamp replaced Alexander and got out of the jam. In the eighth, Brett singled, went to second on McRae's bunt, went to third on White's infield grounder, and scored on Balboni's single to give the Royals a 6-5 lead. Howser stuck with Farr who got through the ninth in order and the Royals won, 6-5. Brett had a game for the ages, going 4 for 4 with a single, a double, two homers, three RBIs, and four runs scored. For his efforts, NBC selected Brett as the Lite Beer player of the game. The win narrowed the Blue Jays lead to 2-1 entering game four in Kansas City.

Thanks Matt!

Running time: 2:29 (2 discs)