On This Date In Sports History: The Toronto Blue Jays Completed One Of The Best Comebacks In Their History

By Jordan Long

On this date back in 1989, the Toronto Blue Jays completed one of the greatest comebacks in franchise history.  They faced the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park.  It was the final of a 3 game set.  Toronto was looking for a sweep in the series.

                Toronto started Alex Sanchez.  For the Boston Red Sox, they went with Mike Smithson which was his last season in MLB.

                Boston was looking to end this game early.  They scored 5 runs in the 1^st inning, chasing Sanchez off the mound.  He lasted a third of an inning giving up all 5 runs.  Boston added a run in the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th innings.  In the bottom of the 6^th, Boston pushed 2 more runs across.  At the end of 6 innings, the score stood at 10-0.  Boston must have felt great with that lead.  Not many teams have the ability with 3 innings left to come back.

                Toronto didn’t give up.   In the top of the 7^th inning, Toronto cut into Boston’s lead with 2 runs.  In the 8^th inning, Toronto scored 4 runs.  Going into the 9^th inning, the Red Sox still had the advantage at 10-6.  Boston was still in control of the contest.  All they needed to do was shut down the Blue Jays in the 9^th.  That didn’t happen.  Toronto put up a 5 spot. They scored 11 unanswered runs to take an 11-10 advantage.  Boston made sure the game would go into extra innings with a run in the bottom half of the inning.

                Both teams went quietly in the 10^th and 11^th innings.  In the top of the 12^th, Toronto’s right fielder Junior Felix crushed the baseball over the wall.  The score stood at 12-11.  Boston had their opportunity to either tie or win the game in walk off fashion.  It didn’t happen. Blue Jays pitcher Duane Ward shut them down in order.  Toronto won the game 12-11 which improved their record to 23-31.  The loss dropped Boston’s record to 24-27.

                The Blue Jays ended 1989 with a record of 89-73.  They won the American League East Division but lost the American League Championship Series to the Oakland Athletics 4-1.  Oakland ended up winning the World Series that year.  For Boston, they finished the year at 83-79 missing the postseason by 6 games.   Today though, we remember one of the largest comebacks in baseball history.