Baseball: Magnificent Molitor gets into the groove: Blue Jays lead World Series
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.PAUL MOLITOR and Madonna were the smart acts on a rainy night here as the World Series moved with some trepidation into Veterans Stadium, home of the Philthy Phillies.
Molitor, the 37-year-old regular designated hitter for Toronto, left his manager, Cito Gaston, smelling of roses over his controversial decision to bench John Olerud, the American League batting champion, and play Molitor at first base instead. In the National League stadium, the pitcher takes his turn at bat and there is no DH.
He came up with a first-inning triple that scored two runs, a solo homer and a single, and even executed a rally-ending double play in the field, as the Blue Jays routed the Phillies 10-3 to open up a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Series.
Madonna also made the right call to stage her concert in the Spectrum next door, which unlike the Vet has a roof, thus avoiding the 1hr 12min rain delay that seemed to take the steam out of the hometown crowd and made the Ugly Bunch's game look more like a virgin's.
For a time, however, it felt as if we had gone to the wrong venue as the intermittent rain had the groundstaff putting the tarpaulin on, taking it off, putting it on, taking it off . . .
But once play got under way the Blue Jays were the ones who immediately hit the grace notes. Molitor's double seemed to pick up pace on the wet outfield, zipping past a charging Jim Eisenreich in right. Joe Carter's sacrifice fly then brought Molitor in to score and the Phillies were facing a night of playing catch-up.
Their best chance came in the bottom of the first. With John Kruk on second and Mariano Duncan on third, and only one out, Pat Hentgen, the 24-year-old Toronto starter who was badly mauled by the Chicago White Sox in the play- offs, found himself battling a suddenly frenzied crowd as well as the Philadelphia line-up. But his overpowering fastball had Dave Hollins swinging far too late, and when Darren Daulton also struck out to Hentgen's deceiving curveball, the fans sunk down under their raincapes and were barely heard from again.
The Blue Jay batters, by contrast, were getting to the Phillies left- handed starter, Danny Jackson, and when Molitor pulled the ball over the left-field fence in the fourth to open up a 4-0 lead, the game died.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments