1987 ALCS, Game 2: Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins 

I remember watching this live on T.V. and was blown away by how loud the crowd was for each strike thrown by Berenguer in the 9th. The World Series later that month at that place might've been just as loud, but I didn't see the same pitch-by-pitch frenzied reaction as in this ALCS 9th-inning, Berenguer craziness!

Twins moments: 38:40 Gaetti’s double 42:11 Brunansky’s RBI double 45:39 Laudner’s 2 run double 54:49 Lombardozzi’s infield single 1:09:05 Bush’s single 1:09:57 Bush steals 2nd 1:11:12 Bush steals 3rd 1:26:30 Gladden’s 2 run single 1:38:29 Hrbek’s Homer 2:28:07 Twins are half way to the World Series

Got to love Berenguer's infectious energy at the end of this one.

I love interviews with Sparky.

Not a Twins fan but the Berenguer appearance is one of the most vivid recollections I have of baseball (not TOO vivid, though. My recollection was that he struck out all 5 batters). I'd never seen a relief pitcher take over a game like that before. Never seen it since, either. The only thing that comes close energy-wise was when Mitch Williams walked the bases loaded in his Phillies debut, then struck out the next 3 batters for the save.

Twins strikeouts: 9:34 Blyleven K’s Evans 12:59 Blyleven K’s Gibson 52:02 Blyleven K’s Gibson again 1:03:46 Blyleven K’s Sheridan 1:47:16 Blyleven K’s Trammell 1:58:53 Blyleven K’s Lemon 2:14:02 Berenguer K’s Gibson 2:22:44 Berenguer K’s Nokes 2:25:26 Berenguer K’s Lemon 2:28:07 Berenguer K’s Sheridan

The finest opening to a baseball game or series ever! It begins with the little boy lying on his bed with his dog while tossing a baseball into the air and catching it in his glove. On one toss he misses catching the ball. The ball then rolls under his bed. Peering under his bed, as the ball rolls under, the world and history of baseball is unveiled to him and all of us. He lick up the baseball on the other side and it is glowing as he exclaims… “Wow!” I wish that I could see all of it again. This was a magical vignette that has never been equalled, showing the wonder and joy of baseball. I was in college when this was first used. It has never lost its magic! ⚾️ WOW!

Man Juan was fired up. He mowed down those hitters like it was batting practice. Love the glove slap.& arm pump like hes saying GIMME ANOTHER ONE YOU CANT HIT IT.

As a Twins fan, let me get this out there: Sparky Anderson was a great manager. He was a great man. But him glaring at Berenguer (left off the '84 Tigers postseason roster) is precious.

The Twins were hot and super tough in the Homer Dome.

Gladden's remembered for his WS game 1 slam in 87 and his bloop hustling double in game 7 of '91. But that hit at 1:26:30 or so was SO clutch. He had just taken 4 balls, but the last two were called strikes. Then he fouls a couple of those same pitches off. What a great at bat. Could have lost focus, but he delivered.

More shocking , 3:05 Sparky Anderson is only 54 years old , 2:28:56 or Tom Kelly is 37 years old ?

Sparky Anderson is looking at Juan Berenguer like, "this is fucked up." 😕

It would be sweet if you had the WCCO audio for these games since you can barely hear the commentators over the Thunderdome crowd.

Were there any public comments from Kelly as to why he let Berenguer go for the save in the 9th instead of Reardon? Great decision of course haha.

Berenguer Boogie!!!!!!

44:53 - Camera man with no railing.

I love how Costas foreshadowed how the Twins would win at 1:41:00.

Sparky Anderson Looks Like He Is 37!😳🧐 Where Tom Kelly , Looks Like He Is 54 Years Old! 😳🧐 Cannot Believe That The Manager Who Is 54, Looks Like He Is 37. And The Manager Who Is 37, Is In Reality 54 Years Old! ( Sorry 😐😔 Sparky. Rest In Peace ) ( Sorry 😐😔 Tom. ) I Am Typing This At 10:22 a.m. , Tuesday Morning 🌁🛤️🛣️🏙️ , March 5, 2024.

Just good baseball.

Kubek: Is this Dwight Gooden/Nolan Ryan/Sandy Koufax kind of excitement on every pitch? For Berenguer? Costas: Whoa.

If you're a Twins fan, skip the game (even though the game is pretty cool) and go straight to the top of the ninth. You THINK the crowd is loud when this starts. It gets so much louder.

Jack Morris 1:08:10 to 1:08:17. 1:23:54 to 1:24:03 This is the same pitcher who would throw 10 innings in Game 7 of World Series four years later? On top of that, pitching for the other team? Truth is stranger than fiction!

Not a twins fan but I will never forget this. I was 12 and me and my buddies imitated Senor Smoke for an entire week after this in school. The following summer in little league the Smoke fist pump was a staple of the league. One of if not the loudest crowds I have ever heard.

Twins scoring plays: 42:12 Brunansky’s RBI double 45:39 Laudner’s 2 run double 1:26:30 Gladden’s 2 run single 1:38:29 Hrbek’s Homer

Juan Berenguer throw 6 innings in the ALCS that year while giving up only 1 run on 1 hit and 3 walks. El gasolino was huge for the twins this series. Also how can you not love his glove slap after strikeouts. 2:25:40

As a Tigers fan, this was a tough pill to swallow. The Twins just took over in this series.

Is there any chance of getting game 4 uploaded?

What's with the crowd noise? Either NBC had the background audio amped up to a ridiculous degree or the fans were uninterruptedly screaming at the top of their lungs for nine innings.

The umpires in this game were horrible.

I always seem to forget that the Tigers also made the postseason in 1987. Maybe because they lost pretty quickly against the Twins, including being down 2-0 after 2 games. When I think of the Tigers and postseason pre-2006, I only think of their amazing 1984 season that started with 35-5 and won the WS, and also their amazing 1968 season which included an impressive WS comeback against the Cards. Both Tigers teams winning over 100 games. I guess mainly because 1987 is mostly remembered in the AL East as one of the three times that Toronto choked during their era of 1985-1993

36 years ago today

Why was Kirk Gibson left?? Weak arm should have been in right I feel like. I'm not an expert though

Borderline hall of famer vs borderline hall of famer.

What is the couch potato play?