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Listen to the radio broadcast Starters: John Smoltz vs. Jack Morris WP: Jack Morris   LP: Alejandro Pena

Game 7 was a matchup of aces present and future as Minnesota tapped warhorse Jack Morris and the Braves countered with young gun John Smoltz. Morris entered the game with a 6-1 career record in the postseason, pitching once again on short rest after having started Game 1 (a win) and Game 4 (no-decision in a loss). Smoltz, though a playoff 'rookie' had a 2-0 record in the 1991 postseason and was also on short rest. Smoltz was coming back from his start in Game 4 where he had pitched well (two earned runs over seven innings), but left before earning a decision.

With the home team having won each of the first six tilts, the Twins had a decided 'dome' field advantage. The Homer Hankies waved incessantly throughout the game as both hurlers tossed zeros up onto the scoreboard. Smoltz came up big in the third when he worked around a Dan Gladden double, ending the threat with Gladden on third by striking out Game 6 hero Kirby Puckett on a low fastball.

The Braves mounted the game's first real challenge in the eighth inning. With the speedy Lonnie Smith on first and 1991 NL Batting Champion Terry Pendleton at the plate, Braves skipper Bobby Cox called for the hit-and-run. Pendleton lashed the ball into the gap for a double. Smith had hesitated while rounding second, however, and ended up on third instead of possibly scoring on the play. Morris then bore down and worked out of the jam, getting the final two outs as Sid Bream grounded into a 3-2-3 double play, stranding Smith on third in what turned out to be a huge opportunity missed by Atlanta.

Smoltz was ultimately lifted in the bottom of the eighth, having thrown a marvelous game sprinkling six hits and a walk while fanning four and not allowing any Twins to cross the plate. Morris stoically soldiered on as the game remained scoreless through the ninth.

As the game entered the tenth inning (the third game in this Series to go extra innings), Jack Morris returned to the hill for the Twins and worked a 1-2-3 inning to set down the Braves yet again. In the bottom half, the Twins made their move. Gladden doubled to lead off, moved to third as Chuck Knoblauch dropped down a sacrifice bunt, and then scored the World Series-winning run as Gene Larkin launched a shot over the drawn-in outfield. For the Twins it was their second World Series title in five years and they used the same formula in winning as they had in 1987 - strong pitching and home cooking.

Copyright 1991 by the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball