1985 World Series - Summary

Summary

Two missed calls had impacts on the outcome of Game 6. In the fourth inning of the 0–0 game, the Royals' Frank White was called out on an attempted steal of second base, but replays show he had beaten the tag. The following batter, Pat Sheridan, hit a single to right field.

Then in the ninth inning with St. Louis leading 1–0, Jorge Orta led off the bottom of the ninth with a ground ball to Cardinal first baseman Jack Clark, who flipped the ball to Cardinal pitcher Todd Worrell covering first. First base umpire Don Denkinger called Orta safe, but television replays showed that Worrell beat him to the base. Then, after Clark and catcher Darrell Porter let a foul pop drop between them, Steve Balboni made them pay for their mistake with a single to left on the very next pitch, moving Orta to second base. Jim Sundberg's attempted sacrifice bunt, instead of moving up the runners, ended up getting Orta thrown out at third. With Hal McRae batting next, Cardinals' catcher and 1982 World Series MVP Darrell Porter, who had played four seasons with the Royals, allowed a passed ball, and both Kansas City runners moved up a base. McRae was then intentionally walked to load the bases. Dane Iorg would then pinch hit for Dan Quisenberry, and his single to right field drove in two runs giving Kansas City a 2–1 win. The only out recorded by the Cardinals in the inning was Orta (at third instead of first). Years of debate between Cardinals' and Royals' fans have followed over what might have happened if Orta had been put out at first instead of third.

The following night, with Denkinger behind home plate, the Cardinals suffered an epic meltdown, as ace pitcher John Tudor got off to a terrible start, giving up five earned runs and four walks in only 2 1⁄₃ innings. In addition, ABC television cameras caught Herzog screaming and belittling Denkinger from the Cardinals' dugout throughout the contest. Pitcher Joaquín Andújar exploded twice over Denkinger's calls at the plate during the fifth inning, finally being ejected with Herzog after a heated argument over Denkinger's strike zone. Kansas City would take the series with an 11–0 shutout. Disgusted by their performances, Tudor punched an electrical fan with his pitching hand and Andújar vandalized a toilet in Kauffman Stadium's clubhouse. In the offseason, Joaquín Andújar was traded to the Oakland Athletics.

It was the second Missouri-only World Series: the first was the 1944 World Series between two St. Louis teams, the St. Louis Cardinals vs. the St. Louis Browns (a team that later moved and is now the Baltimore Orioles).

Although the Royals lost the first two games at home, they overcame their poor start and became World Series champions for the first time thanks to MVP Bret Saberhagen's victories in Games 3 and 7. To date, this is the Royals' sole World Series championship. It is also the Royals' last trip to the MLB post-season to date.

AL Kansas City Royals (4) vs. NL St. Louis Cardinals (3)