The fourth game of the series matched Viola against Tiger left-hander Frank Tanana, who had thrown a 1–0 complete-game shutout over the Toronto Blue Jays on the final day of the regular season to punch Detroit's playoff ticket.
In the bottom of the first, the Tigers gave Tanana a 1–0 lead when Lou Whitaker walked to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a throwing error by Twins shortstop Greg Gagne. However, in the top of the third, Kirby Puckett homered off Tanana to tie the game, then Gagne added a homer in the top of the fourth to give Minnesota a 2–1 lead. The Twins made it a 3–1 lead in the fifth when Puckett came home on a Gary Gaetti sacrifice fly, but the Tigers came to within a run in the bottom of the fifth when an infield hit by Kirk Gibson scored Whitaker.
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3 hours
Oct 12, 1987Oct 12, 1987
In what would turn out to be the last postseason game played at Tiger Stadium,...
1987 ALCS, Game 5: Twins @ Tigers / In what would turn out to be the last postseason game played at Tiger Stadium, the Twins would send Blyleven to the mound to face the Tigers' Doyle Alexander.
In the top of the second, Minnesota drew first blood when Tom Brunansky doubled home Gary Gaetti and Randy Bush, but was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple. Dan Gladden and Kirby Puckett added RBI base hits of their own to give the Twins a 4–0 lead, and Tigers manager Sparky Anderson replaced Alexander with Eric King.
As they had several times during the series, Detroit cut the Twins' lead down to one run in the bottom of the fourth, when Kirk Gibson scored on an Alan Trammell single and Matt Nokes followed with a two-run homer that scored Trammell. In the top of the seventh, however, the Twins restored their two-run lead when Kent Hrbek singled, moved to second when Gaetti was hit by a pitch, took third on a wild pitch by King, and plated on a sacrifice fly by Bush.
1½ hours
Oct 10, 1987Oct 10, 1987
My 87 games are highly edited. Sorry. 1080 Quality. All original, no scrolling...
1987 ALCS Game 3 Minnesota Twins @ Detroit Tigers / My 87 games are highly edited. Sorry. 1080 Quality. All original, no scrolling banners. Please subscribe to see old-school clips and games from the best decade in sports history. No copyright intended. Just for fun!
2½ hours
Oct 8, 1987Oct 8, 1987
Minnesota took a 2-0 lead in the series with their 6-3 win in Game Two,...
1987 ALCS, Game 2: Tigers @ Twins / Minnesota took a 2-0 lead in the series with their 6-3 win in Game Two, a game best remembered for Kent Hrbek's "Couch Potato" play and for Juan Berenguer striking out four of the final five batters.
2½ hours
Oct 7, 1987Oct 7, 1987
The 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with the Tigers throwing...
1987 ALCS, Game 1: Twins vs Tigers / The 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with the Tigers throwing Doyle Alexander against the Twins' Frank Viola. In the bottom of the second, the Twins opened the scoring when third baseman Gary Gaetti homered off Alexander to give Minnesota a 1–0 lead. However, Detroit answered back the very next half-inning, as catcher Mike Heath homered to center field to tie the game. The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth, when the Twins erupted for three runs. Gaetti led off the inning with his second round-tripper of the game, and Randy Bush followed by stroking a triple to right field and coming home on a double by Tom Brunansky. Steve Lombardozzi sacrificed Brunansky to third, and he scored on a subsequent base hit by Dan Gladden to make it 4–1.
2½ hours
Oct 4, 1987Oct 4, 1987
The Detroit Tigers squared off 7 times against the Toronto Blue Jays in an epic...
ABC Blue Jays at Tigers / The Detroit Tigers squared off 7 times against the Toronto Blue Jays in an epic run to capture the American League Eastern Division title during the final week of the 1987 season. The last three games were at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, with the Tigers sweeping the Blue Jays to win the title on the last game of the season on a 1-0 victory. The pitchers were Frank Tanana for the Tigers and Jimmy Key for the Blue Jays. Both went the distance, pitching incredible games. But this was the game of Frank Tanana's career, and the Blue Jays could not get anything going against him. The Tigers lone run was a bases empty home run early in the game from Larry Herdon. That run is not shown on this video.
The video is the ABC national broadcast featuring Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, and Tim McCarver. No copyright infringement intended.
8 minutes
Oct 4, 1987Oct 4, 1987
Ernie Harwell calls the final inning as Detroit clinches the division in a 1–0 victory over Toronto in front of
Detroit Tigers Clinch 1987 AL East / Ernie Harwell calls the final inning as Detroit clinches the division in a 1–0 victory over Toronto in front of 51,005 fans at Tiger Stadium on Sunday afternoon, October 4. Frank Tanana pitched a complete game shutout, and outfielder Larry Herndon hit a second-inning solo home run for the game's only run.
4½ hours
Oct 3, 1987Oct 3, 1987
Blue Jays trying to turn-around big losing streak in last week of the season and...
NBC Game of the Week: Blue Jays at Tigers / Blue Jays trying to turn-around big losing streak in last week of the season and make the post-season. The Tigers are red-hot and hoping to overtake them on the season's final weekend. Enjoy this great NBC Baseball Game of the Week
3½ hours
Sep 27, 1987Sep 27, 1987
Doyle Alexander throws 10 2/3 innings in this one. Clancy throws 7 shutout innings.
Tigers...
Tigers (Alexander) at Blue Jays (Clancy) / Doyle Alexander throws 10 2/3 innings in this one. Clancy throws 7 shutout innings.
Tigers had blown the two prior games, but they pull this one out - 3-2 in 13 innings.
3 hours
Sep 26, 1987Sep 26, 1987
The Tigers go to Exhibition Stadium in Toronto a couple of games behind the Blue...
Tigers (Terrell) at Blue Jays (Stieb) Game Of The Week - Vin Scully / The Tigers go to Exhibition Stadium in Toronto a couple of games behind the Blue Jays. Neither Terrell or Stieb last beyond the third inning. Henneman blows the save in the 9th, giving up 3 runs. Tigers had a 9-7 lead going into the 9th.
3 hours
Sep 25, 1987Sep 25, 1987
Frank Tanana goes 7 shutout innings, but the bullpen can't hold on, and the Jays...
Tigers (Tanana) at Blue Jays (Key) / Frank Tanana goes 7 shutout innings, but the bullpen can't hold on, and the Jays win 3-2. This is the second to last start of the regular season for Tanana and Key, who will meet again on the final day of the season.
2 hours
Sep 19, 1987Sep 19, 1987
Doyle Alexander vs Chris Bosio...
1987 MLB. Milwaukee Brewers vs Detroit Tigers / Doyle Alexander vs Chris Bosio
2 minutes
Aug 21, 1987
This is the opening of the broadcast between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians...
Detroit Tigers opening on WDIV Ch.4 / This is the opening of the broadcast between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians on Fri. Aug. 21, 1987 on WDIV TV Ch. 4 in Detroit. First pitch was at 5:05 and the second game did not finish until 1:37 am.
3 minutes
Aug 1, 1987Aug 1, 1987
Vin Scully & Joe Garagiola (NBC Sports)...
Detroit Tigers vs New York Yankees "Lou Piniella Pleads His Case" / Vin Scully & Joe Garagiola (NBC Sports)
12 minutes
May 10, 1987May 10, 1987
Here is "Tigers 87" - the Detroit Tigers pregame show from Sunday, May 10, 1987...
Part 1 of "Tigers '87" WDIV Pregame show. / Here is "Tigers 87" - the Detroit Tigers pregame show from Sunday, May 10, 1987 which was Mother's Day. This aired on WDIV Channel 4 in Detroit and previews the Tigers versus the Oakland A's.
Featuring Bernie Smilovitz, Sparkey Anderson, George Kell, Al Kaline, Frank Beckman, Vern Plagenhoef, Mickey Lolich and the Wayne State Men's Glee Club - plus great shots of old Tiger Stadium!
It also has special Mother's Day tributes from players Dan Petry, Darnell Coles and Billy Bean.
13 minutes
May 10, 1987May 10, 1987
Here is "Tigers 87" - the Detroit Tigers pregame show from Sunday, May 10, 1987...
Part 2 of "Tigers '87" WDIV Pregame show. / Here is "Tigers 87" - the Detroit Tigers pregame show from Sunday, May 10, 1987 which was Mother's Day. This aired on WDIV Channel 4 in Detroit and previews the Tigers versus the Oakland A's.
Featuring Bernie Smilovitz, Sparkey Anderson, George Kell, Al Kaline, Frank Beckman, Vern Plagenhoef, Mickey Lolich and the Wayne State Men's Glee Club - plus great shots of old Tiger Stadium!
It also has special Mother's Day tributes from players Dan Petry, Darnell Coles and Billy Bean.
7 minutes
May 10, 1987May 10, 1987
Here is "Tigers 87" - the Detroit Tigers pregame show from Sunday, May 10, 1987...
Part 3 of "Tigers '87" WDIV Pregame show. / Here is "Tigers 87" - the Detroit Tigers pregame show from Sunday, May 10, 1987 which was Mother's Day. This aired on WDIV Channel 4 in Detroit and previews the Tigers versus the Oakland A's.
Featuring Bernie Smilovitz, Sparkey Anderson, George Kell, Al Kaline, Frank Beckman, Vern Plagenhoef, Mickey Lolich and the Wayne State Men's Glee Club - plus great shots of old Tiger Stadium!
It also has special Mother's Day tributes from players Dan Petry, Darnell Coles and Billy Bean.