Top 50 Moments in Angel Stadium History #41-#45

#42 – October 11, 1986 – Angels come back from three runs down in 9th inning to tie Game 4 of the ALCS and then win on a Bobby Grich walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th to take a 3-1 series lead over the Red Sox.

When anyone mentions the 1986 ALCS Boston Red Sox vs. California Angels everyone seems to remember the same play, Angels reliever Donnie Moore giving up a 2-out go-ahead home run to Dave Henderson of the Red Sox to give Boston a 6-5 lead and the Red Sox would go on to win the game and the series.

However, the game no one seems to remember is Game 4 the night before. With the Red Sox having a 3-0 lead entering the 9th inning and Roger Clemens on the mound most people though the game was over.  However, Doug DeCinces would lead-off the bottom of the 9th with a home run off of Clemens. The Angels would get a couple more runners on base ending Clemens night. A few batters later with the Angels still trailing 3-2,  the bases were loaded and Brian Downing got hit with a pitch to force in the tying run.

In extra innings the Angels and Red Sox battled until the bottom of the 11th inning when Jerry Narron got a double.  Later in the inning Bobby Grich hit a single to right field and Narron came chugging home with the winning run capping the amazing comeback a 4-3 Angels victory. The win put the Angels on the brink of going to the World Series up 3 games to 1, but unfortunately you probably know what happened the next day and the rest of the series that denied them that World Series trip.  However, for those of you who were there for Game 4 or watched it on TV (My dad, grandpa, and I in a Tampa hotel room), you will not soon forget the drama and elation that night held.

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