Jack Morris Goes Ten Scoreless in Game 7

On October 27, 1991, Jack Morris pitched ten scoreless innings in Game 7 of the World Series, and Gene Larkin's pinch-hit single over a drawn-in outfield in the bottom of the tenth gave the Minnesota Twins a 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves. No pitcher has thrown that many shutout innings in a postseason game since.

The entire 1991 World Series was tight. One run decided five of seven games. Three went to extra innings. Both the Twins and Braves had finished last in their respective divisions the year before, making this the first World Series between two worst-to-first teams.

Morris opposed John Smoltz, who was brilliant in his own right, allowing six hits through seven and a third scoreless innings. Both starters kept trading zeros. Minnesota's Metrodome crowd of 55,118, already the loudest venue in baseball, grew more intense with every pitch.

Morris worked out of trouble multiple times. In the eighth inning, with Lonnie Smith on first and Terry Pendleton at the plate, A deke play from the Twins' infield deceived Smith, and he hesitated on the basepaths. Pendleton hit a drive to left-center that likely would have scored Smith from first, but Smith only reached third. The Braves didn't score.

Twins manager Tom Kelly later said he went to the mound after the ninth inning to check on Morris. The right-hander insisted he was staying in the game. Kelly let him go back out for the tenth.

Dan Gladden opened the bottom of the tenth with a broken-bat double down the left field line. After a sacrifice bunt and two intentional walks loaded the bases, Larkin drove a fly ball to left-center, deep enough to score Gladden easily. Morris pumped his fist. The Metrodome shook.

Morris was named World Series MVP. The game is still widely considered the finest Game 7 ever played.