Orioles last ditch rally clinches championship

In a manner fit for a Hollywood script, the Baltimore Orioles scored five runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to claim the 1970 World Championship. Frank Robinson cracked his first postseason homer to tie the game and Boog Powell sent one into orbit toward left-center field to send the hometown crowd onto the field as he circled the bases. The unbelievable finish had the stunned but ecstatic fans screaming long after champagne had begun flowing in the home team clubhouse, but was only fitting for a team that had rung up 114 regular season victories and had appeared invincible throughout the postseason, losing just one game in each series.

There was a clear nervous murmur starting to permeate through the stands after New York built a 5-0 lead against Mike Cuellar, who was denied a fourth postseason victory with his first subpar outing of the postseason. Cuellar had gotten the call after Earl Weaver scratched Jim Palmer for the second straight start, this time wanting to keep the opposing lefty swinging batters on the bench.

With Tom Seaver on the mound holding the Orioles in check, it appeared that the Mets would send the series back to Shea Stadium for game six. Tommie Agee started the scoring with a solo homer in the third inning. Agee and Bud Harrelson had three hits each to set the table throughout the game. Harrelson would drive in Agee in the fifth as the duo reached on back-to-back doubles. Cleon Jones followed with a single to provide a three run cushion.

Agee and Harrelson would be in the middle of it again in the seventh frame. Seaver and Agee singled, with the runners hustling for the extra base. Harrelson lifted a fly ball deep enough to score Seaver, and Agee scored when Paul Blair's throw to third got away to push the lead to 5-0.

The hosts finally broke through the scoring column in the bottom of the frame with an unearned run. Blair doubled and scored when Harrelson throw to first on a grounder by Robinson sailed over the head of first baseman Donn Clendenon.

Seaver pitched one out deep into the ninth after walking the leadoff batter but striking out pinch hitter Terry Crowley. That would be the last out recorded in the series. Ron Herbel entered and proceeded to cough up the lead. Both runners scored on a double by Blair to cut the deficit in half. Robinson followed with the game tying blast. Tug McGraw entered only to see a 1-1 screwball leave the yard off the powerful bat of Powell.