He went 7-2 with a 1.89 ERA in nine World Series starts, working 81 innings and winning two series most valuable player awards. But when he came up to pinch hit in the Yankees’ first home World Series game in 12 years, he actually hit a home run. He had but one World Series at-bat in his life, but he took advantage. He swung off his front foot at a full-count backdoor slider — the very pitch that the scouting report, by Mel Didier, had predicted — and limped his way into World Series lore. Blanton became the first pitcher to homer in the World Series since Oakland’s Ken Holtzman in 1974.

Source: thestar October 14, 2018 00:45 UTC