4/16/84: The champs throw it away in extras, Tribe nip Birds in 11, 2-1

Bert Blyeven pitched an 11-inning masterpiece, but all it took for the Indians to stun the World Champs was a walk-off boo-boo by Oriole reliever Tippy Martinez, giving the Tribe a wild 2-1 victory in extra frames.

Blyeven worked out of some early control issues, 4 walks in the 1st 2 innings, 5 overall, but got stronger as the game wore on, ending up with 10 Ks in 11 innings, including retiring the final 9 Orioles. The only Oriole run off Blyeven came in the top of the 5th when John Shelby led off with a triple and scored on a sac fly to center by Jim Dwyer.

Oriole starter Mike Flanagan was just as brilliant, holding the Tribe to just 1 hit through 6-1/3 before the Indians rapped 4 straight singles off Flanagan by Andre Thornton, Pat Tabler, Brook Jacoby and Carmelo Castillo, the latter scoring Thronton and chasing Flanagan from the game. Sammy Stewart then got Ron Hassey to ground into a 6-4-3, then pitched perfect frames in the 8th, 9th and 10th. 

After Otis Nixon led off the 11th with a bounce out to Eddie Murray, Brett Butler singled, stole 2nd, then advanced to 3rd on a PH single by Mike Hargrove. Tippy Martinez took over for Stewart and got Julio Franco to foul to Murray at 1st, but could not field Andre Thornton's bouncer cleanly, Butler scoring the winner on a walk-off E-1, handing the defending champs only their 2nd loss in 9 games. 

CLE 2-7-0 BAL 1-5-1 WP-Blyeven LP-Stewart CLE 4-5 BAL 7-2


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