On This Date in Sports August 28, 1992: Singles Parade
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The Milwaukee Brewers smack around the Toronto Blue Jays, winning 22-2 at SkyDome. The Brewers set an American League record by collecting 31 hits, 26 of which were singles, also setting a record. Milwaukee scored runs in every inning but the fifth as every starter had at least one hit. Kevin Seitzer and Scott Fletcher each had five hits at the bottom of the Brewers lineup.
As August ended, the Toronto Blue Jays were in position for a second consecutive division title, holding a record of 72-56 for manager Cito Gaston. The Milwaukee Brewers, managed by Phil Garner, were in contention, sitting in third place with a record of 67-60. If the Brewers were to make a serious run at the division title, they had a shot with a four-game series in Toronto.
After losing the opener, the Brewers had rookie Cal Eldred on the mound, while the Blue Jays hoped the shut the door with Jimmy Key. Milwaukee made noise early as Pat Listach led off with a single. Two batters later, Paul Molitor hit a home run to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead. It was the only home run Milwaukee had in this blowout win. B.J. Surhoff led off the second with a walk as Kevin Seitzer followed with a double. Surhoff scored on a ground-out by Scott Fletcher, as Key was relieved by Mike Timlin.
Mike Timlin ended the second by retiring Molitor but saw the roof cave during the third inning, as the Brewers scored four times to extend their lead to 7-0. Milwaukee had five hits in the inning, all singles, including three straights by Fletcher, Listach, and Darryl Hamilton. In the bottom of the third, Toronto scratched out a run as Kelly Gruber scored on a grounder.
Doug Linton took the mound for the Blues Jays in the fourth; he got Greg Vaughn to lineout to start the inning. The following eight batters reached base as Robin Yount started the onslaught with a double. After consecutive walks to John Jaha and B.J. Surhoff, the Brewers began a merry-go-round on the bases, as the next five batters singled to extend the lead to 13-1. Bob McDonald came in to rescue Linton and struck out Vaughn as Yount flew out to end the inning. McDonald allowed two hits in the fifth, but no runs as the Brewers' offensive onslaught took a breather.
In the sixth inning, the Brewers running scoring machine cranked back up as Greg Vaughn got a two-out double and scored on a single by Dante Bichette, who replaced Yount due to the blowout. Toronto added a second run in the sixth on an RBI single by Dave Winfield. In the seventh inning, McDonald tired as the Brewers strung together four straight hits, scoring two more runs. Mark Eichhorn handled the eighth as Milwaukee again went on a singles cruise, with three runs on four hits to extend the lead to 19-2. In the ninth, it was five straight hits off David Wells, including a double by Kevin Seitzer, as the Brewers won the game 22-2.
Cal Eldred pitched seven innings to earn the win for Milwaukee, allowing two runs on seven hits. Mike Fetters handled the eight, and Doug Henry handled the ninth, each allowing one hit. The pitching line for Toronto was ugly. Nobody escaped unharmed as all six pitchers allowed at least three runs, all of which were earned. Every starter in the Brewers lineup had at least one hit and scored at least one run.
The Brewers made a push in September but finished four games short of the division title with a record of 92-70. The 31 hits set a nine-inning record n the American League, as did the 26 singles, as Milwaukee ended a ten-game road losing streak. Toronto won 96 games, took the division, and would go on to win the World Series, with their 22-2 loss being just one bad night.