No. 1985.10.26 · Free Agency Era
Denkinger Calls Orta Safe
With St. Louis one out from a championship, Don Denkinger called Jorge Orta safe at first. Replays showed he was out. The Cardinals never got the inning back.
Jorge Orta, from his 1978 Hostess baseball card. This is not the 1985 call at first base.
Hostess. Public domain (PD-US-1978-89), via Wikimedia Commons.
October 26, 1985, Royals Stadium, Game 6. The Cardinals led 1–0 in the ninth and had not blown a ninth-inning lead all year. Todd Worrell was pitching. Jorge Orta, pinch-hitting, chopped a ball to Jack Clark at first. Clark tossed to Worrell covering. Denkinger, umpiring at first, called Orta safe. The replays showed Worrell's foot on the bag about half a step ahead of Orta.
The inning did not end with the argument. Steve Balboni popped up a foul that Clark lost between himself, catcher Darrell Porter, and a camera near the dugout. Balboni then singled. Onix Concepcion ran for him. Jim Sundberg bunted, and Orta was forced at third. Porter's passed ball moved the runners up. Herzog walked Hal McRae on purpose. Dane Iorg, a former Cardinal, singled to right and scored both runners. Kansas City won, 2–1.
The next day Denkinger was behind the plate for an 11–0 Game 7 in which Herzog and pitcher Joaquin Andujar were ejected. The call did not score the winning run by itself. Clark's missed pop-up, the passed ball, and Iorg's single happened after it. St. Louis spent the winter on the one that came first.
Film
Orta called safe at first
Don Denkinger calls Jorge Orta safe at first in the bottom of the ninth of World Series Game 6.
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