Donnie Moore
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Donnie Moore (February 13, 1954 - July 18, 1989) was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs (1975, 1977-79), St. Louis Cardinals (1980), Milwaukee Brewers (1981), Atlanta Braves (1982-84) and California Angels (1985-88).
In a 13-season career, Moore posted a 43-40 record with 89 saves, 416 strikeouts, and a 3.67 ERA in 655 innings. He was selected an All-Star in 1985.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Moore is most remembered for the home run he gave up as a Angel during Game Five of the 1986 American League Championship Series, preventing his team from entering the 1986 World Series. Moore was never able to recover personally from this event and sports fans and the sports media never forgot it. Because of this and his battle with alcoholism, he committed suicide in Anaheim, California, at age of 35.
ALCS Game Five
The game took place on October 12, 1986 in Anaheim. California held a 3 games to 1 lead of a best-of-seven against the Boston Red Sox. In the game, the Angels held a 5-2 lead going into the ninth inning. Boston scored two runs on a hit by Wade Boggs and a home run by Don Baylor, closing the gap to 5-4.
When Moore came in to shut down the rally, there were two outs, and a runner on first base, Rich Gedman, who had been hit by a pitch. The Angels were one out from getting into the World Series. But Dave Henderson hit a 2-2 pitch off Moore for a home run, giving the Red Sox a 6-5 lead. The Angels were able to score a run in the bottom of the ninth, pushing the game into extra innings.
Moore continued to pitch for the Angels. He was able to stifle a 10-inning Red Sox rally by getting Jim Rice to ground into a double play. Nevertheless, the Red Sox were able to score off Moore in the 11th-inning via a sacrifice fly by Henderson. The Angels could not score in the bottom of the 11th, and lost the game 7-6.
The defeat still left the Angels in a 3 games to 2 advantage, with two more games to play at Fenway Park. The Angels were not able to recover, losing both games by wide margins, 10-4 and 8-1.
Baseball is a team sport: games and series are not won or lost by single players. But Moore became associated with the loss of the pennant, in much the same manner that Bill Buckner became associated with the Sox' subsequent loss of the World Series.