The Blue Jays then faced the 1992 Atlanta Braves season in the 1992 World Series. The Braves returned after being beaten by the Twins the previous year. The pivotal game in this series turned out to be Game 2, in which reserve player Ed Sprague Jr. hit a 9th-inning two-run home run off Braves closer Jeff Reardon to give the Blue Jays a 5-4 lead, which would hold up. After winning Game 3 thanks to Candy Maldonados ninth inning RBI hit and Game 4 due to Jimmy Keys superb 7⅓ inning pitching effort in which he retired 15 straight batters (five innings), the Jays could not win the Series on home turf as the Braves struck back with a 7-2 win in Game 5. Game 6 in Atlanta, with the Blue Jays leading 3 games to 2, was a very close game. Toronto was one strike away from winning in the bottom of the 9th inning, 2-1, but Otis Nixon singled in the tying run off the Blue Jays closer Tom Henke. It was the first run the Toronto bullpen had given up in the series. The game was decided in the 11th inning, when Dave Winfield doubled down the left-field line, driving in two runs. The Braves would again come within one run in the bottom of the 11th, but Jays reliever Mike Timlin fielded Otis Nixons bunt, throwing to Joe Carter at first base for the final out. The Blue Jays became the first team based outside of the United States to win the World Series. Pat Borders, the Jays catcher, was the unlikely player who was named MVP after hitting .450 with one home run in the World Series. Oddly, Morris was acquired in large part for his reputation as a clutch postseason pitcher, but he went 0-3 in the playoffs. Morris, however, pitched well in the regular season, becoming the Blue Jays first 20-game winner, with a record of 21-6 and an earned run average of 4.04.. In which year did the Braves lose the World Series to the Twins?