Minnesota would go on to face (and ultimately defeat) the Atlanta Braves in seven games in 1991 World Series, ranked by ESPN as the greatest ever played.
Minnesota outfielder Kirby Puckett was named the Series MVP, based on his .429 batting average, two home runs, and five RBI.
The Blue Jays were similarly successful during the 1991 season, compiling a 91–71 record (.562) and winning the American League East division by seven games over the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.
Tuesday, October 8, 1991, at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota Game 1 saw a surprise starter for Toronto as Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston chose knuckleballer Tom Candiotti to face the Twins over his new young gun Juan Guzmán and his left-handed ace Jimmy Key.
Twins manager Tom Kelly opted to counter with All-Star Game starter and Minnesota native Jack Morris.
After a strikeout by Kirby Puckett, Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek flied out to center field, moving Gladden to third.
Five consecutive singles by Devon White, Alomar, Carter, Olerud, and Kelly Gruber with only one out plated three runs and made the score 5–4.
But Carl Willis came on to get the last two outs, and the Minnesota relief corps held the Blue Jays the rest of the way for a 5–4 victory for the Twins and starter Jack Morris.
Wednesday, October 9, 1991, at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota The number-two pitchers on each staff squared off in Game 2, as Juan Guzmán took the hill for the Blue Jays against Kevin Tapani for the Twins.
White then scored his third run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Joe Carter, giving the Blue Jays a 5–2 lead.
Shane Mack led off and hit a triple against the right field wall after Carter twisted an ankle trying to reach the ball and make a circus catch.
[9] The Twins tied it in the sixth when Chuck Knoblauch doubled and scored on Kirby Puckett's single with a head-first slide at the plate.
Kelly had made an unexpected lineup change having Greg Gagne bat seventh and Leius ninth, ultimately setting up Pagliarulo to face Timlin.
[11] Rick Aguilera closed out the bottom of the tenth with a 1–2–3 inning to give the Twins a 3–2 win and a 2–1 lead in games.
In the seventh, an error on Harper's ground ball with runners on first and second off of Mike Timlin allowed another Twins run to score.
Sunday, October 13, 1991, at SkyDome in Toronto With their backs against the wall, the Blue Jays sent Candiotti to the hill for Game 5 against the Twins' Tapani.
In the bottom of the second, Tapani struck out Maldonado and Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston disagreed with home plate umpire Mike Reilly.
[13] Rick Aguilera shut the door on the Jays in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Twins their second American League pennant in five years.