36 YEARS AGO TODAY: JOE OLIVER WALK-OFF GIVES THE CINCINNATI REDS A 2-0 LEAD IN 1990 WORLD SERIES

October 17, 1990. Game 2 of the World Series. Riverfront Stadium.

With the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Joe Oliver stepped to the plate with runners on first and second and one out, facing Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley, who had recorded 48 saves with a remarkable 0.61 ERA during the regular season.

The winning rally started with an unlikely hero. Billy Bates, pinch-hitting for Rob Dibble, reached on an infield single before Chris Sabo moved him to second.

On an 0-1 pitch, Oliver bounced a slider just over third base and down the left-field line, bringing Bates home with the winning run and sending 55,832 fans into a frenzy!

The walk-off single gave Cincinnati a 5-4 victory and a commanding 2-0 series lead over the heavily favored defending World Series champions.

The Reds would go on to sweep Oakland in four games, capturing their fifth World Series championship and their first since 1976.

36 years later, Joe Oliver's walk-off remains one of the unforgettable moments in Cincinnati sports history.