Baseball: Stewart attains perfection: Toronto to defend World Series title

DAVE STEWART and his black stare were more than enough for the White Sox. Reaffirming his standing as 'Mr October', the Toronto Blue Jays' veteran pitcher ruled in Chicago as the reigning World Series champions earned the right to defend their title by retaining the American League pennant.

Named Most Valuable Player of the AL Championship Series for the second time on Tuesday night, Stewart, the World Series MVP in 1990 with Oakland, yielded just four hits in 71 3 innings to inspire the 6-3 win that clinched the series, 4-2, extending his ALCS record to 8-0. In the World Series, which begins on Saturday, the Blue Jays will face last year's opponents, the Atlanta Braves, or the Philadelphia Phillies, who led the National League Championship Series 3-2 going into last night's sixth game.