#40. 1995 AL Champion Cleveland Indians v. #72. 1951 World Champion New York Yankees
1 spot remains in the Elite 8. We've got 2 Yankees, 2 Orioles, Dodgers, Cubs, Astros. Note, all of the teams left are AL teams, so the final count will be AL 6 NL 2. This is the last shot for the Stengel Yankees - if Mantle/Berra don't advance here they do not advance.
Indians 100-44 (Pythag 93-51) Mgr. Mike Hargrove (3rd AL Mgr of Year)
1st in AL Central
d. Red Sox 3-0 ALDS
d. Mariners 4-2 ALCS (MVP-Orel Hershiser)
lost to Braves 4-2 World Series
d. #89. 1923 Yankees 2-0 (MVP-Kenny Lofton)
d. #105 1955 Dodgers 3-2 (MVP-Manny Ramirez)
All-Stars: 2B Carlos Baerga, OF Albert Belle (2nd AL MVP) OF Kenny Lofton, SP Dennis Martinez, RP Jose Mesa (2nd AL Cy Young, 4th AL MVP) OF Manny Ramirez
Hall of Famers: Eddie Murray, Jim Thome, Dave Winfield
Short season, only 144 games, Indians first pennant since '54. Jose Mesa gave up 8 earned runs all year. Indians won the AL Central by 30 games. First season in Jacobs Field.
Yankees 98-56 (Pythag 94-60) Mgr Casey Stengel
Won AL Pennant
d. Giants 4-2 in World Series
d. #57 1931 Cardinals 2-0 (Allie Reynolds)
d. #8 1910 A's 3-2 (Joe Collins)
All-Stars: C Yogi Berra, OF Joe DiMaggio, SP Eddie Lopat, SS Phil Rizzuto
AL RoY: 2B Gil McDougald
Hall of Famers: Yogi Berra (AL MVP) Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Johnny Mize, Phil Rizzuto, Casey Stengel
DiMaggio's final year, Mantle's rookie year - Bob Sheppard's first year as Yankee PA Announcer.
Yankees-Casey Stengel
CF Woodling (28) (LH) 129 3.1
C Berra (26) (LH) 130 5.5
RF Collins (28) (LH) 126 1.4
2B McDougald (23) 142 4.3
LF Jensen (24) 137 1.2
DH Mantle (19) (SH) 117 1.1
3B Brown (26) (LH) 108 1.3
1B Mize (38) (LH) 102 1.1
SS Rizzuto (33) 92 3.1
P Lopat (33) (LH) 132 5.1
Bench
CF DiMaggio (36) 116 2.5
RF Bauer (28) 127 2.3
2B Coleman (26) 74
SP2 Reynolds (34) 126 4
SP3 Raschi (32) 117 4.4
All Cleveland's pitchers are RH, so Casey starts with the heavy LH lineup and we go from there. Morgan is the 4th starter if they advance.
Indians-Mike Hargrove
CF Lofton (28) (LH) 110 3.4
3B Thome (24) (LH) 157 5.6
LF Belle (28) 177 8.2
RF Ramirez (23) 147 3.7
DH Murray (39) (SH) 129 2.7
1B Perry (25) 117
2B Baerga (26) (SH) 108 3.4
C Alomar (29) 107 1.7
SS Vizquel (28) (SH) 78 2.4
P Martinez (41) 152 4.3
Bench
C Pena (38) 75
OF Kirby (31) (LH) 45
1B Sorrento (29) (LH) 116 1.1
IF Espinoza (33) 51
DH Winfield (43) 49
SP2 Hershiser (36) 121 3.5
SP3 Ogea (24) 154 2.3
Platoon at first, Nagy will be the 4th starter if they advance.
Lineups:
C-Berra
1B-Push
2B-McDougald
SS-Rizzuto
3B-Thome
LF-Belle
CF-Push
RF-Ramirez
DH-Murray
SP1-Lopat
SP2-Reynolds
SP3-Raschi
Pen-Indians
WAR: Yanks 6 Indians 5 - This looks close; Indians have the better seed, they get home field, Yanks edge them out on the strength of superior starting pitching (Indians have enormous bullpen advantage) Indians also have Belle, easily best position player. Indians are slight favorites.
GAME ONE
1st: Hey, look - it's Region 8. Three series from now only 8 teams will remain in the field. We will finish by the end of 2020. Standing on the Jacobs Field mound - Dennis Martinez, 41 year old RH, 12-5, 3.08. Martinez spent the first 11 seasons of his career in Baltimore; then 8 in Montreal. This is his second year in Cleveland and he made his 4th and final All Star team. He hits Gene Woodling with the first pitch of the game. 2 outs later Gil McDougald singles but the Yankees do not score.
1st: This is the last Casey Stengel team standing; we've seen many of these players in this round already; including Eddie Lopat, who pitched in the Region 7 Final three years from now. Lopat's a 33 year old lefty, 21-9, 2.91. Lopat spent his first four seasons with the White Sox, this is his 4th season with the Yankees and he makes his only career All Star team, leading the AL in WHIP. Kenny Lofton works a walk and an out later steals second, but that's all.
2nd: Bobby Brown singles with one out. Brown spends his entire 8 year career with the Yankees, mainly splitting time at third. He's 26, this is his 6th season. Johnny Mize follows with a base hit and that's all.
2nd: Eddie Murray singles. Murray is 39; he spent a dozen seasons with the Orioles, he and Martinez teammates. Then three with the Dodgers and two with the Mets. He came to Cleveland last season. An out later Carlos Baerga walks. After the second out, Omar Vizquel walks. That's it.
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: 1-2-3
4th: Martinez gets one and then Jackie Jensen ropes a homer to right. Jensen's 24, its his first full season in the league and his last full season with the Yanks. After the second out Brown singles and that's that. Yankees 1 Indians 0
4th: Herbert Perry is platooning at first and he singles with one out. Perry's 25, it's his first full season and his 117 OPS+ is the best he'll ever have. Carlos Baerga follows with a two run homer to left that lights Jacobs Field up, the Indians moving on top. Sandy Alomar then reaches on an error and after the second out Lofton singles. Jim Thome then laces a double down the left field line - it clears the bases - Yankees 1 Indians 4
5th: Gene Woodling singles with 1 out. Woodling's 28, he spent his first two seasons with Cleveland - then a year in Pittsburgh and then to New York; it's his third Yankee season. Woodling comes back to Cleveland for three more seasons so he's in a familiar city today. It ends here.
5th: Manny Ramirez and Eddie Murray single back to back. Manny's 23, went to HS in NYC, so he'll be headed home when the series shifts to New York. He was 2nd in Rookie of the Year last year and made the All Star team this season. Lopat escapes.
6th: Joe Collins singles. Collins is 28, spends his whole 10 year career in New York, largely splitting time at first, although he's in RF today. This is his 4th season. Gil McDougald doubles him home and the Yankees draw closer. Martinez gets one and then Mickey Mantle singles. That's it. Yankees 2 Indians 4
6th: Kenny Lofton singles with 2 out, he's now reached 3 times. Lofton's 27, he broke in with Houston, but finished 2nd in the Rookie of the Year with the Tribe. This is his 4th season in Cleveland, he made his 2nd All Star team, led MLB in triples, led the AL in steals for the 4th straight season and won his 3rd straight Gold Glove. That's all.
7th: 1-2-3
7th: Casey goes to the pen. Bob Kuzava is his best relief arm, 28 year old lefty, 8 wins, 2.40. 1-2-3
8th: Collins singles. That's it. Dennis Martinez getting it done here in game 1.
8th: Sandy Alomar singles with 2 out. Alomar's 29, splitting time behind the plate for the Indians, but given his bat, likely to play in every game in this series. He spent parts of 2 seasons in San Diego but was Rookie of the Year with Cleveland back in '90. This is his 6th Indians campaign. Omar Vizquel singles - it ends here.
9th: Jose Mesa had a monster year and he gets the ball. 29 year old RH, 46 saves, a 1.13 ERA. Mesa spent 4 seasons in Baltimore, this is his 4th in Cleveland, it is easily -- easily his best ever season. Mesa was 2nd in the Cy Young, 4th in the MVP.
Brown grounds to second.
Johnny Mize rips a single to right center.
Mesa strikes out Rizzuto
Woodling harmlessly flies to center. That's it.
8 solid for Martinez, Baerga hits the 2 run homer and the Tribe take game one.
Yankees 2
Indians 4
WP Martinez
LP Lopat
Sv Mesa
Lofton 3x
Thome 1x/double
Ramirez 1x
Murray 2x
Perry 1x
Baerga 2x/HR
Alomar 1x
Vizquel 2x
Woodling 1x/double
Collins 2x
McDougald 2x/double
Jensen 1x/HR
Mantle 1x
Brown 2x
Mize 2x
C Berra (26) (LH) 130 5.5
RF Collins (28) (LH) 126 1.4
2B McDougald (23) 142 4.3
LF Jensen (24) 137 1.2
DH Bauer (28) 127 2.3
CF DiMaggio (36) 116 2.5
3B Brown (26) (LH) 108 1.3
1B Mize (38) (LH) 102 1.1
SS Rizzuto (33) 92 3.1
SP2 Reynolds (34) 126 4
CF Lofton (28) (LH) 110 3.4
3B Thome (24) (LH) 157 5.6
LF Belle (28) 177 8.2
RF Ramirez (23) 147 3.7
DH Murray (39) (SH) 129 2.7
1B Sorrento (29) (LH) 116 1.1
2B Baerga (26) (SH) 108 3.4
C Alomar (29) 107 1.7
SS Vizquel (28) (SH) 78 2.4
SP2 Hershiser (36) 121 3.5
GAME TWO
1st The MVP of the 1995 ALCS was Orel Hershiser and he stands on the mound. 36 year old RH, 16-6, 3.87. Hershiser spent the first dozen years of his career in LA, this is his first year in Cleveland. Yogi was hitless in game one - but hits the first pitch of game 2 over the wall in right center. Yankees 1 Indians 0
1st: Allie Reynolds gets the ball for New York. 34 year old RH (4 old men pitching in games 1 and 2 for these 2 clubs; 33 year old Lopat the youngest) 17-8, 3.05. Reynolds broke in with Cleveland - spent the first five seasons of his career right here. This is his 5th season as a Yankee and the only season of what will be an 8 year Yankee career that he didn't make the All Star team. Despite that - Reynolds finished 3rd in the MVP led MLB in H/9 and shutouts. Lofton lines a single to center. An out later Albert Belle walks, that's all.
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: Reynolds gets Sorrento on a called third strike -- and Sorrento just explodes - getting right into the umpire's face, pointing his finger -- and Sorrento gets run - Paul Sorrento is ejected in the second inning of game 2. Carlos Baerga had the big blow to win game 1 and he singles here. Baerga's 26, it's his 6th big league season and he made his 3rd All Star team this year. That's it.
3rd: Yogi walks with 2 away. This is the last shot for Yogi, as it is for many of these Yankees; if they don't win Region 8, Yogi is (as a player) out of the tournament. Yogi's 26, in year 6 of what will be 18 with the Yankees. He won his first of 3 MVPs this year. That's it.
3rd: 1-2-3
4th: Gil McDougald walks and then Jackie Jensen hits a 2 run homer; Jensen homered in game 1 and puts New York up 3-0 today. After an out, DiMaggio singles. DiMaggio is 36, wasn't in the lineup in game 1 (Mantle, 19, isn't in the lineup today) DiMaggio's in his 13th and final season. As he did every single season of his career - he made the All Star team. That's all. Yankees 3 Indians 0
4th: 1-2-3, 8 straight for Reynolds
5th: Yogi doubles with 2 away, that's all.
5th: Baerga singles, that's it.
6th: McDougald doubles and here's Jackie Jensen again - doubling McDougald home. Yankees 4 Indians 0
6th: Lofton singles. Steals second. Jim Thome lines a ground ball into right field and Lofton scores. Thome's 24, it's his 5th season getting some time with the Indians, but the first one where he played 100 games. He'll be an Indian through '02. Albert Belle follows with a double and Manny Ramirez walks to load the bases with nobody out. Eddie Murray sac fly scores a run and that's all. Yankees 4 Indians 2
7th: 1-2-3
7th: Bob Kuzava comes on again for the Yanks - Baerga greets him with another base hit; that's it.
8th: Hershiser gets 2 - and then it's Jackie Jensen again - a bomb to center; his second of the day, third of the series - Jackie Jensen carrying the Yankee offense right now. Yankees 5 Indians 2
8th: 1-2-3
9th: Eric Plunk comes on for the Indians; 31 year old RH, 2.67. Plunk knows New York, drafted by NY and later spent 3 seasons with the Yankees. Plunk was twice part of deals where Rickey Henderson went back the other way. He walks Johnny Mize with 2 out but tht's it.
9th: Kuzava stays in - he's 3 outs from tying up this series at a game each.
Ramirez walks.
Murray walks.
Herb Perry singles - the Indians have loaded the bases -- Casey decides to leave Kuzava in - the real disparity between these two teams is the bullpen, the Indians have a deep pen with an elite closer and the Yankees just don't, Kuzava being their top arm. But after a couple of innings in both games 1 and 2 - here he is now, bases loaded. Nobody out.
Baerga singles again and now its 5-3. That's it - Stengel goes to the pen for Joe Ostrowski, 34 year old lefty, 3.49.
Alomar flies to left -- too shallow to score a run.
Vizquel gets ahold of one - deep - deep - deep to center, but the old Yankee Clipper tracks it down for out number two - that scores the second run, it's 5-4.
Runners on the corners. 2 out. Yanks clinging to the 5-4 lead.
And Kenny Lofton singles! Lofton singles to center - it scores the tying run - this Jacobs Field crowd - all of Northern Ohio - has exploded - 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the score and now the winning run stands on third base.
And Thome lines a shot to center -- but DiMaggio makes an incredible play, a full dive to take away the game winning single from Thome -- the 36 year old DiMaggio saving game 2 for the Yankees with a remarkable diving catch. But the Indians come all the way back to tie this score. Yankees 5 Indians 5
10th: Plunk stays on for Cleveland - he gets one and walks Collins. Hargrove is out of the dugout and makes the call to the pen for Julian Tavarez, 22 year old RH, 10 wins, 2.44. He ends the threat.
10th: Ostrowski stays on for the Yanks, he gets one then gives up a Manny single. After the second out Eddie Murray singles. Herb Perry, who replaced Sorrento at first - singles and the Indians have the winning run at 3rd. Two outs.
And Carlos Baerga singles - and the game is over.
14 hits for the Indians - they score 3 in the 9th, 1 in the 10th, Cleveland gets both games at home and heads to Yankee Stadium one game away from the Regional Final.
Yankees 5
Indians 6
WP Tavarez
LP Ostrowski
Carlos Baerga's 2 run homer was the big blow in game 1 - today he has 5 hits including the game winner in the 10th.
Lofton 6x
Thome 2x/double
Ramirez 4x
Murray 4x
Perry 3x
Baerga 7x/HR
Alomar 1x
Vizquel 2x
Belle 2x/double
Woodling 1x/double
Collins 3x
McDougald 4x/2 double
Jensen 4x/ 3HR, double 4 game 2 RBI
Mantle 1x
Brown 2x
Mize 3x
Berra 3x/ HR, double
DiMaggio 1x
CF Lofton (28) (LH) 110 3.4
3B Thome (24) (LH) 157 5.6
LF Belle (28) 177 8.2
RF Ramirez (23) 147 3.7
1B Murray (39) (SH) 129 2.7
2B Baerga (26) (SH) 108 3.4
C Alomar (29) 107 1.7
SS Vizquel (28) (SH) 78 2.4
SP3 Ogea (24) 154 2.3
CF Woodling (28) (LH) 129 3.1
C Berra (26) (LH) 130 5.5
1B Collins (28) (LH) 126 1.4
2B McDougald (23) 142 4.3
LF Jensen (24) 137 1.2
RF Mantle (19) (SH) 117 1.1
3B Brown (26) (LH) 108 1.3
SS Rizzuto (33) 92 3.1
SP3 Raschi (32) 117 4.4
GAME THREE
1st: No core group of players had more entrants in this 128 team tournament than did Stengel's Yankees, but now they're down to their final game, needing to win 3 straight to avoid elimination at the hands of the Indians. 32 year old RH Vic Raschi gets the ball for New York. 21-10, 3.27. This is Raschi's 6th season in the bigs, he was 8th in the MVP and led MLB in Ks. He gets 2 - and then Albert Belle rockets a homer deep into left field. Are we about to see a sweep? Indians 1 Yankees 0
1st: Chad Ogea takes the ball for the Tribe, first time we've had a starter under the age of 30 in the series; the RH is 24, 8-3, 3.05. It's his first full season, easily the best he'll ever have. Gene Woodling walks and that's it.
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: 1-2-3, 7 straight for Raschi.
3rd: Bobby Brown walks, that's all.
4th: Belle slaps a single to right with 1 out. Belle's 28, it's his 7th season, he finished 2nd in the MVP. He led the AL in runs and RBI and led all MLB in doubles, homers, slugging and total bases. That's all.
4th: 1-2-3
5th: Baerga singles, he's reached 8 times. That's it.
5th: 1-2-3, Ogea has yet to allow a hit.
6th: Raschi gets 1 - then walks Thome and Belle. Ramirez then walks, bases loaded - only 1 out - Cleveland has a chance to end the series right here -- but Raschi escapes.
6th: Rizzuto walks; Scooter's 33, it's his 8th season in pinstripes of what will be 13. He made his 3rd All Star team and led MLB in sacrifices for the third straight year. Still - no hits for the Yanks.
7th: Alomar singles and then Omar Vizquel hits a two run homer that sets off a celebration in the Indian dugout as they can feel the sweep is just about to happen. The Indian shortstop is 28, he spent his first 5 seasons in Seattle and this is his second in Cleveland. Vizquel won his third of what will be 11 Gold Gloves this year. An out later Lofton walks -- and then Jim Thome hits a 2 run bomb and that's it -- this Yankee team is headed home and the Cleveland Indians are going to the Region 8 final. Johnny Sain comes on for the Yanks - the 33 year old RH had a 4.14 ERA. He gets the second, then Manny doubles - all that's left in this one is to see if New York can get a hit. Indians 5 Yankees 0
7th: 1-2-3 --- the story is now Chad Ogea as the Yankees do not have a hit.
8th: Alomar hits a one out single and Ogea singles with 2 away, that's all.
8th: This series has ended, the Indians will advance to the Region 8 final - but Chad Ogea comes into the 8th having yet to allow a hit, looking for a feat yet to occur in the tournament.
Ogea strikes out Mantle. That could be Mantle's final at bat in the tournament.
Brown fouls out just in front of the screen behind home plate.
Rizzuto can of corn to Lofton. 1-2-3, 9 straight for Ogea.
9th: 1-2-3
9th: Can Chad Ogea get 3 more?
Hank Bauer comes off the bench to hit - and he rips a double off the wall in left. That's it for Ogea, Eric Plunk comes on - he gets two and then Collins doubles to end the shutout. But McDougald flies to Lofton - and the Indians celebrate at Yankee Stadium - the 1995 Cleveland Indians have made the Sweet 16, they head to the Region 8 Final.
Indians 5
Yankees 1
WP Ogea
LP Raschi
Cleveland takes it to the Yankees, close wins in both games 1 and 2 with Baerga leading the way and Ogea giving up just 1 hit in 8 innings today.
Lofton 7x
Thome 4x/double, HR
Ramirez 6x/double
Baerga 8x/HR
Vizquel 3x/HR
Belle 5x/double, HR
So - the best individual performance was Ogea's, he's going to earn half of this MVP and Baerga's got to get the other half.
