1998 American League Division Series

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The 1998 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 1998 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, September 29, and ended on Saturday, October 3, with the champions of the three AL divisions – along with a "wild card" team – participating in two best-of-five series. The teams were:

The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage, which for the first time was determined by playing record. Also for the first time, the team with home field advantage played the first two games at home, with potentially Game 5 at home as well; previously, the team with the home field "advantage" had played the first two games on the road, with the possibility of the final three games at home. The Red Sox were ineligible for home field advantage due to not winning their division.

The New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians went on to meet in the AL Championship Series (ALCS). The Yankees became the American League champion, and defeated the National League champion San Diego Padres in the 1998 World Series.

Managers:

Umpires: Dale Scott, Joe Brinkman, John Hirschbeck, Larry McCoy, Dave Phillips, Chuck Meriwether (Games 1-2) (Indians-Red Sox, Games 1-2; Yankees-Rangers, Game 3); Jim Joyce, Durwood Merrill, Rich Garcia, Tim Tschida, Drew Coble, Terry Craft (Yankees-Rangers, Games 1-2; Indians-Red Sox, Games 3-4)

Broadcasting:

Series Network(s) Play-by-play Color Commentator(s)
New York Yankees/Texas Rangers Fox (Game 1)
NBC (Games 2, 3)		 Joe Buck (Game 1)
Bob Costas (Games 2, 3)		 Tim McCarver and Bob Brenly (Game 1)
Joe Morgan
Cleveland Indians/Boston Red Sox ESPN (Games 1, 2, 3)
Fox		 Chris Berman (Games 1, 2, 3)
Joe Buck (Game 4)		 Ray Knight (Games 1, 2, 3)
Tim McCarver

Contents

[edit] New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers

[edit] Game 1

September 29 at Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)

Scott Brosius was the hero of Game 1, as Todd Stottlemyre faced David Wells. In the bottom of the 2nd, Stottlemyre yielded two runs when Brosius singled in Jorge Posada after Chad Curtis doubled and Curtis scored when Chuck Knoblauch struck out and Brosius was caught stealing. Stottlemyre pitched a complete game in a losing effort. David Wells and Mariano Rivera limited the loaded Texas lineup, which had scored 940 runs in 1998, to only five hits.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Yankees 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 0
W: David Wells (1-0)   L: Todd Stottlemyre (0-1)  S: Mariano Rivera (1)

[edit] Game 2

September 30 at Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)

Rick Helling went against Andy Pettitte in Game 2. The remarkable Shane Spencer started the scoring when he homered in the bottom of the 2nd. Brosius then hit a 2-run homer in the Yankees 4th. Texas scored their only run of the series when Juan Gonzalez doubled and later scored on an Ivan Rodriguez single in the 5th. Once again, the Rangers were limited to 5 hits by Pettitte, Jeff Nelson, and Rivera.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Rangers 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 5 0
Yankees 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 8 0
W: Andy Pettitte (1-0)   L: Rick Helling (0-1)    S: Mariano Rivera (2)
HR: NYY – Shane Spencer, Scott Brosius  

[edit] Game 3

October 2 at The Ballpark in Arlington (Texas Rangers)

The Rangers were once again stymied by the Yankees pitching staff. 20-game winner David Cone faced Aaron Sele, and both were matching each other pitch for pitch into the 6th. Paul O'Neill put the Yankees on top by hitting a solo homerun with one out in the Yankees 6th. Then, with 2 runners on and 2 out, Shane Spencer slammed his second homerun of the series to make it 4-0. After a rain delay, David Cone was also done. Will Clark grounded out to end the series.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Yankees 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 4 9 1
Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
W: David Cone (1-0)   L: Aaron Sele (0-1)  
HR: NYY – Shane Spencer, Paul O'Neill   

[edit] Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox

[edit] Game 1

September 29 at Jacobs Field (Cleveland Indians)

The first of many rough starts for Cleveland pitcher Jaret Wright in the 1998 postseason was in Game 1. Wright faced Pedro Martinez, and Pedro would get all the run support in the world. After two leadoff hits in the 1st by Darren Lewis and John Valentin, Mo Vaughn slugged a three-run homerun to put Boston up for good. In the top of the 5th, with Lewis and Valentin on and one out, Nomar Garciaparra also slugged a three-run homerun. Jaret's night was done. A one out single in the top of the 6th by Valentin led to Vaughn's second homerun of the game to put Boston up 8-0. Cleveland responded with a 2-run homerun by Kenny Lofton in the bottom half of the 6th and a Thome homerun in the 7th. Vaughn would double in two more runs in the 8th as the Red Sox scored three more runs to now make it 11-3. The score would stand in the 9th.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Red Sox 3 0 0 0 3 2 0 2 0 11 12 0
Indians 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 3 6 0
W: Pedro Martinez (1-0)   L: Jaret Wright (0-1)
HR: BOS: Mo Vaughn (2), Nomar Garciaparra; CLE: Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome

[edit] Game 2

September 30 at Jacobs Field (Cleveland Indians

Dwight Gooden faced Tim Wakefield in a must-win game for Cleveland. Nomar Garciaparra put the Red Sox up 2-0 after doubling in Lewis and Valentin. Shortly afterwards, in a bizarre incident, Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove and Dwight Gooden were both ejected from the game. Gooden was replaced by Dave Burba, who promptly retired the next two batters. David Justice cut the lead in half by hitting a sacrifice fly that scored Lofton in the Indians 1st. Then the Indians tied it when Sandy Alomar Jr. doubled in Brian Giles in the 2nd. After Joey Cora walked, Lofton doubled in Alomar to give the Indians the lead. Wakefield left the game and, with 2 out, David Justice hit a 3-run homerun to put the Indians up for good. Garciaparra drove in a run for Boston in the 3rd, but an Alomar double scored Travis Fryman to make it 7-3 Indians. The Red Sox came within two in the 6th, but the Indians scored one in the bottom half and one in the 8th on a wild pitch. That made the final score 9-5 Indians.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Red Sox 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 5 10 0
Indians 1 5 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 9 9 1
W: Dave Burba (1-0)   L: Tim Wakefield (0-1)    S: Mike Jackson (1)
HR: CLE: David Justice

[edit] Game 3

October 2 at Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)

Charles Nagy faced Bret Saberhagen in the critical Game 3. The Red Sox struck first on an RBI-forceout in the 4th. It didn't take long to respond, as Jim Thome led the Indians 5th off with a homerun. In the 6th, Kenny Lofton homered to put the Indians on top. Then Manny Ramirez homered in the 7th to give the Indians a 3-1 edge. Manny Ramirez would homer once again in the 9th, this time off Dennis Eckersley. The Red Sox wouldn't go quietly in the bottom of the 9th as Nomar Garciaparra hit a 2-run homerun to bring the game within one run. However, Mike Jackson retired the next two batters in succession to give the Indians a 2 games to one lead in the series.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Indians 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 4 5 0
Red Sox 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 6 0
W: Charles Nagy (1-0)   L: Bret Saberhagen (0-1); S: Mike Jackson (2)  
HR: CLE: Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton, Manny Ramirez (2); BOS - Nomar Garciaparra   

[edit] Game 4

October 3 at Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)

Bartolo Colon went against Pete Schourek, looking to save the Red Sox. In the 4th, Nomar Garciaparra homered to lead off to put the Red Sox up 1-0. But, they would squander the lead for the 3rd consecutive game. In the 8th, with Tom Gordon pitching for Boston, Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel both singled with one out. Justice then doubled to center which scored both Lofton and Vizquel to put the Indians out in front 2-1. Not much happened afterwards, as Darren Bragg struck out swinging to end the series.


Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Indians 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 5 0
Red Sox 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0
W: Steve Reed (1-0)   L: Tom Gordon (0-1)  S: Mike Jackson (3)
HR: BOS: Nomar Garciaparra  

[edit] External Links

American League Division Series

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