1999 American League Division Series

1999 American League Division Series
Team (Wins) Manager Season
New York Yankees (3) Joe Torre 98–64, .605, GA: 4
Texas Rangers (0) Johnny Oates 95–67, .586, GA: 8
Dates: October 5 – 9
Television: NBC (Games 1, 3)
Fox (Game 2)
TV announcers: Bob Costas and Joe Morgan (Games 1, 3)
Thom Brennaman and Bob Brenly (Game 2)
Radio: ESPN
Team (Wins) Manager Season
Boston Red Sox (3) Jimy Williams 94–68, .580, GB: 4
Cleveland Indians (2) Mike Hargrove 97–65, .599, GA: 21 1⁄2
Dates: October 6 – 11
Television: Fox (Games 1, 3-5)
ESPN (Game 2)
TV announcers: Joe Buck (Games 1, 5), Tim McCarver (Games 1, 5) and Bob Brenly (Game 5)
Jon Miller and Joe Morgan (Game 2)
Thom Brennaman and Bob Brenly (Games 3–4)
Radio: ESPN
Radio announcers: Ernie Harwell and Dave Campbell
Umpires: Jim Joyce, Chuck Meriwether, Tim Welke, Jim McKean, John Shulock, Durwood Merrill (Yankees–Rangers, Games 1–2; Indians–Red Sox, Games 3–5)
Rocky Roe, Larry Young, John Hirschbeck, Joe Brinkman, Mike Reilly, Derryl Cousins (Indians–Red Sox, Games 1–2; Yankees–Rangers, Game 3)
 < 1998 ALDS 2000 > 
1999 ALCS 1999 World Series

The 1999 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 1999 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 5, and ended on Monday, October 11, with the champions of the three AL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. The teams, which were identical to those qualifying in 1998, were:

The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage (Games 1, 2 and 5 at home), which was determined by playing record. The Yankees played the Rangers, rather than the wild card Red Sox, because the Yankees and Red Sox are in the same division.

The Yankees rolled over the Rangers, who scored 945 runs in 1999, for the second straight year three games to none. The Red Sox battled back down two games to none against a Cleveland Indians team that was the first to score 1,000 runs in a season in nearly 50 years and won the Series three games to two, thanks to Pedro Martínez. The Yankees would go on to defeat the Red Sox four games to one in their first-ever meeting in the postseason in the AL Championship Series, and would then go on to sweep the National League champion Atlanta Braves in the 1999 World Series.

Matchups

New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers

New York won the series, 3–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance
1October 5Texas Rangers – 0, New York Yankees – 8Yankee Stadium (I)3:3757,099[1]
2October 7Texas Rangers – 1, New York Yankees – 3Yankee Stadium (I)3:3257,485[2] 
3October 9New York Yankees – 3, Texas Rangers – 0The Ballpark in Arlington3:0050,269[3]

Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox

Boston won the series, 3–2.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance
1October 6Boston Red Sox – 2, Cleveland Indians – 3Jacobs Field2:5345,182[4]
2October 7Boston Red Sox – 1, Cleveland Indians – 11Jacobs Field2:4745,184[5] 
3October 9Cleveland Indians – 3, Boston Red Sox – 9Fenway Park3:0833,539[6] 
4October 10Cleveland Indians – 7, Boston Red Sox – 23Fenway Park3:4933,898[7] 
5October 11Boston Red Sox – 12, Cleveland Indians – 8Jacobs Field3:1245,114[8]

New York vs. Texas

Game 1, October 5

Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Texas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1
New York 0 1 0 0 2 4 0 1 X 8 10 0
WP: Orlando Hernández (1–0)   LP: Aaron Sele (0–1)
Home runs:
TEX: None
NYY: Bernie Williams (1)

The Yankees once again swept the Rangers and held them to one run through three games. In Game 1, Aaron Sele went against Orlando Hernández. Bernie Williams was the center of attention in Game 1, doubling in two runs in the fifth and hitting a three-run home run in the sixth.

Game 2, October 7

Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Texas 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0
New York 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 X 3 7 2
WP: Andy Pettitte (1–0)   LP: Rick Helling (0–1)   Sv: Mariano Rivera (1)
Home runs:
TEX: Juan González (1)
NYY: None

In Game 2, Rick Helling went against Andy Pettitte. Juan González gave the Rangers the lead with a solo home run in the fourth. This would be the lone run in the series for the Rangers, who scored 945 runs in 1999. But Scott Brosius's double tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Ricky Ledée gave the Yankees the lead in the seventh. In the bottom of the eighth, the Yanks got an insurance run when Mike Venafro walked Jim Leyritz with the bases loaded, scoring Chad Curtis. Mariano Rivera retired the side in order for the save in Game 2.

Game 3, October 9

The Ballpark in Arlington in Arlington, Texas

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 0
Texas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
WP: Roger Clemens (1–0)   LP: Esteban Loaiza (0–1)   Sv: Mariano Rivera (2)
Home runs:
NYY: Darryl Strawberry (1)
TEX: None

In Game 3, the Yankees took an early lead when Darryl Strawberry hit a three-run home run off Esteban Loaiza in the first inning. Roger Clemens pitched seven innings and allowed only three hits. Mariano Rivera got the series-winning save in the ninth.

Composite box

1999 ALDS (3–0): New York Yankees over Texas Rangers

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York Yankees 3 1 0 0 3 4 1 2 0 14 23 2
Texas Rangers 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 14 2
Total attendance: 164,853   Average attendance: 54,951

Cleveland vs. Boston

Game 1, October 6

Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 1
Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 3 6 1
WP: Paul Shuey (1–0)   LP: Derek Lowe (0–1)
Home runs:
BOS: Nomar Garciaparra (1)
CLE: Jim Thome (1)

Boston jumped out to an early 1–0 lead with a lead off home run by Nomar Garciaparra in the second inning off Indians' starter Bartolo Colón. Garciaparra helped score the second run for the Red Sox when he led off the fourth inning with a double and then scored on an RBI single by Mike Stanley. Facing Cy Young award winner Pedro Martínez, the Indians looked to be in serious trouble, but the ace of the Red Sox pitching staff left the game due to injury in the bottom of the fifth inning and was replaced by Derek Lowe. The Indians would tie the game in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run home run by Jim Thome, and Colon settled down and dominated the Red Sox hitters the rest of the way, striking out eleven in eight innings pitched. In the bottom of the ninth, the Indians walked the game off when Travis Fryman hit the game-winning single off Rich Garces with the bases loaded.

Game 2, October 7

Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0
Cleveland 0 0 6 5 0 0 0 0 X 11 8 0
WP: Charles Nagy (1–0)   LP: Bret Saberhagen (0–1)
Home runs:
BOS: None
CLE: Harold Baines (1), Jim Thome (2)

In Game 2, the Red Sox blew another lead. Behind Bret Saberhagen, the Red Sox built a 1–0 lead by singling home Trot Nixon in the third off Indians starter Charles Nagy. But the Indians struck back and put the game away in the bottom half. Omar Vizquel gave the Indians the lead when he tripled home Sandy Alomar, Jr. and Kenny Lofton. Roberto Alomar doubled Vizquel home, and, after an out and a Jim Thome walk, Harold Baines hit a three-run home run to make it 6–1 Indians. That marked the end for Saberhagen. The Indians added five more in the fourth with a Roberto Alomar sac fly and a Jim Thome grand slam to give the Indians an 11–1 victory in Game 2.

Game 3, October 9

Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 3 9 1
Boston 0 0 0 0 2 1 6 0 X 9 11 2
WP: Derek Lowe (1–1)   LP: Jaret Wright (0–1)
Home runs:
CLE: None
BOS: John Valentin (1), Brian Daubach (1)

When the series shifted to Fenway Park, so did the momentum. The Indians, too, would lose a starting pitcher to injury and blow a lead in Game 3. They struck first on a David Justice sac fly off Ramón Martínez in the fourth. But after shutting out the Red Sox for four innings, starting pitcher Dave Burba left with a strained forearm. Mike Hargrove chose to insert presumed Game 4 starter Jaret Wright instead of rookie middle reliever Sean DePaula. The Red Sox quickly took the lead off Wright in the fifth on a single and sac fly. A force out with runners on the corners tied the game in the sixth for the Indians. But a lead off home run by John Valentin untied the score for the Red Sox in the bottom of the sixth. An error by Valentin, who gave the Red Sox the lead in the inning prior, made the score 3–3 in the top of the seventh. After Wright walked Merloni and hit Jason Varitek, Ricardo Rincón came on to stem the tide. When Offerman walked to load the bases, John Valentin became the hero again with a double that scored Varitek and Lewis. Brian Daubach then hit a three-run home run to make it 8–3 Red Sox. The Red Sox would add one more run to give themselves a 9–3 victory.

Game 4, October 10

Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 1 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 7 8 0
Boston 2 5 3 5 3 0 3 2 X 23 24 0
WP: Rich Garces (1–0)   LP: Bartolo Colón (0–1)
Home runs:
CLE: Wil Cordero (1)
BOS: John Valentin 2 (3), José Offerman (1), Jason Varitek (1)

Because presumed starter Jaret Wright had been used in relief the previous day, and no emergency starter had been included on the playoff roster, the Indians had forced themselves to start Bartolo Colón on three days rest for the first time in his career, even though he had gone eight innings in cold weather in the first game. This time, he was not up to the challenge. Neither he nor the thin bullpen behind him could stop the barrage of Red Sox runs. Colón himself was hammered for seven runs in one-plus innings pitched, and reliever Steve Reed was tagged for eight. The Sox drove in 23 runs total in the game, and it was never close after the second inning.

Game 5, October 11

Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston 2 0 5 1 0 0 3 0 1 12 10 0
Cleveland 3 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 7 1
WP: Pedro Martínez (1–0)   LP: Paul Shuey (1–1)
Home runs:
BOS: Nomar Garciaparra (2), Troy O'Leary 2 (2)
CLE: Jim Thome 2 (4), Travis Fryman (1)

In Game 5, Charles Nagy started for Cleveland and Bret Saberhagen started for Boston, both on only three days rest. Boston jumped out to a quick two-run lead in the top of the first inning, but Cleveland responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the innings. The hitting would continue impressively, knocking Saberhagen out of the game after only one inning pitched and five runs allowed, and Nagy out of the game after only three innings pitched and eight runs allowed.

Going into the fourth inning, manager Jimy Williams opted to replace Derek Lowe with the ailing Pedro Martínez, who had left Game 1 with a back injury. This decision would prove to be wise, as Pedro pitched spectacularly, throwing six hitless innings, striking out eight and walking three. Rookie reliever Sean DePaula, whom Hargrove had refused to use in Game 3 when it mattered and compromised his rotation as a result, matched Pedro for three innings. Despite his mastery of the Sox, which since the middle of Game 3 had been rare for Cleveland pitchers, Hargrove removed him and opted to use inconsistent set-up man Paul Shuey for the seventh inning. The Red Sox would then take the lead on the back of a Troy O'Leary three-run home run after an intentional walk of Nomar Garciaparra, and the Red Sox went on to win the game 12–8, and the series three games to two. Mike Hargrove was dismissed as Cleveland manager following the conclusion of the series.

Composite box

1999 ALDS (3–2): Boston Red Sox over Cleveland Indians

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston Red Sox 4 6 9 7 5 1 12 2 1 47 56 3
Cleveland Indians 4 3 9 6 4 3 1 0 2 32 38 3
Total attendance: 202,917   Average attendance: 40,583

Series quotes

Down two games to none the Boston Red Sox have come STORMING BACK! AND THEY ARE IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES! NO HITS ALLOWED BY PEDRO MARTINEZ!
—Joe Buck, calling the final out.

"CENTERFIELD....ANOTHER ONE, Jim Thome his second of the night! and the Indians lead by one!" Joe Buck, calling Jim Thome's second homerun of the game in the bottom of the 3rd inning of Game 5.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "1999 ALDS - Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  2. ↑ "1999 ALDS - Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  3. ↑ "1999 ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  4. ↑ "1999 ALDS - Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  5. ↑ "1999 ALDS - Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  6. ↑ "1999 ALDS - Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  7. ↑ "1999 ALDS - Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox - Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  8. ↑ "1999 ALDS - Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians - Game 5". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.

External links