Classic Baseball Daily Highlights

October 21, 1998 - The New York Yankees close out their historic season with 3 - 0 victory against the San Diego Padres, sweeping San Diego in four games to win their record 24th World Series championship. Andy Pettitte, who struggled mightily throughout the regular season secured the victory with 7 1/3 strong innings. With the Yankees clinging to a 3--0 lead in the eighth, the Padres were able to load the bases against Yankee's reliever Jeff Nelson. Yankees closer, Mariano Rivera came in and shut down Jim Leyritz, known for his clutch postseason home runs, to end the threat and went on to pitch a scoreless ninth inning to end the Series. Yankee first baseman Scott Brosius sensed as the ninth inning began that he would make the final play, and in fact did. The Padres pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney grounded to third base, and after Brosius threw to first for the final out, he raised his hands into the air. Mariano Rivera, the Yankees' closer, dropped to his knees as the other Yankees piled on around him. Scott Brosius was named Series MVP on the strength of the 2 home runs he hit in Game 3, including one off of Padres closer Trevor Hoffman to give the Yankees a 3-0 Series lead.The Game Four victory gave the Yankees 125 wins against 50 losses for a .714 winning percentage, the best in the majors since their Murderers' Row club of 1927, as their American League record of 114 regular-season victories were the most ever for a major league champion team at that time.

October 21, 1975, Carlton Fisk of the Boston Red Sox powers a dramatic 12th- inning home run to complete one of the most memorable games in World Series history. Playing in Game Six, Fisk homers off the foul pole at Fenway Park, giving the Red Sox a 7-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds. The Red Sox had trailed in the eighth inning, when Bernie Carbo hit a three-run, pinch-hit homer to tie the game at 6.

In 2002 this event, seen by a record-75.9 million viewers, will be chosen as one of baseball's most memorable moments.

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October 20, 2004 Game 7 of the ALCS began at 8:30 in the evening at Yankee Stadium. After winning the first three and loosing the next three, the Yankees were sending Kevin Brown to the mound to face Derek Lowe for the Red Sox. Johnny Damon, suffering through a 3 for 29 slump decided to play aggressively leading off the game with a single to left and a stolen base, but was thrown out at home trying to score on a Manny Ramirez base hit. The very next pitch, however, was lined into the right-field bleachers by David Ortiz to give Boston a 2--0 advantage. In the second inning, the Sox loaded the bases against Brown, causing Yankees manager Joe Torre to remove him and put in Javier Vázquez to face Johnny Damon. Damon hammered Vázquez' first pitch into the right-field seats for a grand slam. The rout was on. Damon, who also added an upper deck two-run blast in the fourth, had three hits in the game. Boston also enjoyed a solid performance from their starting pitcher, Derek Lowe, who allowed only one run and one hit in six innings of work, and was never even intended to be a starter in the postseason. He pitched game seven on just two days of rest. Pedro Martinez relieved Lowe in the seventh inning, receiving loud chants of "Who's Your Daddy?" which intensified as he gave up two runs. He eventually raised the velocity of his fastball to the mid-90s and shut down the rally. At 12:01 a.m., on October 21, Rubén Sierra hit a groundball to second baseman Pokey Reese, who threw to first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to finish the unprecedented comeback.

"Not many people get the opportunity to shock the world. We came out and did it," Boston first baseman Kevin Millar said. "You know what? We beat the Yankees. Now they get a chance to watch us on the tube."

The Red Sox won 10--3 and became the first team in Major League Baseball history to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games.

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October 19, 2004 --The Yankees hold a 3-2 lead over the Red Sox in the ALCS with Game 6 to be played at Yankee Stadium. The starting pitchers were Curt Schilling of the Red Sox and Jon Lieber of the Yankees. Schilling pitched with a torn tendon sheath in his right ankle, which was sutured in place in an unprecedented procedure by Red Sox team doctors. The game was scoreless till the fourth inning when Sox second baseman Mark Bellhorn hit a shot into the leftfield stands. The ball struck a fan in the chest and dropped back onto the field, where Left field umpire Jim Joyce signaled that the ball was still in play. After a discussion with Sox Manager Terry Francona, the umpires huddled and overruled the call giving Bellhorn a three run homer and the Sox a 4-0 lead. Despite his injury, Shilling provided seven strong innings giving up only 1 run on a Bernie Williams homer before leaving the game completely exhausted and his sock soaked in blood.

Bronson Arroyo would take over for Schilling in the eighth and give up a quick run on a Miguel Cairo double and a Derek Jeter single. With Alex Rodriguez up what followed was truly bizarre. ARod grounded a pitch back to Arroyo who scooped up the ball and ran down the first baseline to tag Rodriguez out, who slapped at Arroyo's arm and glove, knocking the ball loose. As the ball rolled down the baseline, ARod advanced to second and Jeter scored. The umpires huddled again and called Rodriguez out on interference and ordered Jeter back to first. Yankee Stadium erupted as fans rained debris onto the field prompting Francona to remove his players from the field for safety. The NYPD, in full riot gear, restored order and remained on the field for a full inning. Sox closer Keith Foulke would keep the Yanks off the board in the 9th and secure the game for Boston. The Red Sox, the 26th team in Major League Baseball playoff history to face a 3--0 series deficit, became the first to force a Game Seven.

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October 18, 1977 With the Yankees up three games to two against the Dodgers, Reggie Jackson seizes control of the game, the series, and is crowned  "Mr. October" when he hits three consecutive home runs in Game Six of the World Series. Jackson hit a two-run homer in the fourth on the first pitch he saw from starter Burt Hooton to give the Yankees the lead. Lou Piniella made it 5–3 by adding a sacrifice fly. Once again, in the fifth with a man on Jackson connected on the first pitch off Elias Sosa to make the score 7–3. Finally, in the eighth, Jackson strode to the plate, amid chants of "REG-GIE, REG-GIE, REG-GIE!", and drove the first Charlie Hough knuckleball he saw 475 feet into the stands. An inning later, Jackson had led the Yankees to an 8 - 4 victory and the World Championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers.  He became only the second player in history to smash three home runs in a single Series game. In addition, five home runs in one Series and four consecutive blasts over a two game period in the Series were also unprecedented.

October 18 2004 – Game 5 of the ALCS opens in Fenway Park with the Yankees leading the Series 3-1. After 8 innings, the game was tied at 4 and would remain knotted there till the 14th inning.  Yankee Pitcher Esteban Loiza walks both Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, bringing Ortiz up with two outs. The previous night's hero did his job again. Singling to center on the 10th pitch of the at-bat to bring home Damon, Ortiz set off celebratory chants of “Who’s Your Papi?”. After five hours, 49 minutes and 471 pitches, the Boston Red Sox outlasted the Yankees 5 – 4. Ortiz became the first player in history to hit two walk-off home runs during the postseason, and ended the longest game in ALCS history at 1:22 a.m.

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October 16th 2004  The Yankees lead the ALCS two games to none

over the Red Sox with Game 3 in Fenway Park. As in the first two games, the

Yankees began by scoring in the first and quickly building a 3-0 lead. The Red

Sox answered in the second inning with a leadoff walk by Jason Varitek and a

Trot Nixon home run to right field. A double by Bill Mueller, an infield hit by

Johnny Damon (his first hit of the series), and a Derek Jeter error led to two

more runs. The Red Sox led for the first time in the series, 4–3. This lead was

short-lived as ARod led off the third inning with a home run over the Green

Monster and the Yankees would build a 6-4 lead. By the end of the third, the

Sox would even things up at 6 apiece off a double by Orlando Cabrera. That was

as good as it would get for the Sox for the rest of the night. When it was all

over, the two teams combined for 37 hits and 20 extra-base hits, both

postseason records. At four hours and twenty minutes, the game was the longest

nine-inning postseason game ever played. The Yankees destroyed Boston, 19 -8 ,

amidst chants from Yankee fans  of

“Nine-teen -Eight-teen”...the last time the Red Sox won a World Series. With a

3 game to none, lead things looked bleak for the Red Sox.

October 16, 1969 - The New York Mets win their

fourth straight game from the Baltimore Orioles with a 5 - 3 triumph behind

pitcher Jerry Koosman, who throws a five-hitter, to take the World Series in

five games. In the third inning, Baltimore takes a 3 - 0 advantage after home

runs by pitcher Dave McNally and outfielder Frank Robinson. After a strong

argument by Mets manager Gil

Hodges in the bottom of the

sixth inning, Cleon Jones is awarded first base when shoe polish on the ball

proves he was hit by a pitch, and Jones scores on a home run by Donn Clendenon.

An inning later, Al Weis ties the game 3 - 3 with a solo home run, and in the

eighth, Ron Swoboda's double and two Baltimore errors give New York two more

runs and the World Championship. Clendenon is named Series MVP.

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October 15, 1988 - With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Kirk Gibson hits a pinch-hit home run off Dennis Eckersley to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5 - 4 victory over the Oakland Athletics in Game One of the World Series. Gibson, who injured himself making a game saving catch in the National League Championship Series, never came out for game one introductions and never took batting practice spending the entire game on the trainer’s table receiving treatment with Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda checking on him between innings. Inning after inning, Lasorda checked and was given the thumbs down each time until the bottom of the ninth with the A’s leading 4-3 when the clubhouse boy told Lasorda that Gibson wanted to speak to him. ”I think I can hit for you, Skipper” was the message Lasorda heard when he arrived in the trainer’s room. Eckersley got the first 2 batters out. Alfredo Griffin was next up when Lasorda sent Mike Davis to the plate instead, with Gibson warming up unbeknownst to anyone. As Eck settled in to pitch, Lasorda sent Dave Anderson to the on deck circle.

Eckersley took notice and decided he wasn't going to let Davis hit it out of the ballpark. He worked the count to 3-2 and walked Davis. “Now get out there Big Boy” Lasorda ordered Gibson, whose appearance sent the crowd into a frenzy. Lasorda decided Gibson had two swings to try and hit it out of the park and then he gave Davis the green light to steal 2nd. With 1st base open, the A’s chose not to walk Gibson who worked the count to 3-2 and

Gibson launched the next pitch out of the park. Vin Scully’s call of the play say’s it all “"In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!"

October 15, 1970 - For the third time, the Baltimore Orioles overcome a 3 - 0 deficit to bury the Cincinnati Reds, 9 - 3, and win the World Series in five games. Brooks Robinson won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award hitting .429 and breaking the record for total bases with seventeen. Robinsons stellar fielding earned him the nickname “Hoover”.

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October 14, 2003 - Holding a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning over the Florida Marlins with only 5 outs standing between them and their first World Series appearance since 1945, the Cubs fall apart after a fan, sitting along the left-field foul line at Wrigley Field, tries to catch a foul ball that is about to be caught by Cubs' outfielder Moises Alou for the second out of the inning. The Cubs argued for interference, but umpire Mike Everitt ruled there was no fan interference because the ball had broken the plane separating the field of play from the stands.  The Cubs lead proceeded to disintegrate; fueling the Wrigley faithful’s ire at this fan who would have to be escorted from the park for his own safety. Lost in all of this is the error by, the usually sure handed shortstop Luis Gonzalez, that would have resulted in an inning ending double play which would have allowed the Cubs to escape the eighth with a two run lead. The Marlins would go onto score 8 runs and win the game.  The Cubs also would lose the seventh and final game of the NLCS.

October 14, 1975 - The Cincinnati Reds take a 2-1 lead in the World Series with a controversial 6 - 5, 10-inning victory over the Boston Red Sox in Cincinnati. In the 10th inning, Reds pinch-hitter Ed Armbrister attempts a sacrifice bunt and bounces the ball in front of the plate. Boston catcher Carlton Fisk, in an attempt to field the ball, collides with Armbrister and throws the ball into center field attempting to force Cesar Gerónimo at second base. Gerónimo goes to third base and later scores the game winner. Home plate umpire Larry Barnett rules there is no interference despite heated protests by the Red Sox.

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October 13, 1960 – With the World Series between the Yankees and Pirates knotted at 3 games apiece, Game 7 at Pittsburgh’s cavernous Forbes Field would provide one of the most dramatic home runs in World Series history. In the top of the 9th, with a 9-7 lead the Pirates sent eighteen game winner Bob Friend to the mound but the Yankees would manage to tie things up. The Yankees would send Ralph Terry to the mound in the bottom of the 9th to face Pirate 2nd baseman Bill Mazeroski and with a 1-0 count Mel Allen’s call of the game tells the rest:

“There's a drive into deep left field, look out now… that ball is going, going gone! And the World Series is over! Mazeroski… hits it over the left field fence, and the Pirates win it 10-9 and win the World Series!”

As the Pirates erupted, the Yankees stood across the field in stunned disbelief. The improbable champions were outscored, outhit, and outplayed, but had managed to pull out a victory anyhow. Years later, Mickey Mantle was quoted as saying that losing the 1960 series was the biggest disappointment of his career. The only loss, amateur or professional, he cried actual tears over. For Bill Mazeroski, it was the highlight.

Bing Crosby, part owner of the Pirates, was too superstitious to watch the series live. Crosby hired a company to record the game and would only watch it a day later if the Pirates won.  His tape of game 7 is the only recording of the 1960 series known to survive as television stations routinely taped over televised sporting events. The tape sat untouched for 49 years when it was found in Crosby’s wine cellar in December of 2009. On November 13, 2010, for the 50th anniversary of the series winning home run, a gala emceed  by Bob Costas was hosted in downtown Pittsburgh. The MLB Network would air the game and gala on December 15, 2010.

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Oct. 12, 1972 -- In game 5 of the American League Championship Series the A’s, win 2-1 over the Detroit Tigers. The deciding run comes in the second inning with Mickey Lolich on the mound,  Mike Epstein on first, and Reggie Jackson on third when A’s Manager Dick Williams flashes the sign for a double steal. Reggie bounded down the third base line on the delayed steal as Tiger’s shortstop Dick McAuliffe  cut off the throw to second and fired it back to A’s Catcher Bill Freehan. Reggie and Freehan collided and Jackson was called safe at the plate. Sal Bando, A’s Captain, recalled that “Reggie had an unusual way of sliding. He would jump up, then leave his feet."

Whether it was the slide or the collision, this time it would result in a torn left hamstring that would force Reggie to leave the game and keep him from appearing in the ’72 World Series. Jackson is the only player to ever steal home in league championship play. After the chaos of that hard fought series Dick Williams was quoted as saying that he slept like a baby. That is, he “woke up every two hours crying”.

October 12, 1980 - The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Houston Astros, 8 - 7, to capture the NLCS in 6 games. In the 10th inning, Garry Maddox drives in Del Unser to end a dramatic playoff series that featured four extra-inning games.

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October 11, 1999 -- With the American League divisional Series between Boston and Cleveland tied at two games apiece, the Red Sox send Bret Saberhagen out to face Charles Nagy. In an eruption of runs, both starters find themselves out of the game by the third inning and the game tied at 8. With the season on the line, Sox manager Jimy Williams summons his ace, Pedro Martinez from the bullpen. The electrifying move sent shockwaves through Jacob’s field since Martinez was removed from Game 1 after 4 innings due to a strained back, and all expected they had seen the last of Pedro’s incredible 1999 season. Martinez was masterful, striking out eight and walking three despite having neither his fastball nor changeup at his disposal. Throwing hiscurveball almost exclusively, Martinez and the Red Sox won the rubber match of the ALDS 12-8 in what is cited as one of Martinez’s greatest appearances. Also memorable in this game was the Indians strategy to intentionally walk shortstop Nomar Garciapara to face outfielder Troy O’Leary. Twice they walked Nomar and twice O’Leary returned the favor with a homerun driving in 7 runs for the day.

October 11, 1985, George Brett steals the show in Game 3 of the 1985 American League Championship Series. Down 2-0 to Toronto in the series, Brett drove in or scored every Kansas City run, going 4 for 4 with a single, a double, and two home runs. When Brett wasn’t busy torturing Toronto pitcher Doyle Alexander at the plate, he was mystifying in the field making a back-handed stop at third base to throw out a runner at home, and recording the final out to give the Royals a much-needed 6–5 win; their first in a series that they would win in seven games

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