1995 American League Championship Series

Infobox LCS
alcs = yes


year = 1995
champion = Cleveland Indians (4)
champion_manager = Mike Hargrove
champion_games = 100-44, .694, GA: 30
runnerup = Seattle Mariners (2)
runnerup_manager = Lou Piniella
runnerup_games = 79-66, .545, GA: 1
date = October 10–October 17
MVP = Orel Hershiser (Cleveland)
television = ABC (Game 1-2 )
NBC (Game 3-6)
announcers = Brent Musburger and Jim Kaat (Game 1-2)
Bob Costas and Bob Uecker (Game 3-6)
radio_network = CBS Radio
radio_announcers = John Rooney and Gary Cohen
umpires = Dave Phillips (Games 1-4), Ken Kaiser (Game 6), Derryl Cousins, Rick Reed, Dale Ford, Tim McClelland, Drew Coble
LDS1 = Cleveland Indians over Boston Red Sox (3-0)
LDS2 = Seattle Mariners over New York Yankees (3-2)The by|1995 American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of the 1995 American League playoffs, matched the Central Division champion Cleveland Indians against the Western Division champion Seattle Mariners. The Mariners had the home field advantage, which was predetermined and assigned to either the Western Division champion or their opponent in the previous round.

The two teams were victorious in the AL Division Series (ALDS), with the Indians defeating the Eastern Division champion Boston Red Sox 3 games to 0, and the Mariners defeating the wild card qualifier New York Yankees 3 games to 2. The Indians won the series 4 games to 2 to become the American League champions, and lost to the National League champion Atlanta Braves in the 1995 World Series.

ummary

Cleveland Indians vs. Seattle Mariners

Cleveland wins the series, 4-2

Game summaries

Game 1

Tuesday, October 10, 1995 at Kingdome in Seattle, WashingtonLinescore
Road=Cleveland|RoadAbr=CLE
R1=0|R2=0|R3=1|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=1|R8=0|R9=0|RR=2|RH=10|RE=1
Home=Seattle|HomeAbr=SEA
H1=0|H2=2|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=1|H8=0|H9=X|HR=3|HH=7|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Bob Wolcott (1-0)|LP=Dennis Martinez (0-1)|SV=Norm Charlton (1)
RoadHR=Albert Belle (1)|HomeHR=Mike Blowers (1)|

The Indians called on the veteran Dennis Martinez for Game 1. The Mariners rode the arm of Bob Wolcott. Wolcott got off to a shaky start by walking three straight hitters to open the game. But he would get out of the bases loaded nobody out situation with ease. In the 2nd, Mike Blowers hit a two run homer to put the Mariners in front 2-0. But the Indians would put together a run in the next inning and in the 7th, Albert Belle's solo homer tied the game at 2. With Martinez still pitching in a tie game, the Mariners would take the lead thanks to Luis Sojo's go-ahead double in the bottom half of the 7th. Norm Charlton would come on in the 8th for a 1 1/3 inning save. He would retire the side 1-2-3 in the 9th.

Game 2

Wednesday, October 11, 1995 at Kingdome in Seattle, WashingtonLinescore
Road=Cleveland|RoadAbr=CLE
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=2|R6=2|R7=0|R8=1|R9=0|RR=5|RH=12|RE=0
Home=Seattle|HomeAbr=SEA
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=1|H7=0|H8=0|H9=1|HR=2|HH=6|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Orel Hershiser (1-0)|LP=Tim Belcher (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Manny Ramírez 2 (2)|HomeHR=Ken Griffey, Jr. (1), Jay Buhner (1)|

The Indians' second veteran Orel Hershiser was called upon to stem the tide against Tim Belcher. Both pitchers dueled for 4 innings until the Indians broke through in the top of the 5th with a two run single by Carlos Baerga. In the next inning, the Indians grabbed two more on a Manny Ramírez homer and an RBI triple by Sandy Alomar, Jr.. But Ken Griffey, Jr.'s 6th postseason homer made it 4-1 in the bottom of the 6th. The Indians would put the game away when Manny Ramírez hit his second homer of the game in the 8th to make it 5-1. Hershiser would give way to Jose Mesa in the 9th. Mesa would issue a one out solo homer to Jay Buhner but would recover to close out the win.

Game 3

Friday, October 13, 1995 at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, OhioLinescore
Road=Seattle|RoadAbr=SEA
R1=0|R2=1|R3=1|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|R10=0|R11=3|RR=5|RH=9|RE=1
Home=Cleveland|HomeAbr=CLE
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=1|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=1|H9=0|H10=0|H11=0|HR=2|HH=4|HE=2
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Norm Charlton (1-0)|LP=Julian Tavarez (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Jay Buhner 2 (3)|HomeHR=|

In Game 3, the starting pitchers were Randy Johnson and Charles Nagy. Nagy and Johnson pitched a scoreless first but the Mariners broke through on a solo homer by Jay Buhner. Then an error in the 3rd by Álvaro Espinoza gave the Mariners one more run to make it 2-0 Mariners. But the Indians put a run on the board after a leadoff triple by Kenny Lofton and a sac fly by Omar Vizquel in the 4th. The Indians then tied the game due to an error by Buhner. Johnson and Nagy both left the game tied at 2. The game moved to extra innings and in the 11th, Buhner came through once again with a three run home run to give the Mariners a 5-2 lead. Charlton, who came on in the 9th in relief, got the win and shut down the Indians in the bottom of the 11th.

Game 4

Saturday, October 14, 1995 at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, OhioLinescore
Road=Seattle|RoadAbr=SEA
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=0|RH=6|RE=1
Home=Cleveland|HomeAbr=CLE
H1=3|H2=1|H3=2|H4=0|H5=0|H6=1|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=7|HH=9|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Ken Hill (1-0)|LP=Andy Benes (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=|HomeHR=Eddie Murray (1), Jim Thome (1)|

With their backs to the wall in Game 4, Cleveland called on Ken Hill to help tie the series. Opposing him would be Andy Benes. Benes wouldn't fare well against Hill and the Cleveland hitters. The Indians put three on the board in the 1st, a rally capped by Eddie Murray's two run homer. A sac fly by Kenny Lofton made it 4-0 in the 2nd. Then the rain began to fall on Seattle's parade in the 3rd as Benes surrendered a two run homer to Jim Thome in the rain. Benes was done and the rain ended after the 3rd was over. Hill would pitch beyond expectations and lead his team to an easy 7-0 shutout.

Game 5

Sunday, October 15, 1995 at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, OhioLinescore
Road=Seattle|RoadAbr=SEA
R1=0|R2=0|R3=1|R4=0|R5=1|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=2|RH=5|RE=2
Home=Cleveland|HomeAbr=CLE
H1=1|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=2|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=3|HH=10|HE=4
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Orel Hershiser (2-0)|LP=Chris Bosio (0-1)|SV=Jose Mesa (1)
RoadHR=|HomeHR=Jim Thome (2)|

Game 5 was a matchup between Chris Bosio and Orel Hershiser. Hershiser was looking to continue his excellence and he got off to the right start when the Indians knocked home a run in the 1st thanks to an error by Tino Martinez. But Hershiser's slim lead would be cut in the 3rd when Ken Griffey, Jr.'s RBI double tied the game. In the 5th, an error by Albert Belle gave the Mariners the lead. The Mariners were closing in on a 3-2 lead going home but the Indians wouldn't allow it as Jim Thome stepped to the plate in the 6th with a man on and hit a two run homer to give the Indians the lead back. The Mariners had their share of chances but could never capitalize on them and Jose Mesa closed the door in the 9th.

Game 6

Tuesday, October 17, 1995 at Kingdome in Seattle, WashingtonLinescore
Road=Cleveland|RoadAbr=CLE
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=1|R6=0|R7=0|R8=3|R9=0|RR=4|RH=8|RE=0
Home=Seattle|HomeAbr=SEA
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=0|HH=4|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Dennis Martinez (1-1)|LP=Randy Johnson (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Carlos Baerga (1)|HomeHR=|

In the potential clincher, Dennis Martinez faced Randy Johnson. Both pitchers kept the game scoreless until the top of the 5th. A key error by Joey Cora allowed Kenny Lofton to single home a run to put the Indians up 1-0. With the score still 1-0 in the 8th, the Indians put three runs together against Johnson. A passed ball with two men in scoring position allowed both of them to score. Then Carlos Baerga followed with a solo homer to give the Indians a commanding 4-0 lead with six outs to go. Once again, Jose Mesa came on to close the door in the 9th and did so with shocking ease. The Indians had won their first pennant since 1954.

Composite Box

1995 ALCS (4-2): Cleveland Indians over Seattle MarinersLinescore
Road=Cleveland Indians
R1=4|R2=1|R3=3|R4=1|R5=3|R6=5|R7=1|R8=5|R9=0|R10=0|R11=0|RR=23|RH=53|RE=7
Home=Seattle Mariners
H1=0|H2=3|H3=2|H4=0|H5=1|H6=1|H7=1|H8=0|H9=1|H10=0|H11=3|HR=12|HH=37|HE=6Total Attendance: 304,634 Average Attendance: 50,772|

Quotes

Notes