When the ALCS began, the Indians came to Seattle with a major edge. They had veteran Dennis Martinez ready to go for Game 1 along with a rested bullpen. The Mariners, after surviving the epic 5-game battle with the Yankees, went with Bob Wolcott, their #5 pitcher, and a very tired 'pen. And in the first inning, Wolcott walked the first three batters on 13 pitches. But somehow, Bob escaped with NO runs scoring. Wolcott pitched into the 7th and the Mariners rode the momentum to a 3-2 Game 1 win. Orel Hershiser and Tim Belcher were teammates on the 1988 champion Dodgers. Now, they opposed each other in Game 2. Orel got the best of Belcher in a 5-2 Cleveland win. Manny Ramirez helped the Tribe cause with two home runs. TIed at a game apiece, the scene moved to the Jake for Game 3. Tied at 2-2 in the 11th, Jay Buhner belted a three-run blast, and the Mariners handed the Indians their first extra inning loss all year long, 5-2. Eddie Murray and Jim Thome each hit two-run jacks to make Ken Hill's pitching performance in Game 4 an easy one. Hill pitched 7 shutout innings in the 7-0 triumph to even the series at two games. Speaking of Thome, he was just getting warmed up. He turned Game 5 around with another Thome dinger to put Cleveland ahead, 3-2. Orel Hershiser and four relievers made it stand and went back to Seattle needing just one win for the pennant. The Big Unit wasn't as sharp as he was all year long, but held Cleveland to one run through 7 innings of Game 6 at the Kingdome. Trouble was, El Presidente--Dennis Martinez--shut out the M's. And in the 8th, a passed ball led to two runs scoring--Kenny Lofton from 2nd on a mad dash. The clock struck midnight for the Mariners, and for the Cleveland Indians, they won 4-0 to capture their first AL pennant since 1954. Now it was on to the World Series to face the potent Braves. All was not lost for the Mariners, as the miracle run was enough to pave the way for the Washington State legislature to grant the team the funding needed for construction of a brand new ballpark. The Mariners are here to stay in Seattle.
In my humble opinion, the 95’ Tribe was the best team to not win the World Series. I believe they also had a real shot in 94’ but that darn strike meant no postseason. Man was that 95’ team stacked!
The 1995 Tribe is most certainly in the discussion of greatest teams to not win the World Series. They were just 1 win shy of the Golden 0.700 win pct. Of course, there are other teams to mention, including 4 teams who actually did play 0.700 ball but didn't win the Series, most notably the 1906 Cubs (with their 116 wins and absolutely GAUDY 0.763 win pct. mark), the 2001 Mariners (0.714 mark, 116 wins), and, sadly, the 1954 Indians (111 wins, a AL record 0.721 win pct.).
We always needed that #1 ace of the pitching staff but never got it. We had a VERY GOOD staff - Nagy, Hersheiser, Martinez, and then later on in the 90s Chad Ogea, Brian Anderson....... but never that #1 ace who would win 17-20 games and give you an era below 3.5 that would be the bona fide game one starter for the series. The Indians tried VERY hard to get both Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling, but it never panned out. If they would have gotten either one, no question those Tribe teams of the 90s would have won at LEAST two World Series!!!
Jim Thome did not play in game 3 because he hits left-handed and Randy Johnson is a left-hand pitcher. I noticed that alot about Thome, when Cleveland was in the postseason from 95 to 2001, when a left handed starting pitching would start, Cleveland would sit Thome. WOW
@@danielgregory3295 True, though 95% of getting into the HOF is the numbers. Ramirez's numbers were remarkable, and Belle's were pretty close to his (in fact, his per season power numbers were better than Manny's, batting average a little less; just didn't play as long), HOF numbers (for sure with Manny, and certainly arguably for Belle).
From a historical perspective, this might be the most unlikely League Championship Series matchup of all time. You had Cleveland which had not played in the postseason since 1954, and Seattle which had never even been to the playoffs before. These were two franchises that had NO recent history of success whatsoever.
@@methus57I think the commenter's point stand, as that strike prevented the Tribe from the playoffs in 94-- and, besides, before that, the Tribe had 3 1/2 decades of utterly futility. They magically turned a corner in 1994/1995.
When the ALCS began, the Indians came to Seattle with a major edge. They had veteran Dennis Martinez ready to go for Game 1 along with a rested bullpen. The Mariners, after surviving the epic 5-game battle with the Yankees, went with Bob Wolcott, their #5 pitcher, and a very tired 'pen. And in the first inning, Wolcott walked the first three batters on 13 pitches. But somehow, Bob escaped with NO runs scoring. Wolcott pitched into the 7th and the Mariners rode the momentum to a 3-2 Game 1 win.
Orel Hershiser and Tim Belcher were teammates on the 1988 champion Dodgers. Now, they opposed each other in Game 2. Orel got the best of Belcher in a 5-2 Cleveland win. Manny Ramirez helped the Tribe cause with two home runs.
TIed at a game apiece, the scene moved to the Jake for Game 3. Tied at 2-2 in the 11th, Jay Buhner belted a three-run blast, and the Mariners handed the Indians their first extra inning loss all year long, 5-2.
Eddie Murray and Jim Thome each hit two-run jacks to make Ken Hill's pitching performance in Game 4 an easy one. Hill pitched 7 shutout innings in the 7-0 triumph to even the series at two games.
Speaking of Thome, he was just getting warmed up. He turned Game 5 around with another Thome dinger to put Cleveland ahead, 3-2. Orel Hershiser and four relievers made it stand and went back to Seattle needing just one win for the pennant.
The Big Unit wasn't as sharp as he was all year long, but held Cleveland to one run through 7 innings of Game 6 at the Kingdome. Trouble was, El Presidente--Dennis Martinez--shut out the M's. And in the 8th, a passed ball led to two runs scoring--Kenny Lofton from 2nd on a mad dash. The clock struck midnight for the Mariners, and for the Cleveland Indians, they won 4-0 to capture their first AL pennant since 1954. Now it was on to the World Series to face the potent Braves.
All was not lost for the Mariners, as the miracle run was enough to pave the way for the Washington State legislature to grant the team the funding needed for construction of a brand new ballpark. The Mariners are here to stay in Seattle.
In my humble opinion, the 95’ Tribe was the best team to not win the World Series. I believe they also had a real shot in 94’ but that darn strike meant no postseason. Man was that 95’ team stacked!
Have to agree..the hitting power with the best closer won 100 games--in a short season!😊❤
The '94 strike actually made me feel like I had something really, really valuable stolen from me.
@@tiberius1701 Yeah--that is called a World Series championship!
The 1995 Tribe is most certainly in the discussion of greatest teams to not win the World Series. They were just 1 win shy of the Golden 0.700 win pct. Of course, there are other teams to mention, including 4 teams who actually did play 0.700 ball but didn't win the Series, most notably the 1906 Cubs (with their 116 wins and absolutely GAUDY 0.763 win pct. mark), the 2001 Mariners (0.714 mark, 116 wins), and, sadly, the 1954 Indians (111 wins, a AL record 0.721 win pct.).
We always needed that #1 ace of the pitching staff but never got it. We had a VERY GOOD staff - Nagy, Hersheiser, Martinez, and then later on in the 90s Chad Ogea, Brian Anderson....... but never that #1 ace who would win 17-20 games and give you an era below 3.5 that would be the bona fide game one starter for the series.
The Indians tried VERY hard to get both Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling, but it never panned out. If they would have gotten either one, no question those Tribe teams of the 90s would have won at LEAST two World Series!!!
The Indians' first AL pennant since 1954.
Sweet memories
I miss SportsCenter back then....
Jim Thome did not play in game 3 because he hits left-handed and Randy Johnson is a left-hand pitcher. I noticed that alot about Thome, when Cleveland was in the postseason from 95 to 2001, when a left handed starting pitching would start, Cleveland would sit Thome. WOW
2:53 Great play by Vizquel
4:02 Another great play by Vizquel
Awesome
the Mariners offense just disappeared in this series, especially when they got shut down in games 4 and 6
I predict that in the year 2842 the mariners will finally get over the hump and make it to a World Series.
Was this before they used music ?
Find all the Hall of Famers in this series: Griffey, Thome, Johnson, Martinez, Murray...(more?)😊❤
Of course, Ramirez and Belle were HOF caliber players.
@AMDG_JMJ Decent numbers, but Joey was too mean and Manny got into drug trouble...it takes more than just stats to get to Cooperstown..
@@danielgregory3295 True, though 95% of getting into the HOF is the numbers. Ramirez's numbers were remarkable, and Belle's were pretty close to his (in fact, his per season power numbers were better than Manny's, batting average a little less; just didn't play as long), HOF numbers (for sure with Manny, and certainly arguably for Belle).
From a historical perspective, this might be the most unlikely League Championship Series matchup of all time. You had Cleveland which had not played in the postseason since 1954, and Seattle which had never even been to the playoffs before. These were two franchises that had NO recent history of success whatsoever.
wrong. the Indians very well could have won it all in 1994 without the strike.
@@methus57I think the commenter's point stand, as that strike prevented the Tribe from the playoffs in 94-- and, besides, before that, the Tribe had 3 1/2 decades of utterly futility. They magically turned a corner in 1994/1995.