Cleveland Indians: Reliving past postseason series against the Yankees

1997 ALDS: Cleveland Indians top New York Yankees, 3-2

The 1997 American League Division Series between the Cleveland Indians and defending champion New York Yankees was a back-and-forth battle that consisted of high-scoring games. Game 4 of the series had the lowest combined score at just five while the first game had the highest with 14 runs scored.

The series opened up with a win for the Yankees in an 8-6 final score. Sandy Alomar belted a three-run home run in the first inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Yankees combined for four home runs as a team.

The second game turned to the Tribe behind starting pitcher Jaret Wright. Wright tossed six innings and allowed three runs, but was able to secure the win thanks to a five-run fourth inning by Cleveland.

With the series tied at a game each, the venue shifted to Jacobs Field where the Yankees routed the Indians 6-1 in Game 3. David Wells pitched a complete game for New York, despite striking out just one batter, keeping his pitch count at just 104 pitches.

In Game 4, the Indians once again battled back. New York scored two in the top of the first, but that would be all they got. Entering the bottom of the eighth down 2-1, the Indians scored a run in both the eighth and ninth to walk-it-off and force a deciding Game 5.

In the series finale of Game 5, it was again Jaret Wright on the mound for the Indians, picking up his second win of the series for the Tribe.

A 4-3 final in Cleveland’s favor helped the Indians advance to the ALCS where they topped the Baltimore Orioles to advance to their second World Series in three seasons. Going seven games with the Florida Marlins, the Indians fell just shy of their first title since 1948.