Sox 99 – Final Games

One of the most dramatic performances in postseason history enabled the Red Sox to defeat Cleveland in the fifth and deciding game of the ALDS. Pedro Martinez, who had been sidelined with back pain since game 1, came out of the bullpen to hurl 6 hitless innings as the Sox prevailed, 12-8.

Starter Bret Saberhagen had been ineffective, touched for 5 runs in 1-plus frames.The Tribe jum-ped to a 5-2 lead, but Boston turned things around with a 5-run third, capped by Troy O’Leary’s grand slam. O’Leary, who shared hero’s honors with Martinez, set a postseason mark with 7 rbi’s. But the slugging did not end there, as Jim Thome slammed the second of two tremendous homers in the bottom half off Derek Lowe to put the home team back ahead 8-7. A John Valentin sac fly knotted it in the fourth at 8.

Pedro, who had gone to manager Jimy Williams in the third and asked if he could warm up, was slated to go only a couple of frames. But Pedey “got the adrenaline going and the mind going, hopefully to drive me to throw the ball over the plate.” He came in and was his normal self, holding the powerful Indian bats hitless while walking 3 and fanning 8. The score stayed tied until the seventh, when manager Mike Hargrove removed rookie reliever Sean DePaula after three perfect innings and went with Paul Shuey. The Sox quickly jumped on the righty, as a single, walk, and O’Leary’s second homer put them ahead to stay 11-8. Nomar Garciaparra added an insurance tally, singling in one in the ninth. As was his custom, Pedro ended the game dramatically, fanning Omar Vizquel on three pitches. Garciaparra, O’Leary and Brian Daubach were a combined 7 for 12 with 10 ribbies.

The come-from-behind series win, the Bosox’ first since 86, gave them lots of momentum going to the ALCS against the Yankees, It proved a letdown, however, as the Bombers prevailed in 5 contests. Bernie Williams’ 10th-inning homer off Rod Beck gave NY a 4-3 victory in game 1, and the Yanks squeaked out a 3-2 win in game 2, as Paul O’Neill singled in Chuck Knoblauch in the seventh off Rheal Cormier for the winner. Mariano Rivera fanned Damon Buford with two on in the ninth to seal the victory.

As the series moved to Fenway,he Sox got one day in the sun, driving Roger Clemens from the mound with 2 runs in each of the first 3 frames on the way to a 13-1 blowout. Pedro went 7 strong innings, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks while fanning 12.

The final two games saw Yankee pitching prevail, as Andy Petitte and Rivera combined for a 9-2 victory in game 4. It was 3-2 entering the ninth, but a pair of errors (the Sox committed 4) led to a pinch-hit grand slam by Ricky Ledee off Beck, and that was the game. El Duque Hernandez then sealed the series, pitching 7 shutout innings in a 6-1 final as the home squad was held to 5 hits.

Though the season ended with one more disappointment, it will go down in history as probably Williams’ best managing effort. He relied on strong and timely hitting from a number of lineups and juggled a generally successful pitching staff despite several injuries. Pedro captured his second Cy Young  with a 23-4 mark and Garciaparra won the AL batting title at .357. Picked fourth by many writers , the 99 Sox were a gritty, overachieving bunch.