Ethan Semendinger
- Oct 12, 2022
- 3 min read

October 11th vs Cleveland in '98, '17, & '22!

The Yankees have yet to let me down when playing the Cleveland Indians on my birthday! Let's talk 1998, 2017, and 2022!

1998 ALCS: Game 5

Sunday, October 11th, 1998 - Jacobs Field (Cleveland, OH)

Series Tied at 2-2 (Best of 7)

Winning Pitcher: David Wells

Losing Pitcher: Chad Ogea

Save: Mariano Rivera

Home Runs (New York): Chili Davis

Home Runs (Cleveland): Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome

After falling down 2-1 in the 1998 ALCS, the Yankees- through a fantastic game from Orlando Hernandez on October 10th- were able to tie the series at 2. With one final game left in Cleveland, the Yankees went back to ALCS Game 1 winner David Wells as the Indians went with spot starter/long reliever Chad Ogea, who pitched 5.1 innings in relief for Jaret Wright during Game 1.

The Yankees quickly got ahead on Ogea, combining 2 hit-by-pitches with 2 singles, a walk, and an RBI groundout to place 3 runs across in the 1st. The Indians responded with 2 runs of their own from a Kenny Lofton home run and a sac fly to keep the game close. However for the Indians, Ogea wouldn't make it past the 2nd inning after another walk and two singles marked his 7th baserunner and 4th run in just 1.1 innings of work. In a reverse of Game 1, Jaret Wright came in to replace Ogea.

David Wells (total of 7.1 IP) pitched a great game after the 1st inning for the Yankees, keeping the Indians to just 3 singles, a home run, and hit-by-pitch from the 2nd to 8th inning while allowing just 1 run. After Wells was finished, Jeff Nelson came in to give up a hit before the Yankees got ahead of it, brought in Mariano Rivera, and ran the Hall of Fame reliever over 1.2 innings to get a save and a win.

To be fair to the Indians, backed by Jaret Wright (total of 6 IP) he helped mostly silence the Yankees bats from hitting, allowing just 1 hits- including a 4th inning solo home run by Chili Davis. Problem is, he also walked 7 (!) batters from innings 2-7.

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After winning Game 5 against the Cleveland Indians, the Yankees then won Game 6 by a score of 9-5 to advance to, and win, the 1998 World Series!

2017 ALDS: Game 5

Wednesday, October 11th, 2017 - Progressive Field (Cleveland, OH)

Series Tied at 2-2 (Best of 5)

Winning Pitcher: David Robertson

Losing Pitcher: Corey Kluber

Save: Aroldis Chapman

Home Runs (New York): Didi Gregorius (2)

Home Runs (Cleveland): None

Coming into a winner-takes-all Game 5 against the Cleveland Indians as the winner of another winner-takes-all wild Wild Card game against the Minnesota Twins (thanks, in large due to a 3-run Didi Gregorius home run), the Yankees were in familiar territory. Luckily, that territory also brought out the best from our already mentioned star.

Didi Gregorius got the Yankees going early against Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians by hitting a solo home run in the top of the first inning. He then continued the scoring with another home run, scoring Brett Gardner from a lead-off single, in the top of the 3rd inning. Kluber's night would end in the 4th inning.

On the other side of the ball, the Yankees gave former Cleveland Indian, C.C. Sabathia, the ball and he pitched a scoreless first 4 innings before allowing 2 runs to score on back-to-back singles (by Roberto Perez and Gio Urshela) in the 5th before being removed.

It then became a bullpening game to finish as the Indians went between Andrew Miller (2 innings), Bryan Shaw (2 innings), Cody Allen (1 inning), and Joe Smith (0.1 innings) to finish out there game with the only problem arising in the top of the 9th inning off a Brett Gardner single and Indians error resulting in 2 additional runs coming across the plate.

For the Yankees, they relied soley on David Robertson (2.2 innings) and Aroldis Chapman (2 innings) to finish out the game, and the series. Between the two of them, they allowed just 2 baserunners (both by walk) while also collecting 6 strikeouts.

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After winning the ALDS, the Yankees went up against the (cheating) Houston Astros in the ALCS, losing in 7 games.