1997 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Flossmoor Flying Squirrels @ California Quakes
The American League’s two most dominant teams, Flossmoor and California – face-off in the ALCS. California’s offense was tops in the MWWL with a .300/.372/.494 line, 237 HR, and 1075 runs scored, while Flossmoor ranked 2nd in offense, batting .280/.355/.434, with 881 HR and 881 runs scored. While California had the edge on offense, Flossmoor boasted the better pitching staff anchored by Maddux, Cone, Neagle, and Key. With an ERA of 3.13, Flossmoor had a slight advantage over California, with its 3.24 ERA.

Flossmoor Flying Squirrels @ California Quakes

The American League’s two most dominant teams, Flossmoor and California – face-off in the ALCS. California’s offense was tops in the MWWL with a .300/.372/.494 line, 237 HR, and 1075 runs scored, while Flossmoor ranked 2nd in offense, batting .280/.355/.434, with 881 HR and 881 runs scored. While California had the edge on offense, Flossmoor boasted the better pitching staff anchored by Maddux, Cone, Neagle, and Key. With an ERA of 3.13, Flossmoor had a slight advantage over California, with its 3.24 ERA.

GAME #1 – Denny Neagle 22-6 (2.89) vs. Alex Fernandez 21-5 (2.56)

Flossmoor jumped to an early lead on 4 RBI from H. Baines, 2 in the 1st and 2 in the 3rd. California just couldn’t catch up, despite a solo HR from J. Olerud in the 4th and a Garciaparra 3-run HR in the 7th. A 2-RBI double off the bat of J. Cruz Jr. in the top of the 7th was the difference in this one. Flossmoor leads the series 1-0.

FFS: 6
CAL: 4

W: D. Neagle (1-0)
L: A. Fernandez (0-1)
S: J. Crawford (1)

HR: J. Olerud (1), N. Garciaparra (1)
2B: W. Weiss (1), J. Bagwell 2 (2), H. Baines (1), J. Cruz Jr. (1)
CS: O. Nixon (1

GAME #2 – Jimmy Key 15-10 (3.77) vs. Jeff Fassero 23-3 (2.62)

Flossmoor once again jumped to an early lead, scoring one off a J. Bagwell solo HR in the 1st and a T. Fryman RBI single in the top of the 4th. But, California took the lead with a big 5-run 4th inning with a P. O’Neill 3-run HR and RBI singles from N. Garciaparra and S. Javier. Neither team plated another run over the final five frames and California hit the road with the series even at 1 each.

FFS: 2
CAL: 5

W: J. Fassero (1-0)
L: J. Key (0-1)
S: A. Embree (1)

HR: J. Bagwell (1)
2B: J. Bagwell 2 (4), G. Berroa (1), P. O’Neill (1)
3B: J. Valentin (1)
SB: N. Garciaparra (1)

GAME #3 – Brett Tomko 17-7 (3.46) vs. David Cone 19-6 (2.66)

Flossmoor again takes the lead in the 1st, but promptly relinquishes it in the 3rd, at which point California hands it to the Squirrels by scoring 17 runs over the next five innings. J. Valentin blasts a grand slam in a 9-run 7th, and J. Olerud goes 3 for 5 with a HR and 6 RBI. A big day for just about everyone, except D. Cone, who gave up 9 hits and 8 runs in 6 innings.

CAL: 17
FFS: 4

W: B. Tomko (1-0)
L: D. Cone (0-1)

HR: J. Olerud (2), T. Salmon (1), J. Valentin (1)
2B: J. Olerud (1), A. Galarraga (1), N. Garciaparra (1), M. Williams (1), T. Steinbach 2 (2), J. Bagwell (5), J. Cora (1), H. Bains (2), J. Cruz Jr. (2), E. Taubensee

GAME #4 – Alex Fernandez 21-5 (2.56) vs. Greg Maddux 26-7 (2.18)

Up 2 games to 1 in the series, California hopes to back the Squirrels in a corner. For the first time in this series, the Quakes take the early lead with a Galarraga solo HR in the 1st. But, Flossmoor bounced back with a J. Cruz Jr. 2-run HR in the bottom of the second, and another J. Cruz Jr. 2-run HR in the bottom of the 4th. California retook the lead with a J. Olerud 2-run double and an A. Galarraga 2-run HR in the 5th, his 2nd HR of the game. The back and forth continued as J. Bagwell tied it up with an RBI single in the bottom of the 6th. Tied 5-5 in the 9th, the Squirrels E. Taubensee hits the game-winning home run with one on and one out. The series is tied at 2.

CAL: 5
FFS: 7

W: R. Mahay (1-0)
L: A. Embree (0-1)

HR: A. Galarraga 2 (2), J. Cruz Jr. 2 (2), Taubensee (1)
2B: J. Olerud (2), M. Williams (2), J. Valentin (1), H. Bains (3), T. Fryman (1)
SB: O. Nixon (1)

GAME #5 – Jeff Fassero 23-3 (2.62) vs. Denny Neagle 22-6 (2.89)

J. Fassero pitches a gem, giving up 3 hits and 1 run in 7.2 innings. Meanwhile, Garciaparra went 4-4 with 4 runs scored and 2 solo HRs. California cruised to an 8-4 victory to once again take the series lead.

CAL: 8
FFS: 4

W: J. Fassero (2-0)
L: D. Neagle (1-1)

HR: J. Valentin (2), N. Garciaparra 2 (3), J. Cruz Jr. (3), J. Bagwell (2)
2B: N. Garciaparra 2 (3), P. O’Neill (2), Steinbach (3)

GAME #6 – Jimmy Key 15-10 (3.77) vs. Alex Fernandez 21-5 (2.56)

J. Key pitched 9 innings of 1-run ball but left the game tied 1-1. Flossmoor pulled ahead with a clutch G. Berroa HR in the top of the 10th off T. Hoffman, but the Squirrels’ bullpen fell apart in the end, giving up a walk, double, and 2-run single to Matt Williams without recording an out. Quakes win 3-2 in extras to win the ALCS.

FFS: 2
CAL: 3

W: T. Hoffman (1-0)
L: B. Williams (0-1)

HR: G. Berroa (1)
2B: T. Fryman (2), J. Olerud (3), N. Garciaparra (4), J. Leyritz (1)
CS: J. Bagwell (1)

Neither California nor Flossmoor pitched particularly well, with ERAs of 3.81 and 6.45, respectively. Each team did have a bright spot, though. For California, it was J. Fassero, who dominated with a 1.98 ERA over two games, earning the win in both. For the Flying Squirrels, it was G. Maddux, appearing in 2 games with a 2.00 ERA. Ultimately, though, California’s potent lineup was just too much for the stout rotation of Maddux, Cone, Neagle, and Key. California outscored Flossmoor 42-25 over 6 games, hitting .250/.311/.500 with 16 2B and 11 HR compared to Flossmoor’s .239/.294/.434 with 16 2B and 8 HR. J. Olerud and N. Garciaparra led the way for the Quakes, with Olerud batting .417/.481/.792 with 2 HR and 10 RBI and Garciaparra batting .417/.417./958 with 3 HR and 9 RBI—the two would share series MVP. For the Flying Squirrels, it was J. Cruz Jr. who led the offense with a .300/.300/.850 line, 3 HR, and 9 RBI.