1999 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
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| PREVIEW – The best hitting team vs the best pitching team in the American League. The two pitching staffs were pretty similar during the 1999 season. Chicago starters had a team ERA of 3.64 while Ft. Worth were at 3.69. Demolition relievers were at 4.29 while the Panthers were at 4.41. Chicago pitching led the league in opponents’ batting average against at .234 while Ft. Worth was third at .247. Chicago and Ft. Worth were also first and third at baserunners per 9 and hits per 9. Offensively Ft. Worth had a big advantage as far as hitters go, but the Demolition led all of MWWL in steals with 251! Now the dashing Demolitionaters face the best defensive and throwing catcher in the MWWL so it could be a challenge. |
| GAME #1 – Pedro Martinez 21-8 (2.27) vs. Kevin Brown 28-5 (2.38)
Chicago drew first blood in the first when Glen Barker led off with a double scoring on a single by Shannon Stewart. The third batter of the game hit into a double play and the threat was thwarted. The Panthers tied the game in the bottom of the first with back to back doubles with two outs by Edgar Martinez and Fred McGriff. In the bottom of the 4th Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, AL MVP candidate who hit .353 with 32 homers and 27 steals to go with 200 hits during the regular season put Ft. Worth ahead, “The pitch … that’s socked to left … way high … way deep … way out of here!“ Pudge would also double home an insurance run in the 8th as the Panthers take game 1. Final Score: FWP 3- CHI 1 Win: Kevin Brown 1-0 (1.13) |
| GAME #2 – Kevin Millwood 21-8 (2.76) vs. Jose Lima 16-4 (3.08)
Tony Clark puts Chicago on board first, “LIMA watching STEWART at third … the delivery … a long drive down the right field line slicing … CLARK gives it some body english … will it stay fair? … it hits the pole! the ump waves his finger in a circle … and CLARK goes into his tater trot DEMOLITION 2, PANTHERS 0” In the bottom of the third Wade Boggs led off with a triple for the Panthers. After he scored on a ground out Homer Bush got a hustle double and then scored on a hit by Martinez, “BUSH moves another step away from second … the pitch … looped to left … toward the gap and PHILLIPS … cuts it off on the bounce … but he bobbles it! … rounding third BUSH he’ll score … tie game! … MARTINEZ’s stretching it … the throw comes in to WOMACK and he’s out! … good throw” Back to back one out doubles in the top of the 4th by Edgar Renteria and Bobby Higginson put the Demolition back in front 3-2. Wade Boggs ties the game in the home half as he singles home Ivan Rodriguez with two outs to tie the game at 3-3. A couple RBI singles by Renteria and Higginson in the 8th provided the margin of victory for Chicago as they even the series at 1-1. Final Score: CHI 5 – FWP 3 Win: Kevin Millwood 1-0 (2.57) |
| GAME #3 – Todd Ritchie 16-6 (4.79) vs. Pete Harnish 14-13 (5.07)
Ft. Worth scores first in the 2nd when Boggs brings Pudge home again on a single and Edgar Martinez adds to the lead in the 3rd with a ribbie – single. PANTHERS 2, DEMOLITION 2. Panthers go back in front in the 5th when Martinez singles home Bush. Two walks loaded the bases with no outs when Gary Sheffield stepped up, “Infield back at double play depth … the runners take their lead … he delivers hit down the line inside third … CIRILLO backhands it … fires home … over and out! they get him … go to town, DEMOLITION! … they cut off the run!” Chicago made another fine defensive play for the second out, but the Panthers managed to get another run. After 5 innings they were up 4-2. Sheffield gets a sac fly in the 7th to extend Ft. Worth’s lead to 5-2. In the 8th the Panthers Achilles heel reared its ugly head as the Ft. Worth bullpen struggled to close out the game cleanly. Mike Jackson came with the bases loaded and no outs. He gave up two runs, but he also got two quick outs and with a runner on third strikes out pinch hitter Scott Pose to end the threat keeping Ft. Worth ahead 5-4. The Panthers get an insurance run off a single by Doug Glanville in the 9th and the bullpen redeemed itself in the 9th (with a couple nice defensive plays) as Ft. Worth goes up 2-1 in the ALCS. Final Score: FWP 6- CHI 4 Win: Todd Ritchie 1-0 (2.57) |
| GAME #4 – Hideo Nomo 19-5 (4.20) vs. Roger Clemens 12-10 (3.79)
In the top of the first Pudge Rodriguez hit a three-run jimmy jack to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead then Ft. Worth exploded for 8 runs in the 4th highlighted by a three run blast from Fred McGriff. The scoring was capped off by a RBI triple from Wade Boggs and it looked like an easy victory was in sight. The Demolition weren’t done fighting. Charles Johnson led off the 5th with a homer. After a walk and an error Bobby Higginson hit a three run homer. After an out Tony Phillips hit another Chicago homer. After another hit and another error, the last run of the inning scored and suddenly this game was no longer a blow out Ft. Worth now leading 11 to 6. Edgar Martinez doubled the lead with a home run of his own in the 6th. With two outs in the 6th and a runner on Phillips stepped to the plate, “The offering from NOMO … lifted down the right field line … that could be trouble MABRY races over … into the corner … he leaps … just out of reach … it’s gone! home run for Tony … and two runs score PANTHERS 12, DEMOLITION 8. The Panther’s bullpen stiffened the rest of way allowing only 1 hit and Martinez hit his 2nd homer of the game in the 8th. Both teams hit 4 home runs. Final Score: FWP 13- CHI 8 (11 Innings) Win: Hideo Nomo 1-0 (11.12) |
| GAME #5 – Kevin Brown 28-5 (2.38) vs. Pedro Martinez 21-8 (2.27)
Facing elimination Pedro Martinez was brilliant for Chicago. A day after the Panthers collected 15 hits including 7 extra base hits Martinez pitched a complete game shutout holding them to just 4 hits while punching out 9. Five different Demolition hitters drove in a run as they won easily. Final Score: CHI 5 – FWP 0 Win: Pedro Martinez 1-1(1.65) |
| GAME #6 – Kevin Millwood 21-8 (2.76) vs. Jose Lima 16-4 (3.08)
Both starting pitchers were brilliant in game 6 as there was no score through the first 9, but things got interesting in the 10th. In the top of the 10th Jeff Cirillo faced Jose Lima with two outs and a runner on 2nd, “LIMA cranks it up … looped to right … toward the gap … GWYNN’s after it cuts it off on the bounce … DELGADO’s around third … they’re waving DELGADO in here comes the throw home … here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … out by inches! … go to town, PANTHERS! they cut off the go-ahead run!” In the bottom of the 10th Fred McGriff leads off with a double and Doug Glanville pinch runs for him and then Ivan Rodriguez delivers the walk off win, “GLANVILLE moves quietly toward third … here’s the delivery … hot smash to WOMACK and it’s by him … GLANVILLE rounds third … headed home … he’ll have to hurry it’s all over! … he’ll score … the Panthers win the pennant!” Final Score: FWP 1- CHI 0 (10 Innings) Win: Jose Lima 1-0 (2.55) |
| SUMMARY – Ft. Worth takes the series 4 games to 2 and Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez is the MVP. Pudge delivered big hits in games 1 and 6 and controlled Chicago’s running game allowing only 4 steals in 8 attempts. |