2004 American League Championship Series
The 2004 American League Championship Series is a Major League Baseball playoff series being played between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. The series, a rematch of the 2003 American League Championship Series, started on October 12, 2004, and is scheduled to end no later than October 20. As of October 17, the Yankees lead the best-of-7 series 3-1.
Game 1, October 12
Game One pitted the Red Sox's star pitcher Curt Schilling against Yankees ace Mike Mussina. Schilling had a 6-1 postseason career record, but the expected pitchers' duel quickly became a one-sided exhibition. Schilling had suffered an ankle injury during the American League Division Series, and was thought to be OK, but he gave up six runs and lasted only three innings. Meanwhile, Mussina retired the first 19 Sox batters. The Yankees added two runs off of Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in the sixth. Hideki Matsui's single made the score 8-0 and gave him an ALCS record-tying 5 RBIs in the game.
However, the Red Sox shattered Mussina's bid for a perfect game with a rally which included 5 runs in the seventh and two in the eighth, closing the gap to 8-7. With two outs and the tying run on third base, the Yankees called upon closer Mariano Rivera, who got Kevin Millar to pop out. The Yankees, stunned to see their lead nearly gone, scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth on a double by Bernie Williams. The Sox got two singles in the top of the ninth, but Bill Mueller grounded into a game-ending double play.
It was the end of a long, emotional day for Mariano Rivera, who started in Panama attending a funeral after a family tragedy. He flew back and arrived to Yankee Stadium to a standing ovation in the second inning.
Red Sox 7 at Yankees 10. Yankees lead series 1-0. Win: Mike Mussina (1-1) Loss: Curt Schilling (1-1). Save: Mariano Rivera (1).
Game 2, October 13
Game Two featured Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox against Yankees' pitcher Jon Lieber. Again the Yankees struck first, with Gary Sheffield driving in Derek Jeter in the first inning. The 1-0 score held up for several innings, as Lieber and Martinez put together a classic pitcher's duel.
Martinez got himself into trouble in several innings, possibly distracted by chants of "Who's your daddy?" from the Yankee Stadium crowd. The chants were based on a remark Martinez had made after losing his previous start vs. New York on September 24: "What can I say — just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy. I can’t find a way to beat them at this point. ... They’re that good. They’re that hot right now — at least against me. I wish they would disappear and not come back." Martinez finally got himself in too deep. Shortly after making his 100th pitch of the night, considered his limit after meltdowns in Game 7 of the 2003 series and on September 24, Martinez walked Jorge Posada and allowed a John Olerud home run. This gave New York a 3-0 lead.
Again, the Red Sox rallied. They chased Lieber with two hits in the eighth and closed the gap to 3-1. With two outs and a runner on third, again the Yankees turned to Rivera, who struck out Johnny Damon to end the inning. In the ninth, Rivera struck out David Ortiz and Millar to end the game.
Red Sox 1 at Yankees 3. Yankees lead series 2-0. Win: Jon Lieber (1-0) Loss: Pedro Martinez (1-1) Save: Mariano Rivera (2)
Game 3, October 16
With the series moving to Fenway Park, Game Three was originally scheduled for October 15, but was been postponed a day due to rain. The starting pitchers were Kevin Brown for the Yankees, and Bronson Arroyo for the Red Sox.
As in the first two games, the Yankees began the game by scoring in the first. Derek Jeter walked then scored from first on a double by Alex Rodriguez. Two batters later Hideki Matsui hit a home run to right field, giving the Yankees a 3-0 lead. The Red Sox answered in the second inning, with a leadoff walk by Jason Varitek followed by a Trot Nixon home run to right field. A double by Bill Mueller, an infield hit by Johnny Damon (his first hit of the series), and a Derek Jeter error led to two more runs. The Red Sox led for the first time in the series, 4-3.
The lead was short lived as Alex Rodriguez led off the third inning with a home run over the Green Monster onto Lansdown Street. Gary Sheffield walked, Hideki Matsui doubled, and Bronson Arroyo was replaced on the mound by Ramiro Mendoza. He immediately allowed a Bernie Williams RBI single and then balked, allowing Matsui to score. The Yankees now led 6-4, replacing starter Kevin Brown with Javier Vasquez. However, the Red Sox responded by tying the game in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on a Orlando Cabrera double. After three innings the game was tied 6-6.
In the fourth inning the Yankees took the lead on a Gary Sheffield three-run home run into the seats on the Green Monster. After another double by Hideki Matsui, the Red Sox put in pitcher Tim Wakefield who had been scheduled to pitch Game 4. He got Bernie Williams to pop out but then intentionally walked Jorge Posada. Ruben Sierra hit a triple to score Matsui and Posada, giving the Yankees an 11-6 lead.
From that point on the Yankees were in control, setting a team record for postseason runs scored. The two teams combined for 37 hits and 20 extra-base hits, both postseason records, and at four hours and twenty minutes, it was the longest nine-inning postseason game ever played. Hideki Matsui had five hits and five RBIs, tying LCS records. Along with Alex Rodriguez, he tied the postseason record for runs scored with five.
Yankees 19 at Red Sox 8. Yankees lead series 3-0. Win: Javier Vazquez (1-0) Loss: Ramiro Mendoza (0-1)
Game 4, October 17
Game Four featured Yankees pitcher Orlando Hernandez, the 1999 ALCS MVP, against Boston's Derek Lowe. For the first time in the series, the Yankees did not score in the first inning. However, the Yankees were again the first team to score when Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run home run over the Green Monster in the third. This hit resembled a home run he hit in Game Three, as it also came in the third inning and went out of the park onto Lansdown Street.
Orlando Hernandez, who had not pitched in two weeks, struggled through the first four innings but did not allow any runs. In the fifth inning he pitched himself into a jam, walking two batters of the first three batters. With two men on and two out, Orlando Cabrera singled to right field, scoring one run. Manny Ramirez walked to load the bases, and then David Ortiz hit a single to center field, scoring two. The Red Sox had a 3-2 lead, only their second lead of the series.
The lead would be short-lived as Hideki Matsui hit a triple in the sixth. Mike Timlin relieved Lowe, and Bernie Williams hit an infield single to score Matsui and tie the game. The Yankees would add a second run on a tough, bouncing ground ball hit by Tony Clark, starting in place of the injured John Olerud, to take a 4-3 lead.
Massachusetts native Tanyon Sturtze pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Hernandez. Mariano Rivera, the Yankees star closer, came out to pitch the eighth for a two inning save attempt. However, in the ninth inning, Rivera walked Kevin Millar to begin the inning. Dave Roberts came in to run for Millar and promptly stole second. A single by Bill Mueller brought him home with the tying run. Doug Mientkiewicz sacrificed Mueller to second. Johnny Damon grounded to Clark, the first baseman, but he bobbled the ball and Damon was safe and Mueller moved to third. Orlando Cabrera struck out, Manny Ramirez walked to load the bases, and David Ortiz popped out to send the game into extra innings, tied 4-4.
In the top of the 11th, Cairo led off with a single, and moved to second on a sacrifice by Jeter. Rodriguez lined out, and Alan Embree intentionally walked Gary Sheffield. The Red Sox brought out Mike Myers to face Matsui, but the move backfired, as the result was a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Curtis Leskanic came in and retired Bernie Williams to end the inning. In the bottom half, Damon walked with two out and stole second, but was left there on a ground out by Cabrera. Finally, in the bottom of the 12th inning, Ramirez led off with a single against new pitcher Paul Quantrill, and Ortiz hit a two-run walk-off home run to right field.
Yankees 4 at Red Sox 6 (12 innings). Yankees lead 3-1. Win: Curtis Leskanic (1-0) Loss: Paul Quantrill (1-1) Blown Saves: Mike Timlin (1), Mariano Rivera (2).
Game 5, October 18
Game Five is scheduled for 5:10pm on the afternoon of Monday, October 18 at Fenway Park. Given the late end of Game Four (shortly after 1am), fatigue may be a major factor. Mike Mussina is slated to pitch for the Yankees against Pedro Martinez for the Red Sox.
Remaining Games
Game 6, October 19, Boston (Schilling) at New York (Lieber), if necessary
Game 7, October 20, Boston at New York, if necessary
Game 1 at New York BOS 000 000 520 | 7 10 0 NYY 204 002 02x | 10 14 0
Game 2 at New York BOS 000 000 010 | 1 5 0 NYY 100 002 00x | 3 7 0
Game 3 at Boston NYY 303 520 402 | 19 22 1 BOS 042 000 200 | 8 15 0
Game 4 at Boston NYY 002 002 000 000 | 4 12 1 BOS 000 030 001 002 | 6 8 0