Ten Years Ago

This happened.

Game 5 of the 1999 Division Series between the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox was one of the most memorable baseball games I ever saw. Boston had lost game1 in Cleveland in the bottom of the ninth, then got blown out in game 2 before the series moved to Boston. Nomar Garciaparra was not able to play game 3, but Boston rallied behind John Valentin and won 9-3. In game 4, the Red Sox scored three touchdowns and a safety to win a blowout, 23-7, and force the series back to Cleveland.

Pedro Martinez had perhaps the best season of a starting pitcher since Bob Gibson in 1968, winning the Cy Young and being jilted out of the AL MVP award because of perennial BBWAA voter stupidity, but that shouldn't detract from his 23-4 record, winning AL Pitcher of the month four times and, oh by the way, All-Star MVP in his home park. Nonetheless, Pedro pulled a muscle in his back in Game 1 and had to leave the game and looked to be done for the series.

The aforementioned box score tells the story of the game, but suffice it to say that the first two Red Sox pitchers failed to hold leads, the the Sox turned to Pedro, hoping he could give them an inning or two. Against an Indians team that featured Kenny Lofton, Roberto Alomar, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Harold Baines, Wil Cordero, Travis Fryman, and Richie Sexson off the bench, Pedro entered when the game was tied and proceeded to throw six innings without allowing a hit.

The Indians, meanwhile, imploded -- earlier in the game, they had intentionally walked Nomar to pitch to Troy O'Leary. O'Leary responded with a grand slam on the first pitch. In the seventh inning, Nomar came up again with first base open and was intentionally walked again. Up came O'Leary who, again, homered on the first pitch, giving the Red Sox a lead they would not surrender.

One rarely if ever should accuse a professional sports team of "quitting." Overmatched, maybe, not never "quitters." But in this game, the Indians did quit. After the second O'Leary home run, with Pedro already looking invincible, Jacobs Field became as boisterous as a tomb, and the Indians hitters walked liked zombies from the dugout to the plate and back. Indians manager Mike Hargrove didn't even go to his bench to try and shake things up -- maybe get a hit or something. Pedro blew away the final nine batters and the Sox would face the Yankees in the next round.

...which was more or less forgettable, but it was still an exciting end to a decade that had began somewhat dramatically as well.

So, even losing the first two games of a 5-game series (or, for that matter, the first 3 games of a 7-game series) doesn't mean it's over. It's been done before. I'm not sure what made me think of this...