1995 American League Division Series
Teams
Team (Wins) Manager Season Cleveland Indians (3) Mike Hargrove 100–44, .694, GA: 30 Boston Red Sox (0) Kevin Kennedy 86–58, .597, GA: 7
Dates	October 3 – 6
Television	NBC (in Cleveland) ABC (in Boston)
TV announcers	Bob Costas andBob Uecker (in Cleveland) Steve Zabriskie andTommy Hutton (in Boston)
Radio	CBS
Radio announcers	John Rooney andJeff Torborg
Teams
Team (Wins) Manager Season Seattle Mariners (3) Lou Piniella 79–66, .545, GA: 1 New York Yankees (2) Buck Showalter 79–65, .549, GB: 7
Dates	October 3 – 8
Television	NBC (in New York) ABC (in Seattle)
TV announcers	Gary Thorne andTommy Hutton (in New York) Brent Musburger andJim Kaat (in Seattle)
Radio	CBS
Radio announcers	Ernie Harwell andAl Downing
Umpires	Tim Welke,John Hirschbeck,Joe Brinkman,Rocky Roe,Dan Morrison (Red Sox–Indians, Games 1–2; Mariners–Yankees, Games 3–5) Don Denkinger (Red Sox–Indians, Games 1–2),Jim Evans (Mariners–Yankees, Games 3–5), Mike Reilly,Dale Scott,Jim McKean,Larry McCoy,Rich Garcia,Jim Joyce (Mariners–Yankees, Games 1–2; Red Sox–Indians, Game 3)
← 1994 ALDS 1996 →

The1995American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of theAmerican League side inMajor League Baseball’s (MLB)1995 postseason, began on Tuesday, October 3, and ended on Sunday, October 8, with the champions of the three AL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. This was the first ALDS held in the postseason since1981. As a result of both leagues realigning into three divisions in 1994, it marked the first time in major league history that a team could qualify for postseason play without finishing in first place in its league or division. The teams were:

• Seattle Mariners (Western Division champion, 79–66) vs.New York Yankees (Wild Card, 79–65): Mariners win series, 3–2.
• Boston Red Sox (Eastern Division champion, 86–58) vs.Cleveland Indians (Central Division champion, 100–44): Indians win series, 3–0.^[1]

The format of this series and the NLDS was the same as theLeague Championship Series prior to 1985, a five-game set wherein the first two games were played at one stadium and the last three at the other. This format was later changed in 1998 for the present 2–2–1 format, which has been used in the Division Series since except for 2012, when the 2–3 format was used again due to the addition of theWild Card Game. Because of realignment, this was the first time that both the Yankees and the Red Sox reached the playoffs in the same year.^[2]

The Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians went on to meet in theAL Championship Series (ALCS). The Indians became the American League champion and lost to theNational League championAtlanta Braves in the1995 World Series.

Cleveland won the series, 3–0.

Seattle won the series, 3–2.

Jacobs Field inCleveland, Ohio

After a 39-minute rain delay, Game 1 got underway with two veterans,Roger Clemens andDennis Martínez, starting the opener. Playing in its first playoff game since Game 4 of the1954 World Series, Cleveland trailed early as the Red Sox jumped in front first in the third whenDwayne Hosey walked andJohn Valentin hit a two-run home run. The Indians, however, rallied against Clemens in the sixth with two two-out singles followed by a two-run double byAlbert Belle that tied the game and a single byEddie Murray that scored Belle. ButLuis Alicea's eighth inning home run offJulián Tavárez sent the game into extra innings.Tim Naehring would give the Red Sox the lead in the 11th with a home run offJim Poole, but Belle's leadoff home run off Boston closerRick Aguilera tied the game in the bottom half. The Indians would put the winning run in scoring position later in the inning but failed to come through. In the bottom of the 13th, 15-year veteranTony Peña hit the game winning homer with two outs. It was the Indians' first postseason win since the clinching Game 6 in the1948 World Series.

Jacobs Field inCleveland, Ohio

Game 2 featured an unlikely matchup betweenErik Hanson andOrel Hershiser. Both pitchers were on even turns until the Indians broke through in the fifth withOmar Vizquel's two-run double after two walks. It remained 2–0 until the eighth when the Indians put the game away onEddie Murray's two-run home run after a walk. That gave the Indian bullpen a comfortable 4–0 lead in the ninth. Hanson pitched a complete game in a losing effort. Hershiser struck out seven and allowed only three hits in7+1⁄3 innings.

Fenway Park inBoston, Massachusetts

Charles Nagy facedTim Wakefield in the potential clincher. In the top of the second, with a man on first,Jim Thome gave the Tribe the lead with a two-run home run just insidethe Pesky Pole. Thome later drew a bases-loaded walk in the third to make it 3–0. In the fourth, the Red Sox loaded the bases on three singles with one out, but scored only one run onMike Macfarlane's sacrifice fly. The Indians blew the game open in the sixth. After a single and walk,Paul Sorrento's single andSandy Alomar's double scored a run each and knocked Wakefield out of the game.Rhéal Cormier in relief struck outKenny Lofton, butOmar Vizquel's singled scored two andCarlos Baerga's double scored another. In the eighth, the Red Sox again loaded the bases on three one-out singles, but again only scored once onWillie McGee's fielder's choice offJulián Tavárez.Paul Assenmacher would pitch a scoreless ninth to end the series. The loss was the Red Sox 13th consecutive postseason loss dating back to Game 6 of the1986 World Series.

1995 ALDS(3–0):Cleveland Indians overBoston Red Sox

Both teams finished the strike-shortened 1995 season with 79 wins. TheSeattle Mariners were making their postseason debut on the strength of an amazing divisional comeback. TheNew York Yankees made it to the postseason for the first time since losing in the1981 World Series, and the only time withDon Mattingly on their roster, as the AL Wild Card. The series featured at least ten runs per game and two extra-inning games.Ken Griffey Jr. was the star, hitting five home runs. The total number of home runs from both teams at the end of the series was 22, a record for a postseason series despite only having five games.

Griffey also was one of two key participants in perhaps the most iconic moment ever for Mariners fans, DHEdgar Martínez's two-run double in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 5, on which Griffey scored the winning run from first base. The result of the series, and what became known as "The Double", is considered a redemptive moment for long-suffering Mariners fans, and often credited with ensuring thatMajor League Baseball remained in Seattle.

Seattle's win marked the fourth time in history that anexpansion team won its first postseason series, after theNew York Mets in their first championship season, in 1969,Montreal in 1981, andSan Diego in 1984.Florida andTampa Bay have since accomplished the same feat.

Even though the Yankees made it to the post-season for the first time since 1981, they were still reeling from having the best record in the American League taken away from them by the strike.^[11][12] Yankees ManagerBuck Showalter sat in "admitted misery" throughout that fall, as he "ached for Mattingly, the one player he believed deserved a postseason more than anyone else in the game."^[13] Mattingly had led active players in both games played and at bats without ever appearing in the postseason then.^[12][13]

Yankee Stadium (I) inBronx, New York

Don Mattingly finally made it to the postseason in what would be his final games.Chris Bosio facedDavid Cone in Game 1. In the third,Wade Boggs hit a home run withRandy Velarde on first to make it 2–0 Yankees, butKen Griffey Jr. led the top of the fourth off with a home run of his own to cut the lead in half. Then in the sixth, the Mariners managed to load the bases against Cone. FacingDan Wilson with the count 1–2, Wilson appeared to commit to Cone's next offering. However, on appeal, first base umpireDale Scott signaled "no swing", continuing the inning and drawing the ire of Yankee fans, in particular Yankee ownerGeorge Steinbrenner, who went on to say MLB should not allow rookies to umpire in the postseason, despite the fact that Scott had umpired in the postseason since 1986. Still alive, Wilson was walked, tying the game at two, but in the bottom of the inning,Bernie Williams hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a groundout and scored on Mattingly's RBI single to put the Yankees back in front 3–2. After aDion James single,Jeff Nelson relieved Bosio and allowed an RBI single toMike Stanley that made it 4–2 Yankees. AfterJoey Cora walked, Griffey's second home run of the game tied the score again in the seventh. In the bottom of the inning, Nelson hitRandy Verlade with a pitch to lead off.Bobby Ayala in relief allowed a single toWade Boggs and RBI double to Williams. AfterPaul O'Neill's sacrifice fly made it 6–4 Yankees, a two-run home run byRubén Sierra extended the lead to 8–4. Next inning, the Yankees added another run offBob Wells when Boggs doubled with two outs and scored on Williams's single. In the top of the ninth, after a leadoff walk and one-out, back-to-back RBI singles byEdgar Martinez andTino Martinez cut the Yankees' lead to 9–6 and put the tying run to the plate for the Mariners, butJohn Wetteland retired the next two batters to end the game.

Yankee Stadium (I) inBronx, New York

In what was, at the time, the longest playoff game in terms of elapsed time, both teams battled back and forth.Andy Benes andAndy Pettitte started this classic playoff game. On the strength of aVince Coleman home run, the Mariners jumped out in front in the third. With the game moving quickly, the Yankees responded with aBernie Williams RBI double afterWade Boggs walked with two outs that tied the game in the fifth. Later, the Mariners would take their second lead of the night whenTino Martinez singled homeEdgar Martínez, who doubled to lead off, in the top of the sixth. However, Benes allowed back-to-back homers toRubén Sierra andDon Mattingly in the bottom half to end his night and put the Yankees up 3–2. However, the Mariners would reclaim the lead for the third time with a one-out double, subsequent single, RBI single byLuis Sojo, and sacrifice fly byKen Griffey Jr. in the seventh, butPaul O'Neill's home run offNorm Charlton tied the game in the bottom half of the seventh. The game moved to extra innings and in the 12th the Mariners recaptured the lead once more with a home run by Griffey offJohn Wetteland, but, in the bottom of the inning, with two men on via two walks and two outs offTim Belcher,Rubén Sierra hit a double that just missed being a game-winning home run by a couple of feet, scoringJorge Posada with the tying run, but Williams was thrown out at the plate, ending the inning and forcing a 13th inning. Finally, in the bottom of the 15th,Jim Leyritz ended the game with a two-run home run after a walk off Belcher.

The game, which began at 8:10 P.M. Wednesday night, ended at 1:22 A.M. Thursday morning.^[14]

Kingdome inSeattle, Washington

It was the first everMajor League Baseball postseason game in Seattle and both teams pitched their best for Game 3.Jack McDowell faced Cy Young Award winnerRandy Johnson. Johnson allowed aBernie Williams home run to make it 1–0 Yankees in the fourth, butTino Martinez's two-run home run after a walk made it 2–1 Mariners in the fifth. In the sixth, McDowell allowed a triple and two walks to load the bases for the Mariners with one out and they built a commanding five-run lead off a weakened Yankee bullpen. Martinez hit an RBI single offSteve Howe, thenBob Wickman allowed RBI singles toJay Buhner andMike Blowers beforeLuis Sojo's sacrifice fly made it 6–1 Mariners. The Yankees got a run in the seventh onPat Kelly's sacrifice fly with two on, but the Mariners got that run back in the bottom half on Martinez's bases-loaded sacrifice fly offSterling Hitchcock aided byRandy Velarde's error. Back-to-back home runs byBernie Williams andMike Stanley leading off the eighth offBill Risley cut the Mariners' lead to 7–4, butNorm Charlton shut the door on Game 3, allowing Seattle to win their first postseason game.

Kingdome inSeattle, Washington

Scott Kamieniecki facedChris Bosio in Game 4. The Yankees came out swinging in the first, loading the bases with no outs on a double, single and walk beforeRuben Sierra's sacrifice fly and a two-run single byDon Mattingly put them up 3–0. In the third, the Yanks got two more onPaul O'Neill's two-run home run after a walk. Bosio was finished, pitching only two-plus innings. The Yankees were poised to take the series, but the Mariners rallied again. In the bottom of the third,Edgar Martínez's three-run home run after back-to-back leadoff singles energized the crowd and cut the Yankees' lead to 5–3. Later in the inning, after a single, walk, and sacrifice bunt,Luis Sojo's sacrifice fly made it a one-run game. In the fifth, Mattingly's error onDan Wilson's groundball with two on allowed the Mariners to tie the game and complete a five-run comeback. Then in the sixth, withSterling Hitchcock pitching,Ken Griffey Jr.'s home run gave the Mariners a 6–5 edge. In the eighth,Norm Charlton's wild pitch with runners on first and third allowed the Yankees to tie the game at six, the run charged toTim Belcher.John Wetteland was called on to keep the game tied for the Yankees, but he loaded the bases with nobody out on a walk, single and hit-by-pitch for Edgar Martínez, who hit a grand slam, giving him seven RBIs in the game and the Mariners a 10–6 lead. ThenJay Buhner's home run offSteve Howe put the Mariners on top 11–6. In the ninth, Mattingly singled to lead off the ninth off Charlton, who was relieved byBobby Ayala. Mattingly moved on a groundout and scored onMike Stanley's single. After a single and walk loaded the bases,Wade Boggs's groundout offBill Risley made it 11–8 Mariners and brought upBernie Williams as the tying run, but Risley got Williams to fly out to center to earn the save and set up Game 5.

Kingdome inSeattle, Washington

Source:^[15][16]

Andy Benes andDavid Cone were sent to the mound for the Mariners and Yankees respectively to determine the winner of the series.Joey Cora hit a home run to make it 1–0 Mariners in the bottom of the third.Paul O'Neill hit a two-run home run after a walk to make it 2–1 Yankees in the top of the fourth.Jay Buhner's broken-bat RBI single after aTino Martinez double and wild pitch tied the game in the bottom half.

In the sixth, Benes struck outWade Boggs looking, then walked three to load the bases;Don Mattingly sliced a two-runground-rule double to left that put the Yankees in front 4–2. After an intentional walk to reload the bases, the next two batters went to full counts, then popped up to end the inning. Benes threw 40 pitches that inning to bring his total to an even hundred. In the bottom half,Edgar Martínez led off with a double down the third base line, then Cone struck out the next three.

In the seventh,Randy Velarde was caught looking on a full count, and Boggs hit a weak grounder to first.Bernie Williams walked and Benes was relieved by southpawNorm Charlton, who caused O'Neill to fly out to left. Cone struck out two more, then Coleman lined out to Mattingly at first. In the top of the eighth, Charlton issued a walk with two outs, then got a ground ball to end the inning. In the bottom half, with five outs to go and Cone still pitching,Ken Griffey Jr. homered deep to right to make it a one-run game. With two outs and the bases empty, the Mariners loaded them with a walk, single (Buhner), and another walk. On a full count, Cone threw his 147th (and final) pitch in the dirt to pinch hitterDoug Strange to tie the game at four. RookieMariano Rivera ended the inning with three straight strikes toMike Blowers.

Both teams blew chances in the ninth with two men on to score the potential series-winning run.Tony Fernández led off with a double off Charlton, followed by a walk toRandy Velarde, who had failed to bunt. Charlton was relieved byRandy Johnson, who retired the side with eight pitches. (Boggs struggled to bunt and struck out on three pitches. On a 2–0 count, Bernie Williams lifted aninfield fly, and after a called strike, O'Neill popped out behind home plate to end the threat.)Vince Coleman ripped an 0–2 pitch from Rivera to center for a single, Cora sacrificed him to second, then Griffey was intentionally walked.Jack McDowell entered and struck outEdgar Martínez, andAlex Rodriguez bounced a fielder's choice to shortstop to send the game to the tenth inning.

Starters McDowell and Johnson made rare relief appearances; both entered in the ninth with runners on, then continued into extra innings. In the tenth, Johnson struck out the side (Rubén Sierra, Mattingly, andGerald Williams). Buhner led off and lined another single to left field, but reserve catcherChris Widger bunted foul on a 1–2 count for the first out. Strange grounded to second with a fielder's choice, then Blowers bounced the first pitch deep in the hole for an infield hit. Coleman grounded a fielder's choice to first baseman Mattingly for the third out.

In the top of the 11th, Johnson opened with a four-pitch walk to catcherMike Stanley, and Fernández bunted to move pinch runnerPat Kelly to second. With a 1–0 count, Johnson nemesis Velarde singled through the hole to left to score Kelly and put the Yankees up by one, just three outs away from the next round. New catcherJim Leyritz was called out on strikes, Bernie Williams was intentionally walked, and O'Neill fouled off several before he was caught looking.

Cora led off the bottom half: taking three pitches to a 2–1 count, he dragged a bunt down the first base line and avoided a Mattingly tag. After McDowell's first pitch just missed low and away, Griffey ripped a high strike up the middle to put runners on first and third. With no outs, Edgar Martínez watched a strike, then lined a double to the left field fence, scoring both Cora and Griffey to send the Mariners to theLeague Championship Series. Martinez's game-winning hit and the aftermath remains the Mariners' most famous moment.

Until2011, this was the only LDS Game 5 to extend to extra innings.

During 1995, there were rumors the Mariners might relocate to theTampa area. Their success this season led to renewed local interest in the team and the building ofSafeco Field, which opened in July 1999.

The Yankees replaced managerBuck Showalter withJoe Torre and won the World Series in1996,1998,1999, and2000.

1995 ALDS(3–2):Seattle Mariners overNew York Yankees

The song "My Oh My" by Seattle-based rapperMacklemore in conjunction with his partnerRyan Lewis, features a call of Game 5 by the lateDave Niehaus, simply known as The Double. It is written to honor the memory of Niehaus, who died in 2010.

• CLE vs. BOS at Baseball-Reference
• SEA vs. NYY at Baseball-Reference
• 1995 Boston Red Sox Post-Season Media Guide

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