1995 ALCS recap

The 1995 League Championship Series marked the second round of the postseason -- the first time a second round was required to get to the World Series. The only exception had been 1981, when the season was split into halves due to a labor stoppage.

Cleveland -- featuring one of the best teams in franchise history -- had won 100 games in only a 144-game regular-season schedule (due to labor stoppage), then it had swept Boston in the new Division Series round. Moreover, the Indians had home-field advantage as well as a perceived advantage in rest time as this new process began. Their sweep of Boston ended on Oct. 6, and Seattle's dramatic five-game elimination of the Yankees ended on Oct. 8. The ALCS began on Oct. 10.

In this ALCS, however, the Indians would need to rally and win the last three games to clinch in six. An unrelenting lineup featuring Carlos Baerga, Albert Belle, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton and Albert Bell offered too much firepower, wearing down Seattle pitching on the way to the Indians' first pennant since 1954. Cleveland even managed to win a pair of games started by Randy Johnson, who had been 18-2 during the regular season to win his first of five Cy Young Awards.

Ken Griffey Jr. homered in Game 2, and at that point he already had matched the Major League record of six home runs in a single postseason -- having hit five in as many games against the Yankees. But that solo shot was the only run Hershiser allowed that game, combining with closer Jose Mesa in a 5-2 win. Then Hershiser got the win in a 3-2 Game 5 victory and ultimately was honored with the NLCS MVP award. Griffey did not homer the rest of the series, finishing at .333 (7-for-21) in six games.

Path to the ALCS
ALDS: Cleveland over Boston (3-0); Seattle over New York (3-2)

Managers: Mike Hargrove, CLE; Lou Piniella, SEA

MVP: Orel Hershiser