These are the best Division Series moments for each ALDS team
The 2018 season began with 15 American League teams vying for postseason spots. Now, just four clubs are left standing in the Division Series. They'll all be looking to create memories that will last a lifetime for their fans.
With that in mind, the highlights in the past that sent these fanbases into a frenzy are worth remembering. These are the best ALDS moments for each of the four clubs.
Red Sox
All of Boston's unforgettable walk-off homers in Division Series play must bow down to Pedro Martinez's heroic relief outing in the 1999 ALDS. The Indians had led the series, 2-0, but the Red Sox lineup exploded with 32 runs in the next two games to force a winner-take-all Game 5 in Cleveland.
The fireworks continued, as both Bret Saberhagen and Charles Nagy struggled in a game tied at 8 after a mere 3 1/2 innings. Then, out of the bullpen came Martinez, whose ailing shoulder had rendered him unable to start Game 5. If he was feeling any effects of the injury, he didn't show it -- in six shutout innings, he struck out eight and didn't allow a hit.
The Red Sox won, cementing Pedro's legendary performance.
Indians
Four years prior to Pedro's no-hit effort, another Red Sox/Indians series featured an indelible moment for one of the clubs. 1995 was the first season of Division Series play, but for the Indians, it meant so much more.
Incredibly, it had been 41 years since Cleveland's last postseason appearance and 47 years since their last win. A return to October baseball was a long time coming, and thanks to an incredible 100-win season led by MVP runner-up Albert Belle and a bevy of young talent, they captured the AL Central crown.
The Indians hosted the Red Sox for a rollicking ALDS Game 1 in Cleveland. Deadlocked at 3 in the 11th inning, third baseman Tim Naehring put Boston ahead with a solo homer, only to see Belle counter with a shot of his own off closer Rick Aguilera. In the end, the man who ended the game was not one of the Indians' countless stars, but Tony Peña, the 38-year-old backup catcher who went deep just five times all season.
Zane Smith tossed a get-me-over pitch on 3-0 to Peña, who had the green light and did not waste his chance:
Peña clearly didn't miss his chance for a Hall of Fame-caliber bat flip, either. The Indians won, 5-4, and eventually swept the Red Sox en route to the 1995 AL pennant.
Astros
This choice comes with a minor asterisk. If we're talking about all Astros Division Series moments, then it would be hard to beat Chris Burke's 18th-inning stunner to end the 2005 NLDS against the Braves. However, that took place in the National League, and we're more interested in American League moments.
Instead, simply flash back one year ago to the wild Game 4 of the Astros' ALDS against the Red Sox. A 10-3 Boston win in Game 3 forced Game 4, and a two-run dinger by
In the battle of aces in relief, it appeared that
The game was tied, and a few batters later, Sale exited in favor of
Both teams tacked on runs, but the Astros prevailed, 5-4, winning the ALDS and setting the stage for their 2017 World Series run.
Yankees
To put it plainly, none of the thrilling come-from-behind highlights from the 2001 World Series happen without this -- "The Flip Play." The Fall Classic was far from the Yankees' minds in Game 3 of the ALDS that year against the 102-win A's. A couple of duds at Yankee Stadium had put the Yankees behind in the series, 2-0. No team had ever come back in a best-of-five after dropping the first two games at home.
Behind burgeoning young ace Barry Zito, the Oakland Coliseum was rocking in hopes of a sweep in Game 3. The Yankees' Mike Mussina matched the lefty pitch-for-pitch, leaving the door open for his catcher, Jorge Posada, to break the scoreless tie with a solo homer in the fifth. Zito allowed just one hit the rest of the way, though, so that 1-0 lead was going to have to hold up.
The A's put the pressure on Mussina with two down in the seventh. Jeremy Giambi singled and Terrence Long followed with a smash down the right-field line. Giambi rumbled around the bases and was waved home. Outfielder Shane Spencer's throw was way too high and missed both cutoff men. As the ball bounced toward home, the game was about to be tied ... until it wasn't:
Seemingly out of nowhere, Derek Jeter ran over from shortstop to relay the throw with a flip to Posada, who applied the tag to Giambi's back leg. The inning was over, Mariano Rivera threw two innings to shut the door and the Yankees remained alive.
Jeter's incredible play was cemented in baseball memory when the Yankees won the last two games of the series to complete the comeback -- with another excellent play in Game 5, to boot.