Game 1 in Pittsburgh
John Smiley (11-16, 3.79) v Roger Clemens (15-11, 3.32)
Would you expect anything less than an instant classic to kick things off? That’s certainly what we get as Clemens and Smiley are fantastic but we tie it late and then win it 4-3 in 12 on a walkoff RBI single by reliever Dan Plesac of all people.
Game 2 in Pittsburgh
Doug Drabek (19-10, 2.97) v Bruce Hurst (14-11, 3.93)
Pirates lead series 1-0
Hurst is brilliant, with a no-hitter going into the 6th before fading a bit but still whipping us 5-1 on just 4 hits over 7+. Compounding matters is the loss of Galarraga for the duration after being HBP.
Game 3 in Boston
Pedro Martinez (18-11, 2.97) v Zane Smith (14-13, 3.56)
Series tied 1-1
They keep throwing the good ones at you, this mob, but this one is ultimately decided by the bats and arguably outdoes Game 1 as we come back late again to tie it at 6 but end up losing it 7-6 in the 12th.
Game 4 in Boston
Sid Fernandez (17-10, 2.93) v Danny Darwin (9-7, 3.88)
Red Sox lead series 2-1
There doesn’t seem much fight left in these boys of ours as Darwin gives us 4 no-hit frames but then gasses and we lose 4-3 with just 6 hits again despite a fine game by Bonds.
Game 5 in Boston
Dave Stewart (1-0, 2.08) v Roger Clemens (1-1, 5.27)
Red Sox lead series 3-1
Clemens finishes us off seemingly without raising a sweat, shutting us out over 8 as we lie down with an insipid performance and the drought continues.
It seems this is our lot, I fear—always competitive but simply not good enough to beat the big boys. Kind of like
Moneyball-era Oakland (anachronism alert!).
Kudos to the Red Sox, they have been on one of the best runs we have ever seen with 5 titles now in the past 7 seasons.
Devon White is named MVP.
