National Baseball League

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1921 League Division Series

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Joe Benigno: “Ohhhh, bro! How about dem Mets! They start the Division Series at Citi Field, and they take care of the Giants 9-5. Let me tell ya somethin’ Evan, Alan Sloan — this guy was money! Three hits, three RBIs, he was the freakin’ difference maker in this game.”

Evan Roberts: “Yeah Joe, and right from the jump, you felt good about it. They put up two in the first, another in the second, another in the third, and they just kept piling on. Sloan’s two-run single in the fifth—that was the dagger. That made it 6-2, and from there the Mets were in control.”

Joe: “And how about Bobby Colon, bro? Six and two-thirds, yeah he gave up some runs, the Giants hit a couple bombs, but he battled, gave you innings, handed it off to the pen, and then Gonzalez shuts the door. That’s what you need in October, man!”

Evan: “Exactly. And how about the lineup? You had contributions up and down. Rosa with a big homer, Alicea with a big double, Richards with a couple knocks. And then Brubaker—three runs scored, setting the table. Everybody did their job today.”

Joe: “Bro, it’s one game. One game! We know the Mets, we’ve seen this team before. But ya can’t start a Division Series any better than this. Citi Field was rockin’, the place was electric. And you take Game 1, you put all the pressure on San Francisco goin’ into tomorrow.”

Evan: “Yeah, and it’s only a five-game series, so every game is huge. You grab the opener, you feel like you’re in control. Let’s see if they can keep it rollin’ in Game 2.”

Joe: “All I’m sayin’, bro—one down, twelve to go. LET’S GOOOOO METS!!!”

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At Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, the October air carried with it the sharp chill of tension, anticipation, and, as it turned out, heartbreak for the home crowd.
For seven innings, Johnny Landaverde authored what should have been the defining performance of the day. The Reds’ right-hander was magnificent — mixing pitches with precision, scattering just five hits, striking out six, and, most importantly, keeping the scoreboard pristine. In October, this is the sort of start that etches itself into franchise lore.
But baseball, ever capricious, had other plans.
In the top of the eighth, the Pirates — silent for most of the afternoon — roared to life. With two outs and the bases loaded, Jonathan Gonzales, summoned as a pinch hitter, delivered the blow that will be remembered long after this series is over: a bases-clearing double into the gap. From trailing by three to leading by three, Pittsburgh had turned the game on its head. In an instant, Landaverde’s masterpiece was overshadowed by the cruel realities of October baseball.
The Reds would rally in the ninth, scratching across two runs and bringing the winning run to the plate. But the Pirates held firm, escaping with a 6-5 victory and a 1-0 lead in this Division Series.
There is a certain poetry to this game: the brilliance of Landaverde, undone not by fatigue but by fate; the resilience of Pittsburgh, waiting patiently for their moment and seizing it with ruthless efficiency; and the reminder, always, that in baseball no lead is secure, no script guaranteed.
Tomorrow, the Reds will attempt to even the series, but tonight in Cincinnati, it is the Pirates who celebrate — and Jonathan Gonzales, with one swing, who carved his name into the story of this October.

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“Hello baseball fans, Harry Doyle here, coming to you from Jacobs Field, where the defending World Champion Cleveland Indians — yes, that’s back-to-back champs — opened their quest for a third straight title in style. Behind seven shutout innings from Mike Niccolai, the Tribe takes Game 1 over the Seattle Mariners, 4-0, and leads the Division Series one game to none.
Niccolai was masterful — eight strikeouts, one walk, five scattered hits. He made it look easy, like a man who’s been here before. And let’s not forget, this club is built for October.
The lineup did its part too — Pat Kresse ripped a double and scored twice, Jesus Satiago brought a run home on a sac fly, and catcher Willie Cobos delivered the big blast, a two-run homer in the fifth that sent the crowd of 35,000 into a frenzy. Cleveland fans have seen plenty of winning the last two years, but believe me, they haven’t gotten tired of it yet.
Seattle? A fine club, but tonight they ran into the machine that is Cleveland baseball. The Mariners scratched out six hits, but every time they threatened, Niccolai or the defense slammed the door. That’s championship baseball, folks.
So chalk up another October win for the champs. Final score: Cleveland 4, Seattle nothing. The Indians roll on, three wins away from another trip to the League Championship Series.
We’ll see you tomorrow for Game 2, when the Tribe looks to put an even tighter grip on this best-of-five. This Cleveland team is chasing history — and so far, they’re right on schedule.”

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Michael Kay: “Welcome back to Yankee Stadium, folks. The New York Yankees open their Division Series against the Texas Rangers with a thrilling 5-4 win, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five. And Steve, it was Chang-keun Pyo who did the heavy lifting today.”

Steve Somers: “Kay, I’m telling ya, that kid was all over the place in the third inning. Yankees down by a run? Pyo steps in and crushes a two-run homer. Just like that, New York goes ahead 4-3. The crowd goes nuts!”

Michael Kay: “And it was more than just that homer. Pyo finished 2-for-4, three RBIs, scored once. But the Yankees offense had balance too. Jose Castillo with a key single, Sung-hyo Kim moving the runners. They just executed the way a team built to win in October should.”

Steve Somers: “Don’t forget about the pitching, Kay! Mike Deming held the Rangers to four runs over seven innings. He struck out six, limited walks, and kept Texas from really threatening late. Solid, steady work — classic postseason pitching.”

Michael Kay: “Texas did show some fight — Norwood hit a home run, got the Rangers to four runs, but New York just had the answer each time.”

Steve Somers: “Exactly! And let me tell you, Kay, Yankee Stadium’s crowd — 43,765 strong — they loved every second of it. The energy, the tension, that swing from Pyo… it’s playoff baseball, baby!”

Michael Kay: “So Game 1 in the books. Yankees 5, Rangers 4. And we’ll see you tomorrow right back here at Yankee Stadium for Game 2. This series is off to a very New York start.”

Steve Somers: “And I’m telling you, Kay, don’t blink. This is gonna be fun.”

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Yo lemme tell ya somethin’ right now — Mets fans, ya gotta be feelin’ pretty darn good this mornin’. October baseball at Citi Field, and the boys just took down the Giants again, 6-2. Two games to none! That’s right, your New York Mets are ONE win away from the Championship Series.
Luke Peters? Guy was DEALIN’. Seven innings, only three hits, three Ks, one bad pitch to Benny Boys that went into the seats, but otherwise? Money. Ice cold. That’s what ya need in October, baby. You need that stopper, that bulldog, and that’s what he gave ya.
Now offensively — Porche, how about that? First inning, base hit, knocks in two, Mets are up 3-0 before you can even get your pretzel and Diet Coke. And then later on, boom, insurance from Dominguez with the solo shot, and Porche AGAIN with the two-run bomb in the 8th. The guy’s drivin’ in runs like he’s playin’ MLB The Show on rookie mode.
And by the way, can we talk about this Mets crowd? 39,000-plus, Sunday afternoon, place was rockin’. The Giants didn’t know what hit ‘em. They looked shook. You’re down 0-2, headin’ back to San Francisco, Oracle Park, and lemme tell ya somethin’ — the Mets got ‘em right where they want ‘em.
Game 3 Tuesday night, Giants gotta win just to stay alive. Mets, one win away. This thing could be a sweep, folks.

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From Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, the Reds even the Division Series at a game apiece with a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On a cool October afternoon, Alex Miranda was the story. The right-hander from La Romana, Dominican Republic, gave the Reds eight dominant innings, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out five. He set the tone early and never let Pittsburgh back in it.
Cincinnati’s offense wasted no time. In the bottom of the first, Ruben Soto provided the spark — a two-run homer that put the Reds ahead 2-0. An inning later, Mike Cook followed with a solo shot to make it 3-0. Then, in the fifth, Angelo Liotta launched his second home run of the series, extending the lead to 5-0.
The Pirates managed just three hits on the day, their lone run coming in the ninth on a double by Justin Pitre, but by then it was too little, too late.
A raucous crowd of more than 47,000 saw Cincinnati close it out behind Miranda, and this best-of-five now shifts to Pittsburgh all tied at one. Game 3 is Tuesday from PNC Park.
And for the Reds, on this day in October, it was about power at the plate and command on the mound — and it sets up a pivotal matchup in what’s become a best-of-three series.

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“Hello everybody, Harry Doyle here… well, the good news is Cleveland only gave up seven runs today. The bad news is, they only scored three. That’s what we call in the business a loss. Final from Jacobs Field: Mariners 7, Indians 3, and this Division Series is all tied up at a game apiece.
Reynaldo Fuentes — you’ve probably never heard of him, I know I hadn’t — hits a double, a homer, drives in three, and pretty much singlehandedly ruined the afternoon for the Tribe.
Jesus Becerra… oof. Five and a third innings, seven hits, six earned runs, and two homers. ERA balloons to 10.12. I don’t know if that’s his ERA or his cholesterol level, but either way it’s not good.
Cleveland got a little life in the second inning, two runs to answer back, but after that? Not much. Miguel Saldana hit a solo shot in the seventh, and the fans cheered… mostly because it stopped raining after a 15-minute delay.
So here’s where we stand: Indians and Mariners head to Seattle for Game 3 on Wednesday. The Tribe’s still the defending champs, but they’ll need to play like it if they want to keep that three-peat dream alive.
And remember folks — if you can’t make it to the park, you can always listen right here with me. The beer is cold, the Tribe’s bats were colder, and we’ll try it again in a couple days. Mariners 7, Indians 3. This series is tied. Goodnight everybody.”

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Mike: “Dog, the Yankees! They absolutely pound the Rangers here at the Stadium, 12–7 the final. They’re up two-games-to-none in the Division Series. And I gotta tell ya, Jose Castillo, 4-for-4, a triple, three singles — he’s been unbelievable. He’s been the guy, Dog.”

Mad Dog: “MIKEY! He was tremendous! The guy couldn’t make an out today! He’s hittin’ .875 in the series! Four hits, a triple, he’s on base all day long. And how about Nate Moser? He sets the tone early — two-run homer in the first inning off Luebano, and the Yankees never look back! That place was rockin’!”

Mike: “Yeah, and you look at this Yankee lineup, Dog, it’s relentless. Rivera, three hits. Pyo drives in four with a double, Romero hits one out. They had 16 hits as a team. The Rangers pitching? A disaster. Luebano doesn’t get outta the third inning, ERA ballooned to almost 17. Browne comes in, can’t stop the bleeding. That game was over before Texas could settle in.”

Mad Dog: “TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE job by the Rangers’ pitching staff. You give up nine runs in the first three innings at Yankee Stadium, you have no chance! Now, I give Texas credit — they got back into it a little bit, six runs in the sixth inning, they made it somewhat respectable. Walden hits a two-run single, Petesch goes deep. But Cantu survives five innings, they get to the Yankee bullpen, and that’s that.”

Mike: “And now, Dog, you go back to Texas, Yankees up 2–0. All the pressure in the world on the Rangers. They gotta win Game 3 just to stay alive. Meanwhile, the Yankees are one win away from the LCS. And you can feel it — that Stadium crowd, 43,000 today, they believe this team’s got something special.”

Mad Dog: “This is a TEAM on a mission, Mikey! And you said it: Castillo, Moser, Romero, Pyo — everybody contributing. That’s what makes the Yankees so tough in October. Rangers are in big trouble, BIG trouble, heading home down two-zip. They gotta find a way to stop this Yankee lineup, and right now, I don’t see it happening!”

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“Ohhh! The Pittsburgh freakin’ Pirates, baby! They take down the Reds, 5–2. They’re up two-games-to-one in the series. That’s right — one win away from the LCS. Boom!
Ya got Isidro Pruneda — the kid’s goin’ 3-for-3, three singles, takes a walk, drives in a couple runs. He’s on base more than me in Atlantic City on payday, ohhhh!
And Mikey Santana for Cincinnati? Fuggedaboutit. The guy’s hittin’ bats like he’s throwin’ batting practice. Eleven freakin’ hits in less than five innings, five runs. Hey, nice job, pal. Maybe next time you actually try to get somebody out, huh? Hickory dickory dock, your ERA’s up near ten o’clock! Ohhh!
But how about them Buccos? Pruneda drivin’ in runs, J. Pitre bangin’ a double, Verni chip in. And Mikey Orton on the hill — seven innings, seven Ks, givin’ up only two runs. That’s how ya do it, sweetheart. Then ya bring in Montgomery to close the door, fuhgeddaboudit. Game over!
So now, Pittsburgh one win away from sendin’ Cincy home cryin’ to mama. Reds had a chance, Dunham goes deep, Cook smacks three doubles — THREE! — ties a freakin’ playoff record. And still, still, they can’t get it done.
Ohhh, the crowd in Pittsburgh? 47,000 strong, screamin’ their heads off, they’re smellin’ the LCS, baby. One more win, the Reds are dead. Stick a fork in ‘em. It’s Bucco time, Jack! OH!”

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New York Mets: 4th NLCS berth
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“Ooohhh my god, can you believe it, bro? The Mets actually did it. They didn’t just win, they freakin’ swept the Giants. I mean, when’s the last time we saw the Mets make it look this easy in October? Never, bro, never!
They go into San Francisco, Oracle Park, the place is packed — forty-three thousand people, all expectin’ the Mets to choke — and what do they do? They put up NINE runs. Nine! The Giants couldn’t even breathe.
Alan Sloan, my god, this guy’s like Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby rolled into one for the series. He hits .667, he’s drivin’ in runs left and right, double after double. He’s the freakin’ MVP, no question. Mets don’t even sniff the NLCS without him.
And how about Rojas on the mound? Yeah, he gave up some hits, but he battled, he kept his composure. And then the bullpen — Morales, Gonzalez — shut it down. I was sittin’ there waitin’ for the implosion, waitin’ for the nightmare inning, but it never came, bro. It never came!
So here we are — the Mets are movin’ on to the freakin’ NLCS! We don’t know if it’s gonna be Pittsburgh or Cincinnati, but who cares? For once, the Mets took care of business. They didn’t collapse. They didn’t embarrass us. They freakin’ won, bro.
Ooohhh my god, dare I say it… this might finally be the year. Ohhhh, baby!”

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Holy cow! What a ballgame down there in Texas, folks. The Rangers, they weren’t gonna go down without a fight, and boy did they come through today, beating the Yankees 5–3.
That Nate Moser—two home runs! Can you believe it? The kid was just locked in, three RBIs, scored twice, running all over the place. Reminded me of Mantle a little bit, the way he was swinging that bat. And Tony Guerrero—Scooter loves those guys who can do a little bit of everything—three hits, a homer, drove in three. He was in the middle of everything today.
The Yankees, well, they gave it a shot. Moser for the Yanks had himself a day too, couple of bombs of his own, drove in all three runs. But Barnard just couldn’t quite keep the ball in the yard, gave up four runs, and that was the difference.
But hey, it’s only one game. Yankees are still up 2–1 in the series, and you know they’re not gonna roll over. Tomorrow it’s right back here in Texas, and I’ll tell ya—don’t miss it. Holy cow, this thing’s heating up!

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And the answer is: a decisive victory that forces a winner-take-all contest.
The question: What did the Cincinnati Reds achieve today at PNC Park?
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Reds, facing elimination, managed to outlast the Pittsburgh Pirates by a score of 10 to 7. And the star of the show—left fielder Mike Cook. He reached base four times, hit a home run, walked three times, scored three runs… truly a complete performance.
The drama? It came in the top of the ninth inning, with the score tied at seven. Ramon Ocasio, patient at the plate, drew a bases-loaded walk to put Cincinnati in front for good. From there, the Reds tacked on a few more and silenced the Pittsburgh crowd.
So, the series is now tied at two games apiece. The stage is set: Game 5, a one-game playoff, in Cincinnati at Great American Ball Park. The winner moves on. The loser goes home.
As always… the correct response: What is October baseball at its finest?

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“Well folks, uh oh… the two-time defending World Champion Cleveland Indians are now hanging by a thread. Yeah, you heard me right, the mighty Tribe have been shoved to the brink of elimination. Can they pitch any worse? I mean, I suppose if they just started rolling the ball to the plate, it might look about the same. Sixteen hits allowed, ten runs on the board, and Jonah Waring looked like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle rolled into one—4-for-4, two bombs, four runs scored, four driven in… why not just give the guy the MVP trophy now?
Final from Seattle: Mariners 10, Indians 4. That’s right, Cleveland’s pitchers made the Mariners lineup look like the ’27 Yankees. And unless somebody remembers how to throw a strike without it landing in Puget Sound, this dream of a three-peat is about to become a nightmare.
Next game tomorrow, same ballpark, same Mariners, and the Indians better bring more than their luggage if they want to stay alive. Otherwise, folks, the defending champs are going home—early.”

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Michael Kay: “Well Paul, the Yankees had a chance to close it out here in Texas, but the Rangers had other ideas. Final score: 12–6, and we are heading back to New York for a decisive Game 5.”

Paul O’Neill: “Yeah, Michael, it really came down to that third inning. Gary Hall was in trouble, bases loaded, and Juan Contreras—boy, did he deliver. That bases-clearing double just set the tone. Five RBIs on the night for Contreras, and the Yankees were playing catch-up the rest of the way.”

Michael Kay: “And that’s the kind of swing that can change a whole series. You look at Contreras—3-for-5, scored three times. And when your pitching staff gives up 17 hits, Paul, you’re not going to win many postseason games.”

Paul O’Neill: “No, you’re not. The Yankees’ bullpen couldn’t stop the bleeding. Aguilera, Abdul-Ra’uf, they just couldn’t get that big out. And Texas did a great job of putting together at-bats with two outs. That’s tough on a defense—it wears you down.”

Michael Kay: “The Yankees did show some fight. Marco Garcia’s two-run homer in the fifth, Shackford’s double in the ninth—but it was just too big of a hole. Now, Paul, it comes down to one game, Saturday at Yankee Stadium. The crowd will be rocking.”

Paul O’Neill: “That’s the beauty of October baseball. Anything can happen in a Game 5. The Yankees have been here before, they know what it takes. But they’ve got to pitch better. You can’t give up crooked numbers every other inning and expect to advance.”

Michael Kay: “So the Yankees and Rangers tied at two games apiece. Saturday, the Bronx becomes the center of the baseball universe. Winner moves on, loser goes home. Buckle up.”

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“WELL, how about this for a plot twist, folks! The Seattle Mariners tried to play tough guy in the first inning—Victor Yanez gets plunked, words are exchanged, benches clear, fists flying, popcorn spilled, kids crying. And wouldn’t you know it—Yanez and Cleveland pitcher Jun-seo Kim both get tossed before this one even had time to warm up. CLASSIC.”
“But if you thought that rattled the two-time defending World Champions, you’d be WRONG. In fact, it lit a fire under Cleveland. The Indians came out swinging—literally—and turned this game into a demolition derby. Johnny Thompson? He’s the guy you circle, highlight, and underline. Four hits, five RBIs, and a big fly that had Mariners fans reaching for the exits early.”
“And how about Jesus Satiago? First inning, BOOM, three-run blast, and all of a sudden it’s Cleveland 3, Seattle nothing. That punch Seattle thought they were landing? Backfired big time.”
“Final score: Cleveland 16, Seattle 7. That’s not a ballgame, that’s a crime scene. The Mariners’ pitching staff is going to need therapy after this one. Cleveland evens the series, keeps their three-peat hopes alive, and oh by the way, Game 5 shifts back to Jacobs Field. Advantage? I’ll give you a hint—it’s not Seattle.”
“Folks, if you like high drama, keep your scorecards handy. The Indians aren’t done yet.”