National Baseball League

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JOE BENIGNO RECAP – NLDS GAME 2: METS AT BREWERS (10/14/1924)
Ohhhhhh, folks — I can’t believe what I’m watching. The three-time defending WORLD CHAMPION New York Mets — yeah, your Mets — the team that’s ruled baseball for three straight years, the team that’s been the class of the league since 1921… are on the ropes. DOWN 2–0 to the Milwaukee Brewers. I mean, what are we doing here?!
This is not how a dynasty goes out, folks. You win three straight championships — you’re supposed to go out swinging, showing some pride, reminding everybody why you’re the champs. Instead? A 7–3 embarrassment in Milwaukee. Same story as Game 1 — no clutch hitting, lousy pitching, and not an ounce of that championship swagger we’ve seen the last three years.
Luis Peters… I don’t even know what to say. This guy was supposed to be part of the next wave, right? He’s out there serving meatballs like it’s a backyard barbecue. Six innings, five earned runs — five! — and every time the Mets grabbed a little momentum, he gave it right back. You can’t have that in October. You just can’t.
And the seventh inning? Forget it. Absolute meltdown. Brad Busby — I can’t believe I’m saying this — BRAD BUSBY, a guy most fans couldn’t pick out of a lineup, ropes a two-run double to flip the game. The Brewers take the lead, the crowd goes nuts, and from there, it’s over. Lights out.
And don’t even get me started on Cesar Malagon — this guy’s been a one-man wrecking crew. Two hits, three RBIs, a homer, two stolen bases — he looked like he was channeling George Brett out there! Every time he came to the plate, the Mets were sweating bullets.
Now listen — I love these Mets. I’ve been with them through everything — from the miracle of ’21, the grind in ’22, the dominance in ’23. They were legends. They played with fire, with guts, with heart. But what I’m seeing now? It’s not the same team. It’s a team that looks TIRED. Beat. Like the weight of a three-year reign finally caught up to them.
The bats have gone quiet. The bullpen’s a mess. The defense looks shaky. And the Brewers? They’re playing hungry baseball. They want it more — and you can feel it.
You know what this feels like, folks? It feels like the end of an era. Like the torch is about to be passed. Unless they wake up in Game 3 at Citi Field, this thing’s over. Done. Finished. The dynasty — the greatest run this franchise has ever had — could end with a whimper instead of a bang.
And that, my friends, is heartbreaking.
We’ve seen this movie before, just not with these Mets. I thought they were different. Maybe they still are. Maybe they’ve got one more miracle left in ‘em. But after what I just saw tonight? I’m not holding my breath.
The Brewers are up 2–0, heading to New York. The champs are bleeding. And unless they rediscover that magic — that grit that made ‘em unbeatable — the reign of the mighty Mets… is about to come crashing down.
Ohhhh, baby. I can’t take it anymore.
— Joe Benigno, WFAN, trying to believe… but it’s slipping away. 🎙️

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MICHAEL KAY RECAP – ALDS GAME 3
NEW YORK YANKEES AT KANSAS CITY ROYALS – OCTOBER 15, 1924 – KAUFFMAN STADIUM
Well folks, this was one of those games that felt like October baseball—tense, gritty, and loaded with moments that could turn a series. And tonight, the New York Yankees—the team built for these moments—delivered exactly the kind of performance you expect from a club with championship aspirations.
The Yankees go into Kansas City, a hostile crowd of over fifty-two thousand on hand, and they take down the Royals, 5–3. They now lead the Division Series two games to one—one win away from punching their ticket to the American League Championship Series.
And let me tell you something—Sal Cantu was the story. The left-hander wasn’t dominant in a flashy way, but he was everything you want out of a postseason starter. Seven innings, three runs, seven strikeouts, and most importantly, no walks. He worked efficiently, he attacked hitters, and when the Royals tried to mount rallies—Cantu slammed the door shut. That’s veteran composure right there.
Now, the offense? Timely. Professional. Yankee-like.
Top of the first—A. Rivera sets the tone early. A two-run blast to left field that silenced the Kansas City crowd before they even got settled in. Then in the third, Stephen Johnson added some thunder of his own—a two-run homer to right-center that made it 4–2 Yankees. Johnson didn’t have a big night statistically, but that one swing changed the entire rhythm of the game.
From there, it was about holding serve. Kansas City chipped away—W. Obregón hit a solo shot in the fifth—but New York never panicked. They added a huge insurance run in the ninth on a clutch RBI single by J. Rawlings, and that was all she wrote.
How about Andy Marley’s bullpen management? Spot on. Two clean innings from Sam Schoeppen—just what the doctor ordered. No drama, no tension, just power pitching and confidence.
Look, the Royals didn’t play poorly. They got another multi-hit game from Oscar Vargas, and E. Clancy continued his impressive postseason with a two-run homer in the first. But you could feel it—the Yankees were just sharper. They played cleaner baseball, they executed the little things, and they never gave Kansas City the extra inch.
This is what great teams do in October. They go on the road, take the crowd out of it, and play their game.
So now, the Yankees are one win away. One. Tomorrow, they’ll send their ace to the mound with a chance to close out the series and head to the ALCS.
And if you’re the Royals—you’ve got to be perfect. No more mistakes, no more hanging breaking balls, no more missed chances with runners in scoring position. Because the Yankees smell blood, and when this team gets rolling… they’re awfully hard to stop.
Final score once again: Yankees 5, Royals 3.
New York leads the series two games to one.
For the Yankees—poise, power, precision. For the Royals—desperation time.
This is postseason baseball. This… is October.
— Michael Kay, YES Network 🎙️

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Cleveland Indians: 6th ALCS berth
1902 1919 1920 1921 1923 1924

HARRY DOYLE RECAP – ALDS GAME 3
CLEVELAND INDIANS AT TEXAS RANGERS – OCTOBER 15, 1924 – GLOBE LIFE FIELD
Well, folks, if you tuned in looking for a good old-fashioned pitcher’s duel… you must’ve clicked the wrong channel. This one had more hits than a jukebox at closing time. The Cleveland Indians outlasted the Texas Rangers, 11–9, to finish off a clean sweep and punch their ticket to the American League Championship Series.
And the story tonight? Z. Eneki. The man hit for the cycle. That’s right, a single, double, triple, and a home run—baseball’s rarest party trick. You don’t see that often, folks. Eneki was a one-man wrecking crew, going 4-for-4 with four RBIs, a walk, and probably a free steak dinner waiting for him somewhere in the clubhouse.
Israel Fernandez wasn’t about to let him hog the spotlight, though. He blasted two home runs of his own, picked up four hits, and drove in three. Between the two of them, they made Globe Life Field look like a Little League park. Fernandez hit .778 in the series, and I’m starting to wonder if he’s secretly using an aluminum bat.
Cleveland scored in seven different innings—seven!—and every time you thought the Rangers had a chance, the Indians just said, “Nope, here’s another couple of runs.”
The Rangers actually led early, 5–3, before their pitching staff collectively decided to reenact a dumpster fire. Starter J. Tucker got rocked for six runs, and the bullpen spent the rest of the night auditioning for the role of “gasoline on the flames.” By the end, their ERA looked like the price of a used car.
But give Texas some credit—they didn’t quit. Down 11–5, they made a little noise in the eighth with four runs, got the fans buzzing again, and forced Cleveland to bring in their closer. Unfortunately, the comeback fell short—like a fly ball in the wind.
Final score: Indians 11, Rangers 9. Cleveland wins the series, 3–0, and the Rangers are officially invited to start their offseason golf tournament.
Eneki gets the game ball for his cycle, Fernandez grabs the series MVP, and the Indians look every bit like a team on a mission. They’ll face the winner of the Yankees-Royals series next—assuming those two ever figure out who wants it more.
From Globe Life Field, I’m Harry Doyle saying—
Cleveland wins it, Texas loses it, and somewhere out there, a pitching coach is reconsidering his career choices.
Final: Indians 11, Rangers 9.
Cleveland sweeps the series, 3–0. 🎙️

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What’s the deal with hitting for the cycle and not even getting player of the game? You do everything a hitter can possibly do — a single, a double, a triple, and a home run — it’s like collecting the whole set! You’re basically the Pokémon master of baseball!
And yet… somehow, Zakaio Eneki — the guy who literally did every kind of hit known to man — doesn’t get player of the game. Why? Because Israel Fernandez went 4-for-4 with two home runs, a walk, and three RBIs! Oh, excuse me for only hitting one home run while casually completing one of the rarest feats in baseball history!
So Eneki’s out there at Globe Life Field, putting on a clinic — he walks in the 2nd, doubles in the 4th, knocks in a run in the 5th, sends one into orbit in the 7th, and triples in the 9th! Who even triples anymore? That’s like finding a payphone that works!
And when they ask him about it after the game, he’s all humble —
“I never even thought about hitting for the cycle,” he says. “It’s the win that’s important.”
Yeah, sure. But deep down? You know he’s thinking, “The cycle doesn’t matter? It should at least matter enough to get me player of the game!”
The guy’s hitting .301 with 35 homers and 152 RBIs on the season — what more do you want from him? Blood?
So there you have it. Zakaio Eneki hits for the cycle, the Indians win 11-9, and the player of the game award goes to the guy who didn’t even need a triple. Baseball, folks — it’s the only sport where you can do everything right… and still come in second place.

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Milwaukee Brewers: 3rd NLCS berth
1904 1909 1924

MIKE FRANCESA (voice and tone):
Alright folks, let’s be honest here — it was bound to end sometime. You can’t win forever. The Mets came into these playoffs as three-time defending champions. Three straight titles! That’s almost unheard of in modern baseball. But you could see it this year. You could feel it. They just weren’t the same team.
They finish 90–72 — listen, that’s a nice record, okay? That’s a playoff team. But it’s not the Mets we’ve seen. Not the 108, 122-win, machine-like, destroy-everyone Mets we’ve been watching the last few years. They didn’t even win the division. They had to grind through the Reds in the Wild Card round — barely got out of that alive. And then, the Milwaukee Brewers — the top seed, the class of baseball this season — they smelled blood in the water.
And let me tell you, Milwaukee pounced. That’s what great teams do. They didn’t mess around. They swept the Mets out of the building. Game 3, they come into Citi Field, 6–3 win, 13 hits, they controlled the whole game. Josh Tidwell — this kid was unbelievable. Hits .462 for the series, two homers, six RBIs. He owned that lineup. He gets MVP of the series, and rightfully so.
And for Milwaukee — hey, credit where it’s due. This is their first trip to the NLCS in 15 years. Fifteen years! And now, they’ve got a real shot at their first World Series title. They’ve got the lineup, they’ve got the arms, and they’ve got the confidence after knocking off the champs.
As for the Mets — look, the dynasty’s not dead, but the reign is over. You win three in a row, you make history, but you can’t do it forever. Pitching got thin, lineup got streaky, the magic just ran out. That’s baseball.
So congratulations to the Brewers. They did what great teams do — they took advantage of a fading champion. Now they wait on Atlanta or Arizona, but make no mistake — right now, Milwaukee is the team to beat in Major League Baseball.
(pause)
And for the Mets? Enjoy the banners, boys. You’ve earned ’em. But the parade route is closed this October.

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Arizona Diamondbacks: 4th NLCS appearance
1905 1907 1908 1924

The Arizona Diamondbacks — a team that refuses to be intimidated by the moment.
First, they stared down their longtime NL West rivals, the division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers — and sent them home in the Wild Card round. Then, as if that weren’t enough, they turned their attention to the National League’s number-two seed, the mighty Atlanta Braves — and swept them aside in convincing fashion.
It’s been 16 long years since the Diamondbacks last reached the National League Championship Series. In that time, the franchise has known both heartbreak and irrelevance. But this October, they have rediscovered something vital — an edge, a belief, a resilience that belies their modest 85-win regular season.
And make no mistake — this is no Cinderella story. This team belongs here. They’ve beaten the best by outplaying them in every phase — timely hitting, sharp defense, and pitching that rises to the occasion.
Tony Kelley, the shortstop with a flair for the big moment, led the charge — hitting .538 for the series, showing poise, power, and the kind of leadership that can turn a good team into a dangerous one. Behind him, right-hander Jimmy Grubbs once again delivered when it mattered most, working seven strong innings in the clinching game, and earning Player of the Game honors.
Now, the Diamondbacks turn toward the next challenge — a date with the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series. Two clubs, both riding waves of momentum, both chasing history.
For Arizona — their fourth trip to the NLCS, their first since 1908 — the dream continues.
They may have won just 85 games, but at this point in October, the record books don’t matter. The Diamondbacks are legit — and the rest of baseball knows it.

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It was a crisp October afternoon in Kansas City — the kind of day where postseason baseball seems to shimmer just a little brighter. The stakes were simple: win or go home. And on this day, the Royals, facing elimination, rose to the occasion.
Behind seven brilliant, scoreless innings from left-hander Rickey Doll, Kansas City kept their season alive, edging the mighty New York Yankees, 5–4, to force a decisive Game 5 in the Division Series.
Doll wasn’t overpowering — he didn’t need to be. He was composed, precise, and unflinching, navigating a Yankees lineup built on patience and power. Just three hits allowed, seven innings of calm in the storm.
For much of the day, the Bronx Bombers could do little but grind their teeth. Kansas City scratched out an early run, then added two more in the fifth, punctuated by a solo blast from Willy Obregón, whose postseason has been nothing short of remarkable. The Royals led 3–0, then 5-2, before New York’s bats — quiet all afternoon — finally stirred to life in the late innings.
A late rally, capped by clutch extra-base hits from S. Johnson and A. Rivera, made it close — too close for comfort — but it wasn’t enough. When M. Eldridge induced the final out, a roar erupted from the crowd of 53,838 at Kauffman Stadium.
And so, this improbable, back-and-forth series returns to Yankee Stadium — where one of these two storied franchises will see its season end, and the other will march on to the American League Championship Series.
For Kansas City, the story tonight is one of survival — of a pitcher who delivered when everything was on the line, and of a team that refused to let its season fade quietly into the autumn air.
Final score: Royals 5, Yankees 4. Game 5 awaits — in the Bronx, beneath the October lights.

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New York Yankees: 11th ALCS berth
1904 1905 1909 1910 1912 1913 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924

For a while there, it looked as though we might be headed for a new chapter in this postseason — the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Indians squaring off in the American League Championship Series. The Royals, bold and confident, jumped out to a 4–0 lead in the Bronx, silencing the Yankee Stadium faithful and sending a ripple of anxiety through one of baseball’s proudest franchises.
But champions — real champions — don’t fade quietly.
The Yankees, showing the poise and perseverance that have come to define this era of pinstriped dominance, clawed their way back. Three runs in the fifth. Three more in the eighth. A 6–4 victory that sealed the series, sent the crowd into a frenzy, and reminded everyone that October, in so many ways, still belongs to the Bronx.
For the 11th time — and the fifth straight year — the New York Yankees are headed to the American League Championship Series. It’s a run of sustained excellence that few franchises in any sport can match.
Andy Miller, steady and reliable throughout, earns series MVP honors, hitting .500 and delivering in the moments that mattered most. But in truth, this was a collective comeback — one built on grit, patience, and that unmistakable sense of Yankee inevitability.
And so, once again, the stage is set for another clash of titans. The Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankees. Two powerhouses, meeting for the right to go to the World Series.
Baseball’s familiar heavyweights, back on the biggest stage — and October drama, just where it belongs.