23 Runs scored in game 4 of the 1999 ALDS
The Power of Pedro.
You all remember the scenario. In 1999, Pedro Martinez was
the best pitcher the world had ever seen. A five game series in which Pedro got
to pitch twice was almost unfair. All the Sox needed was to win one of the
other three games to take the series. All the better, in this case, was that the
Indians had their own ace in Bartolo Colon. So, not only would the Sox be able
to win Pedro’s two starts, they would, by default, beat Colon twice since he
would match up against Pedro. It was almost too easy. But, then things went
wacky. Pedro got hurt in game one, and the Sox ended up losing the game. And
game two. They won game three, leaving them down 2-1 in the series. Pedro was a
huge question mark. Nobody was even sure if he would pitch in the series. If he
did, how effective would he be? It wasn’t looking good. It also meant that Mike
Hargrove had a decision to make. Who to pitch in Game four.
Bartolo Colon wasn’t scheduled to pitch until game five.
But, what if Pedro was Pedro again by then? It would be a waste of Colon. What
about pitching Colon on short rest, and removing Pedro from the equation?
That’s what Cleveland decided to do.
Think about that. Hargrove didn’t trust his ace to win a
game at home against (at best) a wounded Martinez. He didn’t want any part of
game five if Pedro was able to sniff the mound.
It’s not like Colon was the Cleveland ace by default. He was
a top pitcher. In any other match-up, he’d probably be favored. But, Pedro was
that scary. Hargrove couldn’t risk it. He made Colon pitch on the road, on
short rest.
Colon didn’t go two innings. The Red Sox scored 23 runs.
As it turned out, Pedro wasn’t able to start game five.
While he certainly pitched true to form once he got in there, he didn’t take
the mound until the fourth inning. By then, the Indians had scored eight runs.
Would a rested Bartolo Colon have been able to hold the Sox to less than eight?
He had certainly done it in game one. But, he didn’t get the chance.
If any other pitcher in baseball was scheduled to pitch game
five for the Sox, I bet Hargrove holds his ace. Not with a wounded Pedro
though. He was forced to roll the dice.
And the Red Sox scored 23 runs.
23 is for the 23 runs the Sox scored in game four of the
1999 ALDS
My absolute favorite of all the games I've ever been to at Fenway! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat made it so special for me, aside from the 23 runs, of course, was the sheer improbability of my even being there. I lived in Atlanta at the time, but my brother in NH was able to get tickets. I had used up all my vacation days for the year and had to cash in my Thanksgiving holidays to come. I flew up the morning before the game... before Game 3 took place. When I boarded the plane they were down 0-2 in the series, and without a win in Game 3 I wouldn't even get to go to Game 4 and the whole trip would have been for nothing.
We sat in Section 1 and by the end of the game, I literally had bruises on both my knees from banging them on the seat in front of me every time I jumped up to cheer.