1998 American League Division Series

The 1998 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 1998 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, September 29, and ended on Saturday, October 3, with the champions of the three AL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. The teams were:


 * (1) New York Yankees (Eastern Division champion, 114–48) vs. (3) Texas Rangers (Western Division champion, 88–74): Yankees win series, 3–0.
 * (2) Cleveland Indians (Central Division champion, 89–73) vs. (4) Boston Red Sox (Wild Card, 92–70): Indians win series, 3–1.

''The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage, which for the first time was determined by playing record. Also for the first time, the team with home field advantage played the first two games at home, with potentially Game 5 at home as well; previously, the team with the home field advantage had played the first two games on the road, with the possibility of the final three games at home. The Red Sox were ineligible for home field advantage due to not winning their division.''

The New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians went on to meet in the AL Championship Series (ALCS). The Yankees became the American League champion, and defeated the National League champion San Diego Padres in the 1998 World Series.

Game 1, September 29
Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York

Scott Brosius was the hero of Game 1, as Todd Stottlemyre faced David Wells. In the bottom of the second, Stottlemyre yielded two runs when Brosius singled in Jorge Posada after Chad Curtis doubled and Curtis scored when Chuck Knoblauch struck out and Brosius was caught stealing. Stottlemyre pitched a complete game in a losing effort. David Wells and Mariano Rivera limited the loaded Texas lineup, which had scored 940 runs in 1998, to only five hits.

Game 2, September 30
Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York

Rick Helling went against Andy Pettitte in Game 2. The remarkable Shane Spencer started the scoring when he homered in the bottom of the second. Brosius then hit a two-run homer in the Yankees fourth. Texas scored their only run of the series when Juan González doubled and later scored on an Iván Rodríguez single in the fifth. Once again, the Rangers were limited to five hits by Pettitte, Jeff Nelson, and Rivera.

Game 3, October 2
The Ballpark in Arlington in Arlington, Texas

The Rangers were once again stymied by the Yankees pitching staff. Twenty-game winner David Cone faced Aaron Sele, and both were matching each other pitch-for-pitch into the sixth. Paul O'Neill put the Yankees on top by hitting a solo home run with one out in the Yankees sixth. Then, with two runners on and two out, Shane Spencer slammed his second home run of the series to make it 4–0. Cone left after a rain delay, but the Yankees' bullpen held Texas in check the rest of the way. Will Clark grounded out to end the series.

Composite box
1998 ALDS (3–0): New York Yankees over Texas Rangers

Game 1, September 29
Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

The first of many rough starts for Cleveland pitcher Jaret Wright in the 1998 postseason was in Game 1. Wright faced Pedro Martínez, and Pedro would get all the run support in the world. After two leadoff hits in the first by Darren Lewis and John Valentin, Mo Vaughn slugged a three-run home run to put Boston up for good. In the top of the fifth, with Lewis and Valentin on and one out, Nomar Garciaparra also slugged a three-run home run. Jaret's night was done. A one-out single in the top of the sixth by Valentin led to Vaughn's second home run of the game to put Boston up 8–0. Cleveland responded with a two-run home run by Kenny Lofton in the bottom half of the sixth and a Thome home run in the seventh. Vaughn doubled in two more runs in the eighth as the Red Sox scored three more runs to make the final score 11–3. The win ended a thirteen-game postseason losing streak for the Red Sox dating back to Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

Game 2, September 30
Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Dwight Gooden faced Tim Wakefield in Game 2. Nomar Garciaparra put the Red Sox up 2–0 after doubling in Lewis and Valentin. Shortly afterwards, in a bizarre incident, Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove and Dwight Gooden were both ejected from the game. Gooden was replaced by Dave Burba, who promptly retired the next two batters. David Justice cut the lead in half by hitting a sacrifice fly that scored Lofton in the Indians first. Then the Indians tied it when Sandy Alomar Jr. doubled in Brian Giles in the second. After Joey Cora walked, Lofton doubled in Alomar to give the Indians the lead. Wakefield left the game and, with two out, David Justice hit a three-run home run to put the Indians up for good. Garciaparra drove in a run for Boston in the third, but an Alomar double scored Travis Fryman to make it 7–3 Indians. The Red Sox came within two in the sixth, but the Indians scored one in the bottom half and one in the eighth on a wild pitch. That made the final score 9–5 Indians.

Game 3, October 2
Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

Charles Nagy faced Bret Saberhagen in the critical Game 3. The Red Sox struck first on an RBI-forceout in the fourth. It didn't take long to respond, as Jim Thome led the Indians fifth off with a home run. In the sixth, Kenny Lofton homered to put the Indians on top. Then Manny Ramírez homered in the seventh to give the Indians a 3–1 edge. Manny Ramírez would homer once again in the ninth, this time off Dennis Eckersley. The Red Sox wouldn't go quietly in the bottom of the ninth as Nomar Garciaparra hit a two-run home run to bring the game within one run. However, Mike Jackson retired the next two batters in succession to give the Indians a two games to one lead in the series.

Game 4, October 3
Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

Bartolo Colón went against Pete Schourek, looking to save the Red Sox. In the fourth, Nomar Garciaparra homered to lead off to put the Red Sox up 1–0. But, they would squander the lead for the third consecutive game. In the eighth, with Tom Gordon pitching for Boston, Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel both singled with one out. Justice then doubled to center which scored both Lofton and Vizquel to put the Indians out in front 2–1. Not much happened afterwards, as Darren Bragg struck out swinging to end the series. It is the last playoff series win for the Indians over the Red Sox to date.

Composite box
1998 ALDS (3–1): Cleveland Indians over Boston Red Sox

Series quotes
"Swing and a LONG drive into deep right field, Nixon back on the track at the wall...leaps up and GONE into the Boston bullpen!"

- Tom Hamilton's call of Kenny Lofton's home run in Game 3.