October 18, 2026
October 18, 2026
1997 Cleveland Indians: The Tribe
The 1997 Cleveland Indians will be remembered for coming within a single pitch of winning the World Series, only to lose it in an 11-inning Game 7 against the Florida Marlins at Pro Player Stadium in Miami. Otherwise a reliable closer for the Indians in 1997, Jose Mesa pitched 1.2 innings late in the game and struck out two batters, but he gave up four hits and a costly sacrifice fly to Marlins second baseman Craig Counsell in the bottom of the 9th inning, blowing the save. The Marlins then won the World Series in the bottom of the 11th on an RBI single by shortstop Edgar Renteria, a moment SABR still ranks among the most dramatic in Fall Classic history.
Nevertheless, the 1997 Cleveland Indians put together a successful regular season, going 86-75 and finishing six games ahead of the Chicago White Sox and eight games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League Central division. The Indians acquired third baseman Matt Williams in a trade with the San Francisco Giants on November 13, 1996, and signed free agent second baseman Tony Fernandez on December 28. Then, during spring training on March 25, 1997, they acquired center fielder Marquis Grissom and right fielder David Justice in a trade with the Atlanta Braves.
Mainly playing as the designated hitter, David Justice batted .329 with 33 home runs and 101 RBIs off 163 hits and 31 doubles. Right fielder Manny Ramirez batted .328 with 26 home runs and 88 RBIs off 184 hits and 40 doubles. Catcher Sandy Alomar batted .324 with 21 home runs and 83 RBIs off 146 hits and 37 doubles. First baseman Jim Thome batted .286 with 40 home runs and 102 RBIs off 142 hits and 25 doubles.
Tony Fernandez batted .286 with 11 home runs, 117 hits, and 21 doubles. Shortstop Omar Vizquel batted .280 with 158 hits, 23 doubles, six triples, and 43 stolen bases. Matt Williams hit 32 home runs and drove in 105 runs off 157 hits, 32 doubles, and 12 stolen bases. Left fielder Brian Giles had 17 home runs, 101 hits, 15 doubles, and 13 stolen bases. Utility player Julio Franco batted .284 in 78 games, collecting 82 hits, 13 doubles, and 8 stolen bases.
The ace of Cleveland’s pitching staff was Charles Nagy, who went 15-11 with 149 strikeouts, one complete game, and one shutout. Orel Hershiser went 14-6 with 107 strikeouts and one complete game. At the young age of 21, Jaret Wright went 8-3 with 63 strikeouts. Jose Mesa was a reliable closer throughout the regular season, recording 16 saves. Relief pitcher Michael Jackson recorded 15 saves, and Paul Assenmacher recorded four saves and a 2.44 ERA.
In the American League Division Series, the 1997 Cleveland Indians took on the defending World Series champion New York Yankees — and prevailed in five games.
In Game 1 on September 30 at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees beat the Indians 8-6. In the bottom of the 1st inning, Manny Ramirez had an RBI single and later scored on a wild pitch, and Sandy Alomar followed with a three-run home run. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, third baseman Wade Boggs grounded into a forceout at second base to score center fielder Bernie Williams. Indians left fielder Bip Roberts had an RBI single in the top of the 4th, and the Yankees responded in the bottom of the 4th with a home run by first baseman Tino Martinez and a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Tim Raines. New York then broke the game open with a monstrous 6th inning: an RBI single by second baseman Rey Sanchez, a two-run home run from Raines, and a pair of solo home runs from shortstop Derek Jeter and right fielder Paul O’Neill.
The Indians bounced back to win Game 2 on October 2, 7-5. The Yankees struck first in the bottom of the 1st with a two-run double by Martinez and a sacrifice fly by third baseman Charlie Hayes, but David Justice, Sandy Alomar, and Jim Thome each had RBI singles in the top of the 4th, along with a two-run double by Tony Fernandez. Matt Williams then went deep in the top of the 5th with a two-run home run. The Yankees could only counter with pinch hitter Mike Stanley getting hit by a pitch to score Williams in the bottom of the 8th and a Derek Jeter solo home run in the bottom of the 9th, which wasn’t enough.
Jacobs Field hosted Game 3 on October 4, but the Indians couldn’t deliver a win for their home crowd, as the Yankees won 6-1. David Wells pitched a complete game for New York, giving up five hits and one run while recording one strikeout. Paul O’Neill had an RBI single in the top of the 1st inning, and Tony Fernandez countered by grounding into a forceout at second base to score Matt Williams. Martinez then had an RBI single in the top of the 3rd, and O’Neill returned in the top of the 4th to blast a grand slam.
The Indians evened the series at two games apiece by winning Game 4 on October 5, 3-2. O’Neill put the Yankees on the board first with an RBI double in the top of the 1st, followed by an RBI single from designated hitter Cecil Fielder. David Justice answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the 2nd, Alomar added a solo home run in the bottom of the 8th, and Omar Vizquel’s infield RBI single won the game.
The Indians then eliminated the Yankees with a 4-3 win in Game 5 on October 6. Ramirez hit a two-run ground-rule double in the bottom of the 3rd inning, followed by an RBI single from Williams, and Fernandez added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 4th. The Yankees tried to rally with RBI singles from Bernie Williams in the top of the 5th and Wade Boggs in the top of the 6th, but New York fell short.
The Cleveland Indians faced the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series.
In Game 1 on October 8 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Orioles shut out the Indians 3-0. In the bottom of the 1st, center fielder Brady Anderson hit a solo home run, and second baseman Roberto Alomar added a two-run home run in the bottom of the 3rd.
The Indians responded with a 5-4 win in Game 2 on October 9. Manny Ramirez hit a two-run home run in the top of the 1st, but Orioles third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. countered with a two-run home run of his own in the bottom of the 2nd. The Orioles pulled ahead when shortstop Mike Bordick had an RBI single in the bottom of the 6th, but Marquis Grissom silenced the Baltimore crowd with a three-run home run in the top of the 8th.
Returning to Cleveland for Game 3 on October 11, the Indians won a fantastic 12-inning battle, 2-1. Matt Williams had an RBI single in the bottom of the 7th, and Brady Anderson responded for Baltimore in the top of the 9th with an RBI double. In the bottom of the 12th inning, during Omar Vizquel’s at-bat, Grissom stole home plate to win the game.
The Indians won another close battle in Game 4 on October 12, 8-7. Orioles left fielder B.J. Surhoff had an RBI double in the top of the 2nd, and Alomar responded with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 2nd. Anderson then hit a solo home run in the top of the 3rd, followed by a two-run home run from Harold Baines and a solo home run by first baseman Rafael Palmeiro. Grissom had an RBI single in the bottom of the 4th, and in the bottom of the 5th, Ramirez hit a solo home run while Sandy Alomar had an RBI single and later scored on a wild pitch. Baltimore right fielder Geronimo Berroa had an RBI single in the top of the 7th, and Palmeiro added an infield RBI single in the top of the 9th. Sandy Alomar then delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 9th.
Cleveland hit a bump in the road in Game 5 on October 13, losing 4-2. Berroa had a two-run single in the top of the 3rd, and in the top of the 9th, pinch hitter Eric Davis hit a solo home run while Ripken added an RBI single. A pair of RBI doubles from Williams and Fernandez in the bottom of the 9th wasn’t enough for Cleveland.
Fortunately for the Indians, one run was enough in another tight 11-inning affair, as they won Game 6 on October 15, 1-0, to eliminate the Orioles and win the American League pennant on a Tony Fernandez solo home run in the top of the 11th inning. Marquis Grissom was named ALCS Most Valuable Player.
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