National Baseball League

[jg2977]

.

[jg2977]

Arizona Diamondbacks: 6th NLCS berth
1905 1907 1908 1924 1925 1926

JACK BUCK:
“Well, folks… the Arizona Diamondbacks have done it again. They come into Atlanta, win the deciding Game 5 by a score of 5–1, and the defending World Series champions are moving on to the League Championship Series for the sixth time in their history, and for the third consecutive season.
A remarkable turnaround for a team that was down 2–0 in the series and trailed 7–0 in Game 3. They were on the brink, and now they’re right back where they believe they belong.”
TIM McCARVER:
“Jack, you said it. You know, when you get down 7–0 like they did in Game 3, a lotta teams fold right there. They start thinking about plane tickets, offseason surgeries, all that. But this Arizona club? They play baseball. They don’t give in. And once they stole that game, the entire tenor of the series changed.”
BUCK:
“Gustavo Bojorquez was magnificent today. Seven and two-thirds innings, allowed just three hits, and he kept the Braves off-balance all afternoon. And Sean Nicholson — the series MVP — he was the backbone of that offense all week long.”
McCARVER:
“And Jack, the home runs… that’s where Arizona really flipped this game. Chapa in the fourth, Gonzalez in the fifth — both of ’em on mistakes up in the zone. And when you’re playing in an elimination game, those mistakes are magnified. Atlanta just couldn’t recover.”
BUCK:
“The Braves, meanwhile, never got much going. Four hits, one run, and that didn’t come until the eighth inning. Atlanta fans hoped for one more comeback, but Arizona shut the door.”
McCARVER:
“And it’s tough, Jack. Atlanta played a clean series until today, then four errors… those’ll beat ya every time. You just can’t give a lineup like Arizona extra outs.”
BUCK:
“Arizona now awaits the winner of Milwaukee and Los Angeles. That series is tied at two. Whoever it is… they’re facing a Diamondbacks team that’s rediscovered something dangerous these last few days.”
McCARVER:
“That’s right. Momentum is a funny thing, Jack — you don’t know you’ve got it till you’ve already taken the other guy’s lunch.”
BUCK:
“From Truist Park in Atlanta, your final score: Arizona 5, Atlanta 1. The champs march on.”

[jg2977]

..

[jg2977]

Los Angeles Dodgers: 7th NLCS berth
1902 1910 1914 1918 1922 1923 1926

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon here at American Family Field in Milwaukee. The leaves are just starting to turn, the wind’s blowing gently out to right field, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to punch their ticket to the League Championship Series for the seventh time in franchise history, third time in five seasons.
And if you’re a fan of the Dodgers, you’ve seen a lot of memorable moments this year—but this one might just stand apart.
Willie Cortez, the Dodgers’ designated hitter, was simply magnificent today. Five hits, including a home run and two triples—tying the National League playoff game records—and three RBI. Just an all-around vintage performance that had the Brewers’ pitchers shaking their heads and looking for answers they didn’t quite have.
Now, the Brewers, they didn’t go quietly. R. Alvarado lasted seven innings, gave up eight hits, but only one run, and had two strikeouts. He kept them in the game until the middle innings, but once the Dodgers’ bats got rolling in the third and fifth, well, that was the ballgame.
C. Shostak took the mound for Los Angeles, seven innings, eight hits, just the one run. And then J. Aguiniga closed it out with a couple of innings, and the Dodgers were able to savor the victory.
You know, it’s funny about baseball: one moment you’re down, you think maybe this is it, and then one swing changes the story. Cortez had those triples early, the Dodgers’ bats kept churning, and suddenly it was 5–1. You could see the jubilation on their faces as they dug out of the dugout, the Brewers’ fans just a little stunned, wondering where it all went wrong.
And so, with this win, the Dodgers will face the Arizona Diamondbacks in the League Championship Series. That promises to be a fascinating matchup. Two teams that have battled adversity, two teams with a little magic still left in them, and one of them will have a chance to continue that march toward the Fall Classic.
As the sun sets over Milwaukee, and the Dodgers’ players begin to celebrate quietly in the clubhouse, you can’t help but think: baseball, as always, has given us a storybook ending for the Division Series. And somewhere, Willie Cortez, with his record-tying day, is probably thinking, “Well, that was fun.”
Yes, ladies and gentlemen… the Dodgers win it, 5–1, and we move on. And isn’t that why we love this game?
Well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon here at American Family Field in Milwaukee. The leaves are just starting to turn, the wind’s blowing gently out to right field, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have punched their ticket to the League Championship Series for the seventh time in franchise history, third time in four seasons. They will try to make it to the Fall Classic for the first time since 1902.
And if you’re a fan of the Dodgers, you’ve seen a lot of memorable moments this year—but this one might just stand apart.
Willie Cortez, the Dodgers’ designated hitter, was simply magnificent today. Five hits, including a home run and two triples—tying the National League playoff game records—and three RBI. Just an all-around vintage performance that had the Brewers’ pitchers shaking their heads and looking for answers they didn’t quite have.
Now, the Brewers, they didn’t go quietly. R. Alvarado lasted seven innings, gave up eight hits, but only one run, and had two strikeouts. He kept them in the game until the middle innings, but once the Dodgers’ bats got rolling in the third and fifth, well, that was the ballgame.
C. Shostak took the mound for Los Angeles, seven innings, eight hits, just the one run. And then J. Aguiniga closed it out with a couple of innings, and the Dodgers were able to savor the victory.
You know, it’s funny about baseball: one moment you’re down, you think maybe this is it, and then one swing changes the story. Cortez had those triples early, the Dodgers’ bats kept churning, and suddenly it was 5–1. You could see the jubilation on their faces as they dug out of the dugout, the Brewers’ fans just a little stunned, wondering where it all went wrong.
And so, with this win, the Dodgers will face the Arizona Diamondbacks in the League Championship Series. That promises to be a fascinating matchup. Two teams that have battled adversity, two teams with a little magic still left in them, and one of them will have a chance to continue that march toward the Fall Classic.
As the sun sets over Milwaukee, and the Dodgers’ players begin to celebrate quietly in the clubhouse, you can’t help but think: baseball, as always, has given us a storybook ending for the Division Series. And somewhere, Willie Cortez, with his record-tying day, is probably thinking, “Well, that was fun.”
Yes, ladies and gentlemen… the Dodgers win it, 5–1, and we move on. And isn’t that why we love this game?

[jg2977]

.

[jg2977]

Listen… listen… here’s the deal with the Yankees in the ALCS, okay? Because I keep hearin’ from Yankee fans about destiny, about how “this is the year,” and all that nonsense. Let’s just go through the facts, because the facts are not pretty.
Last six trips to the ALCS? Here we go:
1920 — lost to Cleveland, 4–2.
1921 — okay, great, they swept Cleveland, 4–0. Nice little high point.
1922 — lose to Texas, 4–1. Not competitive.
1923 — Cleveland again, 4–1.
1924 — Cleveland sweeps you, 4–0. Embarrassing.
1925 — Cleveland beats you again, 4–1. Same story.
So, let’s not sugarcoat this: the Yankees have lost five of their last six ALCS, four of them to the same team, and most of them weren’t even close. This has been a disaster matchup for the Yankees. Absolute disaster.
And now here we are, 1926, and guess what? They’re playin’ Cleveland again. Of course they are. Because the baseball gods have a sense of humor.
So you wanna tell me about momentum, about magic, about all this stuff? Fine. But until the Yankees prove they can beat Cleveland when it matters, this is the mountain they have to climb. This is the team they cannot get past. And if they don’t get it done this year, it’s just more of the same. That’s it. That’s the whole story.

[jg2977]

MIKE:
Alright, we’re back, Mike and the Mad Dog on the FAN, and—hoo boy—Dog, lemme tell ya somethin’. The Yankees go into Cleveland for Game 1, and it is the same story we’ve seen for years. They cannot beat this team in October. They cannot do it. Cleveland takes Game 1, 5–2, and honestly? It wasn’t even that close.
DOG:
MIKE, THEY DID NOTHING ALL DAY LONG! NOTHING! ZERO! ZEEE-ROOO! Philippon shuts ‘em down, seven-plus innings, four lousy hits! FOUR! You're not beatin’ Cleveland with four hits, Mikey!
MIKE:
Marquos Philippon—terrific. Just terrific. He carved ‘em up. And the Yankees? The offense completely disappears. One real swing all day, from Kim in the eighth. That’s it. You’re not winnin’ an ALCS game on one swing. Not against this Cleveland team. Impossible.
DOG:
AND HOW ABOUT ALFONSO?! THREE HITS, A HOMER, DRIVES IN THREE! The guy KILLS the Yankees, Mike! They can’t get him out! They could pitch to him 'til Christmas and they wouldn’t get him out!
MIKE:
You’re right, Dog. And this guy finished third in WAR a few years back—he’s a star, no doubt. But the Yankees made him look like Honus Wagner today. Jenkins—listen, he battled, he ate innings, but twelve hits? You’re dancing through raindrops the whole game.
DOG:
MIKE, I GOTTA TELL YA—THEY GOT OUTPLAYED! FLAT OUT! BANG! CLEVELAND OUT-HIT ‘EM, OUT-RAN ‘EM, OUT-DEFENDED ‘EM, OUT-PITCHED ‘EM! And the Yankees? They looked SCARED! They looked CLEEEEE-LESSSS! I mean, what else is new against this team?!
MIKE:
This is the matchup. This is the boogeyman. Every year. Cleveland. Cleveland. Cleveland. And unless the Yankees make adjustments—real adjustments—not this “hope the bats wake up” nonsense—they’re gonna dig themselves a hole they can’t get out of.
DOG:
AND LOOK AT THE CROWD! They’re into it! CHILLY day, wind blowin’ out, they’re bangin’ the seats, the whole deal. And the Yankees? They looked like they wanted to go back to the hotel after the national anthem!
MIKE:
Game 2 tomorrow. They need it. They need it. If they go down 0–2 in this ballpark? Against this team? Forget it. Done. Light the candles.
DOG:
OH, YOU CAN PUT ‘EM IN THE OVEN AT THAT POINT, MIKEY! They’ll be COOKED! C-O-O-K-E-D, COOKED!
MIKE:
Alright, we’ll take a break. Back after this.

[jg2977]

MIKE AND THE MAD DOG — GAME 2 ALCS RECAP (YANKS 4, CLEVELAND 3)
LIVE ON THE FAN
MIKE:
Alright, we’re back, Mike and the Mad Dog on the FAN, and the Yankees—finally—finally—get a little something goin’ here, Dog. They even the series, 4–3, in Cleveland, and lemme tell ya somethin’: the story of the day is the old man. Forty-two-year-old Sal Cantu. Think about that. Forty-two. And he gives you seven strong in an ALCS game on the road.
DOG:
MIKE, FORTY-TWO YEARS OLD! FORTY-TWO! He’s out there throwin’ 96 pitches like he’s back in his PRIME! What a job by CANTU! I MEAN COME ON! SEVEN INNINGS! Against this Cleveland lineup?! That’s a MAN’S performance, Mikey! A MAN’S performance!!
MIKE:
It is. No question. The guy settled down after the second inning, kept the game right where it needed to be. And the offense—listen, they scratched just enough. Oscar Arispe, huge swing. Huge. A two-run triple in the third. That’s your ballgame.
DOG:
ARISPE! WHO CAN’T HIT A BEACH BALL MOST OF THE POSTSEASON, AND THEN BANG! HE GETS THE BIG TRIPLE! Two runs in, Yanks go up 4–3, AND THAT WAS IT! That was the MOMENT!
And how about Shackford with the sac fly! How about H. GONZALEZ with the clutch two-out knock! They played GOOD FUNDAMENTAL BASEBALL, MIKE!
MIKE:
They did. And they needed it, Dog. They really needed it. Because Cleveland had their chances. Ten hits, nine left on base. They didn’t get the big swing today. Credit to Cantu, and credit to Carlos Gonzalez out of the pen—two innings, nails.
DOG:
LIGHTS OUT! LIGHTS OUT, MIKEY! This kid Gonzalez has been UNHITTABLE! FOUR SAVES ALREADY! FOUR! AND NOT A SINGLE RUN ALLOWED! THAT’S MARIANO-ESQUE! THAT’S WHAT THAT IS!
MIKE:
Easy, Dog—easy now.
DOG:
NO NO NO, MIKE, I WON’T EASY! He’s been SENSATIONAL!
MIKE:
—He’s been great, but let’s dial it down a little bit on the comparisons. Still, though: enormous win for the Yankees. You couldn’t go back home down 0–2. Now you’ve flipped the pressure. You get the split in Cleveland, and the series resets at Yankee Stadium Thursday.
DOG:
AND CLEVELAND LET ‘EM OFF THE HOOK TODAY! THEY HAD ‘EM! They had Cantu on the ropes in the second—THREE RUNS IN, RALLY GOIN’—and then what happens?! They STOP HITTTIN’! Nothing after that! NOTHING!
MIKE:
Yep. And Cleveland played a little sloppy too—the error, the missed opportunities, base running not great. Meanwhile the Yankees finally didn’t beat themselves. Clean game, good pitching, timely hits.
DOG:
THIS SERIES, MIKE—THIS SERIES IS GOIN’ SEVEN! I CAN FEEL IT! These two teams HATE EACH OTHER! The HISTORY! The DRAMA! We are SET UP for a CLASSIC!
MIKE:
We’ll see, Dog. Yanks tie it up. 4–3 final. Cantu the hero. We head to New York all even.
Alright, we’ll take a break. Back after this.

[jg2977]

JON MILLER & JOE MORGAN — ESPN SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL STYLE
NLCS GAME 1: ARIZONA 3, LOS ANGELES 1
JON MILLER:
And a very pleasant good evening to you from Chase Field in Phoenix, where the defending World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks have taken Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3–1. Shane Ramirez—what a performance, Joe—six and two-thirds innings, four hits, just the one run, and he really set the tone tonight.
JOE MORGAN:
Yeah Jon, he really did. Ramirez attacked the strike zone, he stayed ahead of hitters, and when you do that, you can control the game. What impressed me most was the way he handled the pressure situations. The Dodgers had a couple chances with runners in scoring position, but Ramirez didn't panic. He made quality pitches every time he needed to.
JON:
And how about the bottom of the fourth inning? Arizona trailing 1–0, and then the Diamondbacks respond with a couple of doubles—first Phil Jackson, then Austin Montes—and suddenly it's a 2–1 Arizona lead. That’s the kind of quick strike offense this team showed last October on their championship run.
JOE:
Well, that’s what they do, Jon. They don’t rely on one guy. A lot of teams have a star or two—they need 'em to carry the offense. But Arizona? They’re balanced. Everybody contributes. Tonight you got hits from Jackson, Montes, González, Ramos… that’s tough to pitch to. You make a mistake and someone’s gonna hurt you.
JON:
And then the insurance run in the sixth. José Chapa hits a sharp single to right—Eric Watt comes in and misplays it—and Arizona goes up 3–1. Joe, you always talk about defense in the postseason.
JOE:
Absolutely, Jon. Look, in playoff baseball, every mistake is magnified. That ball has to be kept in front. When you give good teams extra bases, you’re givin’ 'em runs. That’s what happened to the Dodgers right there.
JON:
Now give credit to Paul Campbell, the Dodgers’ starter—eight innings, just two earned runs—but he simply got outdueled tonight.
JOE:
That’s right. Campbell pitched well enough to win. But Ramirez was just better. And then—how about that bullpen? Whaley comes in, gets you the out you need, and Greg Felipe—two innings, no hits. That’s championship bullpen work.
JON:
Felipe has been perfect in the postseason so far, and he shuts it down again tonight with authority.
JOE:
Well Jon, that’s what you want from your closer in October. Throw strikes, get ahead, make hitters uncomfortable. He did all of that.
JON:
So the Diamondbacks take Game 1 of the NLCS, 3–1. They now lead the series one game to none, with Game 2 coming your way tomorrow night right here at Chase Field.
For Joe Morgan, I’m Jon Miller. We'll see you back here for Game 2. Good night from Phoenix.

[jg2977]

JON MILLER & JOE MORGAN — ESPN SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL STYLE
NLCS GAME 2: DODGERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4
JON MILLER:
Well Joe, what a turnaround that was. The Arizona Diamondbacks jumped out to a run in each of the first four innings, looked like they were cruising toward a 2–0 series lead, and then the Dodgers—slowly, patiently, relentlessly—came storming back for a dramatic 5–4 win here in Phoenix.
JOE MORGAN:
Jon, that’s what great teams do. They don’t panic. They were down 4–0, nothing was goin’ their way, but the pitching staff kept it right there. You give your offense a chance, and eventually somebody breaks through. That’s how you win playoff games.
JON:
And the moment it all changed—top of the eighth inning. Josh Clevenger at the plate, two outs, one on, facing George Whaley. And Joe, he absolutely crushed that ball.
JOE:
Yeah, Jon, that was a big-league at-bat. He got a pitch he could drive, stayed back, and you could tell—right off the bat—that ball wasn’t comin’ back. That gets you to 4–3 and suddenly the whole dugout has life again. Momentum’s real in baseball, especially in October.
JON:
Then we go to the ninth. Two outs, runner on—Sepp Miller doubles into the gap to tie it. And then Eric Watt, who had already had a big night, wasted no time. First pitch, line drive into left. Dodgers take the lead, 5–4.
JOE:
And that’s the thing, Jon. You want your young players to grow up in the postseason? Those are the swings. Two strikes, two outs, crowd goin’ crazy… and they just deliver. That’s how you build confidence. That’s how you build a championship team.
JON:
And from there, Justin Kovach shuts it down in the bottom of the ninth, and the Dodgers even the NLCS at a game apiece. We always talk about the swing games in a postseason series—this felt like one of them.
JOE:
It really did, Jon. Arizona had all the momentum early. But when you’re the defending champs, sometimes you relax a little with that lead. And L.A.—they made ’em pay. Now you go back to Dodger Stadium for three straight. That changes everything.
JON:
So with this 5–4 victory, the Dodgers steal Game 2 and tie the series 1–1. Game 3 will be Friday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, and suddenly this NLCS feels very different.
For Joe Morgan, I’m Jon Miller. We’ll talk to you Friday for Game 3. Good night from the desert.

[jg2977]

MIKE: “Alright, WE’RE BACK! Yankee Stadium, Game 3, and lemme tell ya somethin’, Dog — this was a BAD loss for the Yankees. BAD. You cannot — cannot — give up fourteen hits at home in a playoff game and expect to win. And this Jesus Satiago — Dog, what a performance. A homer, a triple, a double — he hit everything but the Subway sign out on River Avenue!”
DOG: “MIKE, HE KILLED ‘EM! HE ABSOLUTELY KILLED ‘EM! They could not get this guy out with a butterfly net! Beeman — BEEMAN — he had nothing, NOTHING! Every ball was hit hard, Mike! The Indians were on him from pitch one!”
MIKE: “Beeman didn’t have the command, didn’t have the bite on the slider, and Cleveland just kept piling on. And I’ll tell you — that sixth inning, Dog — that was the turning point. Game tied. Crowd getting into it. And Miguel Saldana, who never hits the ball out of the infield — singles in the go-ahead run!”
DOG: “OH, HUGE! HUGE! And Mike, the Yankees — LOOK — they had chances! They absolutely had chances! Ten hits, they’re putting guys on base, and they can’t get the BIG hit! Ruiz gives you that big double early — Shackford with the homer — and then NOTHING. Goose eggs the rest of the way!”
MIKE: “And the defense, Dog… the defense. Four errors from Cleveland and the Yankees STILL can’t capitalize! That’s unheard of! Cleveland practically GIFT-WRAPPED opportunities. Yankees didn’t take ‘em. That’s the ballgame.”
DOG: “YEP! And now — NOW — you’re down 2-1 in the series, and you’ve got pressure all over ya! You gotta even it tomorrow! You have to win tomorrow! If you go down 3-1 with THIS Indians lineup hitting like this? Forget it! SERIES OVER!”
MIKE: “Tomorrow becomes a must-win. No question about it. Yankees have to show some toughness. Cleveland’s feeling GREAT, Dog. They come in here, smack you around in your own park, get every big hit — they walk out of the Bronx up 2-1.”
DOG: “BIG game tomorrow, Mike! BIG! MONSTROUS! You CANNOT let Cleveland take control of this series! MUST-WIN for the Yankees! MUST-WIN!”
MIKE: “We’ll see if the Yankees respond. Alright — we’ll take a break, back after this.”

[jg2977]

MIKE: “ALRIGHT, WE’RE BACK! Game 4 at Yankee Stadium, and DOG — THIS is the response the Yankees had to have. They didn’t just win — they DROPPED THE HAMMER. Ten to two! Ten runs! Twelve hits! They blow the doors off the Indians and tie the series at two!”
DOG: “MIKE, THEY CLOBBERED ‘EM! THEY ABSOLUTELY CLOBBERED ‘EM! And this kid — STEPHEN JOHNSON — WHAT A PERFORMANCE! Two-for-two, a homer, a double, two walks, scores THREE runs — HE WAS ON BASE ALL DAY LONG! Cleveland couldn’t get him out with a fishing rod!”
MIKE: “Johnson set the tone. Solo homer in the third — BOOM — ballgame tied. And then that fifth inning, Dog — that FIVE-RUN inning — that’s where the Yankees took the game, put it in a headlock, and said, ‘You’re not gettin’ off the mat.’ Rivera with the double, Centeno with the double, Kim with another big knock — everybody contributing.”
DOG: “FIELDS, MIKE! FIELDS HAD NOTHING! Nothing! He couldn’t get the ball past anybody! Seven hits, six runs in four-plus — and the Yankees were SMOKIN’ line drives all over the yard. They were on everything. And THEN — THEN — you get the HOMERS late! Rivera goes deep, Centeno goes deep! GIRARD — OH GIRARD — he was THROWIN’ BATTING PRACTICE!”
MIKE: “And you know who doesn’t get enough credit? McCarthy. Seven innings, four hits, only two runs. Calm, steady, professional outing. Exactly what the Yankees needed after last night’s mess.”
DOG: “BIG TIME. BIG TIME OUTING, MIKE. McCarthy gave ‘em length, gave the bullpen a rest, never let Cleveland get back in it. And Cleveland — LOOK — six hits, only two runs, Satiago goes 0-for-4 after killing them the night before — that’s the game right there!”
MIKE: “Cleveland’s defense? Another error. Pitching? A disaster. And the Yankees took FULL advantage. That’s what good teams do.”
DOG: “AND NOW, MIKE — NOW — we’ve got ourselves a BRAND NEW SERIES! Best-of-three! Yankees with momentum! The crowd into it! AND TOMORROW — TOMORROW COULD BE THE PIVOTAL GAME! YOU WIN TOMORROW, YOU ARE IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT!”
MIKE: “Absolutely. Yankees saved their season today. Tomorrow becomes gigantic. They win that one, Dog? They’re right back where they wanna be.”
DOG: “BIG GAME, MIKE! BIG GAME TOMORROW! CAN’T WAIT!”
MIKE: “We’ll break it down more after the break, right here.”

[jg2977]

JON MILLER: “And a pleasant good evening to you wherever you may be… from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, where the Dodgers have taken Game 3 of this League Championship Series by a score of 9–3, and they now lead the series two games to one.”
JOE MORGAN: “Jon, this was really decided in that fourth inning. The Dodgers just strung together one good at-bat after another. That’s what good teams do in October — they don’t try to do too much, they just keep the line moving.”
JON: “And boy, did they ever. Seven runs in that fourth inning — seven! — and it all started with Josh Clevenger’s line drive into the gap. Bases loaded, nobody out, and boom, a two-run double off Gustavo Bojorquez. That turned a 3–2 Arizona lead into a Dodgers advantage, and they never looked back.”
JOE: “Clevenger had a great night, Jon. Two hits, drove in two, scored twice. But what really impressed me was how the Dodgers attacked pitches they could handle. Cimabue had a double in that same inning, S. Miller had another — that’s three doubles in one frame. You can’t give a postseason lineup that many hittable pitches.”
JON: “Arizona, meanwhile, did collect ten hits… but they could never seem to get the big one. They had traffic on the bases — Ramos with a couple of hits, Chapa with three — but Herrera kept them from putting together the crooked number.”
JOE: “And Herrera was really good tonight. Seven innings, eight hits, three runs, but only two earned. He didn’t walk anybody, Jon. That’s the key. If you’re not giving up free baserunners, you can work around a few singles.”
JON: “The Diamondbacks did jump in front early — two in the second, one in the third — but as you mentioned before the game, Joe, the Dodgers don’t panic. They stay patient, they stay within themselves, and eventually they find something to hit.”
JOE: “That’s right. And Arizona’s starter, Bojorquez… Jon, he just didn’t have it today. The command wasn’t sharp. Too many pitches in the middle of the plate. When you face a team that’s this good, this disciplined, they’re gonna make you pay for it.”
JON: “Dodgers finish with 13 hits, nine runs, and perhaps most importantly — they take control of the series. A 2–1 lead with Game 4 right back here tomorrow.”
JOE: “And that’s big. You want to put pressure on the other team. Arizona now has to beat the Dodgers three out of the next four. That's tough.”
JON: “Well, our final here from Los Angeles: Dodgers 9, Diamondbacks 3. David Herrera your Player of the Game, and the Dodgers go up two games to one in the National League Championship Series.”
JOE: “And Jon, tomorrow becomes a big test for Arizona. You don’t want to go down 3–1 in this ballpark.”
JON: “For Joe Morgan, this is Jon Miller saying — so long from Los Angeles! We’ll see you back here tomorrow night for Game 4.”

[jg2977]

MIKE: “ALRIGHT, WE’RE BACK! And DOG — HOW many chances did the Yankees have today? HOW MANY? Fourteen men left on base! FOURTEEN! All day long they’re gettin’ guys on, gettin’ guys over… AND THEY CAN’T GET ‘EM IN!”
DOG: “MIKE, THEY COULDN’T BUY A BIG HIT! THEY COULDN’T BUY IT! I mean, good grief — bases loaded, first and second, second and third — every inning felt like the same thing! And Philippon — GIVE HIM CREDIT — HE WAS TERRIFIC! Seven scoreless! He danced outta trouble like FRED ASTAIRE!”
MIKE: “And then, Dog… the ninth inning. The NINTH inning! This Grondin kid comes in for Cleveland — left-hander — and he just melts down. Walks Kim. Walks Johnson. BACK-TO-BACK. You CAN’T do that in Yankee Stadium in October!”
DOG: “NO YOU CANNOT, MIKE! AND THEN WHAT DO THE YANKEES DO? They pop out TWICE! TWO POPUPS! Rivera pops out! Arispe pops out! The crowd’s booing! Everyone’s groaning! It looked like ANOTHER wasted inning!”
MIKE: “And then here comes Geoff Shackford — and Dog, he smokes a ball. Absolute LASER up the middle! Kim scores, the place ERUPTS, Johnson’s runnin’ like his hair’s on fire, goes first to third — and suddenly you’ve got second and third, two out, tie game!”
DOG: “SHACKFORD SAVED THE SEASON, MIKE! SAVED THE SEASON!”
MIKE: “And NOW — Parker goes to the bench. He sends up Barredo. Cold off the bench. Season on the line. And the kid — the kid comes through!”
DOG: “GROUNDER THROUGH THE RIGHT SIDE! JOHNSON SCORES! BALLGAME! BALLGAME! YANKEES WIN IT! YANKEES WALK IT OFF! CLEVELAND IS STUNNED!”
MIKE: “Two runs in the ninth, Yankees win 2–1, and Dog, let’s not forget — SEAN JENKINS. Complete game. Five hits. One UNearned run. That’s a gutsy October performance.”
DOG: “BIG-TIME PERFORMANCE! THAT’S A HORSE, MIKE! THAT’S AN ACE! Jenkins gave them EVERYTHING. That’s how you win in October — pitching keeps you in it until the offense FINALLY wakes up!”
MIKE: “Yankees now lead the series three games to two. Cleveland’s gotta win the last two — in their ballpark — or they’re goin’ home.”
DOG: “AND MIKE — MONDAY NIGHT in Cleveland — THAT’S GONNA BE A SCENE! The crowd’s gonna be rabid! The Yankees smell the pennant! CLEVELAND’S FIGHTIN’ FOR THEIR LIVES!”
MIKE: “Yankees survive. Yankees advance to the brink. And Dog — they did it the HARD way.”
DOG: “MIKE, THEY ALWAYS DO! THEY ALWAYS DO! THAT’S OCTOBER BASEBALL!”

[jg2977]

JON MILLER: “A gorgeous afternoon at Dodger Stadium… and folks, the Los Angeles Dodgers are now just one win away from their first trip to the World Series in twenty-four years. It took ten innings, it took every bit of patience this crowd could muster, but the Dodgers walk it off, 3–2, in dramatic fashion.”
JOE MORGAN: “Jon, this was a game where the Dodgers just kept grinding. They didn’t hit much early, but they stayed with their approach. And when you do that — when you trust your plan — good things happen late.”
MILLER: “And what a ballgame from the right-hander Chad Shostak. Seven and two-thirds innings, three hits… Joe, he was terrific.”
MORGAN: “He really was. He moved the ball in and out, kept the Diamondbacks guessing all day. And when your starter gives you that, Jon, you expect to win.”
MILLER: “But Arizona didn’t go quietly. Two runs in the eighth — a sac fly from Garcia, a base hit by Jackson — suddenly we had a brand-new game. And Dodger Stadium got awfully quiet.”
MORGAN: “Yeah, but that’s when you lean on your stars. Cory Brierton — a three-time All-Star — hits the home run in the eighth to tie it. That was a big-time swing. He stayed short, didn’t try to do too much, and he drove it out.”
MILLER: “And so we went to extra innings… and in the bottom of the tenth, Willie Cortez got things started.”
MORGAN: “He jumped on that first pitch he liked — 108 miles an hour off the bat. That’s a hitter staying aggressive.”
MILLER: “Then came Brierton. The crowd standing. The infield in. And on an 0–1 pitch… a sharp ground ball through the left side.”
MORGAN: “And Jon, that’s just a professional at-bat. Brierton didn’t try to end the game with one swing — he just took what the pitcher gave him. And when the throw got away from the third baseman…”
MILLER: “…Cortez came home with the winning run! And the Dodgers spill onto the field — a walk-off, a 3–2 final, and a 3–1 series lead.”
MORGAN: “You could feel the emotion out there. This team has been building toward this all season long. They’ve got depth, they’ve got pitching, they’ve got leadership. And Jon, when a clubhouse knows it’s close to something special… everybody elevates their game.”
MILLER: “Tomorrow, right back here at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers have a chance to punch their ticket to the Fall Classic… something this franchise hasn’t done since 1902. One win away, Joe.”
MORGAN: “And they’ve put themselves in the perfect spot to finish it.”
MILLER: “For Joe Morgan, I’m Jon Miller… the Dodgers win it in ten, 3–2, and they stand at the doorstep of the World Series.”**

[jg2977]

Los Angeles Dodgers: 1926 National League Champions (2nd pennant)
1902 1926

JON MILLER: “Ladies and gentlemen, history has been made at Dodger Stadium… the Los Angeles Dodgers are heading to the World Series for the first time in twenty-four years! They’ve eliminated last year’s champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks, with a hard-fought 3–2 victory to take the League Championship Series 4–1.”
JOE MORGAN: “Jon, what a series! It wasn’t a blowout in every game, but the Dodgers showed patience, pitching, and timely hitting. And you could see it in the eighth inning today — they didn’t panic when Arizona tied it with that two-run homer from Chapa.”
MILLER: “Right, Joe. That was a big moment. Two outs in the eighth, and suddenly the Diamondbacks were back in it. But Paul Campbell, on the mound for LA, had a gem today — seven shutout innings before that little hiccup — and kept them in the game long enough for the Dodgers’ bats to answer.”
MORGAN: “And they did answer. Bottom of the eighth, Dakota Milar with a double, Cimabue singles him home, Cortez moves everybody up. It’s exactly what you want from a veteran lineup — step up when the moment is there, and Don’t give an inch.”
MILLER: “Then the Dodgers held on through the ninth. Julio Aguiniga came in to close it out. The defense held, the pitching held, and they sealed it. No errors, just smart baseball in the final innings.”
MORGAN: “And what about Cory Brierton? Series MVP — hitting .368 with a .478 on-base percentage, a home run, four RBIs, four runs scored. He’s been the steady hand for this Dodgers club all series long.”
MILLER: “Absolutely, Joe. This Dodgers team is a mix of youth and experience. They’ve got pitching, timely hitting, and now the momentum heading into the Fall Classic. They don’t know yet whether they’ll face the Yankees or the Indians, but they’re ready.”
MORGAN: “And Jon, you can feel the excitement in the crowd — 49,000 fans on hand today, all standing, all cheering. Twenty-four years in the making, and this city gets to watch its Dodgers back in the World Series.”
MILLER: “So the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to the World Series, Joe. Four games to one over Arizona. They’re one step away from finally winning their first World Series title.”
MORGAN: “History in the making, Jon. The Dodgers are here, and they’re going to give it everything they’ve got in the Fall Classic.”

[jg2977]

.

[jg2977]

MIKE AND THE MAD DOG STYLE — HERE WE GO!
MIKE:
“Alright, ah-right, we’re back, Mike and the Mad Dog on the FAN, talking ALCS, and DOG—DOG!—you see what happened out in Cleveland today? The Yankees, once again, lay an absolute egg in a big spot. EIGHT to TWO, DOG. EIGHT TO TWO! You can’t make it up.”
MAD DOG:
“MIKEY, MIKEY, LISTEN—THEY GOT POUNDED. Hernandez—WHO IS THIS GUY, MIKE?—throws a COMPLETE GAME, SHUTS ‘EM DOWN, 121 PITCHES! The Yankees got TEN hits, Mikey, TEN! And they scored TWO RUNS! THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!”
MIKE:
“I’ll tell ya something right now: this is becoming a pattern with this team. Every time Cleveland shows up, the Yankees forget how to play baseball. FOURTH INNING, DOG—FOURTH INNING—Cleveland just blows the doors off ‘em. A four-spot. Game over.”
MAD DOG:
“SANTIAGO with the double! ANOTHER ONE LATER! SALDANA with a TRIPLE! Look at this lineup—Phipps, Hughes—HUGHES!—everybody’s hitting rockets! This isn’t the ’27 Yankees, Mike, these Yankees are playing like the ’67 Mets!”
MIKE:
“And Cantu—Cantu!—what are we doing out there? Six runs, six earned, nobody getting big outs. Every inning is a struggle. You’re in Game Six of the ALCS, trying to get to the World Series, trying to win your third title in this universe—and this is the effort?”
MAD DOG:
“AND THE DEFENSE, MIKE! TWO ERRORS! Kim, Centeno—BOOT CITY! Meanwhile Cleveland—NOT A SINGLE ERROR! CLEAN BASEBALL. FUNDAMENTALS! YOU CAN’T WIN IN OCTOBER LIKE THIS!”
MIKE:
“You know what kills me, DOG? Yankees finally get a little something going in the fourth—Rivera with the double, Arispe with the sac fly—they make it s 2-1 lead—I’m thinking maybe, MAYBE we got a pulse. And then? NOTHING. Zeroes across the board. Not a peep.”
MAD DOG:
“HERNANDEZ DOMINATED THEM, MIKE! STRUTTIN’ AROUND THE MOUND LIKE HE’S CY YOUNG! And tomorrow—TOMORROW—you got Game Seven. In Cleveland. With THAT CROWD. GOOD LUCK!”
MIKE:
“And that’s the problem, DOG. You don’t want this thing going seven. Not in THAT ballpark. Not with that fanbase. They were foaming at the mouth today. FOAMING. Every time the Indians got a hit I thought the upper deck was gonna fall off.”
MAD DOG:
“GAME SEVEN, MIKEY! ONE GAME FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE PENNANT! And the Yankees—THE YANKEES—have to deal with a team that has beaten them SIX times in recent ALCS meetings! HISTORY IS NOT ON THEIR SIDE, MIKE! NOT ON THEIR SIDE!”
MIKE:
“They better show up, DOG. Because today? Today was a disgrace. The Indians out-hit them, out-pitched them, out-defended them, out-hustled them. You name it. And Hernandez—HERNANDEZ!—I mean the guy pitches the game of his life.”
MAD DOG:
“PLAYER OF THE GAME! NO DOUBT! And tomorrow—OH, BABY—it is gonna be WILD. YANKEES. INDIANS. GAME SEVEN. YOU CAN’T SCRIPT IT ANY BETTER!”
MIKE:
“Alright, back after this.”

[jg2977]

Cleveland Indians: 1926 American League Champions (6th pennant)
1919 1920 1923 1924 1925 1926

MIKE AND THE MAD DOG STYLE — POSTGAME REACT TO ANOTHER YANKEE HEARTBREAKER
MIKE:
“Ahhh-right, we’re back, Mike and the Mad Dog on the FAN, and DOG—DOG!—here we go again. Another October, another ALCS, and another DEVASTATING loss for the Yankees. I mean, how many times can you watch the SAME MOVIE? They made it close, sure, but the result? The SAME. Indians 4, Yankees 3, Cleveland takes the series, FOUR games to THREE.”
MAD DOG:
“MIKEY LISTEN—LISTEN—THE YANKEES CAN’T BEAT THIS TEAM! THEY CAN’T DO IT! FOUR STRAIGHT ALCS LOSSES TO THE INDIANS! SIX PENNANTS IN EIGHT YEARS FOR CLEVELAND! SIX, MIKE!! That’s a DYNASTY! That’s the BIG RED MACHINE! THAT’S THE ’90s BRAVES WITH BETTER FINISHING POWER!”
MIKE:
“It really is astounding, DOG. Every single year, you think the Yankees will finally break through, and every single year, the Indians punch ‘em right in the mouth. And today? I mean this was classic Indians baseball. Niccolai? COMPLETE GAME. Six hits. Three runs. Strikes out six. The guy was nails.”
MAD DOG:
“AND HOW ABOUT P. KRESSE, MIKE?! KRESSE! A DOUBLE, A HOMER, THREE RBI—HE BEAT THE YANKEES HIMSELF! And Lopez—LOPEZ!—wins the series MVP hitting .450! .450, MIKE! Didn’t need homers, didn’t need fireworks—just got on base, scored runs, made things happen! THAT’S CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL!”
MIKE:
“Meanwhile the Yankees—look, Johnson hits the homer, Rivera hits the double, Lord contributes—but DOG, you can’t score in the last four innings of a Game Seven. You can’t do that. Two guys left on base the entire game? Word to the wise: that means you weren’t putting ANY pressure on Cleveland.”
MAD DOG:
“BEEMAN, MIKE! Your guy on the mound—six innings, eight hits, five walks! FIVE WALKS! You’re lucky it was only four runs! This is Game Seven of the ALCS! You can’t be nibbling like that! You gotta ATTACK!”
MIKE:
“And every time the Yankees scratched a run across, DOG, Cleveland immediately answered. Second inning, boom—Indians score. Fourth inning—two more. Fifth inning—another. It was like the Yankees could never settle in. They were chasing the whole afternoon.”
MAD DOG:
“AND HERE’S THE THING, MIKE—NO ERRORS! BOTH TEAMS CLEAN! The Yankees didn’t boot the ball today—NO EXCUSES! They just got OUTPLAYED. OUT-HIT. OUT-PITCHED. OUT-EVERYTHING’D! The Indians are the better team, MIKE! They are just the BETTER TEAM!”
MIKE:
“Hard to argue. They’ve now ended the Yankees’ season four years in a row. That’s not luck. That’s not a fluke. That’s domination. Pure and simple domination by Cleveland.”
MAD DOG:
“And now they go to the WORLD SERIES AGAIN! The SIXTH time in EIGHT YEARS! This is an AL juggernaut! And the Yankees? Another long winter, MIKE. Another offseason asking, ‘How do we get past Cleveland?’”
MIKE:
“It’s a tough one, DOG. You fight all year, you push it to a Game Seven, you’re three runs on the board early—and you still can’t get over the hump. Devastating. Just absolutely devastating.”
MAD DOG:
“OH MIKE—THE YANKEES! THEY GAVE YOU HOPE! AND THEN WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY CRUSHED IT! AGAIN! ONLY THE YANKEES CAN BREAK HEARTS IN A YEAR WHERE THEY WEREN’T EVEN THE FAVORITES!”
MIKE:
“Alright, we’ll break it down more after the break. Cleveland to the World Series, Yankees going home. Back in a moment.”

[jg2977]

.