MLB Tournament of Champions: ALCS

Just four teams remain, and we're one round away from the Championship of Champions here in the MLB Tournament of Champions!

At the end of July we wrapped up the Division Series round, and we're now onto the LCS round. Once again I'm giving each series its own post so I can do brief writeups for each game in the series and all the players can get their due.

In one corner in this matchup we have the 1995 Cleveland Indians, who came in looking for a greater prize than falling just short in their World Series can bring, and they've done well on that quest: 58 regular season wins, the most in the American League, and an ALDS sweep of the wild card 2001 Seattle Mariners. Their middle of the lineup (read: Albert Belle) produced, and Omar Vizquel proved to be a great table setter, and their pitching staff was lights out against Seattle, especially the bullpen which didn't allow a run.

They take on a team that pulled an upset in the 2011 Texas Rangers. Texas finished a game back of Boston, but the lack of home field advantage didn't matter as they took the first two games at Fenway to close out the Red Sox in four. The Rangers gave up a higher number of runs than you'd like to see out of a postseason team, but they more than made up for that with an elite offense with a middle of the lineup that did a ton of damage over four games, especially Mike Napoli and Nelson Cruz.

These two teams will play a best of seven series with the Indians, by virtue of that top record in the AL, getting home field advantage which will be played in a 2-3-2 format. Considering the Indians and Rangers split their six games played during the regular season, they may need that home field advantage to break the deadlock. Statistics for this series, as well as postseason totals, can be found here. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's play ball!

Monday, July 31st

Game 1
'11 TEX 14, @ '95 CLE 6
W: Feldman (1-0) | L: Ogea (1-1)

Clearly, the road isn't a problem for the Rangers as they got off to a really fast start. Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton hit back to back one out doubles that got Texas on the board first, followed by a Mike Napoli homer, and Nelson Cruz launched a two run shot of his own after Adrian Beltre singled. The rally would be completed with two out RBI singles by Craig Gentry, who knocked Indians starter Chad Ogea out of the game, and Ian Kinsler. They went right back to it in the second, with Napoli homering again, Cruz hitting an RBI single, and two run homers by Mitch Moreland and Kinsler to make it 13-0. Cleveland would get on the board in the bottom of the third on an RBI triple by Kenny Lofton. Texas added an unearned run in the top of the fifth, and Cleveland tried to mount a comeback in the bottom half, loading the bases with only one out and cashing in with a two run single by Eddie Murray, an Albert Belle sac fly, and a Jim Thome RBI single that knocked Texas starter C.J. Wilson out of the game. But Scott Feldman got the Rangers out of the inning with no further damage done. Paul Sorrento homered in the bottom of the eighth to make it 14-6, and that was it for the scoring as the Rangers take the opener.

Every Ranger player in the lineup had at least one hit and one run scored, with Napoli homering twice, he, Kinsler, and Cruz driving in three runs apiece, and Gentry scored a team-high three runs. Murray paced the Indians by going 3-5 with a run and two RBIs, Lofton also went 3-5 with a run and added an RBI, and Tony Pena went 2-4 with two runs scored.

Tuesday, August 1st

Game 2
@ '95 CLE 5, '11 TEX 2
W: Martinez (2-0) | L: Lewis (1-1) | SV: Mesa (3)

The Rangers got their offense going early once again as RBI doubles by Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre made it a 2-0 game before Colby Lewis took the mound. However, Cleveland had an immediate answer as Kenny Lofton hit a ground rule double, scored on an Albert Belle single, and Jim Thome added a two run shot to give the Indians their first lead of the series. Texas left two on in the second, and couldn't score with a man at third and one out in the fourth, while the Indians tacked on some insurance as Paul Sorrento hit an RBI double in the bottom half to make it 4-2, and Belle launched a solo home run in the fifth to make it 5-2. The Rangers largely didn't threat the rest of the way until the ninth, when they got two runners on with two out, but Indians closer Jose Mesa came in and induced a groundout to save the game and even the series.

Cleveland starter Dennis Martinez was excellent, going 8 2/3 innings allowing two runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out eight in the victory. Belle went 2-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBIs, and Thome went 1-1 with a homer, three walks, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Lewis allowed five runs over six innings in the loss for the Rangers, while Ian Kinsler, Beltre, Nelson Cruz, and Craig Gentry each had two hits.

Thursday, August 3rd

Game 3
@ '11 TEX 7, '95 CLE 2
W: Ogando (1-0) | L: Nagy (0-1)

The Indians took a cue from the Rangers and grabbed the early Game 3 lead with a Carlos Baerga RBI double in the top of the second. They held that 1-0 lead through the third inning, when the Rangers stranded men on the corners with only one out. In the bottom of the fourth though Texas broke through, as after an Adrian Beltre walk, four of the next five batters hit RBI doubles to make it a 4-1 ballgame. The Indians walked the bases loaded in the fifth and was lifted, though the Rangers would only tack on one more run in the frame on a Michael Young sac fly. Nelson Cruz added a run scoring single in the sixth to make it 6-1. The Indians would get back in it with an Eddie Murray RBI double in the top of the eighth, but the Rangers got that run right back on a Mike Napoli single. Cleveland got two runners on with only one out in the ninth, but couldn't take advantage as the Rangers retake the series lead.

Alexei Ogando had an excellent outing for Texas, throwing six innings of one run ball allowing just six hits, walking none and striking out six. Elvis Andrus went 3-4 with a double and two runs scored, and Nelson Cruz doubled and drove in two. Indians starter Charles Nagy couldn't get out of the fourth inning and allowed four runs on six hits, walking two and striking out two, while Murray and Baerga each had RBI doubles, and Omar Vizquel went 2-4 with a double.

Friday, August 4th

Game 4
@ '11 TEX 17, '95 CLE 1
W: Holland (2-0) | L: Hershiser (0-1)

For the fourth straight game, the road team opened the scoring as the Indians got runners on the corners with nobody out to start the first, and an Albert Belle fielder's choice brought home Kenny Lofton for a 1-0 lead. The Rangers answered immediately by getting their first four batters aboard as Josh Hamilton knocked home a run with a single and Mike Napoli immediately followed with a two run double to make it 3-1 Texas. They doubled their output in the third with Napoli and Adrian Beltre hitting back to back jacks, then blew the game wide open with an eight run fourth, the big blows coming from a three run shot by Nelson Cruz and a three run double by Elvis Andrus. Cruz homered again in the fifth, Michael Young added an RBI single, and Napoli singled home another run in the sixth. All the while, Rangers starter Derek Holland cruised, only running into a little bit of trouble in the second when two runners were on with two outs, but otherwise wasn't threatened as the Rangers take a 3-1 series lead.

Napoli had a monster game going 4-6 with a double, homer, two runs scored and six driven in. Cruz went 2-4 with a pair of homers and four driven in, and Andrus went 3-5 with a double, two runs scored and three driven in. Holland finished his day with seven innings of one run ball, allowing just four hits, walking three, and striking out five. Indians starter Orel Hershiser was chased after 3 1/3 innings and allowed nine runs on 11 hits, including two homers. Eddie Murray went 2-2 with a double and two walks, and Paul Sorrento also drew a pair of walks for Cleveland.

Saturday, August 5th

Game 5
'95 CLE 11, @ '11 TEX 7
W: Martinez (3-0) | L: Harrison (0-1)

Albert Belle continued the trend of road teams scoring first by launching a two out solo home run in the top of the first to give the Indians the early lead, but this time they wouldn't relinquish it. Dennis Martinez, starting on three days rest, retired the Rangers in order in the bottom of the inning, and the Indians went right back to work on offense, as Carlos Baerga and Omar Vizquel singled home runs and Belle drew a bases loaded walk, though Cleveland would leave the bases loaded. It didn't matter, as Texas didn't get an extended chance on offense until the fourth when Mitch Moreland capped a two out rally and singled home a run, though the Rangers would leave the bases loaded as well. Cleveland answered in the fifth with a Jim Thome RBI triple and a Paul Sorrento sac fly to make it 6-1 and knock Texas starter Matt Harrison out of the game. Nelson Cruz doubled home a run in the bottom half to make it 6-2, but once again the Indians answered the bell. A passed ball allowed a run to score, and Belle continued his strong game with a two run double. The Rangers made a run in the bottom of the sixth as Michael Young and Elvis Andrus each doubled home a pair and Nelson Cruz singled home Andrus, but he was caught stealing to end the Ranger threat. The Indians put it away in the top of the eighth when Belle homered again, this time a two run shot.

Belle had a monster game going 3-3 with two homers, a double, three runs scored, six RBIs, and two walks. Kenny Lofton and Tony Pena each went 3-5 with two runs scored, and Martinez started out great, but ran out of gas as the game went on, finishing with a line of 5 2/3 innings allowing seven runs on 13 hits with one walk and one strikeout. Matt Harrison got the last minute start for the Rangers, and he took the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out two in 4 2/3 innings. Josh Hamilton broke out of his slump with a four hit day while Andrus, Cruz, and Young each knocked in a pair of runs.

Monday, August 7th

Game 6
'11 TEX 12, @ '95 CLE 4
W: Wilson (2-0) | L: Hill (0-1)

Both teams squandered chances in the first inning, but once again the road team broke through early, and for the Rangers, they broke through in a big way. The first five Texas batters reached base, with Michael Young singling home a run and Ian Kinsler scalding a bases loaded triple. They capped off the inning with the red hot Nelson Cruz hitting a three run homer to knock Indians starter Ken Hill out of the game and opening up a 7-0 lead. Young homered in the third to make it 8-0, then he continued his great game in the fourth with a two out bases loaded double and scored on a Craig Gentry single that made it 12-0 Rangers. In the fifth, Texas starter C.J. Wilson ran into a little trouble, walking four straight men to drive in a run, then surrendered a sac fly and a single to make it 12-3 before getting out of the inning. From there, the Rangers turned it over to the bullpen. Cleveland scored one more in the eighth on an Eddie Murray single, but that was all the offense the Indians could muster as the Rangers move on to the Championship round.

Young had easily his best game of the tournament, going 3-5 with a homer, double, three runs scored and five RBIs. Cruz added a three run homer, his fourth of the series, Kinsler went 2-5 a double, triple, and three RBIs, and Josh Hamilton added two more hits for Texas in support of Wilson, who only lasted five innings, but allowed just those three runs on three hits, though he did walk seven in addition to notching five strikeouts. Eddie Murray went 1-2 with three walks, a run, and an RBI, Omar Vizquel had two hits and scored a run, and Chad Ogea pitched 5 1/3 innings of relief allowing just one run on four hits while walking one and striking out three for Cleveland.

To see the updated bracket, click here.

ALCS MVP

Nelson Cruz ('11 TEX): 6 G, .500/.586/1.125, 4 HR, 3 2B, 6 R, 14 RBI

Congratulations to the 2011 Texas Rangers, who are the American League Champions of the tournament! They pull their second consecutive series upset, and have punched their ticket to the Championship of Champions! They now await the winner of the NLCS between the 1995 Atlanta Braves and 2016 Chicago Cubs, which should conclude in the next couple of days. Check back next week for the conclusion of the MLB Tournament of Champions!