1. CF Willie Mays (5-14)
2. 1B Honus Wagner (4-14)
3. 2B Rogers Hornsby (4-14)
4. RF Mel Ott (3-9)
5. 3B Mike Schmidt (3-9)
6. SS Arky Vaughan (2-4)
7. LF Stan Musial (2-9)
8. C Johnny Bench (1-5)
9. SP Max Scherzer (0-0)
Bench: Hartnett, Pujols, Morgan, Jones, Aaron, Clemente, Raines
Bullpen: Mathewson, Brown, Alexander, Hubbell, Seaver, Maddux, Smoltz, Johnson, Kershaw, deGrom
The National League is not going heavy on the platoon, starting only three lefties (Ott, Vaughan, and Musial) against righthander Ohtani. Hornsby gets the start over Joe Morgan because he is better equipped to handle Ohtani's velocity. Onlookers used to swear that he'd hit the ball out of the catcher's mitt for a base hit. Schmidt gets another start at third for defensive purposes, and Wagner draws another start at first with Pujols struggling mightily.
And the starting lineup for the American League:
1. SP Shohei Ohtani (1-1)
2. CF Mike Trout (3-6)
3. RF Babe Ruth (4-14)
4. 1B Lou Gehrig (4-13)
5. LF Ted Williams (4-11)
6. C Yogi Berra (3-9)
7. 3B George Brett (2-10)
8. 2B Eddie Collins (2-9)
9. SS Cal Ripken Jr. (5-11)
Bench: Rodriguez, Foxx, Lajoie, Boudreau, Cobb, Speaker, Mantle
Bullpen: Waddell, Walsh, Johnson, Grove, Feller, Paige, Ryan, Martinez, Rivera, Verlander
Two-way sensation Ohtani gets the start and bats leadoff, providing power and speed right out of the gate. By starting a pitcher who can hit, the AL hopes to gain an advantage with an extra slugger in their lineup. Trout starts in center over two slumping lefties, Cobb and Speaker, who both incidentally have never faced Scherzer before. In all, the American League will start seven lefties against righty Scherzer.
After taking his warmup tosses, Ohtani gets set to face Willie Mays, whom he retires on a ground ball. He beats Wagner and Hornsby in similar fashion, making it a 1-2-3 first inning for the Japanese superstar. In the bottom of the first, he leads off against Scherzer but makes a quick out. Mike Trout reaches on an error, but Scherzer gets Ruth for the second out. Gehrig, however, launches a two-run home run, giving the AL an early lead, and Williams keeps the rally going with a double. Scherzer recovers and retires Yogi Berra for the final out, and although the runs are unearned, he is quickly behind a multiple-run deficit.
In the second inning, Ohtani works around a two-out single by Arky Vaughan for a scoreless frame, which is promptly matched by Scherzer, who retires the bottom of the AL lineup in order. Ohtani opens the third by giving up a single to Johnny Bench, bringing up Scherzer. Not much of a hitter, he manages to make contact, but hits a weak popup to the infield. The next batter, Mays, hits into a double play, ending the top of the inning.
In the bottom of the third, Scherzer quickly retires both Ohtani and Trout but serves up a solo homer to Ruth, making it 3-0 for the AL. Nonetheless, Scherzer is a fearless competitor, and he immediately strikes out Gehrig. Despite the rebound, Scherzer returns to the dugout an unhappy man.
In the top of the fourth, Honus Wagner leads off and reaches on an error. Seemingly undeterred, Ohtani retires Hornsby and Ott, but allows an RBI triple to Mike Schmidt. Arky Vaughan follows with a double, cutting the AL's lead to 3-2. After a quick mound conference, Ohtani retires Musial to get out of the inning, but the NL is right back in this game. Scherzer quiets the AL in the bottom of the fourth, retiring the side in order.
Back for his fifth inning of work, Ohtani quickly strikes out Bench, bringing up the pitcher spot. Despite pitching fairly well so far, the NL can't afford to let Scherzer, a .168 career hitter, bat in a situation like this, and calls on lefty Joe Morgan to hit for him. Ohtani gets Morgan and Willie Mays on ground balls, preserving his one-run lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, the NL brings in lefty Clayton Kershaw to face the AL's predominantly lefthanded lineup. Kershaw had previously pitched in Games 1 and 3 of this Series, allowing no runs over 2 1/3 innings. However, he only threw seven pitches in Game 3, and was a better lefthanded option than Randy Johnson, who pitched poorly in his only Series appearance. Kershaw starts his third outing well, retiring Collins, Ripken, and Ohtani in order.
In the top of the sixth, Ohtani allows a leadoff triple to Honus Wagner, prompting a mound visit. Righty Rogers Hornsby, who is 0-for-2 so far, stands ready to bat, followed by lefty Mel Ott. Ohtani stays in to face Hornsby, whom he retires on a line drive to short, before coming out of the game. With a one-run lead, one out, and a runner on third, the AL needs a stopper to put out the fire, and decides between Lefty Grove and Mariano Rivera.
Rivera had pitched in Games 1 and 2, earning a save in the Series opener, while Grove had tossed eight innings in Game 3. Grove, one of baseball's first great relievers who made over 150 relief appearances between starts, had only thrown 78 pitches the previous night and was looking as strong as ever when he came out. Rivera, on the other hand, had looked solid in Game 1 but was inconsistent in Game 2, tossing a wild pitch and throwing only 5 of 11 pitches for strikes. Additionally, Ott had singled against Rivera in Game 1, and had the platoon advantage, whereas Grove, a lefty, had the platoon advantage over Ott. Although gut instinct wants to go with the closer, the AL goes with Grove in what may be the biggest situation of the game. Grove does not disappoint, getting Ott and Schmidt to retire the side. The NL players trot out to their positions with frustration after stranding the tying run on third base with no outs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kershaw allows a leadoff single to Trout before striking out Babe Ruth. He retires Gehrig on a lineout but issues a five-pitch walk to Ted Williams, the all-time leader in OBP. With two runners on and two outs, Kershaw has allowed multiple baserunners in an inning for the first time this Series, but quickly gets out of the inning by retiring Yogi Berra. After six, the AL still holds a 3-2 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Grove keeps rolling, getting two quick outs. However, he allows an unlikely triple to catcher Johnny Bench, a slow runner who only hit 24 in his career. Due after Bench is Kershaw, who is called back in favor of Hank Aaron, a 25-time all-star who hit 755 career home runs. Facing a dangerous hitter in a pivotal situation, Grove keeps his composure, getting Aaron to end the inning.
Taking the mound for the NL in the seventh is Tom Seaver, a 311-game winner who led the league in strikeouts five times. Making his second appearance of the Series, Seaver throws a 1-2-3 inning. With the clean frame, the NL hopes he can hold the AL scoreless for the rest of the game.
In the top of the eighth with three righties due up, the AL pulls Grove for Justin Verlander, who makes his Series debut. Verlander has three Cy Youngs and an MVP to his credit, having topped his league four times in wins, twice in ERA, and five times in strikeouts. After taking his warmups, he retires Mays but soon runs into trouble, surrendering a double to Wagner and a two-run homer to Hornsby. All of a sudden, the AL's lead has evaporated, and the NL now leads 4-3. After a triple by Ott, the AL yanks Verlander and has no choice but to go with their closer, Mariano Rivera. Rivera retires Schmidt but gives up a two-run homer to Arky Vaughan, digging his team into a 6-3 hole. He gets out of the inning a batter later, but the damage is done.
Seaver starts the bottom of the eighth for his second inning of work, where he faces pinch hitter Ty Cobb, batting for Rivera. Cobb promptly singles, bringing up another pinch hitter, Mickey Mantle, who bats for Mike Trout. Despite a strong Series from Trout so far, the AL opts for the switch-hitting Mantle to face righty Seaver. The decision pays off immediately, as the Commerce Comet belts a two-run home run, cutting the NL's lead to 6-5. This is the end of Seaver's day, as the NL quickly brings in Grover Cleveland Alexander, who had pitched three scoreless innings in Game 2. Remembering his clutch Game 7 performance in the 1926 World Series, the NL relies on him to stamp out the AL's rally and finish the game. Alex comes in ready, retiring Ruth, Gehrig, and Williams on weak contact.
In the top of the ninth inning, the AL brings in Bob Feller, a seven-time strikeout king and six-time leader in wins. Rapid Robert makes his second appearance of the Series, having previously thrown 2/3 of a scoreless inning in Game 3. The AL also looks to tighten their defense by replacing Mantle with Tris Speaker, perhaps the greatest defensive centerfielder of all time. Johnny Bench leads off for the NL with a double, bringing up Alexander. Alexander was a good hitter for a pitcher, clubbing 11 career homers, but is hard-pressed for an at bat on a team full of all-time greats. However, he has been nearly untouchable this Series, and the NL manager (me) doesn't want to take a chance on another relief pitcher. After some intense lobbying, Alexander gets his chance to bat, and makes good by smacking a single, moving pinch-runner Tim Raines to third. This is all for Feller, as the AL can't afford to surrender another run. In a fit of desperation, they bring in Walter Johnson, their Game 1 starter and perhaps the greatest pitcher ever. If anyone is going to keep the AL in this game, it will be him. Johnson retires Mays to begin his evening but surrenders an RBI double to Honus Wagner, extending the NL's lead to 7-5. Luckily for the AL, Alexander stops on third, but there are two runners in scoring position with only one out. Johnson bears down and gets both Hornsby and Ott, sending the AL to their final inning with a 2-run deficit.
In the bottom of the ninth, the NL replaces Ott, an average fielder, with 12-time Gold Glove winner Roberto Clemente, hoping to quell any last-minute rallies. The NL also brings in Gabby Hartnett to catch after Bench was removed from the game. First to face Alexander is Yogi Berra, who hits a leadoff double. He too is promptly replaced by a pinch runner, Nap Lajoie. Alexander retires Brett on a ground ball but surrenders an RBI triple to Collins, putting the tying run on third with only one out. With the score now 7-6, the NL calls a mound meeting. When the meeting breaks up, the AL announces pinch-hitter Lou Boudreau for Cal Ripken Jr. Ripken is 0-for-3 so far and can't afford to continue his slump with the game on the line. With a runner on third, the AL needs Boudreau, a renowned contact hitter, to hit something past the drawn-in infield. However, Alexander thinks otherwise, and gets Boudreau to pop up for the second out, holding Collins on third. The AL's last hope is Jimmie Foxx, a three-time MVP and 1933 Triple Crown winner, who pinch hits for Johnson. Foxx connects for a line drive against Alexander but to no avail, as it is speared to end the game.
CF Mays 5 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
1B Wagner 5 AB, 2 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 RBI, 0 K
2B Hornsby 5 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 RBI, 0 K
RF Ott 5 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RF Clemente 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
3B Schmidt 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 RBI, 0 K
SS Vaughan 4 AB, 1 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 RBI, 0 K
LF Musial 4 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
C Bench 4 AB, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 1 K
PR Raines 0 AB, 1 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
C Hartnett 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
SP Scherzer 1 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
PH Morgan 1 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RP Kershaw 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
PH Aaron 1 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RP Seaver 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RP Alexander 1 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
Total NL 39 AB, 7 R, 13 H, 0 BB, 7 RBI, 1 K
Scherzer 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 K, 0 BB, 28 Pit, 22 Str
Kershaw 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 1 BB, 22 Pit, 14 Str
Seaver (W, 1-0) 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 11 Pit, 7 Str
Alexander (SV, 1) 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 16 Pit, 12 Str
Total NL 9 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, 77 Pit, 55 Str
SP Ohtani 3 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RP Grove 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RP Verlander 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RP Rivera 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
PH Cobb 1 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RP Feller 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RP Johnson 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
PH Foxx 1 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
CF Trout 3 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
PH Mantle 1 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 RBI, 0 K
CF Speaker 0 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
RF Ruth 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 RBI, 1 K
1B Gehrig 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 RBI, 1 K
LF Williams 3 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
C Berra 4 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
PR Lajoie 0 AB, 1 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
3B Brett 4 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
2B Collins 4 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 RBI, 0 K
SS Ripken 3 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
PH Boudreau 1 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 RBI, 0 K
Total AL 36 AB, 6 R, 8 H, 1 BB, 6 RBI, 2 K
Ohtani 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB, 46 Pit, 35 Str
Grove 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 14 Pit, 11 Str
Verlander (L, 0-1) 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 10 Pit, 7 Str
Rivera 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 3 Pit, 3 Str
Feller 0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 5 Pit, 3 Str
Johnson 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 11 Pit, 5 Str
Total AL 9 IP, 13 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 1 K, 0 BB, 89 Pit, 64 Str
With the rollercoaster victory, the NL takes a 3-1 Series lead. Here are the probable starters for Game 5:
American League: Walter Johnson (1-0, 4.15)
National League: Christy Mathewson (0-1, 13.50)
American League: Walter Johnson (1-0, 4.15)
National League: Christy Mathewson (0-1, 13.50)
In a rematch of Game 1, Johnson and Mathewson will square off again in Game 5. Although he thew an inning in this game, the AL has no workload concerns for Johnson, who tossed nearly 6,000 innings in his career. On the brink of elimination, they want their best arm on the mound. On the NL side, Mathewson doesn't lose favor after one poor start - a five-time ERA champ and four-time 30-game winner, Matty is seeking to reestablish himself as the dominant arm on the all-time NL staff.
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