A look back at October 12 in Indians history: 1920 Worlds Champions

October 12

1920 World Series Game 7, Dunn Field: Indians 3, Robins 0

Leading the series 4-2, the Indians did not want to head back to Brooklyn for games eight and nine. Stan Coveleski, after tossing a five hitter in game four, came back out for game seven. Burleigh Grimes who was lifted early in that magical game five win, came back out after just one day of rest. Coveleski was the reason Tommy Griffith got on base in the first, dropping Doc Johnston's toss on a grounder. But he retired the robins in order in the second and ran into a bit of good fortune in the third. A one out single by Grimes and a Joe Sewell error on an Ivy Olson grounder put runners at first and second. Jack Sheehan smacked one towards second, but hit Olson. Runners were now at first and third but two were down. Griffith flew out to end the inning.

The Indians stranded two in the second and a Wambsganss single in the third. In the middle three frames, Coveleski found his groove, retiring all nine hitters. The Tribe got the first run of the game in the fourth on a back to back singles by Gardner and Johnston, putting runners at the corners with one away. After Sewell flew out, Johnston was credited with a steal of second when Grimes erred on his throw there, allowing Gardner to score an unearned run. They tacked on another run in the fifth on a one out single by Charlie Jamieson, a stolen base and a triple by Tris Speaker.

After retiring twelve straight, Konetchy singled and went to second on yet another Sewell error on a Pete Kilduff grounder. But pinch hitter Bill Lamar grounded out. In the bottom of the seventh, Steve O'Neill doubled to deep left. Coveleski hit a grounder back to the mound and O'Neill was caught in a rundown, with Coveleski taking second. Jamieson doubled him home and the lead was now three, 3-0. They left the bases loaded after walks to Speaker and Elmer Smith. Coveleski retired six of the final seven Robins with Zach Wheat getting a base hit in the ninth. After Hi Myers and Konetchy hit into back to back Sewell to Wambsganss force outs, the Indians celebrated their first world title.

As poorly as the Tribe hit in Brooklyn, the Robins returned the favor in Cleveland, and then some. In four games they managed just two runs on just 26 hits, hitting .201 and drawing just three walks. If you discount game five where they had 13 hits, they scored one run on 13 hits and a .137 average. The Indians didn't do much better as they only scored only 17 runs in those four games. Over seven games, the teams combined for just 29 runs total, with the Indians outscoring them 21-8 and only twice, did either team score more than three runs.

1997 ALCS Game 4, Jacobs Field: Indians 8, Orioles 7

After a dramatic extra inning win the night before, the Indians tried to exact some revenge on game one starter Scott Erickson. Mike Hargrove chose to send out Jaret Wright for game four. The first inning went quick, with just a Manny Ramirez single to left. Wright only gave up two hit in the second, but after Cal Ripken singled, BJ Surhoff doubled him home. The Tribe responded in the bottom, David Justice singled, but Sandy Alomar homered, and they led 2-1.

That lead was short-lived though. The Orioles hit three homers in the third off Wright. Solo shots by Brady Anderson and Rafael Palmeiro and a two run shot by Harold Baines after Geronimo Berroa forced Robbie Alomar after his walk. A double by Ramirez and a walk by Jim Thome ended quickly when Justice grounded into a double play in the third. A Brian Giles double and Marquis Grissom single cut the lead to 5-3 in the fourth. In the fifth, Ramirez hit a towering drive that made it 5-4. Thome and Justice both singled, with Thome scoring when Sandy Alomar did the same, ending Erickson's night. A walk by Arthur Rhodes to Sandy loaded the bases and two more scored when Rhodes uncorked one with the second scoring on Lenny Webster's errant throw.

Meanwhile, Brian Anderson took over in the fourth, walked one and allowed just a single in the seventh to Brady Anderson. After striking out Robbie, Jeff Juden was called in to face Berroa. Brady stole second and scored when Berroa singled to center. With the lead down to one, Hargrove brought in Paul Assenmacher to face Harold Baines. But Eric Davis pinch hit and flew out. Palmeiro singled Berroa to third, but Mike Jackson got Ripken to ground to second.

Alan Mills pitched a perfect seventh and eighth. Jackson struck out both Surhof and Mike Bordick, but Lenny Webster singled to turn the order over. In came Jose Mesa, and Brady Anderson grounded out to end the eighth. Mesa chunked the save in the ninth. He walked Robbie to start the inning and Berroa singled him to third. Davis struck out, but Palmeiro had an RBI infield single back to Mesa. In the bottom of the ninth, Ramirez walked off Mills. Jesse Orosco was called in to face Jim Thome, but Hargrove sent up Kevin Seitzer in his stead. He sacrificed Ramirez over and Orosco retired Justice on a fly ball. Armando Benitez came in and walked Matt Williams. Then Sandy continued his dream season, singling to left-center, sending the Tribe faithful home happy with the second straight walkoff.

2007 ALCS Game 1, Fenway Park: Red Sox 10, Indians 3

After ousting the Yankees in the ALDS, the Indians took on another AL East foe, the Boston Red Sox. With three days off between series, they were able to bring back CC Sabathia for game one, taking on Josh Beckett. Beckett struck out both Grady Sizemore and Asdrubal Cabrera. But Travis Hafner homered and the Tribe had an early 1-0 lead. The Red Sox tied it right back up on three singles by Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. But a Mike Lowell double play grounder limited the damage to just one run.

Both teams went in order in the second, with Sabathia striking out the side on ten pitches. After another 1-2-3 Tribe inning, the Sox exploded for four in the bottom of the third. Julio Lugo hit a ground rule double and was sacrificed to third by Dustin Pedroia. Youkilis had a four pitch walk and Ortiz was plunked to load the bases. Manny worked a ten pitch walk to force in Lugo and Lowell hit another ground rule double. Bobby Kietly was given first to load the bases again. Jason Varitek plated the fourth run on a grounder to third with Coco Crisp also grounding to third.

After retiring ten in a row, Ryan Garko finally broke that streak by getting hit by a pitch. Jhonny Peralta promptly hit into a 6-4-3 double play. So when Kenny Lofton doubled, no damage was done. Sabathia had a 1-2-3 fourth, but wouldn't get out of the fifth. He walked Ortiz and Manny singled. Another walk to Lowell let Kielty drive in two more with a single with Lowell thrown out at third. Charlie Manuel called on Jensen Lewis, who gave up a double to Varitek, making it 8-1 Red Sox.

Casey Blake doubled in the sixth and scored on Asdrubal's single but that was the only run that inning. Lewis was gone after two singles by Pedroia and Youkilis. Aaron Fultz walked Ortiz and Manny, forcing in one more. Tom Mastny finally got an out, but Youkilis scored on Lowell's liner. With a 10-2 lead, Terry Francona went to his pen. Mike Timlin worked around a Ryan Garko leadoff single in the seventh. Javier Lopez pitched the eighth, giving up one run on another Blake double and a Cabrera sacrifice fly ball. Eric Gagne loaded the bases in the ninth on a Jhonny single, Lofton double and Blake walk. But Grady Sizemore struck out and the Red Sox had taken game one, 10-3.