October 28 in Cleveland Indians history: The Dream Dies

October 28

1995 World Series Game 6, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium: Braves 1, Indians 0

After finally stringing a few hits together against Greg Maddux to force a game six, the Indians would have to do it again against Tom Glavine, who had beaten Dennis Martinez in game two. The Indians went meekly in the first on a Kenny Lofton fly ball, a strikeout by Omar Vizquel and a Carlos Baerga grounder back to Glavine. Marquis Grissom lined out to Eddie Murray at first and Mark Lemke hit a single through the left side. Tony Pena nabbed him trying to swipe second and Chipper Jones hit the next pitch to left for another single, but Fred McGriff struck out to end the first.

Glavine walked Albert Belle on four pitches to start the second, but Javy Lopez matched Pena by throwing out Belle at second. Murray and Manny Ramirez would both strike out. Martinez walked both David Justice and Ryan Klesko to start the bottom half, but Lopez popped out and Rafael Belliard hit into a 1-6-4-3 double play.

Glavine set the tribe down in order in the third as Jim Thome struck out, Pena hit one back ot Glavine and Martinez also whiffed. Martinez matched Glavine that inning: a Glavine grounder, a Grissom foul pop and a Lemke grounder. Through three we were scoreless and Glavine had faced the minimum while Martinez was just two over.

Glavine kept rolling in the fourth. Lofton grounded to first, Omar whiffed and Baerga flew out to center. Martinez got Jones and McGriff to both ground out to Baerga. But Justice doubled to the left-center gap. He set up a force play by passing Kelsko to first, but also ended up walking Lopez. But damage was averted as Belliard flied out to short center.

Glavine finally blinked in the fifth when Belle led off with a walk during a nine pitch battle. But it would prove to be momentary as Murray popped to Lopez behind the plate, Manny forced Belle at second and Thome whiffed. Martinez retired Glavine on a whiff and Grissom on a pop up to second. But Lemke walked and Chipper singled. That brought in Jim Poole from the pen to face the next set of left handed hitters. He fanned McGriff on three pitches and we headed to the sixth.

Pena led off the sixth with the Tribe's first base knock, a liner to center. Poole unsuccessfully tried to bunt him over, popping out to first. Then Lofton hit a squibber that Glavine forced Pena at second with. Lofton would nab second, but Omar also popped to first, but in foul territory. In the bottom of the sixth, Poole grooved one that Justice liked, and he hit it deep over the fence in right. Klesko and Lopez both grounded out. And after Belliard was safe on Thome's error, Glavine worked Poole for ten pitches before lining out to short.

In the top of the seventh, Mike Devereaux took over for Klesko in left. Baerga lined out to third and Belle struck out. Eddie Murray coaxed Glavine's third walk of the game, but Manny's fly ball in the left-center alley was not deep enough. Ken Hill came in to face Grissom, but failed to retire him as he singled to left. Mike Hargrove did a double switch, putting Alan Embree and Ruben Amaro in the game and removing Manny. Lemke bunted Grissom over and Chipper was given first. Embree got McGriff on a deep fly to left. After Grissom stole third, Justice walked and the bases were loaded. Embree was able to escape when Devereaux popped to second.

The Tribe again couldn't muster anything off Glavine in the eighth as Thome flew out to deep center on the first pitch, Pena flew out to right and Amaro grounded out. It took just eight pitches. Julian Tavarez had an epic battle with Lopez in the bottom half. After twelve pitches, he flew out to deep left. After Belliard lined out to left, Paul Assenmacher faced pinch hitter Luis Polonia (Glavine was removed from the game!), who struck out swinging.

The Tribe went to the ninth, down by just one run, but had only scraped one hit and three walks in eight innings. Mark Wohlers would not add to those totals as Lofton popped foul to Chipper. Paul Sorrento hit for Omar and flew out to center. That left it up to Baerga. He did hit it well, but not deep enough, as Grissom caught it left-center and Baerga had now made the final out for a third time in the series. The Braves were champs for the first time since 1957 and with how young the Tribe was, surely they would have a few more title shots in the near future.