This date in Indians history (including Yankee Death Day 2007)

October 8

1948 World Series Game 3, Cleveland Stadium: Indians 2, Braves 0

Eschewing a day off, the Braves and Indians headed to Cleveland for game three. Gene Bearden, winner of the one game play-in, faced off against Vern Bickford. The magical season continued for the knuckleballer. Frank McCormick had a one out single in the second, but he was stranded at second base. Eddie Stanky singled to lead off the third and made it all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt and grounder, but no further. A leadoff single by Mike McCormick (no relation) in the fifth was erased on a 1-4-3 double play. A two out double by Al Dark in the sixth was fruitless. And a leadoff single by Bob Elliott in the seventh was erased on a 5-4-3 double play. He walked nobody and struck out six, facing just three batters over the minimum.

The Tribe got their first run in the third. Bearden had a one out double by Bearden, and after a walk to Dale Mitchell, Mitchell was forced at second on Larry Doby's grounder, but Al Dark threw the ball away trying to turn the double play, scoring Bearden. The second run was in the fourth. Ken Keltner walked, and with one out, Eddie Robinson, Jim Hegan, and Bearden all singled, with the Hegan one scoring Keltner. Bill Voiselle relieved Bickford and left the bases jammed. Voiselle only gave up a lone single to Doby in the seventh, before being lifted for a pinch hitter. After Bearden retired the final eight batters, the Tribe led the series 2-1 and the Braves had managed only two runs and fifteen hits in three games.

1997 ALCS Game 1, Oriole Park at Camden Yards: Orioles 3, Indians 0

After knocking off the wild card Yankees in the ALDS, the Tribe took on the team with the best record in the AL, the AL East champion Baltimore Orioles. After just two days off, the Indians headed to Baltimore with Chad Ogea taking on Scott Erickson. The Tribe went in order in the first and Brady Anderson opened the bottom half with a solo shot. They traded singles in the second, David Justice for Cleveland and Harold Baines for Baltimore.

In the third, Bip Roberts had a two out single, stole second and went to third on Lenny Webster's errant throw, but he was stranded. In the bottom half, a one out double by Brady Anderson and a two run shot by Robbie Alomar, made the score 3-0.

Erickson was dealing that evening, as he faced the minimum number of batters from the fourth through the eighth. The only blemish was a Marquis Grissom leadoff single in the sixth. But he was erased on Robert's liner to third. Ogea managed to make it through the sixth, but was nowhere as efficient. In the fourth, a leadoff walk to BJ Surhoff and a double by Cal Ripken had runners at second and third. A popfly, a fielder's choice at home and a strikeout kept the lead at three. He walked Robbie in the fifth. In the sixth, a leadoff single by Surhoff and walk to Ripken was thwarted by a 4-6-3 double play and flyball.

Brian Anderson pitched the seventh and eighth, allowing just an intentional walk after a Matt Williams error. Randy Myers pitched a perfect ninth to earn the save, striking out Roberts and Omar Vizquel to end it. And just that quietly, the Tribe was in a 1-0 series hole.

2007 ALDS Game 4, Yankee Stadium II: Indians 6, Yankees 4

With a potential game five looming back at Jacobs Field, Eric Wedge sent out Paul Byrd to face Chien-Ming Wang in the Bronx. Grady Sizemore led off the game with a homer and Jhonny Peralta singled in Travis Hafner and the Indians had jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. Byrd worked around a pair of singles by Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu in the first. Wang wasn't much better in the second. Singles by Franklin Gutirrez and Casey Blake with a Kelly Shoppach hit by pitch loaded the bases. Joe Torre had seen enough and Mike Mussina relieved. He got the first two outs on a double play grounder by Sizemore, but Gutierrez scored. Asdrubal Cabrera scored Blake on a single and the Tribe now led 4-0.

Byrd walked another tightrope in the second. Hideki Matsui walked, Robinson Cano walked and a one out walk to Doug Mientkiewicz loaded the bases. Johnny Damon popped out, but Jeter got their first run on an infield single to third. Byrd left the bases juiced when Abreu flew out. In the fourth, Shoppach led off with a ground rule double. Sizemore walked and Asdrubal bunted them both over. Hafner was walked to load the bases bringing up Victor Martinez. He extended the lead to 6-1 with a single to left. After that second inning Byrd, gave up a one out double to Jorge Posada in the third, a leadoff single to Melky Cabrera in the fourth and a one out single by Alex Rodriguez in the fifth.

Byrd came out for the sixth, but a leadoff homer by Robinson Cano ended his night. Wedge called in Rafael Perez who dodged a pair of singles by Shelley Duncan and Johnny Damon. In the seventh Rodriguez had a solo shot off Perez, cutting the lead to 6-3. Rafael Betancourt came out for his familiar eighth inning and retired the side in order. The Tribe had a chance to extend the lead after leadoff singled by Martinez and Peralta off Mariano Rivera in the ninth, but the next three did not bring them in. Joe Borowski came in for his save attempt. He retired Jeter on a popup. But Abreu hit a solo home run to get the Yankees a run closer, 6-4. After Rodriguez flew out and Posada struck out, the Tribe was headed to their first ALCS since 1998.