Swarm Sweeps Tribe, Advances to ALCS
Posted February 8, 2024
DETROIT, MI - Game 1 - Highlighted by Willard Schmidt's complete game and Del Ennis' 2-out RBI single on a clutch single 3-7 roll vs. LHP, the Swarm snuck past the Indians for a 3-2 victory in game 1. Game 2 - The Indians took a 3-1 lead into the 9th inning. Bob Buhl was magnificent as the SP and the Swarm simply couldn't push any runs across. In the top of the 9th, Berra singled and Jackie Robinson walked. Virdon's groundout advanced the runners to 2nd and 3rd, and then Bill Skowron hit a pinch hit 2-RBI single to tie the game. Neither team could score until the 13th inning. Mathews led off the inning with a triple, followed by an out by Amoros and an intentional walk to Ennis to get the lefty on lefty matchup of Mrozinski vs. Berra. Berra lucked into a 1-3 chance single to take a lead, and then Robinson drove in an extra run for a 5-3 lead. Sandy Consuegra pitched 4 shutout innings for the win.
Game 3 - Heading to Detroit for game 3, the Swarm sent Bobby Shantz to the mound and he was immediately hit hard. Bauer was HBP, Mantle walked, and then Adcock doubled in a run; however, Virdon threw Mantle out at the plate (an 18 on a 1-16 safe chance) for the 2nd out of the inning. Rosen and Shepherd both walked in the 1st to load the bases, but only the 1 run scored. Nuxhall pitched for the Indians, and in the bottom of the 2nd, the Swarm touched him for 5 runs to take a 5-1 lead. The Indians cut the lead to 5-3 in the 3rd inning with a triple from Al Smith, double from Shepherd, and single from O'Connell. In the bottom of the 4th, Shantz was pulled for a pinch hitter who singled, then advanced to 3rd on a Robinson single. Robinson stole second base and then Johnny Logan hit a 2-run double to push the lead to 7-3. Hope was fading fast for the Indians season, but they weren't done yet. Mantle and Fain went back-to-back with doubles off of Hersh Freeman in the 6th to cut the lead to 7-6. Then in the top of the 8th the Indians took the lead off of a Mantle double, Fain walk, and then a two-out single by Cox. Willie Miranda doubled to push the lead to 8-7, but Cox was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the inning and the game went to the bottom of the 8th with the Indians having an 8-7 lead. Robinson reached on an error by Fain, but was then thrown out trying to steal 2B. Logan reached on an error by Fain. With 1 out, the Indians sent Bill Henry to face Eddie Mathews and Mathews caught a 6-2 ballpark HR chance and launched it into the stands for a 9-7 lead. Skowron followed with a HR and then Ennis doubled and Berra hit a 2-run HR as well to cap a 5-run inning and push the lead to 12-8. Al Smith homered in the 9th to cut the lead to 3, but the final score of 12-9 resulted in a Swarm sweep.
Joseph advances to play Jim in the AL Championship series.
