All - Time Franchise Playoffs - Wild Card Games

 Wild Card - American League

Boston right fielder Dwight Evans belted a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to send the Red Sox past the Cleveland Indians to the ALDS. Evans had come into the game in the top half of the inning as a defensive replacement for Manny Ramirez. The Red Sox were attempting to protect a slim lead at that point but had it slip through their fingers as the Indians got a clutch RBI single from Jose Ramirez.

With the score 3-2 for the Red Sox, Francisco Lindor led the eighth off with a single, and Nap Lajoie sacrificed to move him up to second. After Ramirez drove him home, that spelled the end of the game for Boston starter Pedro Martinez. Cleveland decided to push the envelope and had Ramirez try to steal second base. Carlton Fisk came up with one of the big defensive plays of the game, gunning him down on the attempt. Papelbon caught Jim Thome window-shopping on a fastball low and away to get the Red Sox off the field.

After Indians' reliever Bob Lemon secured the first out in the home half of the eight, Evans crushed a breaking pitch sending it out to deep center field. Boston then loaded the bases on two walks and a Carl Yastrzemski double. One of the free passes was intentionally issued to Fred Lynn. Early Wynn then came out of the Cleveland bullpen and struck out Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek to stall a possible uprising.

Papelbon would face rough waters in the ninth as he immediately beaned Albert Belle. Kenny Lofton came on to run for Belle and was sacrificed to second by Victor Martinez. Larry Doby grounded out to second to put Lofton 90 feet away from tying the game, but Shoeless Joe Jackson bounced out to Wade Boggs to end the contest.

Evans was added to the postseason roster after having started the season with the big club. He was sent down about a third of the way through the year. He was added as a late-innings defensive option for Manny Ramirez, and Boston management looked like geniuses as it would be Evans's bat that would send them on a collision course with their storied nemesis, the New York Yankees. To see year-end stats for the American League in my all-time franchise season, click here.

 Wild Card - National League

Colorado starter Ubaldo Jimenez slayed the giant as he convincingly outdueled arguably the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time in a 7-0 shellacking of Sandy Koufax and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rockies will now face the San Francisco Giants in the ALDS after an upset for the ages. 

I don't think many baseball fans would have had a complete game shutout for Jimenez on their playoff bingo card against a steep Dodger lineup, but Jimenez surrendered only 6 hits in his gem. What was even more unbelievable was that Koufax was finished after only 4 innings. He allowed five runs on five hits with the dagger being a two out three-run homer by Andres Galarraga in the second inning. Galarraga was the offensive star for Colorado going 3-4 with a double and two runs scored. Vinny Castillo chipped in with a double and triple in three official plate appearances with two runs scored also.

Koufax had been stung for a leadoff double by Vinny Castillo, but he regrouped to whiff Nolan Arenado. After walking Dante Bichette, he fanned Ellis Burks, but he couldn't solve Galarraga who deposited a 412-foot missile into the left field bleachers. Colorado nickeled and dimed Koufax for single runs in the third and fourth on sacrifice flies to add salt to the wound.

Colorado will have to load up the slingshot once again as the Giants played Goliath in the National League dominating during the regular season. To see year-end stats for the National League in my all-time franchise season, click here.