The 2004 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...

playoffs in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

’s (MLB) 2004 postseason, began on Tuesday, October 5, and ended on Saturday, October 9, with the champions of the three AL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. They were: * (1)

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

(Eastern Division champion, 101–61) vs. (3)

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...

(Central Division champion, 92–70): Yankees win series, 3–1. * (2) Anaheim Angels (Western Division champion, 92–70) vs. (4)

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

(Wild Card, 98–64): Red Sox win series, 3–0. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox went on to meet in the AL Championship Series (ALCS). The Red Sox became the American League champion, and defeated the National League champion

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

in the

2004 World Series The 2004 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2004 season. The 100th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Boston Red Sox and the National Le ...

for their first World Championship since

1918 The ceasefire that effectively ended the World War I, First World War took place on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of this year. Also in this year, the Spanish flu pandemic killed 50–100 million people wor ...

Matchups

New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

Anaheim Angels vs. Boston Red Sox

New York vs. Minnesota

Game 1

Yankee Stadium (I) in

Bronx, New York The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

Pitching dominated in Game 1 as Mike Mussina faced Johan Santana. The Twins got on the board first when Shannon Stewart singled home Michael Cuddyer, who singled to leadoff and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Then in the sixth, Jacque Jones hit a solo home run to make it 2–0. The Yankees got nine hits and numerous walks, but never capitalized on Santana, Juan Rincón, or closer

Joe Nathan Joseph Michael Nathan (born November 22, 1974) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Detro ...

, hitting into five double plays (including a strikeout-caught stealing play in the second and fly ball-out at home play in the third). This was the last postseason game won by the Twins until their win over Toronto in Game 1 of the 2023 American League Wild Card Series.6,000 Days of Winter: Making sense of the Twins’ historic playoff losing streak
The Athletic, March 9, 2021

Game 2

Yankee Stadium (I) in

Brad Radke of the Twins faced Jon Lieber of the Yankees in Game 2. In the top of the first, Justin Morneau doubled in Torii Hunter to give the Twins a 1–0 lead. In the bottom of the first,

Derek Jeter Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974), nicknamed "the Captain", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) caree ...

's leadoff home run tied the score. A single by Michael Cuddyer with two on and sacrifice fly by Henry Blanco made it 3–1 Twins, but Gary Sheffield tied the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third.

Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, third baseman and designated hitter and current businessman. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (ML ...

gave the Yankees the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run. He added in another run in the seventh by singling home

Miguel Cairo Miguel Jesús Cairo i'-row(born May 4, 1974), is a Venezuelans, Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder and currently the Coach (baseball), bench coach for the Washington Nationals. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine ...

, who drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, to make it 5–3 Yankees. Jacque Jones reached first on a strike three wild pitch from

Tom Gordon Thomas Gordon (born November 18, 1967), nicknamed "Flash", is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher and current radio color commentator for the Boston Red Sox. Gordon played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kan ...

, then Torii Hunter singled to put runners on first and second in the eighth.

Mariano Rivera Mariano Rivera (born November 29, 1969) is a Panamanian Americans, Panamanian-American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, from 1995 to 2013. Nicknamed "Mo" and " ...

came in but, a single by Morneau and a ground-rule double by Corey Koskie scored a run each, tying the game, but with the go-ahead run at third, Rivera retired Jason Kubel and

Cristian Guzmán Cristian Antonio Guzmán (born March 21, 1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Washington Nationals, and Texas Rangers. Professional career Minnesota Twin ...

to end the inning. The game went into extra innings and in the top of the 12th,

Torii Hunter Torii Kedar Hunter (; born July 18, 1975) is an American former professional baseball center fielder and right fielder. Hunter currently serves as Special Assistant to Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian. He played in Major League ...

hit the go-ahead solo home run off Tanyon Sturtze. The Twins were on the verge of putting the Yankees down two games to none, heading home, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire left closer Joe Nathan in for a third inning of work, despite having two solid relievers still yet to be used in the game. Nathan got the first out, but then walked Cairo and Jeter on four pitches each, after which Gardenhire still chose to leave Nathan in despite his clearly having nothing left and Alex Rodriguez coming up. Rodriguez promptly hit a ground-rule double that tied the game. Then, after Sheffield was intentionally walked,

Hideki Matsui , nicknamed "Godzilla", is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, and in Nipp ...

hit the game-winning sacrifice fly that scored Jeter off J.C. Romero. Paul Quantrill earned a win by retiring the last hitter of the top of the 11th as the Yankees tied the series heading to Minnesota.

Game 3

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

Yankees starter Kevin Brown faced Twins hurler Carlos Silva in the crucial Game 3. The Twins grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first when Jacque Jones hit his second home run of the series, but with two outs in the second, five straight singles gave the Yankees a 3–1 lead. Then, as the night wore on, the Yanks blew the game open in the sixth.

Bernie Williams Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. (born September 13, 1968) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and current musician. He played his entire 16-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees from 1991 through ...

hit a two-run homer after Matsui singled to lead off the inning. After a single, walk, sacrifice bunt and strikeout from J.C. Romero,

added a two-run single off Jesse Crain to make it 7–1 Yankees. Brown hurled six innings, while

's home run in the seventh inning to make it 8–1 Yankees. The Twins, however, did not go quietly. Two consecutive hit-by-pitches to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning by Félix Heredia was followed by two singles off Tanyon Sturtze, the second of which by Michael Cuddyer scored a run.

relieved Sturtze and allowed a groundout by Jose Offerman and sacrifice fly by Shannon Stewart before Jones grounded out to end the game as the Yankees' 8–4 win gave them a 2–1 series lead.

Game 4

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in

Javier Vázquez of the Yankees went against Johan Santana of the Twins, who were on the board first with a sacrifice fly by

in the first after back-to-back singles. But the Yankees tied it in the third when

hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on an RBI single by

. A walk and double in the fourth was followed by Corey Koskie's sacrifice fly that put the Twins back in front 2–1. Henry Blanco led the bottom of the fifth off with a home run to make it 3–1 Twins. Two two-out singles and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases before a two-run double by Lew Ford extended the Twins' lead to 5–1. However, the Twins squandered the lead in the top of the eighth with Juan Rincón pitching in relief. Bernie Williams would single home Gary Sheffield after a single and wild pitch. With Matsui and Williams on base and one out, Rubén Sierra hit the game-tying three-run home run.

would come on in relief and get the next two outs. The game went into extra innings and Alex Rodriguez doubled, stole third, and scored on Kyle Lohse's

wild pitch In baseball, a wild pitch (WP) is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, or the batter (on an uncaught third st ...

in the top of the 11th to put the Yankees up 6–5.

got the win with two shutout innings as he retired the Twins 1–2–3 to end the series in the bottom of the 11th.

Composite box

2004 ALDS (3–1):

over

Anaheim vs. Boston

Game 1

Angel Stadium of Anaheim Angel Stadium is a ballpark in Anaheim, California, United States. Since its opening in 1966 California Angels season, 1966, it has been the home venue of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB), who relocated from Los Angeles to ...

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...

Game 1 pitched

Curt Schilling Curtis Montague Schilling (born November 14, 1966) is an American former Major League Baseball right handed pitcher and commentator for media outlet BlazeTV. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series appearance in 1993 World Seri ...

against Jarrod Washburn. The Red Sox struck first when

David Ortiz David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican Americans, Dominican-American former professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1997 ...

singled home Manny Ramírez, who doubled with two outs. In the fourth, the Red Sox blew the game open. After Ortiz walked to open the inning, Kevin Millar homered to make it 3–0. Then the Red Sox loaded the bases with one out. Johnny Damon would reach on an error by Chone Figgins that scored two unearned runs to make it 5–0. Scot Shields relieved Washburn and after Mark Bellhorn struck out, Manny Ramírez hit a three-run home run to make it 8–0 Red Sox. Troy Glaus' home run in the bottom of the inning put the Angels on the board. In the seventh, Darin Erstad homered off Schilling with one out. Garret Anderson reached on Schilling's throwing error before scoring on Glaus's double, but Alan Embree and Mike Timlin held them scoreless for the rest of the game while the Red Sox added run in the eighth on Doug Mientkiewicz's RBI single with two on off Ramon Ortiz.

Game 2

Pedro Martínez of the Red Sox faced Bartolo Colón of the Angels. A bases-loaded walk to

Manny Ramirez Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican Americans (Dominican Republic), Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played wit ...

for the Red Sox in the second put them ahead 1–0. However, the Angels would tie it in the bottom half with an RBI single by Dallas McPherson after a leadoff walk and single. The Angels would take their only lead in the series when

Vladimir Guerrero Vladimir Guerrero Alvino (born February 9, 1975), nicknamed "Vlad the Impaler", is a People of the Dominican Republic, Dominican former professional baseball player who spent 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right fielder and des ...

, the eventual MVP, singled home Jose Molina and David Eckstein with the bases loaded. The Red Sox immediately responded when Jason Varitek hit a two-out, two-run homer to tie the game in the sixth. The Sox would take the lead on a sacrifice fly by Manny Ramírez in the seventh off Francisco Rodriguez, then padded their lead in the ninth off Brendan Donnelly. Ramirez doubled with one out and after an intentional walk, scored on Trot Nixon's single. After a two-out intentional walk loaded the bases, Orlando Cabrera cleared them with a double.

Keith Foulke Keith Charles Foulke ( ; born October 19, 1972) is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. A graduate of Hargrave High School in Huffman, Texas, Foulke attended Galveston College and Lewis–Clark State College. Between 1997 an ...

retired the Angels in order in the bottom of the inning as the Red Sox's 8–3 win gave them a 2–0 series lead.

Game 3

Fenway Park Fenway Park is a ballpark located in Boston, Massachusetts, less than one mile from Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home field of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Boston Red Sox. While the stadium was built in 1912, it was substantia ...

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Kelvim Escobar of the Angels and Bronson Arroyo of the Red Sox faced off in the clincher. The Red Sox once again struck first with runners on second and third when Trot Nixon's single and Kevin Millar's groundout made it 2–0 in the third. The Angels cut the lead in half when Troy Glaus hit a home run in the fourth. In the bottom of the inning, a single, error and walk loaded the bases before

's sacrifice fly made it 3–1 Red Sox. Scot Shields relieved Escobar and allowed an RBI double to

. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, another Angel error allowed Mark Bellhorn to score to make it 5–1 Red Sox. Ramirez's RBI single with two on next inning increased the lead to 6–1. It appeared as if the Angels were down and out, but they loaded the bases in the top of the seventh thanks to two walks and a single. After Chone Figgins struck out, Darin Erstad walked to force in a run that made it 6–2. Mike Timlin then threw to Vladimir Guerrero, who hit a grand slam to right that evened the score at 6–6 and stunned the Fenway crowd. The game went to extra innings and, in the bottom of the tenth, Johnny Damon led off with a single. After Pokey Reese forced him and Ramirez struck out, Jarrod Washburn relieved Francisco Rodríguez and

hit the series-winning two-run home run over the

Green Monster The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. The wall is from home plate at the left-field Foul line (baseball), foul line, making it a popular target f ...

to send the Red Sox to the ALCS for the second straight year.

Composite box

2004 ALDS (3–0):

over Anaheim Angels

Notes

External links