Take 2 Roundup: Playoffs, Tue, 5/6/08

[bernieh]

[size=24:5ea319773e][b:5ea319773e]FRANCO MY DEAR[/b:5ea319773e][/size:5ea319773e]
[size=18:5ea319773e]Yanks Take Dramatic Game 1 on Julio Franco's 11th Inning Blast[/size:5ea319773e]

<img src="http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/images/baseball/stratomatic/1986/story_photos/julio_franco_150x205.jpg" align="left" border="1" width="150" height="205" style="margin-right: 10px;" /> The 1986 Playoffs began in glorious fashion as [b:5ea319773e]Julio Franco[/b:5ea319773e], the 27-year-old shortstop acquired from the Indians in an early season trade to fill a big void in the infield, smashed a walkoff homerun in the bottom of the 11th inning as the New York Yankees won a dramatic battle against the California Angels in Game 1 of the American Championship Series.

Unsurprisingly, the Yankees - who hovered within striking distance all season long before overtaking the Detroit Tigers down the home stretch for the hotly contested AL East crown - and the Angels - who were the only one of baseball's 4 teams still standing to run away with their division title - were very evenly matched during Game 1. Starters [b:5ea319773e]Kirk McCaskill[/b:5ea319773e] (9-12, 3.59) and [b:5ea319773e]Tommy John[/b:5ea319773e] (17-8, 3.52) had nearly identical lines, both reaching the 8th inning, giving up 10 hits and 3 runs. New York DH [b:5ea319773e]Mike Easler[/b:5ea319773e] provided a clutch solo homer in the bottom of the 7th to tie the game at 3, which is where it stayed until the 11th, thanks to both squad's stellar bullpen work.

California's [b:5ea319773e]Vern Ruhle[/b:5ea319773e], who had been an integral part of the Angels' AL-best pitching staff by going 16-7, 3.30 on the year, was called on to spell McCaskill in the 8th, and did a valiant job holding off the Yankees' AL-best offense for 3.1 innings. But after 1 out in the 11th, New York's shortshop and leadoff man Franco hit Ruhle's 50th pitch of the night into Yankee Stadium's centerfield black, setting off a wild celebration in the Bronx.

The seriers resumes with Game 2 (Witt vs. McGaffigan) Wednesday, and [b:5ea319773e]the NLCS also kicks off with Game 1[/b:5ea319773e] - the St. Louis Cardinals (Danny Cox) at the Houston Astros (Mike Scott).

[i:5ea319773e]photo: SN Archives[/i:5ea319773e]