September 29

1998 ... The Boston Red Sox stop a 13-game playoff losing streak dating back to 1986, shocking the Indians with an 11-3 road win in their series opener. Mo Vaughn homered twice and drove in seven runs.

1998 ... In a brilliant performance, San Diego's Kevin Brown strikes out 16 and allows just two hits in eight innings, leading the Padres to a 2-1 victory over Randy Johnson and the Houston Astros in their opener.

1997 ... Edgar Renteria's two-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning gives Florida a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants in the opening game of their Division Series competition.

September 30

1997 ... The New York Yankees, using some leftover magic from their 1996 World Series run, become the first team in postseason history to hit three consecutive home runs, rallying to beat the Cleveland Indians, 8-6, in the opener of their AL playoff series.

1998 ... John Smoltz becomes the winningest pitcher in postseason history, allowing only five hits in 7 2/3 innings as the Atlanta Braves cruise to a 7-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

1997 ... Kenny Lofton creates a first-inning run with his daring on the basepaths, and Greg Maddux limits the Houston Astros to seven singles as the Atlanta Braves defeat the Astros, 2-1, in the first game of the Division Series competition.

October 1

1998 ... Two outs from evening the series, the Cubs waste a ninth-inning lead when Javy Lopez homeres, squander a great scoring chance in the 10th, then have a defensive mixup in the bottom half and lose to the Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Chipper Jones' single.

1997 ... The Atlanta bats take care of business in Game 2, erupting for a 13-3 victory over the Houston Astros. The Braves get a three-run homer from Jeff Blauser ... Moises Alou singles home the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning, and the Florida Marlins beat the San Francisco Giants for the second consecutive game with their final swing, 7-6.

1997 ... The Baltimore Orioles beat Randy Johnson and the Seattle Mariners, 9-3, Wednesday in the opener of their Division Series competition. Mike Mussina wins his first postseason game.

1996 ... The Texas Rangers shock the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, 6-2. Juan Gonzalez and Dean Palmer connect for home runs off of David Cone ... In Baltimore, the Orioles beat the defending champion Cleveland Indians, 10-4. Brady Anderson leads off the game with a home run off of Charles Nagy.

1996 ... The St. Louis Cardinals defeat the San Diego Padres, 3-1, in Game 1 of the Division Series competition. Gary Gaetti hits a three-run homer in the first inning to lead the Cardinals to victory.

October 2

1997 ... Jaret Wright, showing tremendous composure for a 21-year-old rookie, survives a rough first inning, and the Indians overcome an early three-run deficit for a 7-5 victory over the Yankees to even their AL playoff series at one game apiece ... The Orioles rock Seattle's bullpen for six runs and nine hits, and their second straight 9-3 victory sends them home with a 2-0 lead.

1996 ... The Yankees even the series, 1-1, with the Rangers as they win, 5-4. The Yankees tally a run in the bottom of the twelfth inning to gain victory. Juan Gonzalez hits two home runs off of Andy Pettitte for the Rangers ... The Orioles hold home field as they defeated Cleveland, 7-4. Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray go 2-for-3 with an RBI for Baltimore.

1996 ... Javier Lopez of the Atlanta Braves hits a game-winning homer in the 10th as the Braves defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-1, in Game 1 of the Division Series competition.

1996 ... Javier Lopez of the Atlanta Braves hits a game-winning homer in the 10th as the Braves defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-1, in Game 1 of the Division Series competition.

October 3

1998 ... After being shut out on two hits by Red Sox starter Pete Schourek for 5 1/3 innings, the Indians rally to win Game 4 and the series when David Justice hits a two-run double off Tom Gordon in the eighth for a 2-1 victory. Gordon finishes the regular season with a Major League record 43 consecutive saves.

1998 ... Jim Leyritz's latest clutch postseason homer gives the San Diego Padres a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros, moving the Padres to a 2-1 series advantage. Leyritz hits a low fastball from Scott Elarton an estimated 402 feet into the left-field seats with one out in the seventh.

1997 ... The Atlanta Braves, once again rolling through the Division Series competiton, defeat Houston, 4-1, behind John Smoltz's three-hitter to finish off a three-game sweep of the Astros. ... Devon White's sixth-inning grand slam leads Florida to a 6-2 win over San Francisco, completing a three-game sweep and moving the Florida Marlins into the NL Championship Series against Atlanta.

1996 ... Ron Gant's three-run double in the 5th inning helps lead the Cardinals to a 5-4 victory over the Padres in Game 2 of the Division Series competiton. The win gives the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the series ... Trailing 2-1 in the 7th inning, the Braves' Fred McGriff and Jermaine Dye hit home runs off of the Dodgers' Ismael Valdes to give the Braves a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers in Game 2 of the Division Series competition. The victory gives Atlanta a 2-0 lead in the series.

1995 ... Chipper Jones of the Braves makes a key defensive play at third base and hits two home runs, including the game winner in the 9th inning, as the Braves defeat the Rockies, 5-4, in Game 1.

1995 ... The first Division Series competition is played when Cleveland matches up with Boston and Seattle meets New York in the first games of the best of five series. Cleveland hosts their first postseason game since Oct. 2, 1954 in a classic battle against the American League East champion Boston Red Sox. In the longest postseason game in Major League Baseball history (5:01), the Indians' Tony Pena homers to left field in the bottom of the 13th inning , winning Game One for Cleveland 5-4 ... Despite two home runs by Ken Griffey Jr., the New York Yankees defeat the Seattle Mariners 9-8 at Yankee Stadium. This is the first ever postseason game for the Seattle Mariners.

October 4

1997 ... With a 6-1 victory in Game 3, New York takes a 2-1 lead in the Division Series. David Wells pitches a five-hitter and Paul O'Neill provides the bombing with the first Yankees postseason grand slam in 33 years ... Jeff Fassero allows three hits in eight shutout innings, retiring 18 straight batters in one stretch, to beat Baltimore 4-2 and keep the Mariners alive.

1996 ... Bernie Williams is the hero for the Yankees as they take command of the series with the Rangers as they win Game Three, 3-2. Williams finishes 2-for-3 with two RBI ... Cleveland win their first game of the series with Baltimore, 9-4, as Albert Belle connect on a grand slam in the seventh inning to ensure the victory for the Indians.

1995 ... In a classic 15-inning game which features six home runs, the New York Yankees defeat the Seattle Mariners 7-5 in Game Two. Jim Leyritz of the Yankees hit the winning home run in a game that lasts 11 minutes longer than the postseason record set the night before in Cleveland ... Cleveland takes Game Two with a 4-0 shutout of Boston.

1995 ... Reggie Sanders homers and steals two bases as the Cincinnati Reds, despite a two home run effort by Eric Karros, defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-4, to take a 2-0 lead in the Division Series competition.

October 5

1997 ... Omar Vizquel slaps a game-winning hit off pitcher Ramiro Mendoza's glove in the ninth inning with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Yankees. Sandy Alomar setw up the ninth-inning drama with a heroic homer off Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera to tie the game at 2 apiece in the eighth ... Mike Mussina outpitches Randy Johnson for the second time in five days, and the Orioles get home runs from Jeff Reboulet and Geronimo Berroa to beat the Mariners, 3-1, and win their series, three games to one.

1996 ... The Yankees earn a trip to the ALCS with a 6-4 victory over the Rangers. Bernie Williams connects on two home runs on his way to a 3-for-5 day for New York ... Roberto Alomar singles in the tying run in the top of the ninth, and hits a game-winning home run in the top of the twelfth as Baltimore finishes off Cleveland, 4-3.

1996 ... Brian Jordan of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a game-winning two-run homer in the top of the 9th inning to defeat the Padres 7-5 to sweep the series 3-0. Ken Caminiti of the Padres hits two homers in the defeat ... Chipper Jones of the Braves hits a key two-run homer off of the Dodgers' Hideo Nomo to help the Atlanta Braves defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-2, in Game 3 of the Division Series competition. The Braves sweep the series, 3-0.

October 6

1997 ... The Indians finish off the Yankees with a 4-3 victory in a decisive Game 5, advancing to the AL Championship Series competition for the second time in three years. The Yankees' quest for a second straight and 24th World Series title ends.

1995 ... Cleveland completes a sweep with an 8-2 victory over Boston. Indians third baseman Jim Thome starts the scoring with a two run homer off of Tim Wakefield in the second inning. A.L. MVP Mo Vaughn and slugger Jose Canseco go a combined 0-27 in the competition for Boston.

1995 ... Ron Gant and Bret Boone hit home runs off Dodgers starter Hideo Nomo and Mark Lewis hits a grand slam as the Reds beat the Dodgers 10-1 to sweep the series. ... Andres Galarraga and Vinny Castilla hit RBI singles in the top of the tenth off Braves' Mark Wohlers as the Rockies defeat the Braves 7-3 in Game 3 of the Division Series competition.

October 7

1995 ... Edgar Martinez hits two home runs, including a grand slam, and drives in seven runs as the Mariners won 11-8, tying the best of five series up at two game apiece. Paul O'Neill homers for the Yankees and Griffey Jr., and Jay Buhner add shots for the Mariners.

1995 ... Atlanta's Fred McGriff hit two home runs to help erase an early three-run deficit as the Braves defeated the Colorado Rockies, 10-4, to win the series competition, 3-1.

October 8

1995 ... Seattle defeats New York, 6-5, in a classic Game Five which lasts eleven innings. In a see-saw battle in which the Yankees lose a two-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning and a one-run cushion in the 11th, the Mariners win when Ken Griffey Jr., scores from first base on Edgar Martinez's double.

October 9

2001 ... In a tense pitcher's duel that fulfilled the promise of opposing 22-game winners, Schilling was just a little better than Matt Morris. Shilling struck out nine, walked one, delivered an important sacrifice bunt with two strikes that set up the only run the Diamondbacks would need on the road to a 1-0 win over the Cardinals in Game 1.

October 10

2001 ... Mark Mulder allowed only one run in 6 2/3 innings, on seven hits, with no walks and five strikeouts in his first postseason start. Jason Giambi homered into the upper deck and Terrence Long added two solo shots of his own to seal the victory for the A's in Game 1.

October 11

2001 ... Mike Cameron and Edgar Martinez each hit two-run homers and Jamie Moyer turned in a masterful performance to even up the series at a game a piece with the Cleveland Indians with a 5-1 win.