October 4, 1995: The Jim Leyritz Game I

October 4, 1995: Game 2 of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium. It begins at 8:06 PM, with Phil Rizzuto throwing out a ceremonial first ball. It includes the 1st of 44 postseason starts by Andy Pettitte; and home runs by Ken Griffey Jr. and Vince Coleman for the Seattle Mariners; and, for the Yankees, Ruben Sierra, Don Mattingly (leading ABC announcer Gary Thorne to yell: "Aw, hang onto the roof! Goodbye, home run!"), Paul O'Neill and, at 1:22 AM, in the bottom of the 15th inning, through raindrops, Jim Leyritz, off Tim Belcher. Yankees 7, Mariners 5.

It is the 1st postseason walkoff homer at Yankee Stadium since Chris Chambliss won the Pennant 19 years earlier. The Yankees lead the M's 2 games to none, and need just 1 win in Seattle to take the series. But they won't get it.

*

October 4, 1995 was a Wednesday. All 4 Division Series had their Game 2s played on this day:

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Boston Red Sox, 4-0 at Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) in Cleveland. Former Dodger hero Orel Hershiser pitched 7 1/3rd innings of 3-hit shutout ball, and was supported by a home run from former Baltimore Oriole hero Eddie Murray.

Also on this day, The Drew Carey Show, set in Cleveland and starring comedian Drew Carey, a Cleveland native, airs the episode "Nature Abhors a Vacuum." In it, Drew (playing a fictionalized, less successful version of himself) remarks on the Indians' having reached their 1st postseason in 41 years, "Finally, it's everyone else's team that sucks!"

In the National League, the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies, 7-4 at Coors Field in Denver. The Rockies had done well to make the Playoffs in only their 3rd year of play, but the Braves were too strong for them.

And the Cincinnati Reds beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-4 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The Reds would win this series, but, through 2022, have not won a postseason series since.