New York Yankees Advance to ALCS, Eliminate Cinderella Orioles 3-1

The Cinderella season for the notoriously terrible Baltimore Orioles has come to a end, as the O’s dropped Game 5 in the Bronx to the Yankees 3-1, giving New York a 3-2 series victory. However, just like the 1997 season that saw the Orioles ride end in a series against New York, Game 5 on Friday was not without it’s controversy.

In the 6th inning, Nate McClouth, who has no doubt been the MVP for the Orioles in the ALDS, hit what looked like a home run that curved around the foul pole. The call was initially ruled a a foul ball and video replay — at least the footage that the umpires looked at– didn’t show conclusively that the ball wasn’t foul.

Much like a home run that was “given” to the Yankees in 1997, the Nate McClouth non-home run will go down in Orioles lore as one of the most frustrating plays ever endured, and will serve to some of the more radical fans as fuel to the fire that the world conspires against anyone not in pinstripes.

Upon intense inspection, it does appear that the ball nicked the foul pole which would have made it a fair ball and a home run that at that time would have tied the game 1-1. But it’s no different then listening to a song backwards and interpreting it’s meaning. If you hear a song played backwards, it’s jibberish. But if someone tells you to hear a certain phrase, you hear that phrase. Same thing with the Zapruder footage of the McClouth home run, did it really nick the pole or did it nick the pole because that’s what you’re looking for?

Either way the solo shot by McClouth would have merely tied a ballgame that eventually saw the Yankees score two more times before all was said and done. Ichiro banged an RBI double off the Yankees bullpen wall the next inning and Curtis Granderson blasted a solo shot not too long after to make it a 3-0 ball game.

The victory puts the Yankees up against the Detroit Tigers and the arm of Justin Verlander who has been golden in the postseason. His victories in Game 1 and Game 5 of Detroit’s ALDS series against Oakland were dominating performances and the Yankees can only pray that they only see him once. As for New York ace, C.C. Sabbathia was mint on the mound in Game 5 and even if he had given up that solo shot to McClouth, he would have turned in a masterful performance.

With one series left in the American League playoffs, two of the best teams in the game are squaring off with similar talents. The Yankees and Tigers both have bonafide aces that will duel against each other in the same game and both have heavy bats on the bench that can break open a game at any moment. New York was just taken to the wire against the Orioles and the same can be said about the Tigers and A’s. Don’t expect this ALCS to be over quickly, but do expect to be thoroughly entertained.