1997 World Series

vs. 1997 World Series (4-3) Florida Marlins (92-70, NL) over Cleveland Indians (86-75, AL) BR 1997 World Series Summary

Introduction

The Florida Marlins were the first wild card team to win the World Series, when they defeated the Cleveland Indians in seven games in the 1997 World Series. The Marlins were the quickest expansion team to a championship (their first season was 1993) until the Arizona Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series in only their fourth season as a major league team. Of course, the Boston Americans had won the very first World Series, in 1903, in their third season in the majors.

Game 7 was an absolute classic. Cleveland went into the bottom of the 9th inning leading by a run and nearly won their first World Series since 1948 before closer Jose Mesa gave up two singles and a sacrifice fly, allowing the Marlins to tie the game. Craig Counsell was driven in on a single by Edgar Renteria to end the game in the bottom of the 11th.

Umpires

• Ed Montague (NL), Dale Ford (AL), Joe West (NL), Greg Kosc (AL), Randy Marsh (NL), Ken Kaiser (AL)

Results

Game 1 @ Joe Robbie Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Indians	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	0	4	11	0
Marlins	0	0	1	4	2	0	0	0	-	7	7	1
WP: Livan Hernandez (1-0), LP: Orel Hershiser (0-1), SV: Robb Nen (1)

• Attendance: 67,245

Game 2 @ Joe Robbie Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Indians	1	0	0	0	3	2	0	0	0	6	14	0
Marlins	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	0
WP: Chad Ogea (1-0), LP: Kevin Brown (0-1)

• Attendance: 67,025

Game 3 @ Jacobs Field

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Marlins	1	0	1	1	0	2	2	0	7	14	16	3
Indians	2	0	0	3	2	0	0	0	4	11	10	3
WP: Dennis Cook (1-0), LP: Eric Plunk (0-1)

• Attendance: 44,880

Game 4 @ Jacobs Field

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Marlins	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	3	6	2
Indians	3	0	3	0	0	1	1	2	-	10	15	0
WP: Jaret Wright (1-0), LP: Tony Saunders (0-1), SV: Brian Anderson (1)

• Attendance: 44,877

Game 5 @ Jacobs Field

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Marlins	0	2	0	0	0	4	0	1	1	8	15	2
Indians	0	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	7	9	0
WP: Livan Hernandez (2-0), LP: Orel Hershiser (0-2), SV: Robb Nen (2)

• Attendance: 44,888

Game 6 @ Joe Robbie Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Indians	0	2	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	4	7	0
Marlins	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	8	0
WP: Chad Ogea (2-0), LP: Kevin Brown (0-2), SV: Jose Mesa (1)

• Attendance: 67,498

Game 7 @ Joe Robbie Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Indians	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	2
Marlins	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	3	8	0
WP: Jay Powell (1-0), LP: Charles Nagy (0-1)

• Attendance: 67,204

Series MVP

• Livan Hernandez

MVP	G	W-L	ERA	IP	H	BB	SO	SV	CG
Livan Hernandez	2	2-0	5.27	13.2	15	10	7	0	0

Further Reading

• Dave Rosenbaum: If They Don't Win It's a Shame: The Year the Marlins Bought the World Series, McGregor Hill Publishers, New York, NY, 1998. ISBN 0965384683

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NL Division Series (3-0) Braves (NLE) over Astros (NLC) NL Division Series (3-0) Marlins (WC) over Giants (NLW)

NL Championship Series (4-2) Marlins over Braves

World Series (4-3) Marlins over Indians

AL Championship Series (4-2) Indians over Orioles

AL Division Series (3-1) Orioles (ALE) over Mariners (ALW) AL Division Series (3-2) Indians (ALC) over Yankees (WC)

1997 MLB season by team