Now it's Cleveland facing long odds

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Posted: Sunday October 11, 1998 01:20 AM

Well done: David Wells has allowed only two runs in two playoff starts AP

CLEVELAND (AP) -- When it mattered most, the Cleveland Indians lost it all -- their playoff magic, their home-field advantage, their rosy outlook.

And now the New York Yankees' best is just ahead.

A 4-0 loss in Game 4 of the American League championship series on Saturday night means a return trip to New York and another go at the top of the Yankees' formidable rotation with the series tied at two games apiece.

Up next: David Wells -- Mr. Perfect Game -- to be followed by David Cone -- Mr. Perfectly Nasty At Playoff Time.

"It's a must-win situation, no doubt about it," shortstop Omar Vizquel said of Sunday afternoon's matchup against Wells. "It's not going to be easy. Wells will be on the mound and it will be 4 o'clock, when it's harder to see."

One more thing: A Yankees team that won an AL-record 114 games during the regular season but was starting to get a little shaky has calmed itself down and backed away from a playoff flameout.

Maybe that's why the initially festive crowd of 44,981 at The Jake wound up mumbling much like Andy Pettitte did as he left the mound after giving up four homers in Game 3. They know what's in store.

So do the Indians. They're back in a familiar role -- the underdog trying to find the positives.

"I wouldn't say this was a wasted opportunity," said Indians starter Dwight Gooden, who remained winless in the postseason for his career. "Anytime you're playing a team like the Yankees, you know you're in for a tough series. I still like our chances."

"We've regrouped well when we've gotten down," third baseman Travis Fryman said. "The Yankees came back hard today. We've got to come back hard tomorrow. I think home-field advantage and all those things are overrated."

One thing that's not overrated is the Yankees' pitching.

Wells, who pitched a perfect game against Minnesota on May 17 and has allowed only two runs in two playoff starts, is well rested for his Game 5 appearance. Next up is Cone, who has given up only one run in his two postseason starts this year.

That's why Saturday night's game was so important, something the crowd sensed from the first pitch -- Chuck Knoblauch's fly out to the warning track in right field, which drew a loud ovation.

When Jim Thome flied out to Paul O'Neill in front of the wall in right field with two runners aboard in the bottom of the first, an uneasy buzz went through the crowd.

Had the Indians' luck changed? Eight innings later, the crowd had its answer.

It had watched the home team make three errors, come up with no clutch hits and lose its catcher -- Sandy Alomar Jr. -- to back spasms in the fifth inning.

As it started filing out of Jacobs Field before the last out, it knew that Cleveland's best chance was gone.

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