1995 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS COLORADO ROCKIES
This on paper seemed like a no-brainer, the Phillies, the best team in the National League, would easily win the series in 4 or 5. But the baseball gods would not have it like that.
The series would start off in Veterans Stadium, the boisterous home of the Phils. The hometown team started off well, leading 3-1 at the top of the 6th. Then the Rockies exploded with a 5-run inning, ending winning the game 7-5. Game two was a defensive game, with David Cone throwing a complete game shut out with 13 K's en route to a 1-0 victory for Philadelphia.
Game 3 situated the next few games in the series in Denver. Game 3 was a blow-out for the Phillies, scoring 7 runs in the 4th and Mo Vaughn hitting 3 home runs en route to a 15-5 win for the Phillies. Game 4 was an extra innings affair, with the Phillies maintaining the lead throughout, with the game being 6-5 at the middle of the last inning of regulation. A solo home run by Harvey Pulliam tied the game, leading the game into extras. After a scoreless 10th, 11th, and 12th, Michael Jordan sent the crowds home with a 2 run walk off home run, winning the game 8-6. Game 5 was another exciting game, with Colorado clawing themselves back from a 7-0 deficit to win 10-8.
Games 6 and 7 would be played in Philly. The Rockies showed fatigue in game 6, with the Phillies easily taking the win, 7-1. Game 7 was an exciting way to close out the series, with both clubs exchanging the win. In the end, thanks to a Mickey Morandini moonshot in the 8th, the Phillies took the game 8-5 and won the series, playing in their second world series in three years.
1995 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
SEATTLE MARINERS VS BALTIMORE ORIOLES
The 1995 American League Championship Series pitted the Seattle Mariners, in the October baseball debut, against the Baltimore Orioles, with stars like Cal Ripken Jr and Greg Maddux. This was the Orioles first time since 1983 when they were in the ALCS, when they won the World Series. On the other hand, these Mariners just wanna have fun.
The beginning of the 1995 post-season brought along with their rally song for the playoffs, "We're the Mariners and we just wanna have fun" (a parody of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun). Due to the huge popularity of the song among the fans of the M's and their deep postseason run, the song managed to have lots of airtime on radio stations across the Pacific Northwest.
Game one was a decisive game, but the Orioles could not score in the 9th to take the lead, leading to a 5-3 Mariners victory. The next game, Jay Buhner had an amazing night, hitting two home runs and 2 doubles, and Randy Johnson pitching a shutout en route to a 6-0 M's victory.
As the series located itself to Camden Yards in Baltimore for the next 2 (or 3) games, the Mariners could not be stopped. They won game 3 by a score of 3-1, and closed out the series by sweeping Baltimore by a score of 5-2.