Schedule and 2007 Results
Regular Season Records: Boston 96-66, Cleveland 96-66
Game 1 on Friday, 12 October: Cleveland loses at Boston, 10-runs-3
Game 2 on Saturday, 13 October: Cleveland wins at Boston, 13-runs-6 (11 innings)
Game 3 on Monday, 15 October: Boston loses at Cleveland, 4-runs-2
Game 4 on Tuesday, 16 October: Boston loses at Cleveland, 7-runs-3
Game 5 on Thursday, 18 October: Boston wins at Cleveland, 7-runs-1
Game 6 on Saturday, 20 October: Cleveland loses at Boston, 12-runs-2
Game 7 on Sunday, 21 October: Cleveland loses at Boston, 11-runs-2

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: The Boston Red Sox hosted and defeated the Cleveland Indians 11-runs-2 to win best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1020 in seven games. With the win, the Boston Red Sox improve their best-of-7 MLB playoff series record to 8-8 overall, and 3-4 in the MLB Semifinals. With the loss, the Cleveland Indians see their best-of-7 MLB playoff series records fall to 3-5 overall, and 2-2 in the MLB Semifinals. The win order for the victorious Boston Red Sox in series 1020 was WLLLWWW: Series 1020 thus becomes the third MLB Semifinals series, the third MLB series (all rounds), and the eleventh MLB/NBA/NHL series to follow this win order. By winning series 1020, the Boston Red Sox thus become the 39th team to surmount a 3-games-1 deficit to win a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series. The MLB Boston Red Sox and the NHL Vancouver Canucks are now tied for the most comebacks (three) from 3-games-1 deficits to win best-of-7 playoff series. Boston plated a total of 51 runs in series 1020 against Cleveland: Those 51 runs are the most ever scored by one team in a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series, breaking the old record of 45 runs, set against the Red Sox by the New York Yankees in series 936 (the 2004 American League Championship Series). Those 51 runs by the Red Sox are the second-most ever scored by one team in any round of a best-of-7 MLB series, next only to the 55 runs scored by the Yankees against the Pittsburgh Pirates in series 137 (the 1960 World Series). In series 1020, the Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians combined for 83 total runs ... the third-most total runs by both teams in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series, next only to the 86 runs in series 936 (by the Red Sox and the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series) and the 85 runs in series 872 (by the Anaheim Angels and the San Francisco Giants in the 2002 World Series).

After Game 6: With best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1020 in Boston for the duration, the host Red Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians 12-runs-2 to tie series 1020 at 3-games-all. Boston thus accumulates the most runs in a best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 6 by one team since 2001, when the Arizona Diamondbacks laid fifteen runs upon the New York Yankees in series 847 (the 2001 World Series) Game 6, and the most runs in a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals playoff Game 6 by one team since 1992, when the Pittsburgh Pirates plated 13 runs against the Braves in Atlanta in series 624 (the 1992 National League Championship Series) Game 6. Through six games of series 1020, the win/site pattern for the Cleveland Indians is LWWWLL @ VVHHHV. Only once before in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series history has a series played out in this order through six games: In series 721, the St. Louis Cardinals had a win/site pattern of LWWWLL @ VVHHHV through six games against the Atlanta Braves - the Braves scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning and won Game 7 in Atlanta 15-runs-nil to take series 721. Neglect site order, and one finds only two best-of-7 MLB playoff series whose win order was LWWWLL through six games: The aforementioned series 721, and series 904 (in which the Chicago Cubs posted a LWWWLL win order through the first six games of the 2003 National League Championship Series, but lost Game 7 in Chicago to the Florida Marlins). Thus, when win order or win/site order is considered, all of the precedents within best-of-7 MLB playoff history favor the Boston Red Sox. The last MLB team to win a Game 7 on the road was the St. Louis Cardinals in series 988, over the New York Mets in the 2006 National League Championship Series just last year. In best-of-7 MLB playoff series history, home teams have a Game 7 record of 25-22 for all best-of-7 rounds (though some consider that record to be 24-23 - in series 8 [the 1912 World Series], Game 2 finished in a tie, so eight games were played; this site treats Game 8 as Game 7, since Game 8 overall was only the seventh game to be played to a decision, and that game decided the series), and a Game 7 record of 7-5 for the MLB Semifinals round. In best-of-7 MLB playoff series, the Cleveland Indians have a 0-1 Game 7 record, while the Boston Red Sox have a 3-5 Game 7 record (with the first of those three Game 7 wins occurring in the 1912 World Series, in which the seventh game played to a decision was actually the eighth game overall due to the Game 2 tie that year).

After Game 5: The Boston Red Sox visited and defeated the Cleveland Indians 7-runs-1 to narrow the Cleveland best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1020 lead to 3-games-2. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-2, the Boston Red Sox have a 2-3 series record; when leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-2, the Cleveland Indians have a 3-0 series record, with wins in series 71 (the 1948 World Series), 695 (the 1995 American League Championship Series), and 745 (the 1997 American League Championship Series). Series 1020 through five games is tied among best-of-7 MLB playoff series for the sixth-most total runs with 56 by Boston and Cleveland; in best-of-7 MLB history, the series with the most total runs (71) through five games is series 747 (the 1997 World Series, pitting Florida against - ironically - Cleveland). Through five games, the win/site pattern from the Cleveland perspective for series 1020 is LWWWL @ VVHHH: In best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series history, eight series (seven MLB and one NBA) have followed that pattern through five games, and in seven of the eight series (including the Cleveland Indians in the 1948 World Series and in the 1997 American League Championship Series ten years ago) did the team with the three wins go on to win the series. Only in series 721 did the trailing team after five games (the Atlanta Braves, in the 1996 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals) win the series. In each of those eight series, however, the team leading after five games which won the series won it in Game 6 - not once in this situation had a team lost Game 6 and won Game 7. So it is that the importance of a Game 6 victory is magnified, for both Cleveland and Boston.

After Game 4: On the strength of a seven-run bottom of the fifth inning, the Cleveland Indians defeated the Boston Red Sox 7-runs-3 to take a 3-games-1 lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1020. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-1, the Cleveland Indians have a 2-0 series record; when trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-1, the Boston Red Sox have a 2-2 series record. The seven-run fifth inning by Cleveland is the highest-scoring fifth inning (top or bottom) in best-of-7 MLB playoff game history, surpassing the previous record of six fifth-inning runs set in series 246 Game 2 by the Baltimore Orioles (in the 1971 World Series at Baltimore) and tied in series 458 Game 7 by the Kansas City Royals (in the 1985 World Series at Kansas City). In best-of-7 MLB playoff series, teams leading 3-games-1 with Games 1-2 on the road and Games 3-4 at home (such as the 2007 Cleveland Indians) have an active seven-series winning streak ... a streak started by the Cleveland Indians in series 745 (the 1997 American League Championship Series). Thus far in series 1020, the Cleveland Indians have lost Game 1 and won Game 2 on the road, and have won Games 3-4 at home; ironically, in series 71 (the 1948 World Series) and series 745 (the 1997 American League Championship Series), the Indians also lost Game 1 and won Game 2 on the road and won Games 3-4 at home, en route in each case to a series victory (through a loss at home in Game 5 and a road win in Game 6). In best-of-7 MLB playoff series history, the only team to win Game 1 and lose Game 2 at home, lose Games 3-4 on the road, and win the series was the Atlanta Braves in series 721, over the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1996 National League Championship Series: Those 1996 Braves thus set a favorable precedent for the 2007 Boston Red Sox.

After Game 3: With best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1020 in Ohio for Games 3-5, the Cleveland Indians hosted and defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-runs-2 to take a 2-games-1 series lead. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the Cleveland Indians have a series record of 2-1 (the sole loss occurred in series 770, to the New York Yankees in the 1998 American League Championship Series). When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the Boston Red Sox have a series record of 1-4 (the sole win occurred in series 473, over the California Angels in the 1986 American League Championship Series). In best-of-7 MLB Semifinals, teams such as Cleveland that lead 2-games-1 with Games 1-2 on the road and Game 3 at home are on an active six-series winning streak. The last team to lead a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series 2-games-1 with Games 1-2 on the road and Game 3 at home but lose the series? The Cleveland Indians, in the aforementioned 1998 series. Note, however, that Cleveland won series 745 (the 1997 American League Championship Series) after having been in this situation.

After Game 2: Setting a best-of-7 MLB playoff game record for most runs by one team in an extra inning, the Cleveland Indians rode a seven-run eleventh inning to a 13-runs-6 victory over the Red Sox in Boston, thus tying best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1020 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series, the Boston Red Sox have a 4-4 series record, while the Cleveland Indians have a 3-2 series record. The Indians' seven-run eleventh inning shatters the best-of-7 MLB playoff game record for most runs in an extra inning (four), set by the New York Mets in the 12th inning of series 276 Game 2 (the 1973 World Series, in Oakland against the Athletics) and tied by the Atlanta Braves in the 10th inning of series 696 Game 2 (the 1995 National League Championship Series, in Cincinnati against the Reds). Thus far in series 1020, Boston and Cleveland have plated a cumulative 32 runs, which ties series 904 (the 2003 National League Championship Series pitting the Florida Marlins against the Chicago Cubs) for most total runs through two games of a best-of-7 MLB playoff series. The thirteen total runs by Cleveland in series 1020 Game 2 is the most in a best-of-7 MLB playoff game since series 936 Game 3, in which the New York Yankees scored 19 runs in Boston against the Red Sox in the 2004 American League Championship Series.

After Game 1: The Boston Red Sox hosted and defeated the Cleveland Indians 10-runs-3 to take a 1-game-nil lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1020, thereby extending the Cleveland MLB/NBA/NHL-worst best-of-7 Game 1 record to 0-8. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil, the Boston Red Sox have a 4-4 series record; when trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil, the Cleveland Indians have a 3-4 series record. By scoring a run in the top of the first inning, Cleveland stopped the Boston best-of-7 streaks of consecutive innings without trailing at 60, and consecutive innings of holding a lead at 51. The ten runs by Boston are the most by a home team in a best-of-7 MLB game since series 938, when the Red Sox plated 11 runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in Boston in Game 1 of the 2004 World Series. With the win, the Boston Red Sox extend their best-of-7 MLB playoff game-winning streak to nine, thus matching a similar streak by the New York Yankees (from Game 4 of series 770 [the 1998 American League Championship Series] through Game 2 of series 795 [the 1999 American League Championship Series], inclusive - a streak begun against the Cleveland Indians and ended against the Boston Red Sox).

Pre-series assessment: In the 2007 regular season, Cleveland and Boston finished tied at 96-66, with Boston winning the tiebreaker and thus gaining home-field advantage. From 1905 through the 2006 MLB Finals, when MLB teams were tied with their best-of-7 playoff series opponents in regular-season games, the teams with home-field advantage have posted a 3-1 (.750) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. Best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1020 is the 16th best-of-7 playoff series for the Boston Red Sox, and the 8th for the Cleveland Indians. In best-of-7 MLB playoff series, the Cleveland Indians have a 3-4 series record, a 2-1 Semifinals-round series record, and an MLB/NBA/NHL-worst 0-7 Game 1 record, while the Boston Red Sox have a 7-8 series record, a 2-4 Semifinals-round record, and an 8-7 Game 1 record. Series 1020 is the first best-of-7 meeting between Cleveland and Boston. Only once before had a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals (League Championship Series) featured contestants that had identical regular-season records: in series 623 (the 1992 American League Championship Series), the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays sported identical regular-season records; Toronto, with the home-field advantage, won the series and went on to win the 1992 MLB championship - ironically, both Oakland and Toronto in 1992 had 96-66 records ... as did Cleveland and Boston fifteen years later. The 1992 Toronto Blue Jays thus set a favorable precedent for the 2007 Boston Red Sox.