2011 MLB Playoffs: Ranking Every Division Series Game 5 in MLB History

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I feel like I'm seven years old again.

It's Christmas morning, I'm giddy with excitement, and ready to sneak downstairs to shake some presents before my parents wake up.

The 2011 Major League Baseball season has gifted us not one, not two, but three Divisional Series Game 5's and I just can't wait to open them up and find out what's inside.

There have been a total of 17 Game 5's in the history of the Divisional Series round.  This includes three games played in the strike shortened 1981 season.

The home team is only 8-9 in those 17 games.

This means that it doesn't matter if you won more games in the regular season, and it doesn't matter how loud your fans are.  This is Game 5 and the winner will be whichever team can step up in the spotlight and make the big play.

Let's take a look back and see which 17 teams have stepped up in the past as we rank the 17 Game 5's in order of excitement.

17. 2003 NLDS Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves

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Final Score

Chicago 5
Atlanta 1 

Game 5 MVP

Kerry Wood - 8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 7 SO

Quick Synopsis

The Cubs jumped out to an early lead and the Braves were never able to get anything going against Kerry Wood.

16. 2004 NLDS Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves

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Final Score

Houston 12
Atlanta 3

Game 5 MVP

Carlos Beltran - 4-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI

Quick Synopsis

This score was 4-2 going into the seventh inning when Houston scored five runs. They added three runs in the eighth to finish off Atlanta easily.

15. 2010 ALDS Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays

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Final Score

Texas 5
Tampa Bay 1

Game 5 MVP

Cliff Lee - 9 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 11 SO

Quick Synopsis

The Rangers led this game the whole way as Cliff Lee bested youngster David Price.

14. 1981 NLDS Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Final Score

Dodgers 4
Astros 0 

Game 5 MVP

Jerry Reuss - 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 4 SO

Quick Synopsis

This was a close game until the sixth inning when the Dodgers finally broke through on singles by Rick Monday, Mike Scioscia, and Bill Russell.  Reuss would dominate throughout and end Nolan Ryan and the Houston Astros season.

13. 1981 NLDS Montreal Expos vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Final Score

Montreal 3
Philadelphia 0

Game 5 MVP

Steve Rogers - 9 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 SO

Quick Synopsis

Steve Rogers simply dominated the Phillies.  The Expos scored a couple of runnings in the middle innings and that's all they would need to stop a star studded Phillies team in their tracks.

12. 2001 ALDS Cleveland Indians vs. Seattle Mariners

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Final Score

Seattle 3
Cleveland 1 

Game 5 MVP

Mark McLemore - 2-4, 2 RBI

Quick Synopsis

The Indians offense just didn't make the trip out west.  They could only muster four total hits and one run.

11. 2000 ALDS New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics

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Final Score

NY Yankees 7
Oakland 5

Game 5 MVP

Tino Martinez - 3-5, 1 R, 3 RBI

Quick Synopsis

The Yankees scored six runs in the first inning to essentially end any hope the light hitting A's would have to catch up.

10. 1981 ALDS Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Yankees

Final Score

NY Yankees 7
Milwaukee 3

Game 5 MVP

Reggie Jackson - 3-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

Quick Synopsis

This was a 4-3 game in the 7th inning when Rick Cerone hit a 2-run home run to give the Yankees the distance necessary to eliminate a very good Milwaukee Brewers team.

9. 2001 ALDS Oakland Athletics vs. New York Yankees

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Final Score

NY Yankees 5
Oakland 3

Game 5 MVP

Yankees bullpen - 4 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 K

Quick Synopsis

Close game without any heavy swings one way or the other.  The Yankees bullpen made the difference by not allowing Oakland to rally from the fifth inning onward.

8. 1999 ALDS Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians

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Final Score

Boston 12
Cleveland 8

Game 5 MVP

Troy O'Leary - 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 7 RBI

Quick Synopsis

This was a high-scoring back and forth game.  The Indians had a 5-2 lead heading into the third until Troy O'Leary hit a grand slam to give the Red Sox the 7-5 lead.  The Indians would answer in the bottom of the inning to take the lead 8-7.  The Red Sox would tie it a few innings later and then O'Leary's second home run of the day in the seventh inning was the capper to give the Red Sox the win.

7. 1997 ALDS New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians

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Final Score

Cleveland 4
New York Yankees 3 

Game 5 MVP

Manny Ramirez - 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI

Quick Synopsis

The Yankees had the tying run at second base with Bernie Williams at the plate, but Jose Mesa forced a pop out to end the game.

6. 2005 ALDS New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

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Final Score

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 5
New York Yankees 3 

Game 5 MVP

Garrett Anderson - 1-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Quick Synopsis

The Angels jumped out to 5-2 lead early in the game and the Yankees just weren't able to claw back into it.  

The Yankees had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the ninth when Hideki Matsui grounded out to first base to end the game.

5. 2002 NLDS San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves

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Final Score

San Francisco 3
Atlanta 1

Game 5 MVP

Barry Bonds - 2-3, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Quick Synopsis

The Braves had two runners on base with one out in the bottom of the ninth with Chipper Jones at the plate, but Jones hit into a game and series ending double play.

4. 2002 ALDS Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics

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Final Score

Minnesota 5
Oakland 4 

Game 5 MVP

A.J. Pierzynski - 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI

Quick Synopsis

2-1 score heading into the ninth inning when Pierzynski hits a 2-run home run to extend the lead.  The Twins would add one more to make it 5-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth.  

The A's get two runners on base and Mark Ellis hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to close the game to 5-4.

Randy Velarde would single to put the winning run at the plate in Ray Durham, but Durham weakly popped out in foul territory to end the game. 

3. 2003 ALDS Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics

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Final Score

Boston 4
Athletics 3 

Game 5 MVP

Manny Ramirez - 1-4, 1 R, 3 RBI

Quick Synopsis

Red Sox rallied for four runs in the sixth inning including a three run home run from Manny Ramirez.

The Athletics would load the bases in the bottom of the ninth only to see Derek Lowe strikeout Terrance Long to end the series.

2. 2001 NLDS St. Louis Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

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Final Score

Arizona 2
St. Louis 1 

Game 5 MVP

Curt Schilling - 9 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 9 SO

Quick Synopsis

The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks knew a thing or two about series ending walk offs.  

Tony Womack slapped a single to left field scoring Danny Bautista in the bottom of the ninth to end the Cardinals season.

1. 1995 ALDS New York Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners

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Final Score

Seattle 6
New York Yankees 5 

Game 5 MVP

Ken Griffey Jr. - 2-5, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI

Quick Synopsis

The Mariners trailed 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning when Ken Griffey Jr. hit his fifth home run of the series to tie the game 5-5.

The Yankees would take a 6-5 lead in the top half of the 11th inning when Randy Velarde singled in Pat kelly.  

However, the Mariners just wouldn't be denied. Edgar Martinez doubled off of Jack McDowell to score Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr. and give the Mariners the come from behind, walk off victory.