Cleveland Sweeps; Message Delivered Wakefield Can’t Extend Series As Season Ends For Red Sox

The Cleveland Indians knocked the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs as decisively as they dominated the regular season.

Cleveland wrapped up the first postseason sweep in its 95-year history with an 8-2 victory Friday night, sending the Red Sox to their major-league record 13th consecutive postseason loss.

“I’ve never been in this position, so I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel,” Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove said. “I look forward to the next step.”

The Indians, who won 100 games in the regular season, will face the winner of the New York-Seattle series, starting Tuesday, as they aim for their first World Series in 41 years.

For the Red Sox, a season that was so much better than expected, ended like so many others. No championship flag will fly over Fenway Park.

Boston sluggers Mo Vaughn and Jose Canseco ended the series without a hit as Vaughn went 0 for 14 with seven strikeouts and Canseco 0 for 13 in the three games.

“I can’t say that I’m sorry that he (Vaughn) didn’t get a hit,” Hargrove said, “but people like Mo Vaughn deserve better.”

Said Boston manager Kevin Kennedy: “Their pitching is the key. I think that’s where it starts. The lineup, I respect a lot, (but) I’m a big believer in pitching.”

Charles Nagy scattered four hits in seven innings, while Boston’s Tim Wakefield, the A.L.’s best pitcher until mid-August, couldn’t shake his late-season slump as he allowed seven runs in 5-1/2 innings.

Jim Thome started Cleveland’s attack with a two-run homer in the second.

Wakefield pitched a perfect first inning, then walked four in the next two innings to give Cleveland a 3-0 lead.