Ohio Cup - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Cincinnati Reds – Cleveland Indians

History
First meeting	June, 1997
Last meeting	July 2011
Next meeting	May 2012
Number of meetings	75
Regular season series	CLE, 39-36
Largest victory
Current streak	CIN, 1 Win
Longest CLE win streak
Longest CIN win streak

The Ohio Cup was an annual pre-season

Spring training

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

game, which pitted the Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

rivals Cleveland Indians

Cleveland Indians

The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

and Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

.

In its first series it was a single-game cup, played each year at minor-league Cooper Stadium

Cooper Stadium

Cooper Stadium is a baseball stadium in Columbus, Ohio and was the home of the minor league Columbus Clippers from 1977 to 2008. Cooper Stadium has had several names over the years, including Red Bird Stadium, Jets Stadium and Franklin County Stadium, but in 1984 the stadium was renamed in honor of...

in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

, was staged just days before the start of each new Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

season. A total of eight Ohio Cup games were played, in 1989 to 1996, with the Indians winning six of them. It stopped because interleague play

Interleague play

Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season...

started in 1997. The winner of the game each year was awarded the Ohio Cup in postgame ceremonies. The Ohio Cup was a favorite among baseball fans in Columbus, with attendances regularly topping 15,000.

In 1997 and after, the two teams competed annually in the regular-season Battle of Ohio or Buckeye Series. In 2008 the Ohio Cup restarted.

As of 2011, the Indians lead the interleague series 39–36.

Other meetings

The Indians and Reds have, on occasion, met in other non-competitive games.

During Spring training

Spring training

in March 2007 the rivals faced each other twice. The Indians won the first game on March 9 by a score of 7-3. The Reds won a game on March 10 by a score of 5-2.

They teams even cleared their benches during an exhibition in 1993, when Jose Mesa

José Mesa

José Ramón Nova Mesa [MAY-sah] is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. His nickname was "Joe Table," the literal translation of his name in the English language....

threw a pitch behind Cincinnati's Hal Morris

Hal Morris

William Harold Morris III is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Cincinnati Reds. He attended Munster High School in Munster, Indiana, and the University of Michigan. Morris was the Player of the Year while attending Munster High School...

leading to a fight in which Morris separated his shoulder.

The teams however, as mentioned above, have yet to meet in the World Series

World Series

The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...

. There have been several near misses though, including 1995

1995 Major League Baseball season

Due to the 1994 Major League Baseball strike which carried into the 1995 season, a shortened 144 game schedule commenced on April 25, when the Florida Marlins played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Regular season:...

, when both teams advanced to their respective League Championship Series

League Championship Series

The League Championship Series is the official name for a round of postseason play in Major League Baseball which has been conducted since 1969...

, but only Cleveland won

1995 American League Championship Series

-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 1995 at Kingdome in Seattle, WashingtonThe Indians called on the veteran Dennis Martinez for Game 1. The Mariners rode the arm of Bob Wolcott. Wolcott got off to a shaky start by walking three straight hitters to open the game. But he would get out of the bases loaded...

- the Reds were swept in four games

1995 National League Championship Series

-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 1995 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe opening game of the 1995 NLCS would be well-pitched and decided in extra innings. The only run allowed by Tom Glavine, who would go seven innings, came on a Ron Gant single following a Barry Larkin triple in the fourth...

by the eventual champions Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

The Ohio Cup's origin

Ohio's two Major League Baseball teams had never met in the World Series

World Series

. Prior to 1989, the teams had never even qualified for the post-season in the same year. They came close in both 1919 and 1940 when Cincinnati won both the National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

and World Series and Cleveland finished second in the American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

.

Details of an Ohio Cup were first unveiled at a press conference on August 25, 1988. The managers of both the Indians and Reds did not treat the cup game as anything more than an exhibition, but many fans in Columbus treated it like a referendum on major league sports in the city. At that time Columbus did not have any major league sports.

Sitting between Cleveland and Cincinnati, the city was always divided when it came to allegiance to the state's big league teams. "Half the fans (in Columbus) love the Reds and hate the Indians and the other half love the Indians and hate the Reds. It's a great matchup," said the game's promoter, Keith Sprunk.

Indians manager Doc Edwards

Doc Edwards

Howard Rodney Edwards was a backup catcher with the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees, and the Philadelphia Phillies over parts of five seasons spanning eight years...

agreed. "I'll love to play it, it's great. San Francisco and Oakland do the same thing. I'd like to see (the Ohio Cup) become an annual thing, either during the spring or in the summer.".

Former Clippers

A number of former Columbus Clippers

Columbus Clippers

The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....

returned to Cooper Stadium to play in the Ohio Cup as members of the Reds or Indians. Among those appearing for the Reds were Roberto Kelly

Roberto Kelly

Roberto Conrado Kelly is a former Outfielder in Major League Baseball and is currently the first base coach for the San Francisco Giants. He previously managed the Giants' single-A team, the Augusta GreenJackets. Kelly played for several major league clubs...

, the 1987 Clipper of the Year, and pitcher José Rijo

José Rijo

José Antonio Rijo Abreu is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Reds .-Playing career:...

who appeared briefly with Columbus in 1984. The 1989 Co-Clipper of the Year winners Hal Morris

Hal Morris

and Brian Dorsett

Brian Dorsett

Brian Richard Dorsett is a retired professional baseball player who played 8 seasons for the Cleveland Indians, California Angels, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Brian currently owns and operates a new car dealership in Terre Haute,...

also featured. Alvaro Espinoza

Alvaro Espinoza

Álvaro Alberto Espinoza [es-pe-NO-zah] is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball and current infield coach for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.-Early life:...

, who hit .246 in 119 games with the Clippers in 1988, appeared for Cleveland and knocked in a run with a pinch-hit double in the 1993 Ohio Cup.

Ohio Cup (1989-96)

No.	Date	Winner		Runner Up		Date	Attendance
1	April 2	Indians Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...	1	Reds Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....	0	Cooper Stadium Cooper Stadium Cooper Stadium is a baseball stadium in Columbus, Ohio and was the home of the minor league Columbus Clippers from 1977 to 2008. Cooper Stadium has had several names over the years, including Red Bird Stadium, Jets Stadium and Franklin County Stadium, but in 1984 the stadium was renamed in honor of...	15,978
2	April 8	Indians	12	Reds	3	Cooper Stadium	15,878
3	April 7	Indians	4	Reds	3	Cooper Stadium	16,276
4	April 5	Reds	2	Indians	0	Cooper Stadium	15,820
5	April 3	Indians	9	Reds	1	Cooper Stadium	15,596
6	April 1	Indians	8	Reds	4	Cooper Stadium	15,894
7	March 31	Reds	6	Indians	1	Cooper Stadium	2,000
8	March 31	Indians	5	Reds	3	Cooper Stadium	16,697

An average crowd of 15,910 attended the first five Ohio Cups at the 15,000 seat Cooper Stadium. Those crowds ranked 3rd, 4th, 7th, 9th and 12th among all time largest baseball crowds at the stadium. Only about 2000 made it out in 1995 with temperatures near freezing and replacement players taking the field.

The first Reds and Indians match-up in 16 years proved to be an anti-climax, marred by 40-degree temperatures made colder by constant rain and brisk wind. The so called I-71 battle was uneventful and proved to be something less than a jump-start before both teams' home openers. Cleveland started only four regulars while Cincinnati opted to play seven of their nine starters. It remained scoreless until the top of the eighth inning when a throwing error by Reds outfielder Herm Winningham

Herm Winningham

Herman Son Winningham is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball.Drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round of the 1981 amateur draft, Winningham made his major league debut with the Mets on September 1, , and appeared in his final game on October 3, .Winningham was a member of the...

allowed Luis Aguayo

Luis Aguayo

Luis Aguayo Muriel is the former third base coach of the New York Mets baseball team. He is a former major league baseball player. An infielder, Aguayo played with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1980 to 1988. During the season, Aguayo was traded for pitcher Amalio Carreno to the New York Yankees...

to score the only run. Minor league pitcher Gregg McMichael received the win while Reds' reliever Mike Griffin

Mike Griffin (pitcher)

Michael Leroy Griffin is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during six seasons at the major league level for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, and Cincinnati Reds. He was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 3rd round of the amateur draft...

was credited with the loss.

In the contest, catchers Sandy Alomar, Jr.

Sandy Alomar, Jr.

Santos "Sandy" Alomar, Jr., or in the Spanish-language naming system Santos Alomar Velázquez , is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the San Diego Padres , Cleveland Indians , Chicago White Sox and , Colorado Rockies , Texas Rangers , Los Angeles Dodgers , and New York Mets...

and Joel Skinner

Joel Skinner

Joel Patrick Skinner is a former Major League Baseball catcher and former third base coach of the Cleveland Indians. Skinner was dismissed effective with the end of the 2009 season on September 30, 2009. He is the son of Bob Skinner, a National League outfielder in the 1950s and '60s...

combined for six RBI as the Indians won their second straight Ohio Cup before a standing-room only crowd. In an action-packed game, the Indians banged out 13 hits, including six in the fourth inning which resulted in seven-runs. Cory Snyder

Cory Snyder

James Cory Snyder is a former Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1986 to 1994. Snyder's best season came in 1987 with the Indians when he hit 33 home runs and had 82 runs batted in...

hit a monster blast off Danny Jackson

Danny Jackson

Danny Lynn Jackson was a pitcher with a 15-year career from to . He played for the Kansas City Royals of the American League and the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, St...

that traveled well past the 400-foot sign in straightaway center field. Alomar homered twice, the first a three-run shot to left-center, the second a solo effort. Skinner hit a two run shot after being brought in to replace Alomar.

In , Indians outfielder Albert Belle

Albert Belle

Albert Jojuan Belle is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles...

hit his eleventh home run of the exhibition season as the Indians beat the defending World Champion Reds 4-3. Jerry Browne

Jerry Browne

Jerome Austin "The Governor" Browne was a Major League Baseball second baseman from to . Currently, he is the hitting coach for the Syracuse Chiefs.-External links:...

hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to lift the Indians to victory.

The Reds finally ended their rivals' supremacy in . Cincinnati took the lead in the first. Lead off hitter Bip Roberts

Bip Roberts

Leon Joseph "Bip" Roberts is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and outfielder who played from 1986 to 1998 for the San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics.-Career:He was a speedy second baseman, largely associated...

doubled and later scored. They added another run in the fourth. Reds' third baseman Chris Sabo

Chris Sabo

Christopher Andrew Sabo is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals . At 6'0" and 180 lb , he batted and threw right-handed...

counted an RBI double among his two hits while Albert Belle hit two of his team's four hits.

Mike Bielecki

Mike Bielecki

Michael Joseph Bielecki was a professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1984–1997.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...

stopped Cincinnati on one run and four hits in six innings and Albert Belle had a three-run single as the Tribe won their fourth Ohio Cup in five years in the contest. Highlights included a home run by Indians' first baseman Paul Sorrento

Paul Sorrento

Paul Anthony Sorrento is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 1999, Sorrento played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Devil Rays . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...

. The only Reds run was scored by Barry Larkin.

In , Manny Ramírez

Manny Ramírez

Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...

and Paul Sorrento

Paul Sorrento

homered in a five-run second inning to help give the Indians an 8-4 win. Mark Clark pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and three runs, walking one and striking out five to gain the win. Albert Belle

Albert Belle

Albert Jojuan Belle is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles...

and Eddie Murray

Eddie Murray

Eddie Clarence Murray , nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game...

led off the second inning with singles and Sorrento followed with his homer. After Jim Thome

Jim Thome

James Howard "Jim" Thome is a Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is the eighth player to hit 600 home runs in the major leagues. He is widely considered a future Hall of Famer.-Cleveland Indians :...

singled, Ramirez homered. All five runs came off Tom Browning

Tom Browning

Thomas Leo Browning is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 12-year baseball career, he pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals...

.

With the 1994 Major League Baseball strike only coming to an end on April 2, replacement players traveled to Columbus to take part in the edition. Teamsters picketed outside the stadium as snow fell. With temperatures near freezing and replacements Tim Delgado and Rich Sauveur

Rich Sauveur

Richard Daniel Sauveur is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during six seasons at the major league level for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and Oakland Athletics. He was drafted by the Pirates in the 5th round of the...

taking the mound, only a couple thousand fans made it out. The "Reds" won the game 6-1.

A line drive single by Julio Franco

Julio Franco

Julio César Robles Franco is a former Major League Baseball infielder and designated hitter. In , Franco was the oldest active player in the major leagues at the age of 49....

in the fifth inning broke a 3-3 tie Cleveland defeated Cincinnati to win the final Ohio Cup in . Manny Ramírez had given Cleveland a 3-1 lead with a three-run homer to left field in the second off the Reds' Mark Portugal

Mark Portugal

Mark Steven Portugal is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the major leagues from 1985 to 1999.-Career:Portugal attended Norwalk High School in Norwalk, California. He was signed by the Minnesota Twins in 1980...

. Hal Morris drove in two runs for the Reds with a first-inning single and a double in the third, with Bret Boone

Bret Boone

Bret Robert Boone is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.-Personal life:Boone was born in El Cajon, California to Susan G. Roel and Bob Boone. He is a graduate of El Dorado High School and the University of Southern California. He is the grandson of former major leaguer Ray Boone and...

scoring both times. A single by Vince Coleman

Vince Coleman

Vincent Maurice Coleman is an American former Major League Baseball player, best known for his years with the St. Louis Cardinals. Primarily a left fielder, Coleman played from to and set a number of stolen base records. He was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed.-Biography:Coleman attended...

in the fifth drove in Jeff Branson

Jeff Branson

Jeffrey Dale "Jeff" Branson is an American actor.-Life and career:Branson was born in St.Louis and originated the role of Jonathan Lavery on the ABC soap opera All My Children on June 15, 2004. Although he was off the air from mid-April until August 2005 while his character was believed dead in an...

and tied the score at 3-3.

The victory gave the Indians a 6-2 lead in the Ohio Cup series and was viewed by 16,697 people, the largest crowd in the game's history and the second largest at Cooper Stadium.
Indians starter Joe Roa

Joe Roa

Joseph Rodger Roa , nicknamed "The Roa Constrictor", is former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Roa is a graduate of Hazel Park High School and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 18th round of the 1989 amateur draft...

was the winning pitcher.

Battle of Ohio: 1997 to 2007

In 1997 the Ohio Cup match series stopped and interleague play

Interleague play

started. The rivalry between the Cleveland Indians

Cleveland Indians

and the Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

continued as the Battle of Ohio match series. The series provided an opportunity to determine bragging rights for the State, the two teams having never met in the World Series

World Series

.
The Cleveland Indians lead the all-time interleague series 32-31.

The Indians and Reds first met on June 16, 1997 at Jacobs Field

Jacobs Field

Progressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball and the American League. Along with Quicken Loans Arena, it is part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex...

, in front of a sellout crowd of 42,961. Cleveland starting pitcher Orel Hershiser

Orel Hershiser

Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...

struck out lead off hitter Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders

Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...

. Indians' designated hitter Kevin Seitzer

Kevin Seitzer

Kevin Lee Seitzer is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball with the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and Cleveland Indians.-Career:...

recorded the first ever hit in a Battle for Ohio game when he doubled in the bottom of the first inning. Pokey Reese

Pokey Reese

Calvin "Pokey" Reese, Jr. , is an American retired professional baseball infielder. Reese is a two-time National League Gold Glove Award winner and played with the Cincinnati Reds , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Boston Red Sox...

recorded the series first ever run, scoring in the bottom of the second inning for the Reds. Manny Ramírez

Manny Ramírez

hit the first Buckeye Series home run in the bottom of the ninth, but it was not enough to prevent the Reds winning the inaugural game 4-1.

The best performance by any player in one game in the rivalry was Reds center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken Griffey, Jr.

George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...

in 2000 with 8 RBI and 2 HR.

Except in 2002, the Indians and Reds have played each other every year since interleague play has been established. They have played each other 6 times every year since 1999 except 2002 and 2003, with each team hosting a three-game series. In 2002 and 2003, other games, such as the Indians vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

, were played instead of the Buckeye Series. In 2004, the Indians-Reds rivalry resumed to six games per year.

Ohio Cup revived 2008-Present

In 2008 the Ohio Cup restarted, and the Ohio Lottery

Ohio Lottery

The Ohio Lottery is run by the Ohio Lottery Commission. Its games include Pick 3 and Pick 4 , Rolling Cash 5, Ten-OH!, Keno, Classic Lotto, Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch tickets. The marketing slogan is "Take a chance on education. Odds are, you'll have fun!" In 1973, the creation of the...

now sponsors the Ohio Cup, which is now a 32-inch trophy which will go to the winner of the Reds-Indians series. If there is a 3-3 split of the season series, each team will keep the trophy for part of the season.

This restarted series uses a new trophy made in 2008 by Trophy Awards, a Northern Kentucky

Northern Kentucky

Northern Kentucky is the name often given to the northernmost counties in Kentucky...

company. It is 3 feet high, with a 12-inch stainless cup in the middle.

In the revived trophy's inaugural season, the Reds swept the first three game series at home, which took place between May 16–18 , after three strong performances by Edinson Volquez

Edinson Volquez

Edinson Volquez [VOL-kez] , is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. He bats and throws right-handed....

, Aaron Harang

Aaron Harang

Aaron Michael Harang is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher.-Amateur career:Harang graduated from Patrick Henry High School then went on to San Diego State University...

, and Johnny Cueto

Johnny Cueto

Johnny Brent Cueto [KWAY-toe] is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds.-Minor league career:...

. As the series moved back to Cleveland on June 27–29, with the Indians' C.C. Sabathia

C.C. Sabathia

Carsten Charles "CC" Sabathia is an American professional baseball pitcher with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball...

throwing a 6-0 shutout against the Reds in the first game. In the second, the Reds battled back with a strong effort by Cueto to win game two 5-0. The Cincinnati Reds clinched the cup with this win. In the final game in Cleveland, the Reds overcame a late surge by the Tribe to win 9-5, and the series itself 5 games to 1. Ballots were passed out in the middle of the final game for the MVP

Most Valuable Player

In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...

, awarded to Reds

Cincinnati Reds

outfielder Adam Dunn

Adam Dunn

Adam Troy Dunn , nicknamed "Big Donkey", is an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed....

, who had a combined five home runs and 10 RBI

Run batted in

Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...

in the series.

In , the Reds retained the trophy, winning four of the six contests. The Reds took two of the three games in Cincinnati in May, and went on to win two of the three games in Cleveland in June.

Results summary

Year	Cleveland		Cincinnati		Dates played	MVP (2008–Present)
	Indians	1	Reds	2	June 16–18
	Indians	2	Reds	1	June 5–7
	Indians	4	Reds	2	June 11–13, July 9–11
	Indians	3	Reds	3	June 9–11, July 7–9
	Indians	3	Reds	3	June 8–10, July 12–14
	Indians	2	Reds	1	June 27–29
	Indians	4	Reds	2	June 11–13, July 2–4
	Indians	4	Reds	2	May 20–22, June 24–26
	Indians	3	Reds	3	June 23-23, June 30-July 2
	Indians	3	Reds	3	May 18–20, June 8–10
	Indians	1	Reds	5	May 16–18, June 27–29	Adam Dunn Adam Dunn Adam Troy Dunn , nicknamed "Big Donkey", is an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.... , Reds OF Outfielder Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
	Indians	2	Reds	4	May 22–24, June 26–28	Ramon Hernandez Ramón Hernández Ramón José Hernández Marin is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher who plays for the Colorado Rockies. Previously, he played with the Oakland Athletics , San Diego Padres , Baltimore Orioles , and Cincinnati Reds .-Career:Hernández is a career .263 hitter with 144 home runs, 651 RBI, and 455... , Reds C Catcher Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
	Indians	2	Reds	4	May 21–23, June 25–27	Shin-Soo Choo Shin-Soo Choo Shin-Soo Choo is a South Korean professional baseball outfielder with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball in the United States.Choo was selected as the Most Valuable Player and Best Pitcher of the 2000 World Junior Baseball Championship as South Korea won the event... , Indians OF Outfielder Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
	Indians	5	Reds	1	May 20–22, July 1–3
Overall	Indians	39	Reds	36

External links

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