Tuesday, October 6, 1998, at Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York Cleveland came in as heavy underdogs, but also were the defending American League Champions.

Spencer walked before Jorge Posada's RBI single made it 4–0 Yankees and knocked starter Jaret Wright out of the game.

Graeme Lloyd relieved Nelson and allowed a two-run single to Kenny Lofton while Mike Jackson shutout the Yankees in the bottom of the inning for the save as the Indians tied the series 1–1.

After the Yankees took the lead in the first when Chuck Knoblauch hit a leadoff single, moved to third on two groundouts and scored on a Bernie Williams RBI-single, the Indians took control of the game.

Jim Thome led off the bottom of the second with a home run, then Mark Whiten doubled and scored on an Enrique Wilson single to make it 2–1 Cleveland.

The strong pitching of Colon silenced the Yankees' bats the rest of the way as the New York batters were held hitless from the fifth inning onwards.

Saturday, October 10, 1998, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio The Yankees looked to Orlando "El Duque" Hernández for a clutch pitching performance.

In the fourth, Gooden walked two before Chili Davis's RBI double and Tino Martinez's sacrifice fly scored a run each.

After two singles and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with no outs, a sacrifice fly by Manny Ramírez made it a one-run game.

In the second, Chuck Knoblauch drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Paul O'Neill single to make it 4–2.

Chili Davis homered in the fourth off of Wright to put the Yankees ahead by three, but Jim Thome hit his third home run of the series in the bottom of the sixth to make it a two-run game.