Skip to comments.

Posted on 11/04/2001 7:52:29 PM PST by t-shirt

Diamondbacks win World Series

By Carrie Muskat

11/04/2001 11:39 PM ET MLB.com

Randy Johnson pitched for the second straight game, winning his fifth game of the postseason.

Box score PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks found their own mystique and aura.

After being beaten in extra inning games twice in New York, Arizona got revenge and a World Championship, too.

Luis Gonzalez hit a RBI single with one out in the ninth inning Sunday night to give the expansion Diamondbacks a 3-2 Game 7 victory and World Series win, upending the three-gime defending champion New York Yankees.

Mark Grace singled to lead off the ninth against Mariano Rivera. Damian Miller then reached on a fielder's choice and pinch-runner David Dellucci was safe at second on a throwing error by Rivera, who fielded the bunt but overthrew second base. Pinch-hitter Erubiel Durazo then bunted, forcing Dellucci at third.

Tony Womack then doubled to right, scoring pinch-runner Midre Cummings and tying the game at 2. It was the first run off Rivera after six scoreless innings.

Craig Counsell, the only D-Back with a World Series ring, was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Gonzalez who blooped a single over shortstop Derek Jeter into shallow center for the game-winner.

WP: Randy Johnson (5-1)

LP: Mariano Rivera (0-1)

SV: None

HR: Alfonso Soriano (2)

Despite being outhit, outscored and nearly outpitched, the Yankees were on the verge of their fourth consecutive title. They had their bullpen ace, Rivera, on the mound.

But the home team has won every game this Series and the D-Backs threw out their dynamic tandem of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in the same game.

Wow.

Rookie Alfonso Soriano hit a tie-breaking home run leading off the eighth inning off Schilling to give New York a 2-1 lead.

The Yankees entered the game batting .183 and were outscored 36-14 in the seven games. They needed more.

New York manager Joe Torre had hoped Schilling, pitching on short rest for the second straight start, was weary.

"We're looking for that crack in the armor," Torre said.

Soriano found it briefly.

Arizona had taken a 1-0 lead on Danny Bautista's RBI double in the sixth but the Yankees quickly tied it in the seventh on Tino Martinez's RBI single.

Schilling, who retired 16 in a row at one point, gave up two runs on six hits over 7 1/3 innings, including Soriano's blast off a 0-2 pitch into the left field bleachers.

Miguel Batista then got one out and gave way to Johnson, who had pitched seven innings in Game 6. He got pinch-hitter Chuck Knoblauch to fly out and end the inning.

The Yankees have had to play deciding games in best-of-five series but not a Game 7 since 1964.

"The pressures are different, no question," Torre said. "You're finally here and after today it just stops. It's been 100 miles an hour for a few weeks now and it's been pressure-packed."

This was the 34th time the World Series has gone seven games and the 49,589 at Bank One Ballpark weren't disappointed.

There were a lot of goosebump moments.

Here's to whoever had 19 in the strikeout pool between the two 20-game winners. Schilling struck out nine and New York starter Roger Clemens had 10.

This has all been new to Arizonans, who have never cheered a pro sports championship. Counsell was the only D-Back with a championship ring, winning it in 1997 with Florida. That also was the last time the Series had gone seven games.

For Clemens, it was his sixth career World Series start and the first time he's had to pick up a bat in the postseason since Game 6 of the 1986 World Series when he played for Boston against the New York Mets. He gave up one run on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings before giving way to Mike Stanton.

Clemens had tested the BOB's mound on Friday, an off day, after the team arrived from New York. It must have been OK.

With the game tied at 1, Clemens struck out Schilling to start the Arizona seventh and then gave up a single to Tony Womack before exiting.

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada threw out Womack trying to steal second, although the replay looked as if he was safe, and then Stanton got Counsell to pop up and end the inning.

Schilling is the first pitcher to start six games in a single postseason, making his fourth career World Series start, but it was his first loss this postseason.

Ten years ago, Schilling's repertoire was a fastball and a slider, and he threw both hard and didn't know exactly where they were going. A lengthy pep talk from Clemens changed Schilling's approach and his career.

"It's like Obi-Wan Kenobi facing Luke Skywalker," Arizona pitcher Brian Anderson said of the Clemens vs. Schilling matchup.

Paul O'Neill, playing what is likely his last game, doubled with one out in the Yankees first but was thrown out trying to extend his hit on a perfect 9-4-5 relay. Counsell's throw was right on target.

The D-Backs had runners at first and second with one out in the second but Clemens struck out Damian Miller and Schilling. Arizona had two on in the third and again, Clemens came through, getting Finley swinging at strike three to end the inning. It also was the right-hander's 62nd pitch. He wasn't going to go the distance.

The D-Backs finally broke through in the sixth. Finley singled to open the inning and Bautista smacked the first pitch from Clemens to the wall in center for a double. But Bautista got greedy and was thrown out on an 8-6-5 relay. Jeter caught Bernie Williams' throw from center in the air and fired to Scott Brosius at third.

The Yankees had one hit over six innings and Schilling had retired 16 in a row before Derek Jeter singled to start the seventh. O'Neill then singled and Bernie Williams hit into a fielder's choice, forcing O'Neill at second. Martinez singled to right to score Jeter and muffle the crowd.

Shane Spencer lofted the ball to right center but Finley tracked down the ball and ended the inning. Getting to the World Series again was imperative to the Yankees. Winning is everything.

"I think the most important thing is you always want an opportunity to defend what you've done," Torre said.

The Yankees have had to deal with more than baseball this season. But Sunday's game was not about Sept. 11, but about baseball. And this was the ultimate game.

It was quite a Series.

"It's had a little bit of everything," Brenly said. "It's had great pitching, it's had some of the most ungodly, timely hitting you're ever going to see in your life. We've had offensive explosions, we've had great defense and we've had shoddy defense.

"We've had enough manager's decisions to keep all of (the media) happy," he said, "and certainly enough competitive games to keep all the fans in both cities happy.

"I think people are surprised that this series has gone the way it has," Brenly said, "but I can't wait to sit back and watch the tapes myself." Us, too.

Carrie Muskat is a regional writer for MLB.com based in Chicago

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.