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TINO
MARTINEZ CHANGES THE TIDE It is hard to believe that the World Series could be determined by one at bat. Even more so when that one at bat does not come in the deciding game. Would you believe that the one at bat was also not the game-winning hit? The two-run home run by Tino Martinez, with two outs in the bottom of ninth, could very well be the one at bat that changes the outcome of the World Series. Bold statement, I know, but it may be true. Trailing 3-1 with two outs and one runner on first in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Yankees were on the verge of going behind three games to one in the World Series. In order to keep the dynasty alive, New York would then have to win three straight games against Arizona, with the last two games in Arizona against two of the best pitchers in the game today, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. The end was near. That fourth straight championship was in serious jeopardy. Then the unbelievable happened. On his first pitch from Byung-Hyun Kim, the Diamondbacks reliever with the Quisenberry-esque delivery, Martinez hit a bomb over the center field wall sending the Yankee Stadium crowd of over 50,000 into a frenzy. Martinez was visibly pumped as well and the Yankees suddenly had a new life. In the bottom of the tenth, Derek Jeter immediately staked his claim as Mr. November, hitting a solo home run to right to win the game on a pitch that came shortly after midnight, making it officially November. The crowd again went into a frenzy, but it was a different kind of celebration than after the home run by Martinez. It was a “that’s what we expected” celebration as Jeter rounded the bases, unlike the “that’s just saved us” celebration as Martinez rounded the bases to tie the game in the ninth. The difference in the World Series before the Martinez at bat and after the Martinez at bat were as vast as the history between the two franchises competing. The Yankees and the dynasty were in jeopardy. The team was one out away from being in a 3-1 hole and a chance at becoming the first team since the 1949-1953 Yankees to win four straight championships slowly slip away. Arizona would have momentum as well as two aces up their sleeves and a chance at a first championship in just the fourth year of the teams existence. Instead, the series is now tied at 2-2. The Yankees have a new life now and the momentum. They also have their own ace, Mike Mussina, ready to go in game five and looking to put New York into the lead in the series for the first time. All the sudden the chances of that fourth straight title are looking pretty good. Whether or not the Yankees come around to win the World Series still remains to be seen. There is a lot of baseball yet to be played. If the first four games are any indication of what lies ahead, there is no telling what will happen. Sure, Jeter will get credit for hitting the game winning home run, the 12th game-ending home run in World Series history, as well he should. It was like watching Kirk Gibson in 1988 to give the Dodgers the Series lead, or Kirby Puckett in 1991 to force a game seven, where Minnesota would win behind the spectacular pitching performance by Jack Morris the next night. But the two-run blast by Martinez is the home run that could be the key in changing the tide of the World Series and creating a wave of momentum for the Yankees to ride. Tino Martinez could also go down as another Bernie Carbo. Only time will tell, but it sure will be fun to find out.
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