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WHAT’S
NEXT? A PERFECT GAME? Going into the final two games of the 2001 World Series, what more could we ask for? About the only thing that could top the thrills thus far in the series would be a game seven matchup between Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens, two hard throwing right handers who could both end up throwing a nine-inning shutout with 15 strikeouts each. Then we would have Mariano Rivera and Byung-Hyun Kim each hit a home run in extra innings, off each other. Okay, so that is not likely to happen, but would you be surprised if it did? Why not? Everything else has happened in a World Series that will be remembered for a long time to come. Having been just two years old during the thrilling 1975 Series between Boston and Cincinnati, my memories for most exciting series go back to 1991 when Minnesota won in seven over Atlanta. A Series that went the full seven games, ending on two extra-inning games, complete with late inning home run and complete game shutout. But this World Series takes the cake. Or more appropriately, takes the big apple. The last two games in New York could very well be the most exciting back-to-back games in World Series history. Those two games were just the fourth time in World Series history to have consecutive extra inning contests. The last time was that 1991 series when Kirby Puckett hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to win game six for the Twins and force a game seven. In that game seven, Jack Morris and John Smoltz pitched a classic, as Morris went 10 complete innings for the 1-0 shutout win. The only other times the World Series saw two straight go into extra innings was in 1973, when the New York Mets won game two in 12 innings and the Oakland A’s turned around to win game three in 11 innings, and back in 1933 when the New York Giants beat the Washington Senators 2-1 and 4-3 in games four and five. This World Series also marks the first time since 1929 that a team trailed a World Series game by two or more runs going into the bottom of the ninth, only to come back and win the game. And it happened twice. In consecutive games. In game four, Derek Jeter hit the game winning home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. It was just the 12th time in the history of the World Series that a game was won with a game ending home run. The game five, 12-inning thriller was the 13th time a World Series game had gone that long. The longest was a 14-inning affair in the 1916 Series between the Boston Red Sox and Brooklyn Robins. Since 1945, games have gone to 12 innings on seven occasions. In five of those seven games, the team that won the 12-inning contest failed to win the Series. The two times the team did win a 12-inning game and still go on to win the Series: the New York Yankees in 1977 and in 2000. Can they do it a third time? But let us not count out the Arizona Diamondbacks. This is a team with two of the best pitchers in the game of baseball. Curt Schilling pitched a great game to open the series, winning 9-1. Randy Johnson followed in game two with one of the best pitching performances in World Series history, pitching a complete game, three-hit shutout while striking out 13. After the first five games, the Arizona offense has even outscored the Yankees by a 19-10 margin. Game three saw Cy Young Jr., better known as Roger Clemens, return to old form, pitching seven strong innings before handing the game over the best postseason closer of all time, Mariano Rivera. This Series has seen numerous Yankee players come up with larger than life plays. Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez with the ninth inning hits in game four and Derek Jeter with the 10th inning home run. In game five, it was Jorge Posada and Scott Brosius with the ninth inning hits, and Chuck Knoblauch and Alfonso Soriano with the 12th inning hits to win the game. Mariano Rivera remaining untouched in the postseason, making three appearances and pitching 5.0 innings of scoreless baseball and Shane Spencer has provided numerous game saving defensive plays in left field. The Diamondbacks have had their share of unsung heros as well. Brian Anderson pitching strong in game three and Miguel Batista turning in a strong, eight inning performance in game five. Craig Counsell has made some stellar defensive plays at second the whole series and Erubiel Durazo, playing only because of the designated hitter in the American League park, hit a clutch RBI double to put Arizona ahead in game four before the Yankees late inning comeback. Backup catcher Rod Barajas stepped up in game five, throwing out Soriano attempting to steal early in the game and hitting a solo home run later in the game. It truly has been a World Series for the ages. One that will be looked upon for years to come as one of the most exciting of all time, matching some of the past memorable World Series games. Randy Johnson matched the performances of Orel Hershisher in game two of the 1988 Series and Jack Morris in game seven of the 1991 Series. Game four was reminiscent of game six in 1975, Boston and Cincinnati with Bernie Carbo hitting the game tying home run and Carlton Fisk with the extra inning home run to win it. It also brought back memories of Kirk Gibson in game one of the 1988 Series. If only Jeter had limped instead of jumped around the bases. Alfonso Soriano followed Edgar Renteria from the 1997 Series for Florida in getting the extra inning RBI single to win the game. It matched the back-to-back extra inning games in 1991 between Minnesota and Atlanta. We saw that in game four and five. Mitch Williams and Charlie Leibrandt were reincarnated in Byung-Hyun Kim, giving up the late inning home run to lose the game. We’ve seen it all in this one series. It has been remarkable to watch. The only thing that this series has yet to duplicate in memorable World Series thrillers is the 1956 perfect game by Don Larson. But then
again, the series is not over yet. |
