Sunday, October 28, 2001
Diamondbacks strike first
Bats, Schilling dominate 3-time champs
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks are the ones playing in their first World Series, right?
They looked like the team that had been there before in beating up on the three-time defending champion New York Yankees 9-1 in Game 1 of the World Series Saturday night before record crowd of 49,464 at Bank One Ballpark.
The Yankees made two critical errors, leading to five unearned runs — the most in a World Series game since 1973. Their starter, Mike Mussina, didn't make it past the third inning.
And the first half of Arizona's dynamic pitching duo, Curt Schilling, was dynamic. Schilling gave up a first-inning run and then cruised. He went seven innings, allowing three hits and the one run.
“All it means is we won Game 1,” Arizona manager Bob Brenly said. “We didn't buy into all the hype. You go out on the field and play the game. The history of that great franchise doesn't enter into it.”
Brenly might be tempted to use Schilling on short rest for Game 4. But Schilling did throw 102 pitches.
So will the fact that Brenly got Schilling out of the game fairly early affect the decision for Game 4?
“It might,” he said.
Is Schilling the starter for Game 4?
“He could be,” Brenly said. “I don't mean to be a smart aleck ... the fact that we were able to keep his pitch count down will make it a lot easier to bring him back on short rest.”
Said Schilling: “I'm not probably available. I'm available.”
Schilling ran his record to 4-0 this postseason with a 0.79 ERA. In 34 innings, he has allowed three runs, 16 hits and five walks. He has struck out 38.
“Focus,” Schilling said. “Being focused on the task in hand. In these situations it's easy to do. It's end of year, you're pitching for all the marbles.”
The loss was only the second for the Yankees in their last 18 World Series games.
The Yankees took a 1-0 lead. Derek Jeter reached when a Schilling pitch glanced off his wrist. Jeter was only the second batter Schilling hit all year. Jeter has played in 20 World Series games; he has reached base in 19 of them. An out later, Bernie Williams sliced a line drive into the left-field corner. Jeter scored easily from first to make it 1-0.
The Arizona “We will not be intimidated” Diamondbacks weren't.
Craig Counsell, the MVP of the NLCS, answered with a home run to right field. It was Counsell's second homer in the postseason. He had four home runs in the regular season.
“That was the turning point in the game,” Brenly said. “You know New York likes to get the lead and turn it over to the bullpen. To get the run back was a huge momentum swing.”
Said Schilling: “The home run was the turning point for me. I said, "We're either going to win it, or I'm going to get no decision.'”
The D'backs also took a page from the Yankees' playbook by making Mussina throw 23 pitches in the first inning.
That might have helped them break through on Mussina in the third. He hit Tony Womack to start the inning. Arizona tried to play little ball — Counsell sacrificed Womack to second — but didn't have to. Luis Gonzalez crushed a 1-2 pitch into the right seats for a 406-foot home run to make it 3-1.
Reggie Sanders followed with his second hit of the game. Steve Finley hit a ball to just short of the 376-foot mark in right-center. Justice tracked it down, but it went off his glove for a two-base error.
The Diamondbacks ended up stretching the lead to 5-1.
New York manager Joe Torre's decision to start David Justice over Paul O'Neill didn't look real good right about then. Justice also struck out three times.
Sanders had to hold at third. But he scored and Finley went to third on Matt Williams' sacrifice fly to center.
Torre intentionally walked Mark Grace.
Damian Miller ripped one down the third base line. It was just fair or just foul, depending on your point of view. Third base umpire Ed Rapuano, whose point of view counted, singaled fair. Finley scored to make it 5-1.
“I'd say 5-1 in out of hand with (Schilling) on the mound,” Torre said. “He knows what to do with a lead.”
Reds Stories
Stakes high in Detroit today
Lions winless, but passing well
Curnutte - The Edge
Isolation Booth
20 years ago: Game Seven
Curnutte's NFL picks
Curnutte's NFL power ratings
Louisville 28, UC 13
UC basketball notebook
XU basketball notebook
Miami wins 6th in row
Nebraska on course for national title
OSU: Paterno sets win mark
Syracuse scores early, stops No. 5 VaTech's streak
Thomas More 33, Defiance 17
Manchester 16, Mount St. Joseph 10
Ohio Northern 40, Wilmington 20
Kentucky basketball notebook
Should he stay or should he go?
Big O video a standout
Top Of The Second - Power rankings
Hockey roundup
Tiznow repeats BC Classic victory
20 area teams make playoffs
Ohio football playoff pairings
Final Ohio computer ratings
Mount Healthy 28, Purcell Marian 26
Newport Central Catholic 28, Beechwood 23
Kentucky playoff pairings
Boys cross country regional
Boys cross country results
Girls cross country regional
Girls cross country results
St. X gets shootout wish
Boys soccer roundup
Coach diagrams perfect proposal
CovCath gets OT triumph over St. Henry
Holy Cross ousts NCC in shootout
Kentucky state volleyball tournament
• Return to Reds front page...
Diamondbacks strike first
