PHOENIX — The Big Two did their part. Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling have the Arizona Diamondbacks halfway to the World Series championship.

Matt Williams hits a three-run home run to score Danny Bautista and Reggie Sanders during the seventh inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Johnson followed Schilling's Game 1 gem with a three-hit shutout Sunday to beat the New York Yankees 4-0 in Game 2 before a record-equalling crowd of 49,646 at Bank One Ballpark.

        Johnson struck out 11 and walked one.

        “He keeps getting better and better,” Arizona manager Bob Brenly said. “He always had the physical skills. But he's very resolved and focused. I hope he stays that way another week or so.”

        Johnson threw 110 pitches — an efficient night for him.

        Conventional wisdom said the Diamondbacks had to take two games from the Yankees here to have a chance against the three-time defending champions. Schilling held up his end of the deal, throwing seven innings of three-hit ball to beat the Yankees 9-1 Saturday night.

        “This is far from over,” Johnson said.

        Schilling was dominant Saturday; Johnson was something beyond. The Yankees hit five balls out of the infield on him. A runner did not reach second base until the eighth inning.

        Johnson's shutout was the first in the World Series since Schilling — it figures — blanked Toronto for Philadelphia in 1993. It was the fewest hits allowed in a Series game since Orel Hershiser threw a three-hitter for Los Angeles in 1988.

        Johnson pitched with no margin of error Sunday until Matt Williams broke it open with a three-run homer to left field in the seventh inning. Williams crushed a hanging slider 412 feet off Yankees starter Andy Pettitte.

        “As it turned out, we didn't need it,” Williams said. “Randy pitched great.”

        “He was wonderful, sensational,” said New York manager Joe Torre. “He lived up to what he's supposed to be.”

        The Yankees, who had won 16 of their last 17 Series games entering this year, are down two games to none. Remember, they lost two straight to the Oakland A's in the American League Division Series and came back to win.

        “We're down,” Torre said. “You can't lose two and not feel the effects.”

        The A's have a nice staff, but they don't have Johnson and Schilling. The Big Two have combined to go 7-1 with a 1.09 ERA in the postseason.

        Each will get at least one more start in the Series — if necessary.

        The Diamondbacks took the lead in the second. Reggie Sanders led off the inning with his third hit of the Series. Danny Bautista, in the lineup for Steve Finley because lefty Pettitte was pitching, drove a screamer into the right-center gap.

        It went to the wall. Sanders, showing he still has good speed at 33, scored standing up. Bautista went to third on the throw. The Diamondbacks, however, could not get him in.

        Even the 1-0 lead looked pretty big the way Johnson was throwing.

        His fastball started out at 95 mph and rose to 97 as the game wore on. He was mixing it nicely with a slider and split-finger. Home plate umpire Mark Hirschbeck was also calling pitches on the corners strikes.

        Through three innings, Johnson had seven strikeouts, and the Yankees had hit one ball solidly — a grounder to third.

        The Yankees didn't get a baserunner until Randy Velarde walked on four pitches with one out into the fourth.

        Posada got the first hit for the Yankees, leading off the fifth.

        Pettitte was matching Johnson pitch for pitch. After Bautista's hit in the second, he retired seven in a row and 12 of 13 entering the seventh.

        “I had no margin for error,” Johnson said. “The way Pettitte was pitching I thought it was going to be a 1-0 game.”

        But Pettitte hit Luis Gonzalez with a pitch to start the seventh. After Sanders bounced into a fielder's choice, Bautista singled off Pettitte's leg.

        Up came Williams, an original Diamondback. He hit a 1-2 pitch out. It was his third Series homer, making him the first player to homer for three different teams. He did it with San Francisco in 1989 and Cleveland in 1997.

        Williams had been booed a few weeks ago.

        “I said last week it was nothing a few hits wouldn't take care of,” Williams said.

        Today is a travel day. The teams resume play Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. New York ace Roger Clemens (0-1 with a 3.38 ERA this postseason) faces Arizona's Brian Anderson, who will be making his first start since Sept. 8.

        “We've got to get it back,” Torre said. “Roger is the key. We've got to get him a lead, so he can pitch like these guys did.”

Counsell's calling is postseason Yanks' percentages don't compute Encore, encore: D-Backs up 2-0 Arizona's Anderson leaves 'pen to start Fans celebrate Williams' homer Selig: Contraction still an option for next season Series gives Bowden chance to talk trade

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