OAKLAND, Calif. -- When the New York Yankees concluded the regular season
with seven consecutive defeats, some thought a World Series three-peat was
wishful thinking. Not anymore.
As it so often does in October, New York pulled itself together just in
time. The team might not be as intimidating as previous years, but it hasn't
forgotten how to win big games, either.
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| Tino Martinez and Joe Torre celebrate the Yankees win over the A's.(AP) | |
After enduring a humbling 11-1 loss to Oakland on Saturday night at Yankee
Stadium, New York rebounded for a 7-5 victory Sunday night at Network
Associates Coliseum in Game 5 to win the American League Division Series.
Next up, the Seattle Mariners.
"Guys were fired up right from the get-go,'' said emotional manager Joe
Torre. "Probably the toughest thing we had to do last night was get on that
plane because we really didn't plan on it.''
Needless to say, the A's and Yankees were weary after all-night flights
from New York. The Yankees arrived in the Bay Area at 3:30 Sunday morning,
the A's shortly after at 3:45. Most players finally hit their pillows about
4:30.
"I don't think our guys are going to realize they're tired until it's over
with,'' Torre said.
He was right.
"Sure, it's mentally draining,'' outfielder Paul O'Neill said in the
relatively quiet post-game locker room. "By Tuesday, with the snow flurries
coming down, we'll be ready to go.''
The quick turnaround was necessitated for national television, raising the
obvious question: Although starting pitchers Gil Heredia and Andy Pettitte
flew to Oakland on Saturday in preparation for a fifth and deciding game,
would the remaining players suffer from fatigue?
"I don't know what it does to the quality of the game,'' Torre said. "I
sense there's going to be more emotion going on than anything else out
there. I don't think it really will affect what the product is.''
Torre made one notable change in his starting lineup by re-inserting Chuck
Knoblauch in the leadoff spot as the designated hitter. Knoblauch batted
first in Game 1, then was replaced by Derek Jeter in the next three
contests.
"I know Chuck wasn't happy when I took him out of the lineup for Game 2,''
Torre said. "Even though he understood my explanation, doesn't mean you have
to like it.''
Torre figured Knoblauch would be ready to play, and he was right.
Knoblauch opened the game with a sharp single to right in what proved a
short and painful outing for Heredia. The Game 1 winner lasted one-third of
an inning, allowing six runs on six hits. The Yankees sent 11 men to the
plate, quieting the sellout crowd of 41,170.
Jeter followed with a walk, then Paul O'Neill reached on an infield single
to load the bases. Bernie Williams brought home Knoblauch with a sacrifice
fly and David Justice walked to jam the bases again.
Tino Martinez cleared them with a towering blast over center fielder
Terrence Long that caromed off the middle of the green fence, just below the
400-foot sign.
"It's a huge break to get six,'' Martinez said. "We wanted them to swing for
the fences.''
Heredia faced one more batter, catcher Jorge Posada, and he reached on an
infield single, the ball caroming off Heredia's right leg. Luis Sojo plated
the fifth run on a sacrifice fly off Jeff Tam, and Knoblauch singled home
another.
"It happened so fast, it really wasn't frustrating,'' Heredia said. "It's
like a nightmare come true. It's sad to give them a six-run edge before we
even hit.''
Not exactly the kind of start the A's envisioned, especially facing the
talented Pettitte. The left-hander blanked them in Game 2, pitching 7 2/3
innings in the 4-0 victory, his fourth in a row in postseason play. The
last thing Oakland wanted was play catch-up.
"We let them get a running start on us,'' A's manager Art Howe said. "The
difference in the game was the first inning.''
The Yankees had won 24 of their last 29 playoff games before Sunday,
including a Major League-record 12 consecutive World Series games. Owner George
Steinbrenner has a hefty $100-million-plus payroll and his players are used
to competing in a pressure-cooker, seldom disappointing.
Given the early deficit, it was imperative Oakland chip away before
Pettitte settled in. It mounted a two-out threat in the bottom of the first
on singles by Randy Velarde and Olmedo Saenz, but shortstop Miguel Tejada
grounded out to second base.
The A's had another scoring chance in the second inning, and this time they
cashed in. With one away, Adam Piatt singled and went to second on a single
by Ramon Hernandez. Pettitte walked leadoff hitter Terrence Long to load the
bases, bringing up Velarde. With two gone, he grounded a 3-2 pitch into left
field to plate Piatt and Hernandez.
Oakland edged closer in the third on an RBI-double from Chavez. He advanced
no further, Piatt flying out to left and Ben Grieve fanning for the second
consecutive time.
Kevin Appier came in to pitch for the A's in the second inning, his first
relief appearance since May 1991, and restored order for two innings. But
in the fourth, Justice homered to lift New
York to a 7-3 advantage.
As difficult as Oakland's comeback task appeared, there was precedence. In
1956, the Yankees blew a 6-0 lead to Brooklyn in Game 2 of the World
Series and lost 13-8.
In the bottom of the fourth, the A's picked up two more runs, chasing
Pettitte in the process. A single by Hernandez, a walk to Long and a single
by Velarde loaded the bases for Jason Giambi, who finished second in the AL
in home runs during the regular season with 43.
Giambi had already walked a team-high seven times in the series, but on
this occasion there was no place to put him. With the spectators screaming,
"MVP! MVP!'' Giambi delivered a sacrifice fly and so did Saenz, pulling
Oakland within two runs.
Tejada followed with a solid single to right, putting runners on first and
second, and that was it for Pettitte. He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing five
runs and 10 hits, but Mike Stanton bailed him out, retiring Chavez on a
grounder.
That was as close as the A's came, Torre getting outstanding relief
pitching from Stanton, Jeff Nelson, Orlando Hernandez and Mariano Rivera.
The latter was over-powering, setting down five of the six batters he faced. It was
Rivera's 16th save in postseason play, the most in Major League history.
"It's excitement,'' he said of his emotions afterward.
"Nobody believed in us ... I don't know why. I was happy for my teammates.
They gave everything they had.''
