Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 16

would kxtha The Am tt mjc BICKLEY Brenly blew this call YANKEES 3. D-BACKS 2 i Game 5: Where they hit tt VnUxt tt tArrt wl PuMUmfcltJcH :1 liM fM 1 (XtfTMiLfcki Ida tl 4 tfKWtfi 'III If If Mi 1 'y1 In tt tup al It etfitH, lurj riUm.k imgVi to cnrtrt 6en ijOfVi to shjIliMt Irtl hrtd It bottom ol It ngWH. k7 grts hrt thud hit ol It tvght ttb4ilgort upttnuJdi It lop at It ninth In If bottom ol It ninth, jixg fjvU taws daub If coi net al kit twid Scott BiosiuS homeii lo left tying It g.ime jnd Icxcing itu imniifs. Dwnny BJutrtti Moot Of into right held in It lop ol It mmng njbl0uia1Uljrtithjbion-hjt blooper into nghl centei lield. Mil Knoblauch grt a single in the bottom ol II U'th.

Soriano hits the ball mto nghl held, scoring Knoblauch and winning tt game. SCORE D-Backs outfielder Danny Bautista is unable to reach Scott Brosius two-run. game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth on Thursday. D-BACKS Lose shocker I II Mil i I "He; ttsNUi nif that he was fine wnl he wanted to pitt He wanted the Brenly Mud "When I not the report of how he win im up, there was no ttiMn nut to put hint in there" Sorry, hut (re Swindell ItMiked (-! h1 in the eighth in nmjj- And the best option of all. Randy Johnson, was avail able to pitch With his next start sehed uled for Saturday, this was Johnson's day to throw on Inside.

Before the (Mine started. Johnson as asked if he'd be game for such a maneuver. No problem, he said Tgh. "I don't know what is going on." Yankees manager Joe-Torre said afterw ard "This is the most incredible couple of games I've ever managed." For Brenly. it was the most incredible leap of faith.

Of course, it was the manager's way of putting Kim back tin the horse, showing faith in his young reliever. It was cruel and unusual punish ment. So much of this night was about the Diamondbacks' most enduring and endearing quality. It was about their for titude in the face of disaster. After going deep into their reservoir, the Diamondbacks appeared to have found a vin tage shocker.

Miguel Batista shut out the Yankees for 7 innings. Forced into action. Rod Barajas went from on the bench to Johnny Bench. This improbable dream beating the Yankees in a sw ing game, without either of the two aces was taking shape. And then came the stunning decision.

"Kverything doesn't always work out the way you hope it will," Brenly said. On Wednesday, the Yankees' breathtaking comeback threatened to live forever in Arizona sports lore. As hurtful as John Paxson's jumper, bigger than Ohio State's killer drive in the Rose Bowl, far more disappointing than the Suns squandering that series against the Houston Rockets. A victory could have changed all that. A loss means the Diamondbacks are O-for-New York in their playoff history, trailing a series for the first time this postseason.

With Johnson and Curt Schilling on tap at home, a trophy is still attainable. But the manager had better hope that the magic hasn't expired. Or it'll be a cruel winter on the whipping post. Reach Bickley at dan.bickleyarizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8253. tt jm al It hist.

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fmlry kwps rw oflfnv p.m going with a wgit blooper mto tight Md in It top ol II seventh. BOX Yankees 3, Diamondbacks 2 (12) Arizona Tony Womack ss Crag Counsell 2t) Luis Gooate If Danny B.Kitisla If Erubiel Duwo dh Man Williams 3b Steve Fmley cl Recgie Sanders it Grace lb Rod Barajas Total New York Derek Jeter ss Paul O'Neill rf Bemie Williams cf Tino Martinez lb Jorge Posada Shane Spencer If David Justice dh 1-Chuck Knoblauch pr-dh Scott Brosius 3b Alfonso Soriano 2b Total Arizona New York at 6 6 4 1 4 4 4 5 3 5 42 ab 5 3 4 5 5 4 2 2 4 5 39 000 020 000 000 bi bb to Av. 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 .060 0 0 0 0 1 .222 0 1 0 0 0 .600 0 1 0 1 1 .400 0 0 0 0 1 .176 13 111 357 0 0 0 0 3 .167 0 0 0 2 0 .133 1 2 1 0 0 .400 2 8 2 4 10 'bi bb so Avg. 0 1 0 0 2 .143 0 0 0 2 0 .250 0 1 0 1 0 .222 0 1 0 0 0 .133 1 1 0 0 2 .235 0 1 0 1 1 .231 0 0 0 1 1 .091 1 1 0 0 1 .071 1 1 2 0 0 .235 0 2 1 0 0 .222 3 9 3 5 7 000 000 2 I 0 002 001 3 9 1 I nmi Wtya' ('I tie the game and revive the agony for the D-Backs, who stranded nine runners in a game that took four hours, IS minutes. Manager Bob Brenly said he had no reservations about using Kim for an inning after he threw a season-high 61 pitches on Wednesday.

"He's our closer," Brenly said. "He wanted the ball." The loss wiped out an incredible performance by Miguel Batista, who pitched 7 innings of scoreless ball in his first Series appearance and his first game since Oct. 20. "It was about as courageous an outing as I've seen," said Joe Torre, who moved to within one victory of managing the Yankees to their fourth consecutive championship. Lopez, the D-Backs' fifth pitcher, made his first relief appearance since early in the 2000 season.

Chuck Knoblauch started the 12th with a single to center and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brosius. Soriano, who was 2 for 4 lifetime against Lopez with a homer, poked a pitch down the right field line. Knobauch beat the throw from Reggie Sand- Schilling What now? This is the 58th time the World Series has gone to Game 6: 22 times, the team leading 3-2 has won the Series in Game 6. 17 times, the team leading 3-2 has won in Game 7. 18 times, the team trailing 2-3 has won in Game 7.

ers to set off another mass celebration among a crowd of 56,018 fans at Yankee Stadium, who saw their team win at home for the 10th consecutive time in Series play. The D-Backs will use today's off day to rest and regroup as they face an elimination game for the first time since the fifth and final game of the National League Division Series against St. Louis. They lost a chance to provide some insurance in the eighth when Tony Womack reached third base with no outs and a 2-0 lead but was stranded there. Then in the 10th, they loaded the bases with one out against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, only to watch Soriano make a diving catch of Reggie Sand was 'on One out when winning run scored.

I ran for Justice in the seventh. Posada 1). LOB Arizona 9, New York 8. 2B Posada (1). HR Brosius 1 (off B.

Kim); Barajas (1) (off Finley(l)(off Mussina). RBIsS. Finley(2), Barajas (1), Brosius 2 (3), Soriano (1). SB Womack (1). CS Soriano (1).

M. Williams. Brosius. GIDP M.E. Grace.

O'Neill, Posada. Runners left in scoring position Arizona 5 (Counsell, M. Williams, M.E. Grace 2, Barajas); New York 4 (T. Martinez, Posada.

Brosius, Soriano). DP Arizona 2 (Womack, Counsell and M.E. Grace), (Counsell and M.E. Grace); New York 1 (Sonano, Jeter and T. Martinez).

L1 Rob SchunuirieitNi Anoiia Hetutlc ers' soft liner and Mark Grace hit into a force play at third. They also squandered two fifth-inning home runs by Steve Finley and Rod Barajas. a last-hour starter when catcher Damian Miller was ruled out because of a right calf strain. Finley hit his first home run in 1 13 postseason at-bats, a solo shot off Yankees starter Mike Mussina to start the fifth. Barajas, who hit only .160 during the regular season, hit a single in his first Series at-bat, threw out Soriano trying to steal second in the third inning, then hit a home run off Mussina with two outs in the fifth.

This marked the first major league homer for Barajas since April 21 against Colorado's Joe Davenport. Batista didn't fade until he allowed a two-out, eighth-inning walk to Paul O'Neill in what probably was his final at-bat at Yankee Stadium. O'Neill moved to third on Bernie Williams' single. Brenly pulled Batista after a season-high 126 pitches in favor of left-hander Greg Swindell, who got Tino Martinez to hit a fly to left for the final out of the eighth inning. fumes' in game on Tuesday, missing three pop-ups under windy conditions.

Rod Barajas, the D-Backs' lone backup catcher, made his first postseason start and had a big impact. He singled and homered in his first two at-bats and threw out Alfonso Soriano trying to steal second. Wednesday was just as maddening for Miller, who called for a back-door slider to Martinez that Kim shook off, manager Bob Brenly said. Miller also signaled for an outside er bb so np era 0 0 5 6 126 0.00 0 0 0 0 4 0.00 2 2 0 1 15 13.50 2K00000 29 0.00 1 1 0 0 7 27.00 er bb ao np era 2 2 3 10 119 4.09. 0 0 0 0 11 0.00 0 0 1 0 19 0.00 0 0 0 0 10 0.00 Arizona Miguel Batista Greg Swindell Byung Hyun Kim Mike Morgan Albie Lopez 1 New York Mike Mussina Ramiro Mendoza Mariano Rivera Sterling Hitchcock W.1-0 Inherited runners-scored Swindell 2-0.

IBB S. Finley (off M. Rivera) 1, Durazo WP M. Batista, Mussina. Umpires Home, Joyce; First, DeMuth; Scott; Right, Rapuano.

4:15. A 56,018. HOW THEY Diamondbacks fifth Finley homered on a 1-2 count to right, Sanders struck out swinging. Grace grounded out, first baseman Martinez, unassisted. Barajas homered on a 1-2 count to left.

Womack struck out swinging. 2 rum, 2 hrU, 0 rrora. 0 toft on. Diamondbacks 2, Yank 0. Yankees ninth Kim pitching.

Bautista in left field. Posada doubled to left. Spencer grounded out, third baseman M.Williams to first baseman Grace. Knoblauch struck out looking. Ip 7 5 Vi 0 2 2 Ip 8 5 1 1 2 2 1 0 (off if l- Game 4 Dave CruzThe Arizona Republic fastball that Kim shook off before throwing a fastball down the middle of the plate that Martinez cranked over the center field fence.

Short hops The D-Backs won't work out today at Bank One Ballpark. Brenly wants his players to relax at home with their families. Left fielder Luis Gonzalez will seek treatment on his left wrist, which was hit Sunday by Andy Pettitte. mm mi iwi nmmmmmmim mnwmm ynmm. 5 Mussina) 1, M.E.

Grace (off Mussina) 1. Second, Rippley; Third, M. Hirschbeck; Left, SCORED Brosius homered on a 1-0 count to left, Posada scored. Morgan pitching. Soriano flied out to left fielder Bautista.

2 rum, 2 hit, 0 arrora. 0 toft on. Diamondbacks 2, Yankaot 2, Yankees twelfth Lopez pitching. Knoblauch singled to center. Brosius sacrificed, Grace unassisted, Knoblauch advances to second.

Soriano singled to right, Knoblauch scored. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 arrora. 0 toft on. Diamondbacks 2, Yankaas 3. cw Ik 7 1 1 i A Hi' Michael ChowThe Arizona Republic.

a wai 1 By Mark Gonzales The Arizona Republic NEW YORK Curt Schilling is lined up to pitch Game 7 of the World Series on three days' rest, if necessary, for the Diamondbacks. But Schilling might need a rapid recovery, based on how he felt a day after pitching on three days' rest for the first time1 in his career. Schilling admittedly was taxed after throwing 88 pitches Wednesday and didn't feel nearly as well as he did after hurling 102 pitches in Saturday's Game 1. "I was running on fumes," Schilling said Thursday. "The sixth and seventh innings I had to give everything I had.

"(Wednesday night) was a whole different animal. I felt much worse." Randy Johnson and the Yankees' Andy Pettitte will be working on five days' rest when they meet Saturday in Game 6 at Bank One Ballpark. And Roger Clemens will pitch on his regular schedule of four days' rest for the Yankees for Game 7, if necessary. Schilling's stellar performance Wednesday went for naught when closer Byung-Hyun Kim served up a two-run, game-tying home run to Tino Martinez with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, then allowed a game-winning homer to Derek Jeter with two outs in the 10th. "I didn't have a range of emotions," said Schilling, adding that Kim offered his apologies for blowing Schilling's chance at to 5-0 in 5 I ii i- D-backs shortstop Tony Womack tags out New York's Alfonso Soriano in the third inning of World Series Game 5 on Thursday night.

'erf "iK) ai'i I ,1 Jli D-BACKS NOTES the postseason. "It sucked." Miller scratched Catcher Damian Miller was scratched from the starting lineup about 55 minutes before the game because of what was announced as a right calf strain suffered on Tuesday. No disclosure of the injury was made until late Thursday. Miller had an adventurous The Yankees celebrate after Scott Brosius' two-run homer in the ninth inning tied Game 5 on Thursday..