Yankees Clinch AL Pennant

ByABC News
October 17, 2000, 6:37 PM

N E W  Y O R K, Oct. 18 -- The New York Yankees are headed to the World Series for the third straight year, and the fourth time in five years.

But Tuesday nights 9-7 win over the Seattle Mariners isnt the real story in New York. The real story is the long-awaited return of the Subway Series to the Big Apple.

The Yankees and New York Mets who clinched the NL pennant Monday night will square off Saturday night at Yankee Stadium for the start of the best-of-seven Fall Classic.

This City Is Going to Be Crazy

Its going to be exciting, Yankees manager Joe Torre said.Its been a long time coming.

This city is going to be crazy, said superstar shortstop Derek Jeter.

New York Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer played in the last Subway Series in 1956, when his Brooklyn Dodgers lost to the Yanks. Zimmer also played on the first New York Mets squad, in 1962 giving him the Subway hat trick.

New York a city famously passionate about its sports teams was abuzz with talk of a Subway Series even before the Yankees dispatched the Mariners to earn their berth.

Its gonna split a few families up, I think, Torre said at the post-game press conference.

Justice Named ALCS MVP

David Justices seventh-inning home run, which soared over right field and toward the Number 4 train, helped the Yankees rally from a four-run deficit to clinch and earned him the ALCS MVP award.

We were written off, Justice said. We stuck together.

Paul ONeill added a two-run single and Jose Vizcaino, whose infield single started the inning, hit a sacrifice fly for a 9-4 lead.

Despite his worst October outing, Orlando Hernandez lasted seven innings and became the first pitcher ever to go 8-and-0 in postseason play.

A-Rods Seattle Finale?

Seattle stormed to a 4-0 lead against the two-time, defending World Series champions, getting consecutive RBI doubles from Alex Rodriguez and Martinez in the first, and a two-run, upper-deck homer from light-hitting Carlos Guillen in the fourth.