Yankees Clinch AL Pennant
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 night’s 9-7 win over the Seattle Mariners isn’t 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’
“It’s going to be exciting,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said.“It’s 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.
“It’s gonna split a few families up, I think,” Torre said at the post-game press conference.
Justice Named ALCS MVP
David Justice’s 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 O’Neill 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-Rod’s 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.