Yankees Clinch AL Pennant

N E W  Y O R K, Oct. 18, 2000 -- 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.

Alex Rodriguez, in perhaps his final game for the Mariners, also homered to lead off the eighth, and Hernandez left after a walk.

Mariano Rivera relieved and allowed an RBI double to John Olerud, then a two-run double by Mark McLemore that hit off the first base bag as two more runs scored, ending his postseason scoreless streak at a record 33 1/3 innings over three years.

And Rivera isn’t the only one who set a new mark last night: the pennant was the Bombers’ record 37th.

Piniella: Good Fans in NY

“This is a great sports town. It’s a two-team, just abouteverything town,” said Seattle manager Lou Piniella, who noted that in his firsttwo years with the Yankees, they played in the Mets’ home ofShea Stadium while Yankee Stadium was being renovated.

“I haven’t been to Shea Stadium since the end of the 1992season when I managed the Reds, but they are good fans.

“They are knowledgeable fans, and they get a little rowdyat times, but listen, they have supported their teams well inthis city throughout the years, specifically this year, andthey are both going to be rewarded with something special forthis city.”

Added Piniella: “But baseball has always been special herein this city, and the Mets have their legion of fans and theYankees certainly have theirs. And now they can go spill beeron each other.

“They can get raucous with each other and I can watch itfrom afar.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.