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Posted: Thursday October 07, 1999 03:55 AM
PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Steve Finley drove in five runs and Todd Stottlemyre did what staff ace Randy Johnson could not -- shut down the New York Mets.
Finley's clutch hitting and Stottlemyre's 6 2/3 solid innings led the second-year Arizona Diamondbacks to their first postseason win as they evened the National League Division Series at one game each with a 7-1 triumph over the Mets.
Finley's five-RBI night included a pair of two-out, two-run hits. He snapped a 1-1 tie with the bases loaded and two out in the third when he grounded a 1-2 offering from starter Kenny Rogers (0-1) through the right side for a single, plating a pair of runs and putting Arizona ahead for good.
"Those are the situations you have to want. I think every hitter lays around visualizing being in those situations and coming through," Finley said. "It was nice to be able to do that tonight."
"I made one pitch that cost me a couple of runs but I'd do it all over again because (Finley) went out and got that one," Rogers added. "Other than that, I knew from the first inning I was going to have to battle to keep us in the game. I didn't have good location on my sinker or breaking ball. But 3-1 in the fifth inning, I wasn't unhappy with that because I know our offense is capable of coming back."
With two out and runners at first and second in the fifth, Finley delivered again, lining a 3-1 pitch from reliever Pat Mahomes into the gap in left-center for a two-run double that made it 5-1.
"You just kind of get the tunnel vision working and you don't hear anything," Finley added. "It's just you and the pitcher. When you're able to focus like that, a lot of times you can come through."
The fleet-footed center fielder drew a bases-loaded walk from rookie Octavio Dotel in the seventh to increase the advantage to 6-1. The five RBI tied Fred McGriff of Atlanta and Game One hero Edgardo Alfonzo of New York for the NL Division Series record.
One night after Johnson suffered his record sixth straight postseason loss by surrendering seven runs in an 8-4 setback, Stottlemyre took the hill with a right shoulder that is still recovering from a three-month stint on the disabled list.
"Regardless of what people think, my arm feels good," Stottlemyre said. "I consider myself healthy, although, medically I have two tears in my shoulder."
"I can tell you, I know maybe some eyebrows were raised when Todd was pitching the second games here, but I think tonight you can see why," Arizona manager Buck Showalter added. "Todd is a warrior."
The righthander became the third pitcher in history to start a playoff game for four teams and threw a season-high 124 pitches. He allowed a run and four hits, striking out six and overcoming five walks.
"I'm throwing the ball as good now as I ever have any time in my career and I have no pain," Stottlemyre added. "But this is a special one, the fact of sitting on the DL for three months, going through rehab not knowing if I was ever going to pitch in the big leagues again."
Stottlemyre (1-0) improved his career postseason record to 2-5 and is 6-1 all-time against the Mets. He is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in three career Division Series starts.
"You guys have put a lot of pressure on Randy Johnson and what seems to be forgotten (is that he helped) this team win 100 baseball games," Stottlemyre said in defense of his teammate.
He exited with runners at first and second and two out in the seventh and Alfonzo due up. Alfonzo, who hit a solo homer and grand slam in Tuesday's victory, grounded out meekly to third against Gregg Olson to end the Mets' last legitimate threat.
"I had a lot of good chances tonight," Alfonzo said. "You don't do it everyday though. It's not going to be the same every day. But with Rey (Ordonez) at third and Rickey (Henderson) at second, I just try to do my job. But he made a good pitch to me. I tried to hit it but it just went to the third baseman."
"We'd like to get a split but we're just going to take it one day at a time. Hope to win Friday night and see what happens," Olson added.
Rogers remained winless in four career postseason starts, surrendering four runs and five hits over 4 1/3 innings. The lefthander had lost just once in 12 regular-season outings for the Mets, but reverted to his 1996 postseason form in the third in what proved to be the decisive rally.
"You can't dictate what you do out there, I don't try and throw a shutout or anything," Rogers said. "I try to give six or seven innings and give up less than three runs. I just didn't have a good feel today. When you fall behind in the count, it makes it easy for their hitters."
With two out and the bases empty, he yielded a single to Jay Bell, hit Luis Gonzalez and inexplicably fielded a high chopper by Matt Williams that could have gone foul. Rogers walked Greg Colbrunn to knot the contest at 1-1 before Finley gave Arizona its first lead of the series.
"Fin(ley) has very quietly had the best season of his career," Showalter said. "On top of that, he's one of the best center fielders in the league. He showed tonight what he's meant to our club."
Rogers has surrendered 10 runs and 11 hits over 7 1/3 career playoff innings.
Games Three and Four are in New York on Friday and Saturday. Game Five, if necessary, will be here on Sunday.
New York's Rickey Henderson went 2-for-3 with a run scored and NL Division Series record three stolen bases. The surefire Hall of Famer has already amassed five steals in the series, surpassing Cincinnati's Barry Larkin for the all-time first-round record.
Alfonzo, who literally carried the Mets to victory in Monday's one-game playoff with Cincinnati and Tuesday's triumph, was 0-for-4 and stranded three runners tonight.
The Mets had a chance to break through against Stottlemyre in the second. Darryl Hamilton walked with one out and moved to second on Roger Cedeno's infield single. But Stottlemyre responded by striking out Rey Ordonez and Rogers to escape the jam.
"Todd showed up today and pitched a gem," Williams said. "It was a great performance and we took advantage of our opportunities. Got guys on base and took advantage, that's how you win games. We needed this one tonight so we'll have tomorrow off and see what we can do Friday. It's good to win that way when you string hits together."
Henderson began the third with a single, stole second and moved to third on Alfonzo's deep fly ball to right. John Olerud, who belted a two-run homer off Johnson on Tuesday, settled for an RBI grounder to short off Stottlemyre to put the Mets in front, 1-0, before Mike Piazza struck out swinging to end the frame.
After the Diamondbacks struck for three runs in the third, the Mets tried in vain to respond in the fourth, squandering what seemed to be a golden opportunity.
Robin Ventura led off with a walk and moved to second when second baseman Jay Bell booted Hamilton's potential double-play grounder. But Ventura was inexplicably picked off second by catcher Kelly Stinnett when Cedeno missed on a sacrifice attempt. Things only got worse when Cedeno grounded into an inning-ending double play.
"We had Roger bunting through a bunt, that you know, Robin got caught in no man's land," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said.
Williams went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and Bell had a pair of hits in five at-bats.
Bell singled sharply to left to start the fifth and after Rogers struck out Gonzalez, Valentine gave him the hook. Mahomes surrendered a single to Williams to put runners at first and second before Finley made it 5-1 with an opposite-field shot into the gap in left-center.
Dotel took over for Mahomes in the seventh and walked Gonzalez with one out before Williams doubled to left. The righthander hit Colbrunn to load the bases before walking Finley to make it 6-1.
Mets' lefthanded reliever John Franco entered the game and surrendered a run on Turner Ward's RBI groundout to cap the scoring. Franco made his first postseason appearance after 878 appearances over 15 big league seasons, snapping the majors' longest current playoff drought.
Reliever Greg Swindell tossed a pair of scoreless frames to close out the contest and send the series back to New York knotted at 1-1.
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