EVENTS
Sportsman of the Year
Heisman Trophy
Swimsuit 2001
CENTERS
Fantasy Central
Inside Game
Video Plus
Statitudes
Your Turn
Message Boards
Email Newsletters
Golf Guide
Cities
CNNSI.com GROUP
Sports Illustrated
Life of Reilly
SI Women
SI for Kids
Press Room
TBS/TNT Sports
CNN Languages
COMMERCE
SI Customer Service
SI Media Kits
Get into College
Sports Memorabilia
TeamStore
| |
World Series tidbits
Arizona aces look to pull off rare double-double
Posted: Tuesday October 30, 2001 3:23 AM
Updated: Tuesday October 30, 2001 5:29 AM
| |
| Two Tough |
|---|
| Starting pitching duos with two victories in a best-of seven World Series: |
| Year |
Pitchers, Rec. |
Team-Opp. |
| 1918 |
Babe Ruth, 2-0 |
BOS-CHN |
| |
Carl Mays, 2-0 |
|
| 1926 |
Pete Alexander, 2-0 |
STL-NYY |
| |
Jesse Haines, 2-0 |
|
| 1931 |
Burleigh Grimes, 2-0 |
STL-PHI |
| |
Bill Hallahan, 2-0 |
|
| 1934 |
Dizzy Dean, 2-1 |
STL-DET |
| |
Paul Dean, 2-0 |
|
| 1940 |
Paul Derringer, 2-1 |
CIN-DET |
| |
Bucky Walters, 2-0 |
|
| 1989 |
Dave Stewart, 2-0 |
OAK-SF |
| |
Mike Moore, 2-0 |
|
|
Note: Does not include relief appearances.
|
| |
|
By Jacob Luft, CNNSI.com
Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson took control of the World Series by winning the first two games in dominant fashion. But can they repeat their 1-2 punch later in the Series and dethrone the three-time world champion Yankees?
If Schilling and Johnson each win another start, it would mark a rare occurrence in Series history. The Diamondbacks would become the seventh World Series champion to have its four wins evenly split between two starting pitchers (not counting relief appearances) in a best-of-seven series.
The feat hasn't been accomplished since the Bay Bridge Series in 1989, when an earthquake caused an 11-day layoff between Games 2 and 3. Oakland's Dave Stewart and Mike Moore won Games 1 and 2, respectively, then came back to win Games 3 and 4 to sweep San Francisco.
Before that, the 1940 Reds were the last team to do it as Paul Derringer and Bucky Walters doubled up the Tigers in seven games.
In seven other Series, the four wins were split evenly by two pitchers but included at least one victory earned in relief. In 1992, Blue Jays hurlers Jimmy Key and Duane Ward each won two games, but Key won Game 6 with 1 1/3 innings out of the bullpen and both of Ward's wins were in relief.
The other six pairs are the Pirates' Harvey Haddix and Vern Law in 1960, the Yankees' Vic Raschi and Allie Reynolds ('52), the A's George Earnshaw and Lefty Grove ('30), the Pirates' Vic Aldridge and Ray Kremer ('25), the Braves' Bill James and Dick Rudolph ('14) and the Cubs' Three Finger Brown and Orval Overall ('08).
An even dozen?
| |
| Fast Starters |
|---|
|
The D'backs are the 48th team to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series.
|
| Result |
No. |
| Won in 4 |
17 |
| Won in 5 |
8 |
| Won in 6 |
6 |
| Won in 7 |
4 |
| Won in 8 |
1 |
| Lost in 6 |
3 |
| Lost in 7 |
7 |
| Lost in 8 |
1 |
| |
|
If any franchise can come back from an 0-2 deficit to win a World Series, it's the Yankees.
The Bronx Bombers have accounted for four of the 11 successful 0-2 comebacks in Series history, in 1956, '58, '78 and '96. The other clubs were the 1921 Giants, '55 Dodgers, '65 Dodgers, '71 Pirates, '81 Dodgers, '85 Royals and '86 Mets.
Seven of the 11 Series went seven games, while three teams -- the '78 Yanks, '81 Dodgers and '96 Yanks -- swept the next four games to win it in six. The 1921 Giants beat the Yankees 5-3 in eight games.
Of the 47 previous clubs to take 2-0 leads, 17 went on to sweep the Series. Only four teams needed a seventh game to clinch the championship.
If the D'backs win Game 3, history shows they are a lock to win it all. Of the 20 teams to go down 0-3, none have ever forced even a Game 6, and only three teams have forced a Game 5, the last being the 1970 Reds.
Around the horn
Once again, Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams is not much of a force in the World Series. At least he's consistent, though. Williams' career Series average heading into this Fall Classic is .141. In two games against the D'backs he is 1-for-7, which computes to a .143 clip. Williams fares much better in the ALCS, where he has a .360 career average with seven home runs.
Yankees third baseman Scott Brosius is normally a stud in World Series play, but even he couldn't solve the Schilling-Johnson combo in the first two games. Brosius, who was a career .391 Series hitter, is 1-for-6 with no RBIs and three K's so far.
The 38-year-old Big Unit became the oldest pitcher to throw a World Series shutout. The previous record-holder was Washington's Walter Johnson, who was 37 when he blanked the Pirates on Oct. 11, 1925.
If Schilling comes back on three days' rest in Game 4 and starts again in a Game 7, he would be the first pitcher since Jack Morris in 1991 to start three games in a Series. Detroit's Mickey Lolich was the last pitcher to win three games in a Series, dominating St. Louis in 1968.
The Big Unit's 11 strikeouts in Game 2 gave him a total of 411 for the regular season (372) and postseason (39), tying Dodgers lefty Sandy Koufax for the highest combined total in history. In 1965, Koufax compiled 382 strikeouts during the season and 29 more in the World Series.
By pitching in the eighth inning of Game 1, 42-year-old Arizona reliever Mike Morgan became the 30th player to appear in the Fall Classic at the age of 40 or older. The Mets' John Franco was No. 29 last October.
The five unearned runs allowed by the Yankees in Game 1 were the most allowed by a Series team since Oakland gave up five in Game 2 against the Mets in 1973.
Schilling already has tied the record for most wins in a single postseason with his 4-0 mark. Only seven other pitchers have won four games in a single postseason: David Wells (4-0, 1998), Livan Hernandez (4-0, '97), John Smoltz (4-1, '96), Orel Hershiser (4-1, '95), Jack Morris (4-0, '91), Dave Stewart (4-0, '89) and Burt Hooton (4-1, '81).
|
Copyright © 2001
CNN/Sports Illustrated
An AOL Time Warner Company.
All Rights Reserved.
|
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.
|
|
