Recent Yankee history puts all pressure on their own pitchers who've delivered some miracles, eg. 2001 ALDS, Game 3

Game 3, 2001 ALDS, the season on the line, the Yankees having lost games 1 and 2. Game 3 was played in Oakland. No one was betting the Yankees would win.

• In 2001, it was Oakland who had the "bombers," not the Yankees:

Oakland's lineup in Game 3, 2001 ALDS:

• Johnny Damon
• Miguel Tejada
• Jason Giambi
• Jermaine Dye
• Eric Chavez
• Jeremy Giambi
• Terrence Long
• Ramon Hernandez
• Olmedo Saenz, PH
• F.P. Santangelo 2B
• Frank Menechino
• Greg Myers, PH-C

The Pitchers:

• Barry Zito and Mark Guthrie

The Yankee lack of hitting portended their season ending at the beginning of Game 3, October 13, 2001:

• A post season elimination game--if the Yankees lost, the A's go on to the ALCS.

• The Yankees had not had a lead over Oakland in 72 innings
• going into this game. Since the Yankees couldn't hit, all the pressure was on the pitchers.

• The crowd in Oakland was the biggest to ever see an Oakland A's game, 55,861.

• The Yankees had no hits through 4 and a third innings until Posada's solo homerun.
• It was the first time in 76 and a third innings the Yankees had a lead against Oakland. (Michael Kay notes this from Elias). Score 1-0.

• The famous Jeter play at home tagging Jeremy Giambi
• in the bottom of the 7th kept the score from being tied. It also ended the inning
• leaving a runner in scoring position.

• After 7 innings, Mike Mussina was replaced.

The final 2 innings were pitched by Mariano Rivera with the season on the line. Score 1-0.

• There would be almost no chance the Yankees could come back if Oakland got even a small lead.

• In the Yankees 8th, they went down 1-2-3.

• In the A's 8th, they got 1 single, but 3 others made out.

• In the Yankees 9th, they again went down 1-2-3, this time to Guthrie who replaced Zito. Talk about a team not hitting.

• In the 9th, the season on the line, Mariano Rivera pitches to
• Jason Giambi who grounded out 2nd to 1st.
• Dye hits a double.
• Eric Chavez struck out.
• Jeremy Giambi grounded out 2nd to 1st.
• Final score, 1-0 Yankees.

• Yankees come back from the dead to live another day. They finally won the last 2 games from Oakland and moved on to the ALCS against Seattle.

• After that, they played 7 games in the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which ended
• on November 4th, 2001.

I've never seen this game on the YES Network. It probably should be shown once a week.

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