2001 ALDS Game 3, Yankees faced elimination @ Oakland

No one was betting the Yankees would win, down 2-0, couldn't hit.

• 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

Oakland's 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 bottom of the 9th, the season on the line, Mariano Rivera pitches to
• Jason Giambi who grounded out 2nd to 1st.
• Dye hit 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 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. On the other hand, it would enrage Bud Selig and Goose Gossage to be reminded of it as it shows

• a multi-inning death-defying performance from a late inning reliever. A 'money pitcher' as opposed to a 'compiler' of 'regular season stats'. One reliever works his guts out into November, others are home resting up to pad their 'regular season' stats. Why not? They're the only ones mentioned now for the Hall of Fame achievement.

News accounts of Gossage Hall of Fame stats leave out mention of his post season record. He has post season stats. Are they embarrassing or something? Is Hall of Fame for pitchers now just a glorified Cy Young award, using only regular season numbers?

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