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Daunting task Yankees face 0-2 deficit after being overpowered again
Updated: Monday October 29, 2001 8:52 AM
PHOENIX (AP) -- At least the New York Yankees don't have to face Curt Schilling or Randy Johnson in Game 3 of the World Series. That's about the only bright spot for Joe Torre's team after being done in for the second consecutive night by one of Arizona's aces. The Yankees managed just three hits and only advanced one runner as far as second base in a 4-0 loss to Johnson on Sunday, one that left them with an 0-2 deficit in a series for the second time this postseason. "We are down. There's no question," Torre said. "You can't lose two games in a seven-game series and not feel the effects. We need to get it back and get going." After managing just three hits in a 9-1 loss to Schilling in the opener, the Yankees had even less of a chance against the Big Unit. They had only four baserunners and didn't mount anything resembling a rally until trailing 4-0 in the eighth inning. But the Yankees, who have been outscored 13-1 thus far, aren't about to give up just yet -- having twice rallied from 0-2 holes to win a postseason series under Torre.
"We're not out of the Series until someone wins four games," reliever Mike Stanton said. "We've already done it once this year. That makes us confident we can do it again." The most similar might have been in the 1996 Series, when New York dropped the first two games to Atlanta. The Yankees were outscored 16-1 in those games, getting overwhelmed by John Smoltz and Greg Maddux, before winning four in a row and the first of four titles in five years under Torre. New York dropped the first two games of the opening round this season to Oakland when they couldn't solve another overpowering left-right combination in Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson. But helped by Derek Jeter's remarkable relay, the Yankees won the next three games to become the first team to win a best-of-five series after dropping the first two games at home. "We were down 0-2 in a best-of-five series and heading on the road. That was pressure," outfielder Shane Spencer said. "They still need to beat us four times." This time the Yankees will try to mount their comeback at home when Roger Clemens takes the mound for Game 3 on Tuesday night against Brian Anderson. "Roger is the key," Torre said. "Roger needs to go out and dominate like these two guys have." After being held to six hits and striking out 20 times in the first two games, the Yankees will be glad to face anyone but Arizona's aces, especially a pitcher with an 8.50 career ERA against New York. Miguel Batista will likely pitch Game 4 for the Diamondbacks before Schilling and Johnson return to the mound. "Of course it is," Spencer said when asked if it was comforting to face someone other that Arizona's aces. "But those two guys coming up are starting pitchers on a team that made the World Series. It won't be easy." But to win their fourth consecutive title, the Yankees will also have to beat Schilling or Johnson at least once. And the way they played the first two games, that won't be an easy task. "We'd like to think we can do something against these guys if we face them again," outfielder Chuck Knoblauch said. The Yankees hadn't faced Johnson for more than five years, but he was even more dominating than he was when he beat New York twice in the first round for Seattle in 1995. "He's certainly the same nightmare that I remember him being in Seattle," Knoblauch said. Torre stacked his lineup with all righties -- except for pitcher Andy Pettitte -- but it didn't help a bit. Johnson struck out seven of the first nine batters as the Yankees had little chance hitting either his overpowering fastball or his wicked slider. Randy Velarde, Johnson's nemesis, walked with one out in the fourth for New York's first baserunner, but didn't advance. Velarde got the start based on his .452 career average against Johnson, but went 0-for-3. Jorge Posada led off the fifth with a single, but Johnson struck out the next two hitters, giving him nine Ks in the first 16 batters, and got Scott Brosius on a flyout.
New York didn't get another baserunner until Spencer and Alfonso
Soriano led off the eighth with singles. Even with a 4-0 lead,
Johnson didn't give ground, striking out Brosius and getting Luis
Sojo to hit into a double play.
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