Every year prognosticators forecasted that Sojo was too old and too slow to merit another year as the World Champion New York Yankees' utilityman of choice. After four years and three championships, the Yanks thought they could get rid of him in 2000, but by August 7, 2000 he was back, filling in for injured third baseman Scott Brosius and then replacing error-prone second baseman Chuck Knoblauch. What he lacked in range he made up for with a calm demeanor and a steady glove.
Though not well known for his hitting, Sojo had a short swing and a knack for clutch singles. His biggest moment was in the ninth inning of Game Five of the 2000 Subway Series against the New York Mets. With the score tied at two, two out in the top of the ninth, Jorge Posada stood on second and Scott Brosius
waited safely at first. Sojo had entered the game as adefensive replacement, but Torre left him in to hit. A tired Al Leiter (8 2/3 innings that day) waited on the hill for the Mets, who stood to lose the series if they lost this game. Leiter looked in, gave the sign, and Sojo banged a single up the middle, Posada and Brosius scored, and Sojo was safe at third with a two-RBI hit. Thanks to the little man from Venezuela, the Yankees would win their 26th World Series title.
A regular in the winter leagues, Sojo won four batting titles in the Venezuela League.
(EPW)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»August 9, 1990:
The Yankees beat Brad Radke and the Twins, 4–1, stopping Radke's 12-game winning streak. Luis Sojo snaps a 1–1 tie in the 8th with a 2–run home run. Since 1950, only three pitchers have won 12 straight games.
»June 28, 1996: Seattle scores seven runs in the 1st inning, and eight in the 5th, on the way to a 19-8 pasting of the Rangers. 3B Luis Sojo gets five hits for the winners.
»January 24, 2000:
Yankee prospect D'Angelo Jimenez suffers a broken neck when a car he is driving in the Dominican Republic collides with a bus. Jimenez is not paralyzed but will miss the 2000 season. He figured to be the Yankee reserve infielder, taking over the role that Luis Sojo, now with the Pirates, filled last season.
»October 26, 2000: The Yankees defeat the Mets, 4-2, to win their 26th World Series, 4-games-to-1. Luis Sojo's single in the top of the 9th drives home the winning run for NY. Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter homer for the Yankees, and Jeter is named the Series MVP.
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