IN THE NEWS: The Mariners clinch the AL wild-card spot, defeating the Angels, 5-2.
After Sister Sledge sings the National Anthem to a season-high crowd of 55,352, the Cubs edge the Pirates, 10-9, in the final game to be played at Three Rivers Stadium. The Bucs have a chance when the first three batters in the 9th single, but three outs follow, including the final PO by Mark Grace, who is then hugged by his teammates. Bucs soon-to-be manager Gene Lamont gets a 2-minute standing O when introduced.
The Tigers nip the Twins, 12-11, as Shane Halter becomes the 4th major leaguer in history to play all nine positions in a game. Halter goes 4-for-5 at the plate and scores the winning run in the bottom half of the 9th inning. The two teams combine to use 15 pitchers, tying the ML mark and setting an AL record.
The managerial heads start rolling as Terry Francona is fired as manager of the last-place Phillies. The Phils allow him to manage the last game of the year, a loss.
IN THE NEWS: Three more managers get their walking papers today: Buck Showalter is fired as manager of the Diamondbacks. Jack McKeon is let go as manager of the Reds; and Gene Lamont is fired as manager of the Pirates.
IN THE NEWS: The A's defeat the Yankees, 5-3, in the 1st game of their AL division series. C Ramon Hernandez hits a double off Roger Clemens in the 6th inning to give Oakland the lead.
The Cardinals defeat the Braves, 7-5, in the 1st game of their NL division series. St. Louis scores six runs in the 1st inning off Greg Maddux, then hold on as the Braves take advantage of Rick Ankiel's wildness to get back in the game. Ankiel becomes the pitcher in 110 years to throw five wild pitches in an inning.
The Mariners defeat the White Sox, 7-4 in 10 innings, in the 1st game of their AL division series. Edgar Martinez and John Olerud hit consecutive homers off Keith Foulke for the margin of victory.
IN THE NEWS: The Giants defeat the Mets, 5-1, in the 1st game of their NL division series. Livan Hernandez gets the win for SF, raising his lifetime postseason play record to 5-0. Ellis Burks' 3-run home run is the key hit for the Giants.
The Mariners take a 2-0 lead in their series with the White Sox by defeating Chicago, 5-2. Jay Buhner hits a home run for Seattle while Paul Abbott gets the win.
The Yankees even their series with the Athletics at one game apiece with a 4-0 victory. Andy Pettitte holds Oakland scoreless for seven 2/3 innings for the win.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets even their series with the Giants at one game apiece by winning a 10-inning thriller, 5-4. Jay Payton's single drives home the winning run in the top of the 10th after J.T. Snow's pinch-hit 3-run home run ties the game in the bottom of the 9th. Edgardo Alfonzo hit a 2-run homer for NY in the top half of the frame. Al Leiter pitches 8+ innings for the Mets. Armando Benitez gives up the tying homer, but gets the win in relief.
The Cardinals defeat the Braves, 10-4, to take a 2-game-to-1 lead in their series. Will Clark hits a 3-run home run for St. Louis and Jim Edmonds ties a division-series record with three doubles. Darryl Kile gets the win for the Cards, while Tom Glavine takes the loss in his shortest outing in seven years.
IN THE NEWS: The Mariners defeat the White Sox, 2-1, to give them a sweep of their 3-game division series. Pinch-hitter Carlos Guillen's bunt single brings home Rickey Henderson with the winning run in the bottom half of the 9th inning.
The Yankees defeat the A's, 4-2, to give them a 2-games-to-1 lead in their division series. Orlando Hernandez gets the win for NY, his 6th straight postseason victory.
Struggling to get public financing for a new ballpark, the Boston Red Sox are put up for sale by the Yawkey Trust.
Davey Johnson is fired as manager of the Dodgers, the 5th manager let go this month.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets defeat the Giants, 3-2, on a 13th inning home run by Benny Agbayani to take a 2-games-to-1 lead in their division series. The Mets last five postseason wins have come in their last at bat.
The A's defeat the Yankees, 11-1, behind Barry Zito to tie their division series at two games apiece. Olmedo Saenz hits a 3-run homer off Roger Clemens for Oakland.
The Cardinals defeat the Braves, 7-1, to sweep their series and move on to the NLCS. Jim Edmonds and Fernando Vina drive in three runs apiece for St. Louis as Atlanta fails to make the NLCS for the 1st time since 1990.
Mariners lefty Jamie Moyer breaks his kneecap during a workout and will miss the AL championship series.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets defeat the Giants, 4-0, on Bobby Jones' 1-hit shutout to take their division series. Robin Ventura homers for NY. Jones' gem is the 6th complete game 1-hitter in postseason history. Jeff Kent's 5th inning double is SF's only hit as Jones puts the Giants down in order in eight of the nine innings.
The Yankees score six runs in the 1st inning and hold on to defeat the A's, 7-5, to take their division series.
IN THE NEWS: The Mariners defeat the Yankees, 2-0, to take the opener of the ALCS. Freddy Garcia and the Seattle bullpen combine on the 6-hitter, while Alex Rodriguez hits a home run.
Jim Fregosi is fired as manager of the Blue Jays, the 6th down in 10 days.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets defeat the Cardinals, 6-2, in the opener of the NLCS behind the pitching of Mike Hampton. Todd Zeile and Jay Payton hit 9th-inning homers for New York, whose pitchers had their streak of 26 consecutive scoreless ended by two unearned runs in the 9th.
The Yankees score seven runs in the 8th inning to defeat the Mariners, 7-1, and tie the ALCS at one game apiece. Bernie Williams' hit breaks NY's 21-inning scoreless streak. Jorge Posada hits a home run later in the inning. Orlando Hernandez' record improves to 7-0 in postseason play.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets defeat the Cardinals, 6-5, to take a 2-games-to-none lead in the NLCS. Jay Payton drives home the winning run for NY, who wins in its last at bat for the 3rd time this postseason. Mike Piazza homers for the Mets.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees batter the Mariners, 8-2, to take a 2-games-to-1 lead in the ALCS. Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez hit back-to-back home runs in the 2nd inning for NY, while David Justice drives home three runs. Mariano Rivera breaks Whitey Ford's record for consecutive scoreless innings in postseason play with 33 1/3 scoreless frames.
IN THE NEWS: The Cardinals defeat the Mets, 8-2, for their 1st win in the NLCS. Andy Benes gets the win for St. Louis as all nine Cardinal starters get hits.
The Yankees whitewash the Mariners, 5-0, behind Roger Clemens' 1-hit shutout. Clemens fans 15 Mariners as New York moves out to a 3-games-to-1 lead over Seattle. The Yankees score their runs on a 3-run homer by Derek Jeter and a 2-run blast by David Justice. Al Martin's double off the glove of Tino Martinez in the 7th inning is the Mariners' only hit. The two team's total of six hits ties an ALCS record for fewest safeties in a game.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets defeat the Cardinals, 10-6, to take a commanding 3-games-to-1 lead in the NLCS. NY strokes a record five doubles in the 1st inning, and Mike Piazza slams a home run for the Mets. Glendon Rusch gets the win with three scoreless innings in relief.
The Mariners defeat the Yankees, 6-2, to close within one game of the New Yorkers, who hold a 3-games-to-2 lead in the ALCS. Edgar Martinez and John Olerud hit successive home runs in the 5th inning for Seattle.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets defeat the Cardinals, 7-0 behind Mike Hampton, to win their 1st pennant since 1986. Hampton takes NLCS MVP honors with his 16 scoreless innings and two victories. Todd Zeile drives home three runs with a bases loaded double for NY.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees defeat the Mariners, 9-7, to win the ALCS and their 37th AL pennant. David Justice's 3-run home run in the 7th inning gives NY a lead it never relinquishes. Justice win the ALCS MVP award. Seattle C Dan Wilson's single breaks his 0-for-42 hitless streak, the longest ever in post season history.
IN THE NEWS: The Toronto Blue Jays sign Carlos Delgado to a 4-year, $68 million contract, making him the highest-paid player in the game. The $17 million per year surpasses Roger Clemens' salary of $15.45 million.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees defeat the Mets, 4-3 in 12 innings in Game one of the World Series. The longest game in World Series history (4 hours, 51 minutes) is ended on Jose Vizcaino' single which drives home Tino Martinez. It is Vizcaino's 4th hit of the night. The Mets lead, 3-2, going into the 9th, but Armando Benitez surrenders the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Chuck Knoblauch. The victory is the Yankees 13th in a row in Series play for a new record. Todd Pratt of the Mets ties a Series mark by being hit by pitches two times.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees defeat the Mets, 6-5 behind Roger Clemens, to take a 2-games-to-none lead in the World Series. The Mets score five runs in the 9th inning on home runs by Mike Piazza and Jay Payton to throw a scare into the Bombers. In a bizarre incident, Clemens throws a piece of a shattered bat at Piazza in the 1st inning, with both benches clearing. It is the first meeting between the two players since Clemens beaned Piazza during the regular season. On Tuesday, Clemens will be fined $50,000 for his actions.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets defeat the Yankees, 4-2, behind the pitching of Rick Reed and their bullpen. Benny Agbayani's 8th inning double is the key hit for NY as the cut the Yankees Series lead to 2-games-to-1. Orlando Hernandez fans 12 but loses his 1st postseason game after eight wins. The loss ends the Yankees record streak of 14 consecutive wins in World Series action.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees defeat the Mets, 3-2, to take a commanding 3-games-to-1 lead in the Series. Derek Jeter homers off Bobby Jones on the 1st pitch of the game for the Bronx Bombers. The Yankee bullpen saves the game with four 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Mike Piazza's 2-run homer accounts for all the Mets scoring.
Yankees OF Darryl Strawberry is arrested and jailed after leaving a treatment center following a weekend drug binge.
IN THE NEWS: 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.
IN THE NEWS: Colorado Rockies pitcher Bobby Chouinard, who pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for abusing his wife, will serve a year in jail under an agreement approved by a judge. Chouinard will serve his time in Colorado during the off season. Chouinard, then with the Arizona Diamondbacks, was arrested last Christmas at his Phoenix home after he hit his wife, Erica, and held a loaded gun to her head while she begged for her life, police said. The Diamondbacks released him at his request in February.
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