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OCTOBER
2001
IN THE NEWS: Randy Johnson (21–6) strikes out six batters in seven innings in the Diamondbacks 10–1 win over Colorado. Arizona stays two games ahead of SF with Johnson's 200th career victory. The six K's give Johnson a season total of 372, and leaves Nolan Ryan's modern day single season record of 383, set in 1973, safe. Johnson also hits Larry Walker with a pitch, giving him 18 HBPs for the year. Mike Hampton (14–13) retaliates by plunking Johnson, upsetting the D'Back's bench. Luis Gonzalez hits his 57th home run for Arizona.
San Francisco keeps its NL West hopes alive with a 4–1 win over Houston. Barry Bonds is homerless as Kirk Rueter throws 6+ strong innings. The slumping Astros drop into a tie for the NL Central with St. Louis, 5–1 winners over Milwaukee.
The Cubs are eliminated from the Wild Card race and Sammy Sosa hits home run No. 60 in Chicago's 5-4 loss. He's the first player in history with three 60+ home runs in a season.
IN THE NEWS: The A's defeat the Rangers, 5-4, for their 98th win of the season to set a new record for victories by a wild-card winner.
San Francisco again pounds the Astros, 11–8. Barry Bonds has no homers, but walks three times and scores 3. His 171 walks is a new ML record, topping Babe Ruth's 1923 base on balls mark. He'll finish with 177. The Astros lose for the 7th time in eight games.
Cubs ace Jon Lieber picks up his 20th win of the season, beating the Reds, 13–7. He's the first Cubs 20-game winner since Greg Maddux in 1992. Sammy Sosa hits a 3-run home run for roundtripper No. 61, as the Cubs score five in the 7th. Sosa pushes his RBI total to 154 to lead the majors. Corey Patterson has four hits for Chicago while Corky Miller homers twice for the Reds. Cubs pitching coach Oscar Acosta resigns from the organization, effective immediately following the game, and will take a job with Texas.
IN THE NEWS: The Giants defeat the Astros, 10-2, as Barry Bonds hits his 70th home run of the season to tie Mark McGwire's ML mark. Rookie P Wilfredo Rodriguez surrenders the historic blast.
Rickey Henderson hits a home run to become baseball's all-time career runs scored leader with 2,246. The Padres defeat the Dodgers, 6-3.
Tim Raines Jr. plays center field and Tim Raines Sr. plays left field in the Orioles' 5-4 loss to Boston. They become the 2nd father-son duo to play in the same game, matching the feat turned by Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. The Orioles acquired the senior Raines yesterday from the Expos.
IN THE NEWS: Barry Bonds hits his 71st and 72nd home runs of the season to set a new ML single-season mark in the Giants' 11-10 heartbreaking loss to the Dodgers. The 1st inning blast to break the record comes off Dodgers P Chan Ho Park. Rich Aurilia hits his 37th but the Dodgers eliminate the Giants from a possible playoff berth. The game takes four hours: 27 minutes, the longest 9-inning game in ML history. With the Giants eliminated, Bonds will not start tomorrow, but will hit a pinch single on the only good pitch he sees.
The Mariners defeat the Rangers, 6-2, for their 115th win of the season to set a new AL mark. In doing so, Jamie Moyer, at age 38, becomes the oldest first -time 20-game winner in history.
In only the 2nd doubleheader ever played at the SkyDome (the first was 1989), the Blue Jays sweep the Indians, 5–0 and 4–3 in 11 innings. Jose Cruz Jr. leads the offense by stealing three bases and hitting a homer in his 6th straight game—a club record: he joins the 30-30 club. Roy "Doc" Halladay flirts with a no-hitter before Travis Fryman singles with two out in the 8th. Wil Cordero added a single in the 9th. Halladay lost a no-hitter in 1999 when he gave up a 2-out 9th inning home run to Bobby Higginson in his first ML win. Halladay had been sent all the way to single A Florida State league earlier in the year, following his 10.64 ERA in 2000, the worst in ML history.
The Expos defeat the Mets, 8-6, as NY's Lenny Harris ties Manny Mota's major-league record with his 150th career pinch hit.
The Braves clinch their 10th straight division championship with a 20-3 rout of the Marlins. Kevin Millwood gives up a field goal in the 1st inning, but the Braves score 10 runs in the bottom of the frame. Ryan Dempster allows just one hit but walks six before leaving in the 1st. Reliever Benito Baez gives up eight runs in one 2/3 IP, and OF John Mabry tries his hand in the 9th, but gives up five runs while recording just one out. Chipper Jones has a triple and grand slam and reaches the 100 RBI mark for the 6th straight year.
Albie Lopez throws a 3-hit shutout to beat the Brewers 5–0 and clinch a tie for the Diamondbacks in the NL West. With the win, Lopez avoids becoming the 1st 20-game loser in the majors since Brian Kingman in 1980. Lopez was 5–12 with the Tampa Bay and 3–7 with the D'Backs.
The Orioles lose to the Red Sox, 7-5, as Cal Ripken becomes the 7th player in history to play in 3,000 career games.
IN THE NEWS: Little used P Dennis Stark and four relievers give Seattle a 1–0 win over Texas, handing the Rangers their only shutout of the year. Bret Boone's solo home run, off Doug Davis, is the scoring. The win is #116 for Seattle, tying the win mark of the 1906 Cubs. Texas will beat Seattle in tomorrow's season finale. Seattle ends the season having won the season series against all 18 opponents they faced: 13 AL teams and five NL. The last team to win every season series was the Tigers in 1968 against nine AL teams. The Mariners broke the record of the 1899 Brooklyn Dodgers (as noted by Walt Wilson), who won series against 11 NL teams.
Lenny Harris breaks Manny Mota's all-time mark for pinch hits with the 151st of his career as the Mets defeat the Expos, 4-0.
Colorado drops a 10-4 decision to San Diego. Rockies 1B Todd Helton gets a double in the game, making him the first big league player ever to have back-to-back seasons of 400 total bases. He had 405 last year.
At Wrigley, Julian Tavarez takes a no-hitter into the eighth inning against Pittsburgh before giving up a bases loaded single—the only hit he allows—to Mendy Lopez. Roosevelt Brown drives in seven runs on a pair of 3-run home runs and a sac fly. Sammy Sosa has three hits, three runs and three RBIs, including an inside-the-park homer for No. 63.
IN THE NEWS: Rickey Henderson gets the 3,000th hit of his career, a leadoff bloop double, as the Padres lose to the Rockies, 14-5. Ricky then leaves the game. The game is the final one of Tony Gwynn's career. Gwynn pinch hits in the 9th and grounds out, then walks around the field shaking hands with hometown fans. Larry Walker, who sits, wins his third NL batting title in three years at .350. Walker and Rockies teammate Todd Helton (.336) become the first teammates to finish 1-2 since John Olerud (.363), Paul Molitor (.332) and Roberto Alomar (.326) were the top three for Toronto in 1993.
The Astros defeat the Cardinals, 9-2, to clinch their 4th NL Central crown in five years. The loss leaves the Cardinals with the NL wild card spot. Albert Pujols ties Emmet "Snags" Heidrick (1899) for most hits by a Cardinal rookie when he makes his 194th.
The Giants beat the Dodgers, 2-1, as Barry Bonds extends his major-league record with his 73rd home run of the season. He will finish the year with a slugging percentage of .863 to break Babe Ruth's all-time single-season record. Bonds will have 411 total bases, 3rd in the NL behind Luis Gonzalez and Sammy Sosa. He also is the only player besides Kevin Maas to have more than 20 homers and not double his home run total in RBI. (Maas had 21 home run, 41 RBI, in 1991)
The Cubs lose to the Pirates in their final game of the season, 4-3. They become the first team in ML history to not allow an opposing pitcher to throw a complete game against them all season. Sammy Sosa closes out 2001 with his 64th homer in his final at-bat of the game and sets a new franchise record with 98 extra base hits, one more than Hack Wilson smacked in 1930. He also finishes with another franchise record of 425 total bases, the 7th best all-time total, two ahead of Wilson. His 160 RBIs is the highest total in the NL since Chuck Klein knocked in 170 in 1930; Sammy's RBI total for the past four years also breaks Klein's 4-year mark set in 1929-32. To finish out the record day, five Cubs pitchers combine for 12 strikeouts as the staff sets a major-league record with 1,246 strikeouts. The Yankees do the same, setting an AL mark with 1,266 strikeouts.
IN THE NEWS: The Braves defeat the Astros in the opener of their NL Divisional Series, 7-4, behind Chipper Jones' 3-run home run. SS Julio Lugo's error sets up the deciding blast, as Rudy Seanez gets the victory in relief.
The Diamondbacks take the 1st game of their Divisional Series as Curt Schilling outpitches Matt Morris in hurling a 3-hit, 1-0 shutout. Steve Finley gets three hits for Arizona and drives home the game's only run.
In Seattle, Bartolo Colon strikes out 10 while hurling eight innings of a 6-hit shutout as the Indians take the opener of their Divisional Series with the Mariners, 5-0. OF Ellis Burks gets three hits for Cleveland, including a home run. The action in the bullpen comes when Indians P John Rocker throws water on some heckling fans. According to Rocker, the fans' reaction is the media's fault—"You guys should see the monster you've helped create. They wouldn't be there if not for the biased coverage, so thank you for making my life on the road hell."
IN THE NEWS: The Braves take a 2-games-to-0 lead in their series with the Astros behind Tom Glavine's 1-0 victory. SS Julio Lugo's throwing error aided the winning run, which crossed the plate on a double play.
St. Louis evens its series with Arizona by defeating the Diamondbacks, 4-1. Woody Williams notches the win for the Cardinals, who get a 2-run home run from rookie Albert Pujols. Randy Johnson takes his record 7th consecutive playoff loss for Arizona.
The Yankees fall to the A's, 5-3, in the first game of their Divisional Series. Terrence Long hits a pair of home runs for Oakland and Jason Giambi adds another. Mark Mulder gets the win for Oakland while OF Johnny Damon goes 4-for-4.
IN THE NEWS: The Mariners even their series with the Indians with a 5-1 victory. Mike Cameron, Edgar Martinez, and David Bell smack homers to back the pitching of Jamie Moyer, who gets the win.
The A's take the 2nd game of their series with the Yankees, 2-0, behind the pitching of Tim Hudson. Ron Gant homers for the A's, who escape a two-on, nobody-out threat by the Yankees in the 9th.
IN THE NEWS: Atlanta defeats Houston, 6-2, to sweep their Divisional Series and move into the NLCS for the 9th time in 10 seasons. Paul Bako, Julio Franco, and Chipper Jones hit home runs to back the solid pitching of starter John Burkett. The game is the Astros 14th loss in their last 16 postseason games.
Arizona takes a 2-games-to-1 lead in its Divisional Series with St. Louis with a 5-3 victory. Craig Counsell's 3-run homer in the 7th inning is the deciding blow. Starter Miguel Batista gets the win for the Diamondbacks.
Minnesota manager Tom Kelly announces his retirement after 15 years at the Twins' helm.
IN THE NEWS: Cleveland routs Seattle, 17-2, behind rookie P C.C. Sabathia to take the lead in their Division Series. Omar Vizquel leads the Indians with four hits and six RBIs—1 short of the Division Series record.
Jorge Posada's 5th inning solo homer accounts for all the scoring as the Yankees defeat Oakland, 1-0, to stay alive in their Division Series. Mike Mussina gives up just four hits in seven innings to get the win.
The Cardinals defeat the Diamondbacks, 4-1, behind rookie P Bud Smith to even their Division Series at two games apiece. Fernando Vina hits a 2-run home run for St. Louis.
IN THE NEWS: Seattle ties its series with Cleveland at two games apiece with a 6-2 victory. Down 1-0, the Mariners score six times over the final three innings. Edgar Martinez's 2-run homer in the 9th caps the scoring as Freddy Garcia gets the win.
Yankee bats finally come alive as New York defeats Oakland, 9-2, to even their series at two games apiece. Orlando Hernandez gets the victory as he improves his postseason mark to 9-1. OF Bernie Williams drives home five runs to lead the Yankees. Oakland OF Jermaine Dye fractures his leg when he fouls a ball off his left shin. He will miss the rest of the postseason and the strt of spring training next year.
The Diamondbacks advance to the NLCS with a 2-1 victory over the Cardinals. Tony Womack's 2-out single in the bottom half of the 9th plates the winning run and makes a winner out of Curt Schilling.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees defeat the A's, 5-3, to move into the ALCS. In doing so, they become the 1st team ever to win a best-of-5 series after losing the first two games at home. SS Derek Jeter gets a pair of hits to break Pete Rose's postseason record with 87. David Justice hits a pinch-hitter home run for NY while Mike Stanton gets the win in relief. Jason Giambi goes 4-for-4 for Oakland.
The Mariners advance to the ALCS with a 3-1 win over Cleveland in the deciding game of their Division Series. Ichiro Suzuki gets three hits for Seattle, Mark McLemore drives home two runs, and Jamie Moyer gets the win.
IN THE NEWS: Randy Johnson stops his postseason losing streak with a 2-0 win over the Braves in the opener of the NLCS. Johnson allows three hits and strikes out 11. Reggie Sanders and Luis Gonzalez drive home runs for the Diamondbacks.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees take the first game of the ALCS with a 4-2 win over the Mariners. Andy Pettitte gets the victory while Paul O'Neill hits a 2-run home run for NY.
Braves P Tom Glavine stops Arizona, 8-1, to even Atlanta's series with the Diamondbacks at one game apiece. Marcus Giles, Javy Lopez, and B.J. Surhoff all homer for the Braves.
In the Arizona Fall League Championship game, Mike Hessman of the Phoenix Desert Dogs hits a two-out walk off grand slam in a 12–8 win over the Grand Canyon Rafters. The slam caps an 8-run 9th that started with back-to-back homers by Lamont Mathews and Mark Ellis.
IN THE NEWS: New York wins its 2nd straight game in Seattle, 3-2, to take a 2-game-to-0 lead in the ALCS. Mike Mussina gets the victory and 3B Scott Brosius drives in two runs for the Yankees.
Houston manager Larry Dierker resigns. Dierker led the Astros to four division crowns in five seasons at the helm, but never made it past the first round of the playoffs.
IN THE NEWS: Curt Schilling's 4-hitter gives the Diamondbacks the lead in the NLCS as Arizona defeats Atlanta, 5-1. Schilling fans 12 for Atlanta as Craig Counsell gets three hits and Steve Finley drives home three runs.
IN THE NEWS: The Diamondbacks take a 3-1 lead in their series with an 11-4 victory over Greg Maddux and the Braves. Six of Arizona's runs are unearned as a result of three Atlanta errors. Luis Gonzalez hits a 3-run homer for Arizona while Andruw Jones connects for the Braves. Brian Anderson gets the win in relief of starter Albie Lopez.
The Mariners clobber the Yankees, 14-3, to win their first game of the ALCS. Bret Boone ties an ALCS record with five RBIs as Jamie Moyer gets the win. Boone, John Olerud, and Jay Buhner all homer for Seattle.
IN THE NEWS: The Diamondbacks defeat the Braves, 3-2, to win the NLCS and reach the World Series for the first time in their history. They get to the Series faster than any expansion team in history, doing so in the 4th year of their existence. Randy Johnson gets the win for Arizona. Erubiel Durazo's pinch-hit 2-run home run is the key blow. Craig Counsell is named the NLCS MVP.
The Yankees take a 3-1 lead in their ALCS matchup with Seattle, defeating the Mariners by a score of 3-1. Bret Boone's 8th inning home run broke a scoreless tie, but Bernie Williams hits a home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score. NY wins on Alfonso Soriano's 2-run dinger in the 9th. Mariano Rivera gets the victory in relief.
IN THE NEWS: The Diamondbacks pound the Yankees in the opener of the World Series by a score of 9-1 behind Curt Schilling. Schilling hurls seven innings to win his 4th game of the postseason. Craig Counsell and Luis Gonzalez homer for Arizona as Mike Mussina takes the loss.
IN THE NEWS: Arizona jumps out to a 2-0 Series lead as Randy Johnson hurls a 3-hit shutout. Matt Williams hits a 3-run homer for the Diamondbacks. Andy Pettitte takes the loss for New York.
Arizona's Curt Schilling is announced as the winner of the annual Roberto Clemente Award for his contributions to the game both on and off the field.
Commissioner Bud Selig says it is possible that two major league teams could be eliminated by the start of next season. The Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, Minnesota Twins, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays are the teams mentioned as most likely to be eliminated.
IN THE NEWS: Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera hurl the Yankees to a 2-1 victory in Game Three of the World Series. Jorge Posada homers for New York while Scott Brosius' 6th-inning single drives home the winning run. Brian Anderson takes the loss for Arizona.
IN THE NEWS: In a thrilling contest, the Yankees defeat the Diamondbacks, 4-3 in 10 innings, to tie the Series at two games apiece. Tino Martinez's 2-out, 2-run home run in the bottom of the 9th ties the game, and Derek Jeter's blast in the bottom of the 10th wins it for New York. Both homers come off Byung-Hyun Kim who relieved Curt Schilling in the 8th inning. Mariano Rivera gets the win in relief for the Yankees.
Joe Falls of The Detroit News is voted the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, and will be inducted into the writer's wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame next summer.
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