A Look Back: '01 World Series Game 5
Scott Brosius' iconic HR, photo credit: bleeding yankee blue blogspot Enough of these drastically low temperatures and snow! Let’s flashback to a warm, epic Yankees moment for a second. Here’s something besides the MLB Hot Stove to keep you cozy during the dreadful offseason. Please, join me in reminiscing back to the heyday of the Core Four and getting the drama of baseball back pumping through your blood.
It was Nov. 1, 2001, Game 5 of the World Series between New York and Arizona (back when their colors were purple, gold and teal). I know, another series us Bomber fans would like to forget (the outcome) BUT Brosius’ epic homer to tie the game in extra innings, we’ll never forget.
Unlike the title of that notorious song from the movie “Eurotrip” (with Matt Damon & the chick from “Smallville” in it)…SCOTTY (Brosius) DID KNOW: what would get the fans on their feet. It was the night directly after Tino hit a game-tying HR, followed by Jeter’s clutch long ball, which won them Game 4 in comeback fashion and himself the nickname “Mr. November.”
How I miss that gritty lineup including: a fresh faced Jeter, Pettitte, Posada, Tino, Moose, Bernie and O’Neill…newest Hall of Famer Torre and the large, bobble head-like dome of Zimmer cheering from the bench…Soriano during his first stint with the team and playing 2B (Happy Belated B’day)…my boy, Chuck Knoblauch and his ridiculed batting stance… the Titan closer #42…with Shane Spencer and Dave Justice, and the man of the hour, Scott Brosius.
Yanks were down 2-0 in the bottom of the 9th when Brosius, socks up and all, belted one out to left, off of that Japanese submarine style pitcher (Kim) to tie the game and give the fans some free baseball. Remember, this was when that bum, Curt Schilling, and the lanky Randy Johnson-pitching duo were on the D-backs.
With a pretty play at second by Sori and some magic from the mound, Mo got out of a bases loaded jam in the 11th. Then, it was in the bottom of the 12th, when Knobby scored the winning run off a Soriano base hit to right field, that sealed the deal of a 3-2 victory. Back-to-back, come-from-behind wins from famous home runs. I vividly remember thinking to myself, “God, I love this team!” This game also marked Paul O’Neill’s last game played at Yankee Stadium before retirement. Of course they went on to get spanked in Game 6 in Arizona and lost the series in 7 but it was still an impressive season with strikingly exciting moments. Those were the days, when we had a bunch of clutch playoff guys: the “Boys of October”…no…the “Men of October.” Storybook ending games. In my eyes, this series pinpoints the decline of the Yankee dynasty (1996-2001 RIP).