Game 4 of the World Series is tied at one run apiece, with El Duque Hernandez matching Curt Schilling in yet another fantastic pitching matchup in this World Series. We pick up the game in the top of the eighth:

After a Craig Counsell flyout to center, Luis Gonzalez singles up the gut. Erubiel Durazo sends a shot to deep center that falls over the outstretched arms of Bernie Williams. Gonzalez was able to score from first on a horrible throw from Alfonso Soriano, allowing Durazo to reach third with only one out. Pinch-runner Midre Cummings replaces Durazo, where he would score on a close play at the plate on a ground ball from Matt Williams. The D-Backs would leave this inning with a two-run lead and only six outs left to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the 2001 World Series.

The bottom of the eighth inning would be over before I returned from the kitchen, as Arizona closer Byung-Hyun Kim struck out the side with ease. Although his stuff looked dominant, I certainly questioned taking Curt Schilling out of the game. Schilling was pitching fine, hadn’t thrown too many pitches, and with a two-run lead, only needed six outs to gain his second win of the Series. But after Kim’s dominance, those thoughts were gone, as saving Schilling for a possible Game 7 looked promising with what I thought was going to be a 3-1 lead in the Series for the D-backs. I called home, had a few laughs with my father about how much we hate the Yankees, and finished off some of my price theory homework. I wasn’t worried.

The top of the ninth was nothing to write home about, as the D-Backs were quickly taken care of by Ramiro Mendoza. I walked out to the common room where I would watch the final inning with my suitemates, all of us excited about the D-Backs’ commanding lead.

Derek Jeter led off the ninth trying to bunt his way on, but Matt Williams made a great barehanded play to get him at first. (On a side note, I thought of a great analogy for next year’s SAT: NBA is to Michael Jordan. The answer: Tim McCarver is to Derek Jeter. The former won’t get off the latter’s nut sack, if you know what I mean.) Anyhow, back to the game. Next up was Paul O’Neil, who blooped a single into left, similar to the hit he got in Game 3 that ended up producing the game-winning hit. The announcers were too busy figuring out where Jeter was that they were completely oblivious to the fact that in the last two games, Luis Gonzalez, ‘Zona’s left fielder, has let three short line drives fall right in front of him. In Game 3, a diving catch may have saved the winning run from scoring, and here, making the catch would end this column in about two sentences. But Gonzo’s D certainly can’t be blamed for what transpires next. Just thought I’d point this out because nobody on TV seemed to want to talk about anything other than Derek Jeter.

So with one out, my telephone rings, and I chit-chat for a few seconds while watching Bernie Williams swing through a Kim slider. One out left. This is great. I make a run for the common room to watch the final out. I sit down, exchange smiles with the guys, and watch as Tino Martinez strolls to the plate.

(What I write next may cause nausea or vomiting, so be careful.)

Martinez wasted no time, launching a shot to deep center to tie the game. I honestly could not believe what I saw. No other team could produce this kind of magic. The D-Backs had pulled a BoSox and blew a chance to put away the World Series. As much as I despise the Yanks, that was an amazing sports moment, one of those times when you have to pinch yourself to see if you’re dreaming. Kim was somehow able to get of the inning without losing the game, but a few short minutes later Derek Jeter would push a two-out, two-strike pitch over the right-field wall to win the game, as the Yankees became the first team ever in a World Series to hit a game-tying home run in the ninth and win it on a home run in extra innings.

So will the Yankees run away and pull at ’96, where the Bronx Bombers lost the first two games to Atlanta, only to pull off four straight? I don’t know. Randy Johnson will pitch Game 6, with Schilling going again if there is a Game 7. Other than that, anything in this Series is possible. All I know is the first World Series game to go into the month of November will always be remembered. The Yankees pulled off a miracle. And as much as I hate to say it, it was an amazing sports moment. That kind of stuff doesn’t happen very often, and when it does, we must sit back and enjoy. So over the next three games, watch the Series (most of you did, but those who watched Jordan over Game 3, shame on you) and enjoy all that America’s greatest game has to offer.

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