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Pettitte Force
2003-10-20 01:50
by Mike Carminati

Game two turned out to be a much different game than yesterday's. Andy Pettitte survived some early control problems—he went 2-0 to each of the three batters faced in the first—to take a 3-0 lead after one inning and dominate from there on.

Here are my game two notes:

Pregame:

Montage: What do Jilliam Barberie and Sheila E. have to do with the World Series. At least Sheila E. is doing a Tito Puente impersonation on the drums. Jillian Barberie is just standing there (is that a problem?). I swear this network would put cheerleaders in fould territory if they could.

Jeannie Zelasko is dressed like a rhinestone cowboy.

Short film ("100th Anniversary of a Fall Classic")—Two words: "What the?" By the way, they messed up the Bostons uniforms. They wore white uniforms with navy blue socks and a white hat with a horizontal blue stripe in 1903. They didn't become known as the Red Sox until they permanently borrowed those uniforms and the identity from the Boston NL club. Also, the were known mostly as the Pilgrims not the Puritans, though names were unofficial back then. They mention Cy Young as if he was a new player who developed in the new league (the AL). He played 11 years in the NL before the AL became a major league. Cy Young also lost the first game 7-3 to Deacon Phillips, even though he did pitch 4 games in the Series. There is a little witty repartee between the owners in which the championship is dubbed the "World Series". It actually was known as the Championship of the United States, and it wasn't so new. It had been done in the 1880s between the NL and rival American Association. There are probably a million other inaccuracies, but those are off the top of my head.

National Anthem: sung by Rene "Who?" Flemming, who has manhands.

Marlins, 1st: Castillo—Reaches on an infield single. Jeter's throw is a bit to Johnson's left, but couldn't he have tried to hold the bag?

Rodriguez—starts 3-0. Pettitte looks a bit shaky—third batter at 2-0 or worse. Becomes strikeout looking, and a strike-him-out-throw-him-out doubleplay. Castillo is out by a good yard.

Yankees 1st: Donnie Baseball is in attendance. His son looks just like him.

Jeter—misses a curveball down and in by a good foot and half.

Dusty Baker in attendance. Fox is already bored and is again scanning the crowd for celebs. At least tonight they are baseball celebs.

Williams—doesn't like strike 2. It looked a foot inside. Giambi is running on 3-2 and gets to third.

Matsui—smacks a homer to center on a 3-0 pitch. I was thinking that he was crazy to swing but I guess he knew better than me. Yanks 3-0.

Yankees 2nd: Rivera—shows bunt on first ball. Ball 2—Rodriguez to mound & Rosenthal calls pen. Redman is losing it and they have lost all confidence in him. Doubles Johnson home (4-0) and is safe by a sizeable margin at third but called out. McCarver says that Lowell blocked him with his foot, but if so he should be safe since the fielder can't block the runner off the bag.

Marlin 3rd: David Smith, the new Joe Millionaire, is in attendance—what a coincidence! How can he afford a trip to the Series in NY on his $11 K a year salary?

Jeff Conine—three quick called strikes. Much different from yesterday.

Pettitte—strikes out the side. Looks in command.

Yankees 3rd: Williams—Helling is up in the bullpen. Walks. Helling to come in. Only 50 pitches for Redman, I guess they can use him in spot relief if needs be and they want to do so.

Matsui—a one-hopper to Castillo forces Williams at third. Did he not field it to try to turn the doubleplay? It looked like he may have been able to get to it and knew he couldn't double the runners off. If so, doesn't the infield fly rule come into play?

Posada and Helling battle. 3-2. Posada strikes out on a slider.

Marlins 4th: Pierre bunts to the pitcher. Pettitte throws well wide of first—lucky Pierre couldn't advance. Forced at second on a nice play by Boone. Soriano may have been off bag though. McCarver is convinced that Soriano was pulled off the bag. I don't think he was.

Yanks 4th: Aaron Boone—strikes out (surprise) and drops an F-bomb on America.

Another shot at the Joe Millionaire cam—all the world's a commercial for Fox.

Soriano—0-2. Grooved a flat breaker (McCarver says slider, OK) on 1-2. Big mistake. 6-0 Yankees.

Marlins 5th: Cabreara—reaches on a tough error on Boone.

Yanks 6th: Boone—2-0. Rodriguez to mound. Pavano up in pen. 2nd strike—2 feet outside literally and bounced in dirt. Is Boone the same man who hit the game-7 homer?

McCarver (on the Boone homer)—"That swing makes up for a lot of outs"—uh, not if he continues to do this in the Series.

Boone—Doubleplay. Swung at ball 5 for a K. Pudge makes a perfect throw to second to get Posada. The throw had to be perfect. Why go with Boone up, like he needs the added pressure?

Johnson—doubles. It would have scored Posada if not for the dumb DP.

Rivera—strike one—2 feet outside, missed by a foot.

Marlins 7th: Cabrera—grounds into a doubleplay 5-4-3. Cabrera doesn’t run and Soriano almost doesn't throw to first. Replay shows that the ball hit his lead foot. Bad break. Umps want to go home.

Lee—hits a ball to the wall.

Yanks 7th: Soriano K's on a ball 6" outside.

Pavano is in but isn't he supposed to start a game in the series. With their overworked staff and the way he's pitched, they will have to start him at least once. Why give the Yankees a look at him.

Jeter—hits fourth pitch hard off his knee. The commentators can't be bothered. Not paying attention. Discussing the Pirates and Reds. Don't realize they're not playing.

Giambi—Nice swing the opposite way. The Marlins would hate to see him come alive.

McCarver—finally notices that Pavano is in the game and will starts a game in the series. These guys are phoning it in (literally with that cheesy cell phone tie-in).

Looper up in pen.

Marlins 9th: Castillo—leadoff hit. Gets Contreras and Rivera up in pen. Why use Rivera up 6-0?

Castillo—Johnson is holding him at first—why?

Boone—2nd error, worse than first. Cuts in front of Jeter, but Jeter is dogging it a bit and probably would not make play. Costs Pettitte the complete game shutout after Lee singles to right (Yanks 6-1).

Pettitte gone. Boone apologized and Pettitte gave him a "that's OK" tap with the glove, but he's probably pissed.

Contreras—relieves. Two quick balls—brilliant!?! Could the Marlins possibly come back?

Lowell—grounds out to end it.


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