2001 American League Championship Series

The 2001 American League Championship Series was a rematch of the 2000 ALCS between the New York Yankees, who had come off a dramatic comeback against the Oakland Athletics in the Division Series after being down two games to zero, and the Seattle Mariners, who won an American League record 116 regular season games and had won their Division Series against the Cleveland Indians. The series had additional poignancy, coming immediately after downtown New York City was devastated by the events of September 11, 2001. (The series was played in late October due to Major League Baseball temporarily shutting down in the wake of the attacks).

Though the Mariners had home field advantage, unlike the 2000 ALCS where the Yankees had home field advantage, the Yankees' mystique after their miraculous comeback against Oakland proved too overpowering and the Yankees won the first two games in Seattle. The Mariners' manager, former Yankee player and manager Lou Piniella, guaranteed after game two that the Mariners would win at least two of the next three games in New York to return the series to Seattle. However, he turned out to be wrong as the Yankees closed out the series in New York, beating the Mariners 4 games to 1. The series ended with a 12-3 Yankees victory in Game 5.

Managers: Joe Torre, New York; Lou Piniella, Seattle

Umpires: Ed Montague, Wally Bell, Gary Cederstrom, Charlie Reliford, John Shulock, Tim Welke

Series MVP: Andy Pettitte, New York

Television: FOX (Joe Buck and Tim McCarver announcing)

1 Summary
2 Game summaries
3 Quotes of the Series
4 External links

Summary

Game Score Date Location Attendance 1 New York - 4, Seattle - 2 October 17 Safeco Field47,644 2 New York - 3, Seattle - 2 October 18 Safeco Field47,791 3 Seattle - 14, New York - 3 October 20 Yankee Stadium56,517 4 Seattle - 1, New York - 3 October 21 Yankee Stadium56,375 5 Seattle - 3, New York - 12 October 22 Yankee Stadium56,370

Game summaries

Game 1

October 17, Safeco Field

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E New York 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 4 9 0 Seattle 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 4 0 W: Andy Pettitte(1-0) L: Aaron Sele(0-1) SV: Mariano Rivera(1) HRs: NYY – Paul O'Neill(1)

The Game 1 starting date was the latest date ever for a starting game of an ALCS.

Game 2

October 18, Safeco Field

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E New York 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 1 Seattle 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 0 W: Mike Mussina(1-0) L: Freddy Garcia(0-1) SV: Mariano Rivera(2) HRs: SEA – Stan Javier(1)

Game 3

October 20, Yankee Stadium

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Seattle 0 0 0 0 2 7 2 1 2 14 15 0 New York 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 7 2 W: Jamie Moyer(1-0) L: Orlando Hernández(0-1) HRs: SEA – John Olerud(1), Bret Boone(1), Jay Buhner(1); NYY – Bernie Williams(1)

Game 4

October 21, Yankee Stadium

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Seattle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 New York 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 0 W: Mariano Rivera(1-0) L: Kazuhiro Sasaki(0-1) HRs: SEA – Bret Boone(2); NYY – Bernie Williams(2), Alfonso Soriano(1)

Game 5

October 22, Yankee Stadium

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Seattle 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 9 1 New York 0 0 4 1 0 4 0 3 X 12 13 1 W: Andy Pettitte(2-0) L: Aaron Sele(0-2) HRs: NYY – Bernie Williams(3), Tino Martinez(1), Paul O'Neill(2)

Quotes of the Series

“ Sorianointo deep right, Ichiroback, at the wall...Yankees win!" - FOX Sports Joe Buckcalling Alfonso Soriano's dramatic walkoff home run in Game 4. ”

“ Before you guys start asking questions let me start by saying We're gonna be back here (Seattle) for Game 6, I told the people out there the same thing, I guarantee you we will be back here for Game 6. --- A furious Mariners' manager Lou Piniellaat the press conference room after Game 2 loss to the Yankees in Seattle. ”