2001 World Series

About 2001 World Series

The 2001 World Series (the "November Series") took place between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees and is considered one of the most exciting World Series ever. The best-of-seven-games series determined the World Champions of Major League Baseball of 2001. It featured two extra-inning games and three late-inning comebacks and went to the maximum seven games. The series ended on a game seven walk-off hit (the first since Edgar Rentería's in 1997), one of only a handful of Series to end in this fashion.

The Arizona Diamondbacks, breaking a record previously held by the Florida Marlins, reached the Series in just their fourth season of existence, and took on the three-time defending champion New York Yankees, who were trying to become the first team to win four straight titles since the Yankees' five consecutive titles from 1949 to 1953. Additionally, the Series would be taking place in New York City only seven weeks after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, representing a remarkable boost in morale for the fatigued city. Arizona captured the Series, four games to three, thereby dethroning the defending World Champions and earning their first title.

Arizona won the first two games at home handily, but New York won the next three in close contests in Yankee Stadium, including two dramatic ninth-inning comebacks against Arizona closer Byung-Hyun Kim. Arizona won the sixth game behind Randy Johnson, who then came in to pitch in relief of Curt Schilling in game seven. The Diamondbacks won the game 3-2, with Jay Bell scoring the winning run on a bloop single by Luis Gonzalez, in the bottom of the ninth inning off the Yankees' ace closer, Mariano Rivera.