New York vs Phoenix 


Game 1 at New York 
Phoenix takes a 1-0 series lead with a 2-0 win. Garcia started for Phoenix, and threw 
7 shutout innings, allowing just 5 hits. Zimmerman, Kline and Percival finish with 2 
innings of combined 1-hit relief, with Percival striking out 2 in the 9th for the save. 
Vazquez was perfect for 5.1 before getting touched for 2 runs in the 5th. Beltran was 
2-4 for Phoenix. 

Game 2 at New York 
The Knights even the series with a 6-4 win. Morris threw 8 shutout innings for the 
win, allowing 5 hits, 1 walk and striking out 9. Brosius homered for the Knights, 1 
of his 2 hits, Giambi went 3-4 with 2 rbi, and Hernandez went 2-3 with a double and 2 
rbi. Rodriguez went 4-4 for Phoenix, including a bases-loaded triple in the 9th to 
help the Predators cut the final score to 6-4. 

Game 3 at Phoenix 
New York holds on to a 5-4 win to take a 2-1 series lead. The Knights take a 2-0 lead 
in the 1st, with Giambi and Cruz driving in runs. Rodriguez homered for Phoenix to 
cut the lead in half. Giambi homered in the 4th and Valentin drove in 1 in the 6th to 
build the lead to 4-1, and a solo shot by Abreu cut the lead to 4-2. Both teams added 
runs in the 8th and it was 5-3 New York moving into the bottom of the 9th. 
Isringhausen, who struck out Nevin to end the 8th inning threat, started the 9th for 
Osborne and the Knights. Beltran doubled to lead off the 9th, and scored on a Martinez
ground-out. But Isringhausen retired Cabrera and Kennedy to end the game. 

Game 4 at Phoenix 
Phoenix evens the series with a 20-2 romp. The Predators struck for 5 in the 1st off 
New York starter Person, and built a 12-0 lead after 5. Phoenix hammered 20 hits, 
including 4 homeruns, 5 doubles and a triple, and drew 6 walks. Rodriguez went 4-5 
with 2 HR and 5 rbi, and Young, Gonzalez, Nevin and Cabrera had 3 hits each. Garcia 
picked up his 2nd win of the series, threw 6 shutout innings, and went 2-3 with a 2-
run homer. 

This game was the turning point of the series. It served as an inspiration in the 
Knights’ clubhouse. In the home half of the 8th inning, with a 14-2 lead, Beltran took
3rd on a single, infuriating the Knights dugout. Osborne immediately began searching 
for a means to start plunking Predators (note to DMB, add “stick one in his ribs” to 
the defensive tactics screen). As some consolation, he ordered an IW to Rodriguez with
the lead 17-2 and runners on 1st and 3rd, to prevent Pudge’s chance for 5 hits or a 
3rd homer. 

On perhaps a more serious note, this game was a big threat to the Knights pitching 
staff for the rest of the series. “The credit goes to Person and Ritchie”, added 
Osborne, “it wasn’t easy for them to take this one for the team, but it was important 
that we not burn half our bullpen in a lost cause. It was clearly not going to be our 
day”. 

Person threw 129 pitches over 5 innings, giving up 13 runs on 12 hits, and walking 5. 
Ritchie finished with 59 pitches over 3 innings, giving up 7 runs on 8 hits. 

Game 5 at Phoenix 
New York takes the series lead 3-2 with a 6-2 win. Hernandez drilled a 3-run shot in 
the 2nd for the early lead, and Sexson added one of his own in the 5th to build the 
New York lead to 6-1. Vazquez was solid for New York, giving up 2 runs and 6 hits 
over 7.1, striking out 9 with 0 walks. Guardado entered in the 8th, and struck out 
Abreu and Gonzalez with a runner on to end the inning. He finished with a hitless 9th,
walking 1. Williams, Giambi and Sexson all had 2 hits for New York. 

Game 6 at New York 
Facing elimination, Phoenix evens the series with a 1-0 victory. Zito rebounded from 
a tough game 2 outing, throwing 2-hit shutout baseball over 7 innings, striking out 9.
The lone run scored on a Phil Nevin double in the 4th, scoring Gonzalez when Knight 
catcher Hall dropped the perfect Alomar peg at the plate. Morris was the loser for New
York, giving up the lone unearned run in 7 innings. The real drama was the home half 
of the 9th. New York had only had 1 runner on 2nd base through the first 8 innings. 
Kline started the inning and gave up a single to Giambi.. Percival came on and walked 
Cruz and Sexson to load the bases with none out. But Alomar struck out, Shumpert 
popped up, and Valentin struck out to strand the tying run 90 feet away. 

Game 7 at New York 
New York jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a 2-run homer by Giambi in the 1st inning. But 
Phoenix stormed back and tied it in the 2nd inning with back-to-back solo shots from 
Nevin and Gonzalez. Singles by Beltran and Martinez and a double by Cabrera plated 2 
more runs, and a single by Young made it 5-2 Phoenix. Cruz drilled a homerun in the 
4th to cut the lead to 5-3. In the 6th inning, with 2 on and 2 out, McEwing and 
Brosius came through with rbi singles to tie the game at 5. In the 7th, Bernie 
Williams put the Knights on top with his 1st homer of the series, and the Knights 
added another in the 8th. 

The New York bullpen was the story. After Jarvis had a rough start, 5 pitchers 
combined for 6-hit ball over 7.1 shutout innings. Levine threw 3 innings of 1-hit 
ball to shut Phoenix down after the 5-run 2nd inning. Guardado gave up 2 singles to 
start the Phoenix 8th, but then struck out 2 en route to retiring the side. 
Isringhausen gave a single to start the 9th, but retired the next 3 to end the game 
and the series.