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Rivera perfect in Fall Classic since '01

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By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com

11/04/09 6:15 PM EST

PHOENIX -- As soon as Alfonso Soriano's eighth-inning home run landed in the left-field bleachers, the D-backs knew what was coming.

Eight years ago Wednesday, with the Yankees leading Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, 2-1, arguably the best closer in the history of baseball was going to be called on to finish them off.

"We knew Mariano Rivera was going to be in the game," D-backs center fielder Steve Finley said. "Coming off that field to a man we said, 'We are going to get the guy this time.' I can't explain it, but we were confident about being able to get to him this time around."

The eighth inning, though, reminded the D-backs just what they were up against. Rivera allowed a ground-ball single by Finley, but struck out the other three batters in the inning.

"He just blew through us in the eighth," D-backs GM Joe Garagiola Jr. recalled. "Even back then, his reputation was pretty much established as being at the top of the list of guys you didn't want to face in that situation."

Eight times, Rivera had come into a World Series game in a save situation to that point, and he converted all of them and was riding a string of 23 straight successful postseason saves.

That was about to change, as Mark Grace started the ninth with a single to center.

"I felt like if we got someone on base, we had a chance," D-backs manager Bob Brenly said. "You just had a feeling Gracie was going to find a way to get on base."

To beat someone like Rivera, though, requires some odd occurrences, a confluence of events to go in your favor, and that's what happened for Arizona.

Catcher Damian Miller laid down a bunt right back at Rivera, who whirled and had time to nail the runner at second, but his throw flew into center field and everyone was safe.

For someone who is as good a fielder as Rivera, it was a stunning development and one that would stick with Garagiola for years afterwards.

"That was the turning point," said Garagiola, who would remind his pitchers in subsequent springs during pitcher's fielding practice that the biggest game of the year could turn on something like a throw to second.

A failed sacrifice attempt by Jay Bell left runners at first and second with one out, and Tony Womack followed with a double to right to tie the game and put the winning run at third with Craig Counsell at the plate.

As Counsell stepped into the box, Gonzalez waited on deck.

"I thought Counsell was going to win the game for us," Gonzalez said. "He had a big postseason to that point and I thought he was going to do it."

Instead, Rivera, who had hit one batter all season, plunked Counsell to load the bases for Gonzalez.

As he walked to the plate, Gonzalez realized the situation looked familiar to him even though he had never played in a World Series prior to this one.

"As a little kid, you always play those scenarios out in your mind," Gonzalez said. "Game 7 of the World Series, you always play that little tape in your mind, because that's the biggest game, the biggest moment."

Gonzalez, who had struck out against Rivera in the eighth, hit 57 home runs during the regular season and was the Home Run Derby champ at the All-Star Game. On this night, though, it was a little blooper over the head of a drawn-in Derek Jeter at short that proved to be enough.

"From Day 1, it was a storybook season for me," Gonzalez said. "To hit the game-winning home run on Opening Day, to being voted a starter in the All-Star Game to winning the Home Run Derby ... as I was walking to the plate I thought this was the storybook ending to a storybook season.

"I choked up a little bit more in the ninth inning, because with the infield in, I just didn't want to hit a ground ball. I just wanted to get it into the outfield somehow and our guys could tag up and score."

It was a devastating loss for the Yankees and surely for Rivera, but the surefire Hall of Famer did not let the loss carry over. Since that night in the Arizona desert, Rivera has been perfect in three World Series save opportunities, making him 11-for-12 in his career. No other pitcher has more than six World Series saves.

"He picked right back up where he left off," Gonzalez said. "He's got ice in his veins. I'm telling you, he doesn't get fazed by anything. For that to happen to a lot of players, they might have cracked. Especially playing in New York, that's not an easy place to play, there is a lot of media and a lot of fans that are very passionate about their team. So for him to be able to bounce back like he has, he's unbelievable."

Had Rivera made an accurate throw to second on Miller's bunt or if Scott Brosius had turned a double play on Bell's bunt, Rivera might still be perfect.

While that night ended in defeat for Rivera, it also reinforced just how amazing his 11-for-12 World Series success rate is.

"You make your mark in history by doing what he's doing on the biggest stage," Gonzalez said. "You look at his success rate and it's off the charts. For as many big games as he's pitched in and the way the life of a closer goes for him to have the success he's had, to me he's the best ever."

Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.