Clemens-Rivera Golden Pitching Duo

The miracle never took place. And `the Korean submarine` Kim Byung-Hyun (22, Arizona Diamondbacks) had to postpone again his first appearance in the World Series as an Asian pitcher.

Yankee 20-win starter Roger Clemens (3 losses) and Diamondback 4-win starter Brian Anderson (9 losses) faced each other yesterday in the World Series game three. Arizona`s `patchwork starter` Anderson made an expectedly excellent start, but the wall of Clemens, a career sixth Cy Young award candidate, was too high to overcome.

Only variables were the cold weather falling down to 3 degree centigrade and the strong wind of 15 km/h. Crowded in the Yankee Stadium, 55,820 fans had to wear the thick overcoats and woolen caps.

Can it be attributed to the weather? The Yankees made a clumsy start in the top of the first. The batted ball by Arizona`s lead-off hitter Craig Counsell bounced out from the glove of Yankee second-baseman Alfonso Soriano. But Clemens caught him with a pick-off throw, and then he allowed a walk for No. 2 hitter Steve Finley but got him at his stealing attempt to the second.

Since then, Clemens recovered his pace, and he fabulously pitched until 2-1 leading 7th inning allowing just a run with 9 strikeouts, 3 hits, and 3 base-on-balls. And he handed over the mound to `impregnable closer` Mariano Rivera. Clemens recorded 3 wins out of his career 5 World Series starts with 1.59 ERA.

Rivera, who had recorded 5 wins (no loss) and 23 saves with 0.74 ERA in the World Series, perfectly shut out the Arizona batters for two innings including the 4 straight strikeouts to keep the first win of the Yankees, which had been on the verge to collapse since two straight losses at Phoenix.

Subdued by the excellent start of Anderson, the Yankees` bats had been in the deep freeze and Posada warmed things up by leading off the second with a solo homer. In the sixth inning, the infield single of Bernie Williams and a walk of Posada retreated Anderson, and the 1998 World Series MVP Scott Brosius hit a single to left to score a game-deciding run with two-outs and runners on the first and second.

Meanwhile, the U.S. President George W. Bush tossed the first ball to open this game for the first time in 45 years since President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956. Former Texas Rangers owner, President Bush threw a strike wearing a shirt without a glove, and watched the game until the third inning.

The game four will be held at 10 o`clock on November 1st (Korean Time). Starter of game one, Curt Schilling will start for the Arizona, facing Yankee Orlando Hernandez, a man of postseason, with a radiant postseason record of 9 wins and 2 losses.

zangpabo@donga.com