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2001 – Bill Spiers announces his retirement. Back problems limit the versatile utilityman from continuing a career that saw its heyday in Houston after stops in Milwaukee and New York. He bats .288 with 21 homers and 199 RBIs during six years as an Astro, and is best known for his clutch hitting and solid infield play. 

ByTom

2001 – Bill Spiers announces his retirement. Back problems limit the versatile utilityman from continuing a career that saw its heyday in Houston after stops in Milwaukee and New York. He bats .288 with 21 homers and 199 RBIs during six years as an Astro, and is best known for his clutch hitting and solid infield play. 

Randy Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks defeat the Atlanta Braves, 3 – 2, to win the National League Championship Series and reach the World Series for the first time in their history. Arizona gets to the Series faster than any expansion team in history, doing so in the fourth year of its existence. Erubiel Durazo’s pinch-hit two-run home run is the key blow. Craig Counsell is named the NLCS MVP.

ByBaseball

Randy Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks defeat the Atlanta Braves, 3 – 2, to win the National League Championship Series and reach the World Series for the first time in their history. Arizona gets to the Series faster than any expansion team in history, doing so in the fourth year of its existence. Erubiel Durazo’s pinch-hit two-run home run is the key blow. Craig Counsell is named the NLCS MVP.

The New York Yankees take a 3-1 lead in their American League Championship Series matchup with the Seattle Mariners, defeating Seattle by a score of 3 – 1. Bret Boone’s 8th-inning home run breaks a scoreless tie, but Bernie Williams hits a home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score. New York wins on Alfonso Soriano’s two-run homer in the 9th and Mariano Rivera gets the victory in relief.

ByBaseball

The New York Yankees take a 3-1 lead in their American League Championship Series matchup with the Seattle Mariners, defeating Seattle by a score of 3 – 1. Bret Boone’s 8th-inning home run breaks a scoreless tie, but Bernie Williams hits a home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score. New York wins on Alfonso Soriano’s two-run homer in the 9th and Mariano Rivera gets the victory in relief.

2001 – The Arizona Diamondbacks take a 3-1 lead in their National League Championship Series with an 11 – 4 victory over Greg Maddux and the Atlanta Braves. Six of Arizona’s runs are unearned as a result of three Atlanta errors. Luis Gonzalez hits a three-run home run for Arizona while Andruw Jones connects for the Braves. Brian Anderson gets the win in relief of starter Albie Lopez.

ByThis Day in Baseball

2001 – The Arizona Diamondbacks take a 3-1 lead in their National League Championship Series with an 11 – 4 victory over Greg Maddux and the Atlanta Braves. Six of Arizona’s runs are unearned as a result of three Atlanta errors. Luis Gonzalez hits a three-run home run for Arizona while Andruw Jones connects for the Braves. Brian Anderson gets the win in relief of starter Albie Lopez.

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Coach Matt Galante ends a 22-year run in the Astros organization when he accepts a coaching position with the New York Mets. Galante managed Houston farm clubs and skippered the Astros in 1999 while Larry Dierker recovered from a brain seizure. He returns to the Astros in 2005 as a special assistant to the General Manager. 

ByTom

2001 – Coach Matt Galante ends a 22-year run in the Astros organization when he accepts a coaching position with the New York Mets. Galante managed Houston farm clubs and skippered the Astros in 1999 while Larry Dierker recovered from a brain seizure. He returns to the Astros in 2005 as a special assistant to the General Manager. 

2001 – In the NLCS, Curt Schilling’s four-hitter gives the Arizona Diamondbacks a 5 – 1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Schilling strikes out 12 Braves as Craig Counsell gets three hits and Steve Finley drives home three runs.

ByBaseball

2001 – In the NLCS, Curt Schilling’s four-hitter gives the Arizona Diamondbacks a 5 – 1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Schilling strikes out 12 Braves as Craig Counsell gets three hits and Steve Finley drives home three runs.

Larry Dierker resigns as manager, ending a five-year run that can be argued as the most successful in team history
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Larry Dierker resigns as manager, ending a five-year run that can be argued as the most successful in team history

ByThis Day in Baseball

2001 – Larry Dierker resigns as manager, ending a five-year run that can be argued as the most successful in team history. His winning percentage (.553) is tops for the franchise. His 448 wins rank second to Bill Virdon. The good news was four division crowns in five years. The bad news was a 2-12 post-season record, failing to escape out of the first round of the playoffs each year. But the numbers don’t begin to capture Dierker’s story, one as unique as the Hawaiian-shirted lanky Californian that has spent practically his entire adulthood with the franchise. 

2001 – Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks stops his postseason losing streak with a 2 – 0 win over Atlanta in Game 1 of the NLCS. Johnson allows three hits and strikes out 11. Reggie Sanders and Luis Gonzalez drive home runs for the Diamondbacks.

ByBaseball

2001 – Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks stops his postseason losing streak with a 2 – 0 win over Atlanta in Game 1 of the NLCS. Johnson allows three hits and strikes out 11. Reggie Sanders and Luis Gonzalez drive home runs for the Diamondbacks.

The Yankees beat the A’s 5-3 to win the ALDS. The Bronx Bombers become the first team ever to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games at home.

ByTom

The Yankees beat the A’s 5-3 to win the ALDS. The Bronx Bombers become the first team ever to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games at home.

In only their fourth year of existence, the Arizona Diamondbacks win their National League Division Series beating the St. Louis Cardinals, 2 – 1, thanks to Tony Womack’s two-out game-winning hit in the deciding fifth game. Arizona had lost their first playoff appearance to the Mets in 1999.

ByBaseball

In only their fourth year of existence, the Arizona Diamondbacks win their National League Division Series beating the St. Louis Cardinals, 2 – 1, thanks to Tony Womack’s two-out game-winning hit in the deciding fifth game. Arizona had lost their first playoff appearance to the Mets in 1999.