Arizona’s Feeling Worldly

The plan was ambitious and risky for an expansion franchise that was determined to compete with baseball’s establishment.

The Arizona Diamondbacks made many bold moves in an attempt to reach the World Series within a four-year window, creating a shaky financial situation and providing ammunition for their critics.

But they ignored the doubters, staying the course despite some significant setbacks.

Look who’s laughing now.

The Diamondbacks took another major step in their brief history Sunday night, winning the National League championship series with a 3-2 victory against the Atlanta Braves in Game 5 behind another strong outing from Randy Johnson before an announced crowd of 35,652 at Turner Field.

Johnson earned his second victory in the best-of-seven series that the Diamondbacks won, 4-1, to reach the World Series in their fourth season--faster than any expansion team in baseball history.

Just the way they planned it.

“In 1998, they were an expansion franchise, but it changed in ‘99,” center fielder Steve Finley said. “It changed when they signed Randy and me and other guys. [Management] made this ballclub into a veteran ballclub in a one-year turnaround.”

“[Chairman] Jerry [Colangelo] made some great business decisions in who he signed. They just didn’t go out and sign anybody. They made prudent business decisions and it paid off. This year, the right pieces fell into place, and [Johnson] and [Curt Schilling] just dominated all year.”

It was Johnson’s turn Sunday.

The Big Unit delivered the type of performance expected of a three-time Cy Young Award winner, preserving a one-run lead in the seventh inning with two out and the bases loaded. He gave up seven hits and struck out eight.

“The concentration that I had tonight ... it almost matched Game 1, but not quite,” said Johnson, 2-0 with a 1.13 earned-run average and 19 strikeouts in 16 innings in the championship series.

“I made some mistakes, but the one good thing I was doing today, as well as the first game, was stepping off and not letting things get the best of me. I was taking my time, thinking about every pitch and executing every pitch.”

Pinch-hitter Erubiel Durazo had the game’s key hit, hitting a two-run home run in the fifth against Atlanta left-handed starter and loser Tom Glavine, working on three days’ rest, to give Arizona a 3-1 lead.

The left-handed batter hit for first baseman Mark Grace, and remained in the game at first, after Grace experienced tightness in his right hamstring. Durazo had never faced Glavine, but Manager Bob Brenly’s move paid off when, with two out and a man on first, Durazo homered. Arizona second baseman Craig Counsell, released by the Dodgers in spring training of 2000, was selected the championship series most valuable player. He batted .381 with four runs batted in.

Tired, a run already in and another small crowd doing that tomahawk-chop thing again in the seventh, Johnson maintained his focus and continued to shed his reputation as an ineffective playoff pitcher.

The 6-foot-10 left-hander struck out cleanup batter Brian Jordan on his 118th pitch, ending his gutsy performance.

Byung-Hyun Kim followed Johnson’s lead, working a scoreless eighth and ninth for his second two-inning save in as many nights.

Julio Franco, who drove in the Braves’ runs with a solo home run in the fourth and a single in the seventh, represented the potential go-ahead run in the ninth with two out and Keith Lockhart on first after a walk. Franco sent a towering fly ball to Finley, who squeezed it for the final out.

The Diamondbacks got their first pennant, and the Braves and their fans were left with another disappointing playoff memory as the Diamondbacks celebrated.

Many players contributed to the Diamondbacks’ big moment, but they said Johnson’s work, especially in the seventh, made their clubhouse party possible.

“Randy’s an exceptional warrior out there on the mound,” Brenly said. “Just when you think maybe you’ve seen the last he’s got to offer on a given night, he seems to be able to reach back and find a little bit more. I was confident that he would be able to do that and get us out of that seventh inning.”

Johnson labored in the seventh, giving up two hits and walking two.

Franco, who tied the score at 1-1 with a 390-foot leadoff homer to right-center in the fourth, cut the lead to 3-2 with a single.

Chipper Jones walked in an-eight pitch at-bat, and the crowd anticipated something big. Johnson came through, striking out Jordan on a 2-and-2 pitch.

“It was a great battle,” Johnson said. “It ended up seeming like that inning was a half an hour long.”

But the outcome was worth the wait for the Diamondbacks.