The Full Wiki



More info on 2002 World Series

2002 World Series: Map
  
  
  

Wikipedia article:

Map showing all locations mentioned on Wikipedia article:


The World Series was the 98th edition of the Fall Classic, held from October 19–27, 2002. The series featured the American League champion Anaheim Angels defeating the National League champion San Francisco Giants, 4–3, to win the franchise's first ever World Series.

The series was notable as being the first (and as of 2009 only) time since the inception of the wild card in Major League Baseball that two wild card teams would vie for the title. It was also the fourth World Series played between two teams from Californiamarker (after 1974, 1988, and 1989), and the first such series to not include the Oakland Athletics. It was also the last Series to be played in a full seven games, as of 2009.

Background

Adding to the drama was the fact that both teams and their fans came into the Series carrying the baggage of a long history of futility, frustration and disappointment in their quest to capture the elusive world championship. The Angels, a Major League club since , had never before played in the World Series. They had come close several times, including heartbreaking losses in the ALCS in 1982 to the Milwaukee Brewers and in 1986 to the Boston Red Sox. In both series, the Angels blew leads and lost the last three games to lose the series. The Giants had won their last World Series crown in 1954, when they were still the New York Giants. Since moving to San Francisco after the season, the Giants had made it to the Series twice but lost both times. These included a dramatic, down-to-the-wire loss to the New York Yankees in the seven-game classic 1962 World Series, and a four-game sweep by the Oakland Athletics in the earthquakemarker-marred 1989 World Series. In addition, they finished second in the National League several times.

The Angels won the seven-game 2002 series after staging a remarkable come-from-behind victory in Game 6. The Giants had won Game 4 on an eighth inning RBI single that was ruled unearned and took Game 5 in a 16–4 blowout. Going into Game 6, the Giants held a 3–2 Series lead and seemed well on their way to winning the club's first world championship in 48 years and the first for their West Coast fans. The Giants continued their mastery into the late innings of Game 6, entering the bottom of the seventh inning with a commanding 5–0 lead. Only eight outs away from elimination, however, the Angels suddenly came to life and rallied for three runs in that inning. The Angels added three more in the eighth, to win the game 6–5 and force a seventh and deciding game. Having stolen the thunder from the stunned Giants, the Angels cruised to an easy 4–1 victory in the final game to reward their fans with the franchise's first world championship.

The series was played as a best-of-seven playoff with a 2–3–2 site format (standard in Major League Baseball). Barry Bonds of the Giants was almost elected World Series MVP before the Angels began their Game 6 comeback; the award would be presented the following night to Troy Glaus of the Angels for his role in that comeback. (Bobby Richardson of the 1960 New York Yankees remains the only World Series MVP from a losing team.)

Summary

Matchups

Game 1

Saturday, October 19, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheimmarker in Anaheim, Californiamarker

San Francisco won 4–3 at Edison International Field of Anaheim (now Angel Stadium of Anaheimmarker) to take a 1–0 lead. Barry Bonds hit a home run in his first career World Series at-bat. He was one of three Giants to homer in the game (the other two were Reggie Sanders and JT Snow). Troy Glaus hit two home runs for the Angels.

Game 2

Sunday, October 20, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheimmarker in Anaheim, Californiamarker

Anaheim won 11–10 at home in a game where the lead kept fluctuating between the two teams, tying up the series. Bonds again hit a mammoth homer with two outs in the ninth inning, off of Troy Percival. The biggest home run of the night, however, was hit by Tim Salmon, a longtime Angel, with two outs and one on in the bottom of the eighth. The dramatic blast won the game for the Angels.

Game 3

Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at Pacific Bell Parkmarker in San Francisco, Californiamarker

Anaheim won 10–4 in the first World Series game at Pacific Bell Park (now AT&T Parkmarker). The Angels batted around twice without a home run in either of their four-run innings. Barry Bonds hit another home run, becoming thefirst player to homer in his first three World Series games.

Game 4

Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at Pacific Bell Parkmarker in San Francisco, Californiamarker

San Francisco scored a 4–3 victory to tie the series. NLCS MVP Benito Santiago tied the game with a single in the fifth inning after the Angels walked Barry Bonds with a runner on second and two outs. David Bell put the Giants ahead with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth. The run was unearned due to Anaheim catcher Bengie Molina's passed ball during the previous at-bat, allowing J.T. Snow to move to second.

Game 5

Thursday, October 24, 2002 at Pacific Bell Parkmarker in San Francisco, Californiamarker

San Francisco took a 16–4 blowout win in a game in which the Angels never led. The most well-known moment in this game occurred when Giants first baseman J.T. Snow scored off a Kenny Lofton triple. Three-year-old batboy Darren Baker, son of Giants manager Dusty Baker, ran to home plate to collect Lofton's bat before the play was completed and was quickly lifted by the jacket by Snow as he crossed the plate, with David Bell close on his heels. Had Snow not acted quickly, Darren could have been seriously injured.

Game 6

Saturday, October 26, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheimmarker in Anaheim, Californiamarker

The turning point in the Series came in Game 6. Leading 5–0 with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, eight outs away from the Giants' first World Series title in San Francisco, Giants manager Dusty Baker pulled starting pitcher Russ Ortiz for setup man Félix Rodríguez after Ortiz gave up consecutive singles to third baseman Troy Glaus and designated hitter Brad Fullmer. In a widely publicized move, Baker gave Ortiz the game ball as he sent him back to the dugout. During the pitching change the Rally Monkey came on the JumboTron, sending 45,037 Angels fans into a frenzy. Angel first baseman Scott Spiezio came to the plate and fouled off pitch after pitch before finally hitting a three-run home run that barely cleared the wall in right field. The rally continued in the eighth inning, as Angel center fielder Darin Erstad hit a leadoff line-drive home run, followed by consecutive singles by Tim Salmon and Garret Anderson. (Chone Figgins pinch ran for Salmon.) When Bonds misplayed Anderson's shallow left field bloop single, Figgins and Anderson took third and second respectively. With no outs, two runners in scoring position and now only a 5–4 lead, Baker brought in closer Robb Nen to pitch to Glaus, hoping that Nen could induce a strikeout that might yet preserve the Giants' slim lead. However, Glaus slugged a double to the left-center field gap over Bonds' head to drive in the tying and winning runs. In the ninth inning, Angels closer Troy Percival struck out Rich Aurilia to preserve the 6–5 victory in front of the jubilant home crowd. The comeback from a five-run deficit was the largest in World Series history for an elimination game.

Game 7

Sunday, October 27, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheimmarker in Anaheim, Californiamarker

Game 7 proved to be somewhat anticlimactic after the drama of Game 6. The Giants scored the first run on a sacrifice, but the Angels responded with a run-scoring double from catcher Bengie Molina and a three-run double to right field from left fielder Garret Anderson to open a 4–1 lead. Rookie starting pitcher John Lackey maintained that lead. In the ninth inning, closer Troy Percival provided some tense moments as he opened the inning by putting two Giants on base, with only one out. But Tsuyoshi Shinjo—the first Japanese player in a World Series game—struck out swinging, and Kenny Lofton, also representing the tying run, flied out to Darin Erstad in right-center field to end the Series. The Angels won Game 7, 4–1, to claim their franchise's first and so far only World Series Championship. John Lackey became the first rookie pitcher to win a World Series Game 7 since 1909.

The morning after the win, The Orange County Register celebrated the Angels' win with the headline "7th Heaven," referring to the Angels' name and fact that it took seven games for the Angels to win the World Series, and in doing so, it sent them to seventh heaven.

Composite box



2002 World Series (4–3): Anaheim Angels (A.L.) over San Francisco Giants (N.L.)

Series quotes

Radio and Television

  • Fox's telecast of this World Series marked the first time the World Series was telecast in high-definition.
  • Jon Miller, who called this World Series for ESPN Radio, has been play-by-play man for the San Francisco Giants since 1997. Coincidentially, KNBRmarker, the Giants' longtime flagship station, is also San Francisco's ESPN Radio affiliate.


Trivia



Notes



References



External links




Embed code:






Got something to say? Make a comment.
Your name
Your email address
Message