Arizona takes command in World Series
PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Randy Johnson was his typically overpowering self Sunday night and Matt Williams delivered a three-run homer in the seventh inning, putting the Arizona Diamondbacks in command of the World Series with a 4-0 victory over the three-time defending champion New York Yankees.
Johnson threw the first World Series complete-game shutout in eight years.
With Arizona's twin terrors of Johnson and Curt Schilling having limited New York to a single run in the Series, the Diamondbacks will take a two games to none lead to Yankee Stadium when baseball's championship showdown resumes Tuesday night.
New York also trailed, 2-0, in the division round earlier this month against Oakland before rallying to win the final three games of that series.
But to win a fourth consecutive championship and the 27th in franchise history, the Yankees must capture at least one game against Arizona's dominating twosome and they were unable to come close in the two games at Bank One Ballpark.
Johnson allowed only three balls out of the infield through the first seven innings -- two of them for fly ball outs -- and eventually allowed three hits in winning the first World Series appearance of his superstar career. He walked one and struck out 11.
The only run New York has scored in the Series came Saturday night in the first inning off Schilling, after which the Diamondbacks roared to a 9-1 victory.
Arizona scored the lone run required by Johnson in the second inning when Reggie Sanders reached on an infield single off Andy Pettitte and came racing home from first on a double by Danny Bautista.
Bautista went to third on the throw home, but he was left there when Matt Williams, Mark Grace and Damian Miller all hit routine grounders.
It was still 1-0 going into the Arizona seventh, when Pettitte finally made the mistake that sealed New York's fate.
He started the inning by hitting Luis Gonzalez in the wrist with a pitch. Gonzalez was eliminated at second on a fielder's choice grounder from Reggie Sanders, a play on which the Yankees were unable to get two because third baseman Scott Brosius had the ball briefly stick in his glove.
Bautista then hit a smash off Pettitte that ricocheted to the left side of the infield and went for a single.
That brought up Williams, who took a strike and then jumped all over a fat pitch from Pettitte -- one that wound up deep in the right-field seats for a three-run homer.
Rams handed first loss
ST. LOUIS, Mo., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Comebacks were the order of the day in the National Football League Sunday and one of them ensured there will be no unbeaten team this season.
The New Orleans Saints found themselves trailing by 18 points to start the second half Sunday, but St. Louis coughed up four turnovers in the third quarter and the Saints capitalized on them to score 25 points.
John Carney eventually ended the wild comeback by kicking a 27-yard field goal with one second remaining Sunday, giving the New Orleans Saints a 34-31 victory. It was the first loss of the year for the Rams, who turned the ball over eight times overall.
St. Louis had been the last unbeaten team in the league, but the Rams still own a 1 1/2-game lead over New Orleans and San Francisco in the NFC West.
San Francisco was another victim of a comeback. The Chicago Bears trailed by 19 in the second quarter, but forced overtime with a late touchdown and two-point conversion.
And on the first play of the extra period, Chicago safety Mike Brown returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown after Terrell Owens bobbled a pass by Jeff Garcia, giving the Bears a 37-31 win.
The rally moved the Bears (5-1) a full game in front of Green Bay for the lead in the NFC Central. The Bears have won five in a row for the first time since 1991, when Mike Ditka was the coach. They are off to their best start since 1990.
Denver also came from 10 points behind to beat New England, 31-20; the New York Jets scored late to nip Carolina, 13-12; and Doug Flutie ran 13 yards for a touchdown with 70 seconds remaining to give San Diego a 27-24 decision over Buffalo.
In the NFC East, meanwhile, none of the teams have a winning record and all five are separated by just a game and a half. Despite owning just a 3-3 record, the Philadelphia Eagles lead the division.
Philadelphia was beaten Sunday by Oakland, 20-10, keeping the Raiders a half game in front of San Diego in the AFC West.
Other NFL results: Cincinnati 31, Detroit 27; Baltimore 18, Jacksonville 17; Minnesota 41, Tampa Bay 14; Dallas 17, Arizona 3; Miami 24, Seattle 20; Washington 35, New York Giants, 21.
Islanders continue best start ever
UNIONDALE, N.Y., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Michael Peca scored with 1:35 left in overtime Sunday to give the New York Islanders a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars and complete the best 10-game start in franchise history.
The Islanders have accumulated 18 points on an 8
1-1 record and is the only team in the league not to have lost in regulation this season.
The 1982-83 team started the year with a 8-1-1 record and the 1981-82 squad went 7-1-2. Both those clubs won the Stanley Cup.
New York has needed the extra session in four straight games and five of the past six.
Defenseman Kenny Jonsson battled by the board in his own zone to clear the puck forward to Peca on a breakaway. Peca was patient before beating Dallas goaltender Marty Turco high above the left shoulder.
Islanders newcomer Alexei Yashin tied it at 2-2 on a power-play goal at the 13:50 mark of the second period. The goal had to be reviewed as Yashin shot the puck from behind the net before it bounced across the line off Turco's arm. Yashin has seven goals for his new team.
Other NHL results: Carolina 3, Los Angeles 2 in overtime; Florida 2, Pittsburgh 2; Colorado 3, Anaheim 2; Boston 3, Chicago 3.
Jeff Burton wins NASCAR race
PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- On an afternoon when eight drivers suffered right front tire problems, the path to victory lane was a smooth one for Jeff Burton in Sunday's NASCAR Checker Auto Parts 500.
Burton defended his title at Phoenix International Raceway as the Roush Racing driver collected his second win of the season.
Burton led five times for 102 laps, taking the lead for good on lap 279, when he passed Mike Wallace. He led the remaining 34 laps and finished 2.645 seconds ahead of Wallace in his Ford Taurus.
Ricky Rudd was third, followed by Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart, who drove a Pontiac Grand Prix. Ford took the top four spots.
Burton scored his 17th career victory and earned $213,491. A crowd estimated at 100,000 fans watched the race in 97-degree heat.
Jeff Gordon finished sixth in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo and leads Rudd by 380 points with four races remaining in the battle for the Winston Cup title.
Gordon can clinch his fourth title if he finishes 24th or better in the remaining races. However, he cannot win the championship next week at Rockingham, N.C.
DiMarco beats Duval in playoff
PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Chris DiMarco took advantage of a rare error by defending champion David Duval on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff Sunday and claimed his second career title at the Buick Challenge.
After matching the lowest final round of the season on the PGA Tour with a 9-under-par 63, Duval was long with his approach at the par-4 18th -- the first playoff hole -- and chipped six feet past the pin.
DiMarco missed a 13-foot birdie putt but watched as Duval's par attempt burned the left side of the cup, then hugged his caddy and broke down in tears.
It has been an emotional season of near-misses for DiMarco, who began the week with a career-high $1.846 million but had been unable to break through on a number of occasions.
DiMarco finished third or better three times in a four-start span this summer. But his inability to win cost him a spot on the United States Ryder Cup team.
Master of the claw putting grip, DiMarco earned the $612,000 top prize to move into 11th on the money list with nearly $2.5 million.
Duval was seeking his second win this season and second straight at Callaway Gardens Resort, where he shot a final-round 65 for a two-shot victory last year.
DiMarco and Duval ended the 72-hole event at 21-under 267. Bob Estes and Neal Lancaster were at 269 with Davis Love III at 270, Jeff Maggert at 271 and Joel Edwards and Sweden's Per-Ulrik Johansson at 272.
In Japan, meanwhile, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam, wrapped up Player of the Year honors on the LPGA Tour by rallying for a 1-up victory over Korea's Se Ri Pak in the fnial of the World Ladies Match Play championship. Sorenstam was 4-down through six holes.
Navy fires fotball coach
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Navy fired football coach Charlie Weatherbie Sunday, one day after the team's 17th loss in 18 games.
Navy came close at Toledo, but a 21-20 setback that dropped the team to 0-7 ultimately did in Weatherbie. Defensive coordinator Rick Lantz was named interim coach.
Weatherbie went 30-45 in six-plus seasons at the Naval Academy, losing 17 of 18 games and 32 of 41 since going 7-4 in 1997. In his second season, the Midshipmen capped a 9-3 year with an Aloha Bowl triumph.
A combined 4-9 mark against Army (3-3) and Air Force (1-6) did not help Weatherbie.
Davenport extends winning streak
LINZ, Austria, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- History repeated itself Sunday as Lindsay Davenport upended Jelena Dokic, 6-4, 6-1, for the second straight week to successfully defend her title at the Generali Ladies Open.
The top-seeded Davenport, who pocketed the $90,000 champion's check, also cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over the Yugoslav in the final of the Swisscom Challenge at Zurich a week ago.
The American extended her tour winning streak to 12 matches as she lifted her third trophy this month. Her run began with her triumph at the Porsche Grand Prix at Filderstadt, Germany.
Schilling wins Clemente Award
PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Curt Schilling, who is having one of the greatest postseasons of all time, received the 2001 Roberto Clemente Award Sunday for contributions on and off the field.
Schilling, the winner in Saturday's World Series opener, was honored before Sunday's Game 2. He was presented the trophy at home plate by Commissioner Bud Selig.
The award, which is selected by a panel of baseball dignitaries, is given to the player who best combines outstanding baseball skills with devoted work in the community.
One of baseball's most outspoken players, Schilling has been an avid supporter in the fight against ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and has tied his on-the-field contributions to numerous charitable organizations.
