2001 Season and The Road To The World Series
Arizona turned to Kim again as a closer after Mantei was lost to injury for the remaining 2001 season. Kim responded with 19 saves, a 2.94 ERA, and 113 strikeouts in 98 innings.
He made his first career postseason appearance in the NLDS Game 3 at Busch Stadium to protect the Diamondbacks’ 5-3 lead against the Cardinals with the go-ahead run at the plate in the 8th inning. After a walk to Albert Pujols that loaded the bases, Kim ended the inning with a center-field flyout. In the 9th inning, Kim saved the game with the game-ending double play off Mark McGwire's bat.
In the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, Kim worked a scoreless inning in Game 2, in which the Diamondbacks lost. Kim then picked up saves in Games 4 and 5 for the Diamondbacks. Kim entered Game 4 in the 8th inning with the Diamondbacks leading 7-3. However, prior to Kim entering the game, The D-backs had worked themselves into a bases loaded jam with no one out. Kim pitched masterfully in the inning, ending the bases loaded jam with a double play and a lineout. He then retired the next three batters in the 9th inning and picked up the save. The next night, Kim pitched another two shut-out innings and earned the two-inning save that clinched the Diamondbacks’ ticket to the World Series. Kim became the first pitcher since Goose Gossage to earn two-inning saves on back-to-back days in the postseason. In the 2004 postseason, Houston Astros closer Brad Lidge matched Gossage and Kim's feat.
With the Diamondbacks up two games to one going into Game 4 of the World Series, Kim relieved Curt Schilling in the eighth inning with the Diamondbacks leading 3-1. Kim struck out Shane Spencer, Scott Brosius, Alfonso Soriano, and Bernie Williams and grounded out Derek Jeter. But Paul O'Neill hit a single off Kim before Williams' plate appearance and Tino Martinez's two-out, two-run home run tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. With another home run hit off Kim by Derek Jeter in the bottom of the tenth, the Yankees won the game and tied the Series. Kim threw more than 60 pitches and was charged with the loss. The night after, in Game 5, Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly sent Kim again to the mound to protect the Diamondbacks' 2-0 lead. Jorge Posada hit a double off Kim, but Kim grounded out Shane Spencer and struck out Chuck Knoblauch. Scott Brosius then hit a two-run home run to tie the score. Later, Alfonso Soriano hit a single in the bottom of the 12th to win the game.
Despite Kim's performances in Games 4 and 5, the Diamondbacks clinched the World Series Championship in Game 7 at Bank One Ballpark.
Kim later revealed in an interview how he felt during the 2001 World Series. "We went through the whole season, 25 guys and then the coaching staff. That time it was like old people. They said, 'OK, we got last chance.'Some people said if we don't win, next year everybody's gone." Kim continued, "Then I gave up a home run. I didn't feel good. But we won."
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