Like It or Not, O’Neill Ends Up Hero

ATLANTA â€”  New York Yankee right fielder Paul O’Neill relishes the spotlight like a vampire looks forward to a brilliant sunrise.

“He’s just miserable when the story is him,� Yankee pitcher David Cone said. “He does not like to talk about himself, whether things are good or bad. When it’s something bad, like an injury, he’s really miserable. When it’s something good, he just gets real humble.�

It was the Atlanta Braves who were humbled by O’Neill on Saturday night, though. O’Neill, who hit .190 against left-handers this season, came through against Brave closer John Rocker with a two-run single in the top of the eighth inning, snapping a 1-1 tie and propelling the Yankees to a 4-1 victory in Game 1 of the World Series at Turner Field.

In typical O’Neill fashion, the veteran downplayed his role in New York’s come-from-behind victory.

“I got a break, I hit the ball and it found a hole,� O’Neill said. “Breaks are part of the game. If they turn two on that, we might still be playing.�

But diving Atlanta second baseman Bret Boone had no chance at reaching O’Neill’s shot, and because of that, the Yankees are three victories closer to their 25th world championship.

THE SITUATION

Trailing by a run, the Yankees loaded the bases to start the eighth, Scott Brosius slapping his third single of the game, Darryl Strawberry drawing a pinch-hit walk and Chuck Knoblauch reaching when first baseman Brian Hunter, who had just replaced Ryan Klesko for defensive purposes, couldn’t successfully field his sacrifice bunt.

Brave starter Greg Maddux, brilliant until the eighth, came within inches of striking out Derek Jeter on an 0-2 pitch that was ruled just outside--it looked like the exact same pitch Maddux caught Jeter looking on for a strikeout in the sixth--but home plate umpire Randy Marsh called it a ball.

Jeter smacked Maddux’s next pitch through the shortstop hole for an RBI single. Third-base coach Willie Randolph held pinch-runner Chad Curtis at third, keeping the bases loaded with no outs in a 1-1 game.

Up stepped O’Neill.

WHAT HAPPENED

Rocker sprinted in from the Atlanta bullpen to the blare of heavy metal music, looking as pumped as Bobcat Goldwaithe with extra caffeine. The Braves needed a strikeout, and Rocker looked like he might oblige, blowing his first pitch, a 96-mph fastball, by the swinging O’Neill.

“That was a real quick strike,� O’Neill said.

Rocker’s second pitch was low, ball one. His third pitch was high and inside, ball two. His next pitch bounced past catcher Eddie Perez but was thrown so hard it caromed off the backstop and rolled to Perez before Curtis could even think of scoring.

Rocker’s 3-1 pitch was a fastball, a little high and inside, but O’Neill turned quickly on it, ripping a grounder through the right side of a drawn-in infield for a two-run single that gave the Yankees a lead they would not relinquish.

BOTTOM LINE

Cone thought O’Neill might have swung at ball four.

“It was a high fastball, 97 miles per hour, and he got his bat around on it,� Cone said. “Rocker is awfully tough against left-handers, but with the bases loaded and the infield in, the odds swing more toward Paul’s favor.�

Bernie Williams followed O’Neill’s hit with an intentional walk, and after Tino Martinez and Jorge Posada struck out, pinch-hitter Jim Leyritz walked to force in the Yankees’ fourth and final run.

THE LAST WORD

O’Neill said he was “as happy as anyone,� about his hit, but that’s as close as he came to showing any emotion during a post-game interview session.

“He’s just a blue-collar guy, he doesn’t want the glory,� Yankee designated hitter Chili Davis said. “He gets self-satisfaction doing the job; he doesn’t need anyone to tell him how good he is.

“He’s not a guy like Barry Bonds. Some guys play this game saying, ‘See how good I am?’ They’re always looking for the camera or trying to get quoted. Paul doesn’t need the attention.�