Jim Harris: Arkansas Aces Dominate World Series So Far

Until this week in New York's Yankee Stadium, last time two Arkansans won back-to-back games in the World Series was in 1934. Paul Dean and Jerome Herman Dean, "Daffy" and "Dizzy," who grew up in Lucas, Ark., won Games 6 and 7 on the road for the St. Louis Cardinals in their World Series win over Detroit.

The last time even an Arkie everyday player made such a splash in the World Series as we've seen this week was in 1970, when Little Rock native Brooks Robinson, who would later enter the Hall of Fame for his prowess at third base, gloved and hit his way to Most Valuable Player honors for the Baltimore Orioles.

Now, it's Arkansas' time to shine again in the Fall Classic.

Cliff Lee hurled what some observers were deeming one of the all-time complete games in World Series history in Philadelphia's 6-1 win in Game 1 on Wednesday night. While no one will better Don Larsen's perfect game for the Yankees over the Dodgers in 1956, it was conceded even by ESPN's Buster Olney that this was a top 10 World Series effort by the left-hander from Benton.

Hard-throwing right-hander A.J. Burnett didn't go the distance on Thursday night, but he allowed just one run and lasted long enough for Mariano Riviera to close out the Yankees' 3-1 victory on Thursday night. Burnett, who grown into the spitting image of dad Bill when Bill was coaching A.J. and the North Little Rock Colts American Legion team in the early 1990s, struck out nine and had Phils flailing all night at a wicked curve ball.

Also 2-0 in the World Series is Darek Braunecker, the Little Rock-based agent of the two pitchers. The New York Times on Friday highlighted Braunecker's good fortune with Lee and Burnett. The post-season for the two pitchers has played out almost exactly as we thought it might in a conversation with Braunecker almost a month ago.

While Lee and Burnett likely won't meet in Game 7, if the Series goes that far, they could meet in Game 5 in Philadelphia's Citizen's Bank Field on Monday. If Yankees manager Joe Girardi goes with the same three-man rotation he used for the League Championship Series, ace C.C. Sabathia, the loser to Lee in Game 1, would return for Game 4. Sabathia threw less than 100 pitches in the Wednesday loss, while Lee went well over the number. Lee was unlikely to come back before the usual rest leading up to Game 5, anyway.