A Subway Series!

By Stephen M. Silverman

07/14/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

New Yorkers' air of superiority got an extra boost early this morning -- at about 12:15, in fact -- when New York Yankee David Justice ripped a dramatic three-run homer off Arthur Rhodes at Yankee Stadium to spark a six-run seventh inning that propelled the Yanks to a 9-7 victory over the Seattle Mariners. With that, the Bronx Bombers cinched the American league pennant. They will now continue to chase after their third straight World Series title when they open the Series Saturday night at Yankee Stadium against the New York Mets in the first Subway Series since the Yanks played the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956. This morning on the "Today" show, the city's mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, said that growing up in New York it was always assumed that the Yankees played in the World Series, "so we can be a little blasé." The show's host, Matt Lauer, also asked Hizzoner if he could help with Series tickets.