out 111 hitters in just 70.2 innings pitched (14.14 per nine innings), including 11 out of 12 batters over five games, and twice struck out eight consecutive batters. After his 14 saves and a 1.82 ERA over his first 28 appearances, he was demoted to Triple-A Tucson at the end of July. Mostly used as a starter to restore his confidence, Kim returned to Arizona a month later. With Mantei reinserted as the closer, Kim pitched as a setup man and also started a game after recording 84 relief appearances. 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 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