Brenly's blunder might have cost them the series. The huge mistake was pulling Schilling...but once he did that I had no problem with Kim relieving him. But NO reason Schilling should have been yanked. Maybe if it was 6-1 game at that point, not 3-1. I don't see how the possible 30 extra pitches he might have thrown in the final two innings would have affected him in any way.
I didn't have a problem with Kim pitching three innings. Take a look at how he did pitching two or more innings throughout the season and he did quite well. I have more confidence in him than anyone else Brenly could have sent to the mound...Morgan, Swindell, Lopez?, etc..no thanks. Even though he went 3-2 to each batter in the 8th, he still struck out the side and didn't allow a baserunner. O'Neill hit a little flare to left, wasn't much of a hit, then strikes out Bernie...up to that point, still had not walked a batter and only allowed the bloop to O'Neill. Then we obviously know Tino jumped on the first pitch and bang, tie game. Walks Posada on another fullcount, then Counsell slips, allowing Justice to reach first. Strikes out Spencer to end the ninth.
For the 10th inning, I think Brenly just wanted to match Rivera with Kim and try to get one more inning out of him, knowing Rivera would probably get pulled if they reached the 11th. After that, the Yanks bullpen was garbage, much like Arizona's would have been. Kim gets first two batters to fly-out, showing no ill effects from blowing the lead last inning...then Jeter hits an infamous Yankee Stadium right-field home-run. Not knocking the hit, as Arizona batters have the exact same oppurtunity to take advantage of the short porch in right.
So honestly, had no problem with Kim going three innings...the big problem was Brenly's idiotic, moronic, assinine decision to pull Schilling. As poor of a decision as I've seen, even if Arizona had won the game.