Bottom of the Tenth -
tenth inning

In the first decade of the 21st century, baseball is booming. In an age of home runs and power, Pedro Martinez and a handful of other superb pitchers still manage to dominate. The astonishingly talented right fielder Ichiro Suzuki becomes MLB's first Japanese position player and a hero back home. As America reels from the horror of the 9/11 attacks, baseball provides solace, and in an incredible World Series, gives the country something to cheer about. As the rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox reaches the boiling point, long-suffering Boston fans rejoice in their first World Series victory in 86 years, while Giants and Cubs fans endure devastating losses. Barry Bonds demolishes Mark McGwire's home-run record and sets his sights on Henry Aaron's revered all time mark. The game is more popular than ever, but revelations about steroids cast a shadow on many of the era's greatest stars and their historic accomplishments.

Duration: 2 hour 6 minutes and 19 seconds

Episode Number: 102

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About Tenth Inning:

Thousands of bats, three home run records and one "curse" have been broken since Ken Burns last explored the history of America's national pastime with his 1994 series BASEBALL.

Now, Burns and co-director Lynn Novick update the series with THE TENTH INNING.

Beginning with a crippling strike that alienated millions of fans and brought the game to the brink, this film tells the tumultuous story of our national pastime up to the present.

It celebrates baseball's new Golden Age -- an era of unprecedented home run totals, popularity and prosperity -- and sheds light on one of the game's darkest chapters -- the steroid era.

The film examines the compelling stories of Joe Torre, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Pedro Martinez, Ichiro Suzuki, Cal Ripken Jr.

and Barry Bonds and features insightful commentary from an eclectic lineup of writers, broadcasters, fans and all-stars.