And just like that, the 2000 baseball season came down to two teams, both from the same city, with their stadiums about 14 miles away from each other. The New York Yankees and the New York Mets were bidding for a World Series title after fighting their way through their respective opponents, the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners for the Yankees and the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals for the Mets. The Yanks sought to cement their dynasty with MLB’s first three-peat since the 1970s,
and the Mets hoped that their third World Series title would be their most memorable due to this memorable matchup, potentially topping even the Miracle Mets of ‘69 and the powerhouse ‘86 club.
This was the first rendition of the Subway Series since Mickey Mantle’s Yankees battled Jackie Robinson’s Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956. On a Saturday night in the Bronx, almost 56,000 Yankees faithful packed Old Yankee Stadium for what turned out to be a classic.
October 21: Yankees 4, Mets 3 (12 innings) (box score)
Record: Yankees lead World Series 1-0 (95-78 overall)
Before the game began, Billy Joel, Long Island-raised but Bronx-born and one of the most popular singers to come from New York, took to the field to sing the national anthem, prompting a rousing cheer from the home crowd.
Then, it was time for the ballgame and the Fall Classic to begin.
Yankees starter Andy Pettitte took to the mound and made short work of the Mets’ first three hitters, sending them back to the visiting dugout in order. But Mets starter Al Leiter did the same for the first three members of the Yankees lineup, seeing a stalemate through the series’ opening frame.
The first hit of the World Series was courtesy of Mets cleanup hitter Todd Zeile, who managed a single to left field off Pettitte, but the Yankees’ lefty worked three straight outs following the hit to put the onus back on Leiter. And despite allowing two hits in the bottom of the second, the Yankees left two men on base to keep the score at 0-0.
The two pitchers battled tooth and nail, trying to outdo each other and keep the game tied, which they managed through the first part of the game. In fact, the two teams made it through the first five full innings without registering a run, showcasing not just how talented the hitters are, but how this series could very well be a pitching duel. In the top of the sixth, Pettitte left one man on base, and had it not been for someone not in uniform, the result of this game could have been a lot different.
A fan in left field named Jack Nelson got the other fans in his section to keep their hands away from a long drive by Zeile that might have gone for a homer. Instead, the ball hit off the top of the wall and David Justice threw it in to Derek Jeter, who executed an outstanding relay throw home to Jorge Posada, keeping the game scoreless.
Despite Jeter’s pristine relay, it would have been for naught had speedy baserunner Timo Pérez not also slowed down for a second because he thought Zeile’s hit was a homer. That opened the door for the Yankees to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning, and they finally converted.
Midseason bench addition José Vizcaíno got the start at second on this night due to both his past success against Leiter and Chuck Knoblauch’s inability to man the position. He sent a roller to the left side of the infield between the shortstop and third baseman, and while the ball was stopped in very shallow left, it was deep enough for him to reach first. Knoblauch attempted a sacrifice bunt but the play was made at second for the out and the Yankees were right back where they started. Jeter walked to put Knoblauch in scoring position, and fresh off winning ALCS MVP, Justice doubled to center field, scoring both runs and putting the Yankees up 2-0. Leiter did work out of the jam without any further damage, intentionally walking Bernie Williams and instead retiring Tino Martinez and Posada in order.
However, despite the home crowd seeing their team finally put a couple of runs on the board, the visiting Metropolitans did not let them sit in the fun for long. After a leadoff popout, Pettitte allowed consecutive hits and a walk to load the bases. Bubba Trammell came in as a pinch-hitter following the free pass and made his impact felt right out of the gate, singling to left field and scoring two runners to tie the game.
Pérez bunted successfully to put both remaining runners in scoring position, and that was all for Pettitte before Jeff Nelson came into the game (not to be confused with Jack). But Edgardo Alfonzo had no regard for letting Nelson settle in, as on a 2-2 pitch, he sent a weak groundball to third base and a play couldn’t be made, scoring another run to put the Mets up 3-2.
Leiter made it through one more inning without any damage, and the Yankees would need another run against the Mets’ bullpen to keep Game 1 alive in the dying innings. They came up short against John Franco, but Nelson and Mariano Rivera ensured that that it remained a one-run game for the bottom of the ninth.
With a half-inning remaining in Game 1, the Yankees faced old enemy Armando Benítez. Posada flew out, but Paul O’Neill worked a masterful 10-pitch at-bat that ended in a walk, putting the tying run on base and 17 bullets on the closer’s arm after just two batters.
Luis Polonia pinch-hit for Scott Brosius and singled to right field to put the tying run in scoring position. Vizcaíno singled as well, loading the bases for the top of the order. Knoblauch came through on the third pitch of his at-bat, tying the game on a sacrifice fly to deep left field.
The Yankees were unable to plate the game-winning run just yet since Jeter struck out, but they were well and fully alive for extra innings. Mo pitched one more frame, retiring the Mets in order, and the Yanks appeared prime to walk it off in the 10th when walks to Justice, Williams, and Posada loaded the bases with one out for O’Neill. This time, the veteran couldn’t get the job done, grounding into a 4-6-3 double play to let Glendon Rusch off the hook.
Mike Stanton capably relieved Rivera and went six up, six down in the 11th and 12th. Meanwhile, the Mets had called on oddball Turk Wendell to relieve Rusch with the winning run on third after a single, a walk, and a wild pitch. He got pinch-hitter Glenallen Hill to fly out to end the threat, but after Stanton’s perfect 12th, Wendell got into his own jam.
With one man down, Martinez singled to right and Posada put the Yankees in a great position to win it with a double to center that moved Tino to third. Wendell intentionally walked Posada to face future Subway Series hero Luis Sojo, though on this occasion, he popped up. An out away from going to the 13th, Vizcaíno stepped up to the plate and etched his name in Yankees history by coming through when the team needed him most, singling to left field to walk it off for the Bombers.
It was Vizcaíno’s fourth hit of the night, and a moment of triumph for a man who had toiled on some bad Mets teams in the mid-‘90s before finding his way back to Shea in this pivotal moment. The Yankees had their share of huge names on the roster, from Jeter to Bernie to Justice and more, but it seemed that time and time again throughout their dynastic run, they often had surprising contributor help save the day.
The World Series opener belonged to José Vizcaíno, and the Yankees took an early lead in the Subway Series. Fans remember moments like that forever. Indeed, 25 years later when he was introduced at Old-Timers’ Day for the first time during a celebration of the 2000 team, he received a very warm and well-deserved ovation.
Read the full 2000 Yankees Diary series here.
