2000 World Series: Yankees’ most famous Subway Series win

The Event	2000 World Series
The Opponent	New York Mets
The Score	Yankees 4-1 Mets
Date	October 21–26
Venues	Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, NYC Shea Stadium, The Queens, NYC
The MVP	Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
The memorable game	Game 5
Yankees Batting heroes	Jorge Posada, Tino Martinez, Chuck Knoblauch, Scott Brosius, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Paul O’Neill
Yankees Pitching heroes	Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, David Cone, Mariano Rivera
Regular season team record	87–74
Yankees captain	Derek Jeter
AL position	No. 1
ALDS rival, score	Oakland Athletics; 3-2
ALCS rival, score	Seattle Mariners; 4-2
Yankees Manager	Joe Torre

The 2000 World Series depicted the famed history of the cross-town rivalry between the Yankees and the Mets. The New York Yankees won their 26th World Series title, sweeping the New York Mets in a best-of-five series. It was their third straight World Series in a row. Yankee Stadium, known as the “House that Ruth Built,” hosted all of the series’ games. Shortstop Derek Jeter, outfielder Bernie Williams, and closer Mariano Rivera were all instrumental in the team’s 87-game winning streak and leading to the 2000 World Series championship win by the Yankees.

On the opposing side of the field for the Mets were catcher Mike Piazza, center fielder Timo Perez, and closer Al Leiter. In front of a passionate and rowdy home crowd, the two New York teams squared off, setting the stage for a memorable final series. Let’s get right in and relive the excitement of the 2000 World Series triumph by the New York Yankees.

The 2000 World Series featured teams from the same city or state, a first since the 1989 championship between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.

Prelude to 2000 World Series: Yankees 2000 regular season

Regular season batting average	.277
Best batting individual record	Derek Jeter (.339)
Regular season pitching ERA	4.76
Best pitching individual record	Jeff Nelson (2.45)

During the 2000 regular season, the Yankees demonstrated their resilience and determination and earned a playoff berth as the wild card team with a solid record of 87 wins and 74 losses. Although it was not their strongest season in terms of victories, the team demonstrated their ability to overcome challenges putting itself as a contender for the 2000 World Series. Toward the end of the season, however, the Yankees experienced a decline and lost 15 of their last 18 games, which marked a contrast to their previous four seasons of success.

The Yankees encountered a few obstacles at the beginning of the season, but they swiftly regained their momentum and embarked on an impressive run in June. They later secured victory in 12 consecutive games. This winning streak propelled them to the forefront of the American League East division, a position they successfully maintained for majority of the season.

Derek Jeter, the team’s captain, emerged as one of the standout performers in the regular season and also in the 2000 World Series. He delivered an exceptional performance and boasted an impressive batting average of .339 along with 15 home runs and 73 RBIs. Notably, Jeter made history by becoming the first player in the Yankees’ history to claim the All-Star Game MVP award. His contributions were pivotal to the team’s success throughout the season.

Bernie Williams, another vital player on the team, showcased exceptional skills at the plate throughout the season. He led the team with an impressive batting average of .307 and contributed significantly with 30 home runs and 121 RBIs. Williams’ consistency and ability to deliver clutch performances played a crucial role in the team’s overall success in the 2000 World Series.

Additionally, Jorge Posada played a pivotal role as the team’s starting catcher and a formidable source of power at the plate. His contributions were instrumental in the team’s success and provided both defensive stability behind the plate and offensive firepower. Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada were the Yankees’ Core Four that won three championships ending with the 2000 World Series.

Andy Pettitte was their top pitcher. He won 19 games and had an average of 4.35 earned runs per game. Another important pitcher was Roger Clemens, who had an average of 3.70 earned runs per game and won 13 games. And let’s not forget about Mariano Rivera, their excellent closer. He saved 36 games and had an average of 2.85 earned runs per game. These pitchers were a big reason why the team did well in the 2000 World Series.

The Yankees played fewer games than usual, only 161 because one of their games against the Florida Marlins got rained out. They couldn’t reschedule it because of the limited time and because it wouldn’t have affected their chances of making it to the playoffs.

New York Yankees vs New York Mets in the regular season

During the regular season before the 2000 World Series, both the Yankees and the Mets did really well. The Yankees won 87 games and lost 74 games. This made them the top team in the American League East. The Mets were also great. They won 94 games and lost 68 games to become the champions of the National League division.

On both teams, fans were really excited about the series between the Yankees and the Mets. The first two games were played at Yankee Stadium. On June 9, the Mets had a big victory, winning 12-2. But the Yankees bounced back the next day and won 13-5. It was an intense and back-and-forth start to the series.

Something extraordinary happened during the regular season games between the Yankees and the Mets in 2000. They played a unique day-night doubleheader, with each team winning one game, and both games ended with a score of 4-2. What made this doubleheader even more special was that it took place in two different stadiums: the first game was held at Shea Stadium, and the second game was played at Yankee Stadium. This was the first time since 1903 that two teams played two games in separate stadiums on the same day.

In the first game, Dwight Gooden, who had recently rejoined the Yankees, pitched impressively for six innings and helped lead the team to victory. It was a remarkable performance by Gooden. Then, in the second game, Roger Clemens took the mound and secured another win for the Yankees. However, during this second game, an incident occurred that intensified the rivalry between the two teams. Clemens accidentally hit Mike Piazza, the star player for the Mets, in the head with a pitch. Unfortunately, Piazza suffered a concussion and had to be placed on the injured list as a result. This incident added even more fuel to the intense rivalry between the Yankees and the Mets reflecting it in the 2000 World Series.

On July 9, the Mets beat the Yankees by a score of 2-0. The intense rivalry was carried to the 2000 World Series.

The 2000 ALDS: Yankees beat Athletics 3-2

The Opponent	Oakland Athletics
The Score	New York Yankees: 3 Oakland Athletic: 2
Date	October 3 – October 8, 2000.
Venues	Yankees Stadium Oakland Coliseum
The memorable game	Game 5
Game 1	Result: NNY 3-5 OAK Place: Oakland Coliseum Crowd:  47,360 Date: October 3, 2000
Game 2	Result: NNY 4-0 OAK Place: Oakland Coliseum Crowd:  47,860 Date: October 4, 2000
Game 3	Result: NNY 4-2 OAK Place: Yankees Stadium Crowd:  56,606 Date: October 6, 2000
Game 4	Result: NNY 1-11 OAK Place: Yankees Stadium Crowd:  56,000 Date: October 7, 2000
Game 5	Result: NNY 7-5 OAK Place: Oakland Coliseum Crowd:  47,170 Date: October 8, 2000.

The Yankees, on their march to the 2000 World Series, secured the AL East by 2.5 games and the third seed in the American League. In the postseason, they defeated the second-placed Oakland Athletics in the AL Division Series with a 3-2 score.

Game 1: Yankees 3-5 Athletics

The Yankees got off to a strong start, leading 2-0 in the game. However, the Athletics fought back and narrowed the Yankees’ lead to 2-1. Shortly after, Randy Velarde’s RBI single tied the game, and a wild pitch allowed the A’s to take a 3-2 lead. In the sixth inning, the Athletics scored two consecutive runs, which ended the inning with a 4-3 lead. They added another run in the eighth inning, while the Yankees failed to score in the ninth. As a result, the A’s secured a 5-3 victory, giving them a 1-0 lead in the series.

Game 2: Yankees 4 -0 Athletics

During Game 2, pitchers Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera of the Yankees put up a strong defense against the Athletics. In the sixth inning, Luis Sojo’s double helped the Yankees take a 3-0 lead. They extended their lead to 4-0 in the ninth inning with Clay Bellinger’s RBI double. As a result, the series became tied at 1-1, the Yankees tried to build the momentum for the 2000 World Series.

Game 3: Yankees 4 -2 Athletics

The Athletics initially took the lead in the second inning, but Derek Jeter helped the Yankees regain control with a 2-1 lead in the third inning. The Yankees further extended their lead to 4-2 in the eighth inning and successfully defended it until the final moments of the game.

Game 4: Yankees 1 -11 Athletics

Oakland got off to a strong start, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the first inning. By the third inning, their lead had extended to 6-0. The Yankees managed to score their only run in the seventh inning, making the score 7-1. However, the A’s sealed their victory by adding four more runs in the ninth inning.

Game 5: Yankees 7-5 Athletics

The Yankees took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning and quickly expanded it to 6-0. Despite a determined push by Oakland in the third inning, the Yankees held on to a 7-5 lead. Neither team scored for the remainder of the game, securing the Yankees’ victory and advancing them to the ALCS and then ultimately to the 2000 World Series. It’s worth noting that during their three-year streak of winning the World Series from 1998 to 2000, this was the only time the Yankees faced the possibility of being eliminated in the postseason.

The 2000 ALCS: Yankees win Pennant duel with Mariners

The Opponent	Seattle Mariners
The Score	4-2
Date	October 10 to October 17
Venues	Yankee Stadium Safeco Field
The memorable game	Game 6
Game 1	Result: Yankees 2-0 Mariners Place: Yankee Stadium Crowd: 54,481
Game 2	Result: Yankees 7-1 Mariners Place: Yankee Stadium Crowd: 55,317
Game 3	Result: Yankees 8-2 Mariners Place: Sefaco Field Crowd: 47,827
Game 4	Result: Yankees 5-0 Mariners Place: Sefaco Field Crowd: 47,803
Game 5	Result: Yankees 2-6 Mariners Place: Sefaco Field Crowd: 47, 802
Game 6	Result: Yankees 9-7 Mariners Place: Yankee Stadium Crowd: 56,598

In the 2000 ALCS, the Yankees faced a formidable foe in the Seattle Mariners. The Yankees, led by the pitching of Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, were able to sweep the Mariners in six games to get into the 2000 World Series.

The Yankees won the Series four games to two and went on to defeat the Mets in the 2000 World Series to win their third consecutive championship and 26th overall.

Game 1: Yankees 0-2 Mariners

The opener at Yankee Stadium on a cool night was a pitchers’ duel between Freddy Garcia and Denny Neagle, and the game was scoreless through four innings. Seattle got two runs in the fifth while shutting out the Yankees and giving a jolt to fans in the Bronx hoping for the 2000 World Series win.

Game 2: Yankees 7-1 Mariners

The Mariners got off to a strong start and took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. However, the Yankees quickly turned the tables and made a comeback. In the third inning, Derek Jeter’s home run helped the Yankees take control of the game, leading with a score of 7-1. With Mariano Rivera effectively shutting down the Mariners’ lineup, the Yankees managed to maintain their lead and hold on to secure the victory. Later, the closer played a vital role in the 2000 World Series by the Yankees.

Game 3: Yankees 8-2 Mariners

The Mariners made an early impact by scoring the first run, but the Yankees quickly retaliated with consecutive home runs from Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez. In the third inning, Derek Jeter’s contribution helped the Yankees further extend their lead to 3-1. Although Seattle attempted a comeback, the game took a decisive turn in the ninth inning when the Yankees broke it open with four runs, solidifying their victory. Jeter began it all in the regular season and carried his strength to the 2000 World Series.

Game 4: Yankees 5-0 Mariners

In a great performance, Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens recorded 15 strikeouts in a complete game against the Mariners, allowing only one hit and preventing the opposing team from scoring. Clemens’ exceptional feat of 15 strikeouts equaled the ALCS record previously set by Mike Mussina in Game 3 of the 1997 season. It would be over two decades until another pitcher, Gerrit Cole of the Houston Astros, achieved the same number of strikeouts in a postseason game during the 2019 ALDS.

Game 5: Yankees 2-6 Mariners

In a do-or-die situation, the Mariners took an early lead and were ahead by a score of 3-2 by the fifth inning. Their advantage increased to 6-2 in the sixth. However, the Yankees struggled to capitalize on their scoring opportunities throughout Game 5. They left a total of 15 runners on base and were only able to convert 2 out of 15 opportunities with runners in scoring position. It raised eyebrows about the Yankees’ chances to find a place in the 2000 World Series.

Game 6: Yankees 9-7 Mariners

In the beginning, the Mariners took control of the game and quickly secured a 2-0 lead in the first inning. They extended their advantage to 4-0 in the fourth inning. However, the Yankees didn’t back down and fought hard in their pursuit of the 2000 World Series berth. In the bottom of the fourth, Jorge Posada’s double helped them score their first three runs. This in turn helped them close the gap to 4-3. The score remained the same until the bottom of the seventh inning, when David Justice hit a powerful three-run home run, propelling the Yankees to a 6-4 lead. They didn’t stop there and increased their lead to 9-4. With the game almost in their grasp, Mariano Rivera took the mound in the ninth inning and successfully prevented any comeback attempts by the Mariners, securing the victory for the Yankees and placing them in the 2000 World Series.

2000 World Series: Yankees 4-1 Mets

The Opponent	New York Mets
The Score	Yankees 4-1 Mets
Date	Oct 21 to 26
Venues	Yankee Stadium Shea Stadium
The MVP	Derek Jeter
The memorable game	Game 5
Game 1	Result: Yankees 4-3 Mets Place: Yankee Stadium The crowd: 55,913
Game 2	Result: Yankees 6-5 Mets Place: Yankee Stadium The crowd: 56,059
Game 3	Result: Yankees 4-2 Mets Place: Shea Stadium The crowd: 55,299
Game 4	Result: Yankees 3-2 Mets Place: Shea Stadium The crowd: 55,290
Game 5	Result: Yankees 4-2 Mets Place: Shea Stadium The crowd: 55,292

The 2000 World Series victory by the New York Yankees was a significant event in baseball history. The Yankees emerged as the champions, winning the series in just five games. Their success was largely attributed to their strong pitching and solid defense.

One key player who played a crucial role in the Yankees’ journey to the 2000 World Series title was their exceptional shortstop, Derek Jeter. Jeter’s outstanding performance and leadership were instrumental in the team’s success. He consistently delivered in critical moments, which revealed his skills and composure under pressure.

Derek Jeter’s defensive prowess was especially notable throughout the 2000 World Series. His ability to make exceptional plays, including diving catches and quick outs on baserunners, demonstrated his incredible range and swift reactions. His defensive contributions played a vital role in keeping the team competitive and ultimately contributed to their victory in the 2000 World Series.

Game 1: Yankees 4-3 Mets

In the sixth inning of the game, the Mets had a runner, Timo Perez, on second base. The Mets’ first baseman, Todd Zeile, hit a long fly ball to left field. However, Perez misjudged the trajectory of the ball and thought it would go over the fence for a home run. Instead, the ball hit the top of the wall and bounced back onto the field. Since the ball was still in play and had not gone into the stands, the Yankees’ left fielder, David Justice, quickly retrieved the ball and threw it to the infield.

At the same time, Perez, who had been running at a slow pace, was rounding third base. The relay from Derek Jeter to Jorge Posada was successful, easily beating Perez to the home plate. Instead of scoring the first run of the game, the Mets ended the sixth inning without scoring any runs.

In the tenth inning, Yankees’ pitcher Mariano Rivera retired the Mets’ batters in order without allowing any hits or runs. This gave the Yankees another opportunity to win the game. Justice and Bernie Williams both drew walks against pitcher Dennis Cook, putting two runners on base at the start of the bottom half of the inning and the Yankees won Game 1 of the 2000 World Series.

Game 2: Yankees 6-5 Mets

During Mike Piazza’s first at-bat, Roger Clemens threw a pitch that shattered Piazza’s bat. The broken bat sent a piece flying toward Clemens as he fielded the ball. In response, Clemens threw the bat towards the baseline, narrowly missing Piazza, who was running towards first base. Piazza looked confused by Clemens’ actions, and this caused tensions to rise between the two teams. Both benches cleared, and there was a heated moment where a physical altercation seemed possible.

In the first inning, the Yankees took the lead when Mike Hampton, the Mets’ pitcher, walked two batters with two outs. Tino Martinez and Jorge Posada followed with RBI singles, giving the Yankees a 2-0 advantage. In the eighth inning, Derek Jeter hit a double, and Martinez added another RBI single off relief pitcher Dennis Cook. Roger Clemens, the Yankees’ starting pitcher, had a remarkable performance, pitching eight innings without allowing any runs and giving up only two hits. 

Todd Zeile of the Mets managed to hit two singles. In the ninth inning, relief pitcher Jeff Nelson took over for Clemens and gave up a single to Edgardo Alfonzo, followed by a home run by Mike Piazza, making the score 6-2. Later, Jay Payton hit a three-run home run, reducing the Yankees’ lead to 6-5. Mariano Rivera, the Yankees’ closer, struck out Kurt Abbott to end the game, securing the Yankees a 2-0 lead in in the 2000 World Series as the action moved to Shea Stadium for the next games.

Game 3: Yankees 2-4 Mets

In the second inning, Robin Ventura hit a home run to give the Mets a 1-0 lead against Orlando Hernandez, the Yankees’ pitcher. However, in the third inning, Derek Jeter’s single with two outs allowed him to score on David Justice’s double, tying the game at 1-1. In the next inning, Tino Martinez hit a single and later scored on Paul O’Neill’s triple, giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead. The Mets managed to tie the game again in the sixth inning when Mike Piazza hit a double and eventually scored on Todd Zeile’s double. The game remained tied at 2-2.

In the ninth inning of Game 3 of the 2000 World Series, the Mets’ closer, Armando Benitez, prevented the Yankees from scoring despite allowing a leadoff single to Chuck Knoblauch. The Mets won the game 4-2, ending the Yankees’ impressive fourteen-game winning streak in World Series play that dates back to the 1996 World Series.

Orlando Hernandez, also known as “El Duque,” was the pitcher for the Yankees in the game. This was the first time in his postseason career that he experienced a loss, as he had previously won 6-0 consecutive games in the playoffs without being defeated.

Game 4: Yankees 3-2 Mets

Before Game 4 of the 2000 World Series, some experts believed that the Mets had gained momentum and could make a comeback despite being down 2-1 in the series. However, their hopes were quickly dashed when the first pitch from Mets pitcher Bobby Jones was hit by Derek Jeter for a home run into the left-field bleachers of Shea Stadium. This was a significant moment, as it marked the 16th leadoff home run in World Series history and extended Jeter’s impressive 13-game hitting streak in the World Series.

The Yankees continued to build on their lead in the game. Paul O’Neill hit a triple in the second inning and scored on Scott Brosius’s sacrifice fly. In the third inning, Jeter hit a triple and scored on Luis Sojo’s groundout. The Mets tried to close the gap with Mike Piazza’s two-run home run off Denny Neagle. This brought the score to 3-2 in favor of the Yankees. However, neither team scored any more runs for the remainder of the game.

With this victory, the Yankees secured a commanding 3-1 lead in the 2000 World Series. They had strong pitchers Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens ready for Games 5 and 6, if necessary. This win effectively extinguished any remaining hope for the Mets to stage a comeback.

Jeter’s leadoff home run in the 2000 World Series became an iconic moment in Yankees history. It is so significant that footage of that home run is used as the background for the title screen of the Yankeeography series on the YES Network. This shows just how memorable and important that moment was for the Yankees and their fans.

Game 5: Yankees 4-2 Mets

In the second inning, the Yankees took the lead when Bernie Williams hit a home run. But in the bottom half of the inning, a mistake by Andy Pettitte allowed the Mets to tie the game. With runners on second and third and two outs, Pettitte made an error while trying to field Al Leiter’s bunt, allowing the Mets to score. Benny Agbayani’s RBI single then gave the Mets a 2-1 lead. However, in the top of the sixth inning, Derek Jeter hit a home run to tie the game at 2-2.

In a tense moment during Game 5 of the 2000 World Series, Mets pitcher Al Leiter’s pitch count was reaching a high number, but manager Bobby Valentine made the decision to stick with him. With determination, Leiter struck out Tino Martinez and Paul O’Neill. However, he then walked Jorge Posada and gave up a single to Scott Brosius. 

The Yankees’ Luis Sojo followed with a single to center field, and during the play, the throw from center fielder Jay Payton hit Posada as he was sliding into home plate. The ball ended up going into the Yankees’ dugout. In the bottom of the 9th inning, with two outs and a runner on third, the Mets’ Mike Piazza hit a fly ball off Mariano Rivera. Many spectators believed the ball had the potential to be a home run.

In a dramatic moment, Bernie Williams made a crucial catch just before reaching the warning track, securing the final out and the 2000 World Series. As he grabbed the ball, Williams dropped to one knee, mirroring the iconic move made by Cleon Jones when he caught the final out of the 1969 World Series in the same spot. It was a remarkable tribute to baseball history and a fitting end to the game.

Off the field

The Yankees’ 2000 World Series championship was a season to remember. The team’s dominant pitching staff and timely hitting led them to their third straight World Series title. The Subway Series added an extra level of excitement to the championship run, and the Yankees were able to come out on top against their crosstown rivals. The 26th Yankees World Series championship cemented their historical status as one of the greatest baseball dynasties of all time.

The Yankees entered a lengthy title drought after winning the 2000 World Series, despite remaining playoff contenders year after year. They came up short in the 2001 Fall Classic, falling to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a thrilling seven-game series. In 2003, the Yankees lost the World Series in six games to the Florida Marlins.

The Yankees’ 2000 World Series championship marked the final title won by the Yankees while playing at the original Yankee Stadium. It was also the last World Series ever hosted at Shea Stadium, with both iconic venues closing after the 2008 MLB season concluded.

The 2000 World Series introduced an annual updating of the official logo rather than reusing the same design for multiple years consecutively. From 1998 to 2000, those powerful Yankees teams assembled a record ten-game World Series winning streak before finally losing again in 2001.

Joe Torre won his fourth ring with the Yankees as the team emerged victorious in the 2000 World Series. Across that three-year stretch, the Yankees won 14 straight Fall Classic games, surpassing records set by past great Yankees squads in the 1920s and 1930s. Star closer Mariano Rivera made history as the only pitcher ever to record the final out in three consecutive World Series, doing so from 1998 through 2000.