Mike's Take on Sports Archive

It was a great game.  Every time the A's scored, the Yankees came back; every time the Yankees scored, the A's came back.  Though down by two runs in the ninth, nobody left the stadium.  The Yankees have more come-from-behind wins this season than any other team.  This time, though, it did not appear that this would be one.   The hits were not coming late in the game.  Then, suddenly in the bottom of the ninth, Jeter got a little blooper to get on base.  After that, you just had to believe it could happen again.  When Sheffield came to bat, it was as if the ghost of all the old sluggers were with him in the box.  He swung and those ghosts took the ball half way to New Jersey.  Suddenly the game was tied.

Rivera came in to close it.  He gave up a walk and two straight hits.  But he did get out of a bases loaded, one out spot.  The game finally went into the bottom of the eleventh still tied.  Could it be that the same ghost that stepped in with Boone last year was with A-Rod?  A-Rod had not done anything all night so he was due.  He delivered this time, though.  He hit his first walk-off home run as a Yankee, pushing, who else but Sheffield across for the winning run.

In his first game as a Yankee, John Olerud seemed to be playing first with the spirit of Lou Gehrig along side.  In his first at bat, he delivered a two RBI single to put the Yankees ahead.  He got another hit in his next at bat and played really great defensively.  Of course, he has always been an excellent player, and it's hard to believe the Mariners let him get away.