Nonetheless, strong seasons by Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, and Mariano Rivera were enough to secure the AL East by 2.5 games and the third seed in the American League.

By winning the 1999 and 2000 Wild Card, the Mets achieved their first back-to-back post-season appearances in franchise history, a feat they would match in their 2015 pennant season and 2016.

Twenty years prior, the Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series title, defeating the Kansas City Royals in six games.

Then in the sixth, with two outs and rookie Timo Perez in scoring position, Mets first baseman Todd Zeile hit a deep fly to left field.

Perez misjudged the ball, thinking it was going to clear the fence, but it hit the top of the wall and bounced back into the field of play.

The relay from Derek Jeter to Jorge Posada easily beat Perez to the plate, and instead of scoring the first run of the game the Mets ended the sixth with nothing.

Justice then responded in the bottom half of the inning with a double that scored Jeter and Chuck Knoblauch to give the Yankees a 2–0 lead.

After Timo Perez's sacrifice bunt moved up the runners, Jeff Nelson relieved Pettitte and allowed an RBI single to Edgardo Alfonzo to put the Mets on top.

John Franco relieved Leiter in the eighth and held the Yankees in check, while Mariano Rivera staved off a rally in the top of the ninth to keep the score at 3–2.

Rivera retired the Mets in order in the tenth, and the Yankees got another chance to win the game when Justice and Bernie Williams drew walks against Dennis Cook to lead off the bottom half.

Rusch then got Tino Martinez to pop out, and after walking Posada he managed to escape further damage by inducing an inning ending double play from O'Neill.

Rusch then left in favor of Turk Wendell, who retired pinch hitter Glenallen Hill on a fly ball to keep the game going.

This time, he would not get out of the inning as Vizcaino lined a single into left field to drive in Martinez to give the Yankees a 4–3 win.

The Yankees struck in the bottom of the first when Mets starter Mike Hampton walked two with two outs before RBI singles by Tino Martinez and Jorge Posada put them up 2–0.

In the eighth, Derek Jeter doubled with one out off White, who was relieved by Dennis Cook and allowed an RBI single to Martinez.

In the ninth, Jeff Nelson relieved Clemens and allowed a leadoff single to Edgardo Alfonzo before Piazza homered to make it 6–2.

Rivera struck out Kurt Abbott looking to end the game, and give the Yankees a 2–0 series lead heading to Shea Stadium.

In Game 3, Robin Ventura's leadoff home run in the second off Orlando Hernandez gave the Mets a 1–0 lead, but the Yankees tied it in the third when Derek Jeter singled with two outs off Rick Reed and scored on David Justice's double.

After Jay Payton singled, Mike Stanton relieved Hernandez and allowed a sacrifice fly to Bubba Trammell to pad the Mets lead.

Yankee hurler Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez earned the loss, snapping his previous undefeated postseason record of 6–0.

That momentum lasted only until the first pitch from Mets starter Bobby Jones, which Jeter hit far into Shea Stadium's left-field bleachers.

The Yankees added to their lead when Paul O'Neill tripled with one out in the second and after an intentional walk, scored on Scott Brosius's sacrifice fly.

The Yankees secured a dominant 3–1 lead in the Series, with elite pitchers Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens poised for Games 5 and 6 (if necessary).

[5] A now-iconic moment in Yankees lore, footage of Jeter's leadoff home run, currently serves as the background for the title screen of YES Network's Yankeeography series.

In the bottom half, however, with runners on second and third and two outs, Andy Pettitte's fielding error on Al Leiter's bunt attempt allowed the Mets to tie the score.

After striking out Tino Martinez and Paul O'Neill, Leiter walked Jorge Posada and allowed a single to Scott Brosius.

Bottom of the 9th inning, Mets' slugger Mike Piazza hit a fly ball off Mariano Rivera with two outs and a runner on third.

New York missed out on a championship trifecta, however, when the NFL Giants lost Super Bowl XXXV to the Baltimore Ravens.

Instead, Jon Miller shared the booth with Dave Campbell, ESPN Radio's Sunday Night Baseball color man.

In 1999, Morgan was absent from ESPN Radio's World Series coverage because he was working the television broadcasts with Bob Costas on NBC.