1999 Yankees Diary, July 17: Bombers avoid sweep in ‘99 World Series preview

The first two games of what wound up being a 1999 World Series preview did not go great for the Yankees. Their pitching got roughed up a bit, allowing 16 total runs in two games, both of which they lost.

The third game would go much better, and would actually show what was to come in that year’s Fall Classic.

July 17: Yankees 11, Braves 4 (box score)

Record: 53-36, .596 (4 GA)

The pitching matchup for the day was Andy Pettitte for the Yankees and Odalis Pérez for the Braves. While at least on the Yankees’ side of things, the pitching choice was a notable one, neither starter was having a particularly great season, both posting an ERA over 5.00. Neither particularly showed signs of those struggles, both cruising through the first two innings, with a Jeff Manto walk for the Yankees the only runner to reach base.

In the third, Pettitte induced an inning-ending double play after a Eddie Pérez single, and then got some run support from his offense. After Joe Girardi singled, Chuck Knoblauch homered to give the Yankees a lead. An inning later, Bernie Williams added a solo homer.

The Braves finally got to Pettitte in the fifth and it came in part from a familiar face. Brian Hunter and Pérez hit back-to-back singles to start the inning and Ozzie Guillén then bunted them both up a base. That brought former and future Yankee Gerald Williams to the plate. Williams played for the Yankees from 1992-96 (and again briefly in 2001-02) and came to be known as a friend and mentor figure to some Yankee youngsters including Derek Jeter. However, on this day he did some damage to the Bombers. He took his former teammate deep just off the foul pole in left for a three-run homer that tied the game up. Pettitte allowed another two hits after that and got a bit lucky when Bret Boone was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice. Getting out of that jam without losing the lead was handy as the offense then went off in the bottom of the fifth.

After getting one quick out in the inning, Pérez walked Knoblauch and then allowed a single to Derek Jeter. Paul O’Neill singled to score Knoblauch, and a wild pitch in the following at-bat scored Jeter. Further hits from Williams and Scott Brosius knocked Pérez out of the game after 4.2 innings and eight hits. Ricky Ledee chipped in with an RBI single of his own, dooming Pérez to eight earned runs on the day. In total, the Yankees put up a five-spot in the fifth to take control of the game.

While he was better than Pérez, Pettitte wouldn’t be long for the game either. While he got two outs in the sixth, he allowed gave up a couple hits, giving the Braves runners at the corners. With the heart of the Braves’ order coming up, Joe Torre elected to not take any chances and went to the bullpen. Pettitte finished his day with three runs allowed on nine hits in 5.2 innings. Jason Grimsley came in and struck out Ryan Klesko to end the threat.

Over the final couple innings, the Yankees’ offense tacked on a couple more runs with RBI coming from O’Neill, Girardi, and Brosius. In total, nine of the 11 players to get an at-bat for the Yankees recorded a hit and seven recorded an RBI. Atlanta got one run back on a Brian Jordan home run, but Grimsley did a nice job in long relief, going 3.1 innings, allowing just three hits.

In the end, offense carried the day as the teams combined for 25 hits. However, the Yankees’ ones were far more timely, and that allowed them to come away with a win.

Read the full 1999 Yankees Diary series here.