On This Date in 2000...


...the Yankees pulled off a statistical rarity -- scoring on three sacrifice flies in the same inning en route to an 8-0 win over the Tigers. Bernie Williams had the last of them, driving in Derek Jeter for the eighth and final run of the 4th inning.
Earlier in that frame, Williams had tripled in Paul O'Neill; soonafter, he scored on Tino Martinez's sac fly. OK, nothing there out of the ordinary. But a few batters later came the quirk that made the inning noteworthy.
Yankee infielder Jose Vizcaino hit a fly ball which should have gone for a routine out. But Tigers left fielder Bobby Higginson dropped it. Thus, no out was recorded. The runner on 3rd, backup catcher Chris Turner, tagged up and scored on what was recorded as the second sac fly. But since there was still just one out thanks to Higginson's misplay, the possibility for history was there. And when Bernie came to bat a second time, his fly to right field plated Jeter and made this game one for the books.
Andy Pettitte was the beneficiary of the big inning, as he kept Detroit off the boards, holding them to six hits and two walks in a complete game shutout.
(This image of Bernie Williams is from the Yankees 2016 Old Timers Game.)

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