<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4RydvU_0vgVYRBm00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4RydvU_0vgVYRBm00" width="1210" height="806" ></figure>The Yankees headed into action on September 23, 1999, in roughly the same place they find themselves today: with a multi-game lead in the division, just a few days away from clinching a division title, and fighting with Cleveland for the No. 1 seed in the Junior Circuit. Arguably more important than closing in on clinching a playoff berth, which was all but secured at this point, was getting ace Roger Clemens, who had an ERA above five since his eight shutout innings on August 27th, back on track for October in what was expected to be his penultimate start of the regular season.September 23: Yankees 5, White Sox 2 (box score)Record: 93-59 (1st, 5.0 GA)The Yankees lineup jumped out to an early lead against Chicago starter Jim Parque. After Chuck Knoblauch lined out to lead off the inning, Derek Jeter dropped a double into short right field. A Paul O’Neill infield single down the third base line put runners on the corners with one away, an opportunity that Bernie Williams took advantage of with a single to left. Although Parque retired Jim Leyritz and Tino Martinez to get out of the jam, the Yankees had acquired an early 1-0 lead.Clemens followed that inning up by retiring the White Sox in order, including a pair of strikeouts, allowing the Yankees hitters to get right back to work — or, to be completely honest, to allow Scott Brosius to get to work. The Yankees third baseman worked a walk after a seven-pitch at-bat, then stole second with Joe Girardi at the plate (the catcher then struck out) and advanced to third on a wild pitch with Knoblauch at the plate. Knoblauch and Jeter then worked walks, and O’Neill grounded a single to third that brought Brosius home to make the score 2-0.Clemens retired the side in order once again in the third, bringing the Yankees bats back up to the plate. Leyritz led off the bottom of the inning with a single up the middle. Martinez followed that up with his 26th home run of the year, extending the Yankees lead to 4-0.Both pitchers traded zeroes in the fourth, before the Chicago lineup finally broke out against Clemens in the top of the fifth. Paul Konerko doubled to lead off the inning, coming around to score on a Brian Simmons single to right. Clemens then walked Mark Johnson on five pitches, putting Simmons in scoring position. Mike Caruso flew out to right for the first out of the inning, but Simmons tagged up and advanced to third, putting him in position to score on Greg Norton’s single. Although Rocket buckled down and fanned the next two batters to end the threat, the ChiSox had cut the Yankees’ lead in half.Neither lineup scored in the sixth, thanks in part to White Sox center fielder Chris Singleton — a former Yankees farmhand — throwing out Brosius at the plate in the sixth. The third baseman, however, would make up for that in the seventh. Williams and Leyritz led off the frame with a single and a walk, respectively, ultimately advancing to second and third when Chili Davis (pinch-hitting for Shane Spencer) grounded out for the second out. Brosius grounded a single up the middle to plate Williams and give the Bombers a three-run lead.That would be more than enough for the Yankees’ bullpen, as Jeff Nelson and Mariano Rivera each pitched uneventful frames to get the team to the finish line and secure the victory. With the win and Boston’s loss to Toronto, the Yankees extended their AL East lead to five games.<div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IRGgr15BjYo?rel=0&amp;start=56" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div>Read the full 1999 Yankees Diary series here.</div></body>

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1999 Yankees Diary, September 23: Rocketing to a five-game lead

The Yankees headed into action on September 23, 1999, in roughly the same place they find themselves today: with a multi-game lead in the division, just a few days away from clinching a division title, and fighting with Cleveland for the No. 1 seed in the Junior Circuit. Arguably more important than closing in on clinching a playoff berth, which was all but secured at this point, was getting ace Roger Clemens, who had an ERA above five since his eight shutout innings on August 27th, back on track for October in what was expected to be his penultimate start of the regular season.