When the New York Yankees Clinched Their 27th Title After a Monumental Mets Blunder

Yesterday was a special day for the New York Yankees. Even though things might not be going in favor of the Yanks lately, they have proved themselves to be one of the best teams in the league. The last few years have been the toughest for them. Even so, the fact that they are the only team with the number of World Series, i.e., 27, is undeniable. 

June 12 marked the day when a blunder caused by a former player of the Yanks’ cross-town rivals, New York Mets’ baseman Luis Castillo, eventually helped them to lift their 27th World Series trophy. It’s been 14 years since then, but a moment as iconic as this one does not get forgotten, at least not easily. 

What happened 14 years ago that gave the New York Yankees a boost?

On June 12, Bronx’s Yankees went against the Queens’ Mets. Alex Rodriguez was on the plate, the score was tied by 8-8, and the ninth inning was about to get wrapped up soon. Alex Rodriguez hit a pop fly to shallow right field. Mets’ Castillo had the ball right in between his glove. But then, things took a turn for the worse. 

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Out of the blue, Castillo dropped the ball from his glove, allowing Mark Teixeira the chance to score from third base. In a matter of seconds, the game was turned upside down, giving the Yankees a huge walk-off win. The iconic win had made Teixeira to say, “It’s almost like a microcosm of the Yankees and Mets history. The Yankees are always the team with the talent and they win. And the Mets are always the team of, ‘How can this happen?’”

It was already a nail-biting game for both teams as the Mets had rallied up a score of 7-2 to 8-8 in the ninth inning. And then, a simple mistake cost them an important game. Notably, the game must have had a brutal impact on Castillo, who was a flourishing talent on the team. 

What happened to Castillo after the game?

Castillo, at the time of this error in his career, was only 33 years. By that time, he was already a World Champion with the then-Florida Marlins. Even so, despite his achievements in the ballpark, he is remembered the most for dropping the fly ball hit by A-Rod in 2009. 

After all, Castillo’s deficit had caused the Mets to tie for the first position in the National League East. 

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Do you remember this game? If so, how did you like it? Let us know in the comments below!