As the World Series moved across town, the Yankees had the Mets flat on the mat. They’d won a pair of thrillers, outlasting the Mets with a walk-off in Game 1 before holding on for dear life in a memorable Game 2. With a 2-0 lead in hand, they took the train to Queens with an aura of inevitability, having won 14 consecutive World Series games, an unprecedented feat in championship play across American professional sports. The streak included the last four games of the 1996 Fall Classic and then sweeps in ‘98 and ‘99 before the first two Subway Series contest.

To top it all off? They were sending Orlando Hernández to the mound. Although El Duque hadn’t had his finest year, Hernandez in the postseason meant one thing for the Yankees: victory. He’d appeared in 10 playoff games with the Yanke

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