Twenty-five years ago, the Yankees turned into the final month of the regular season at high speeds, winning six of eight to close out August, before taking four out of five to open up September. They were headed into the third of a four-game trip to Kansas City, having taken the first two games. It was a happy start to the road trip, but some late-game heroics from the Royals’ lineup had the Yankees leaving this one with a bad taste in their mouths.

September 6: Yankees 2, Royals 3 (box score)

Record: 78-58 (1st in AL East, 6.0 games ahead)

Orlando Hernández was taking his turn on the hill for the Yankees in this one, facing off against Kansas City’s Brian Meadows. Both right-handers did their part in keeping this ballgame quiet, aside from a single stranded baserunner here or there. Through the top of the third, both the Royals and Yankees only had a single runner each reach base.

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KC threatened in the bottom of the third, when a pair of singles from Wilson Delgado and Johnny Damon started the inning, but El Duque was able to evade untouched in the run column. In the next half-inning, Derek Jeter skipped the whole “threat” part of it and got right to the damage — launching a leadoff solo homer, his 13th of the 2000 campaign.

Now up 1-0, Hernández continued to cruise for the Yanks. He got out of the fourth inning in a hurry thanks to a timely 1-6-3 double play, before he narrowly escaped a bases loaded jam in the following inning. In the top of the sixth, Paul O’Neill doubled the Yankee lead when he belted a solo shot of his own — number 18 on the season. All the while, El Duque continued to work effectively, tossing a 1-2-3 sixth, and managing another easy frame in the seventh.

The Royals would finally get to the Yankees right-hander in the eighth, however. After a pair of hits had runners on the corners for KC, Jermaine Dye put his squad on the board with a single through the left side. It was all they could manage from the opportunity, and Hernández was done after the inning. The veteran did all he could, working around nine hits and a walk, while collecting five Ks in his eight innings of one-run ball. He left the game with the Yankees leading by a slim 2-1 margin.

With Mariano Rivera pitching in three of the last five days, Joe Torre and co. elected to give Mike Stanton the save opportunity with just one run to work with. Although Stanton began the inning strong with a strikeout of Carlos Beltrán, the Royals quickly got to work against the lefty. Dave McCarty started the rally with a one-out single and was removed for a pinch-runner. Two pitches later, Carlos Febles tied this game up in a flash with his double into left-center. Suddenly, Stanton was up against the winning run standing on second base.

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Damon was due up with a chance to win the game, and on the 1-0 pitch, the future Yankee would do just that. Damon lined a single up the middle, and although Clay Bellinger made a valiant effort throwing home, Febles scored with ease and secured the win for the Royals.

It was Damon’s fourth hit of the game, and one that ended the night for the Yankees, continuing a rough stretch in high leverage spots for Mike Stanton. After a promising couple of games against the Royals, the Yankees dropped a tough one in the third game of the series. Luckily, they’d have one more crack at Kansas City the following day.

Read the full 2000 Yankees Diary series here.