When the bullpen doors opened and Mariano Rivera walked out, the general consensus was “Game Over.” He spoiled an entire generation of Yankees fans so severely, in fact, that many have insisted that every closer they’ve had since his retirement has been absolutely terrible.

Even so, however, the greatest closer of all times had his days where he simply did not have it. Twenty-five years ago today was one of those times, and it came with the Yankees seeking vengeance against MLB’s best team thus far in 2000, the 46-26 White Sox, who had just swept the Yanks in a four-game series in the Bronx earlier in June.

June 23: Yankees 3, White Sox 4 (box score)

Record: 36-32 (3rd place in AL East, 1.0 games back)

It was a battle of youngsters in Chicago. The Yankees sent out 24-year-old Ben Ford. An original member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ford was your prototypical Triple-A pitching depth, having made just eight lackluster appearances two years prior with the D-backs before making his Yankees debut — and first major league start — against the Chicago White Sox. He is known less for his pitching ability and more for the fact that his parents Gerald and Betty share their names with the 38th President of the United States and his wife. Opposing him was Jim Parque, a 25-year-old pitcher in his third major league campaign who was starting to look like he could become a serviceable middle-of-the-rotation starter for Chicago.

It was a pitchers’ duel from the onset, as both starters traded zeroes across the first three frames. The White Sox finally struck first in the bottom of the fourth. José Valentín singled to lead off the inning, then Ford walked both Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordóñez to load the bases with nobody out. Valentín scored when Paul Konerko grounded into a double play. Chris Singleton then looped a fly ball that a diving Shane Spencer was unable to come up with, scoring the Big Hurt and giving Chicago a 2-0 lead.

Paul O’Neill cut the ChiSox’s lead in half with a solo shot with one out in the sixth, but it wasn’t until after the rain delay in the bottom of the sixth that the Yankees offense truly showed signs of life. Chuck Knoblauch led off the inning with a single to left, advancing to second when reliever Bob Howry plunked Derek Jeter. After O’Neill flew out for the first out of the inning, Bernie Williams grounded an RBI single up that middle that tied the game. Two batters — and two relievers — later, Spencer doubled off the wall in left, scoring Jeter and giving the Bombers a 3-2 lead.

The White Sox intentionally walked Tino Martinez to load the bases for Scott Brosius, but he struck out to end the inning. The top of the ninth saw the Yankees load the bases again, but the Bombers were unable to capitalize.

Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, as the Yankees had Mariano Rivera on the mound in the ninth, having come in with two outs in the bottom of the eighth for a four-out save. Unfortunately, on this night, the White Sox got the better of Mo. Carlos Lee led off the inning by launching a solo shot on the first pitch, tying the game at three.

Again, on other occasions, Mo could work back from adversity and at least give the Yanks a chance to take the lead back in extra. But the wheels came off in a hurry on this night.

Veteran Herbert Perry followed El Caballo’s bomb with a single and advanced to second when Brook Fordyce bunted him over. Rivera infamously dominated second baseman Ray Durham throughout his 14-year career, as the two-time All-Star went 0-for-26. He had a productive out this time though, moving Perry to third on a grounder to second. Valentín singled to right and the ballgame was over.

The Yankees had lost their third straight, their eighth of their previous 11, sat just four games above .500, and fell into third place in the AL East behind Toronto and Boston. The seemingly dominant, up-and-coming White Sox were 5-0 against ‘em in 2000. This was a strange time indeed.

Read the full 2000 Yankees Diary series here.