Despite what can be classified as an up-and-down first half for the 2000 Yankees, they entered the second half of their three-peat quest atop the American League East. It was a tight race between them, the Blue Jays, and the Red Sox, and had the makings of a riveting second half.

Fresh off of an exciting All-Star break, the Yankees headed home for some interleague play against the Florida Marlins, who were playing some decent ball themselves. It was a high-scoring affair, but ultimately a disappointing one for the Yankees as they kicked off the second half.

July 13: Yankees 9, Marlins 11 (box score)

Record: 45-39 (Tied for 1st place in AL East)

Orlando Hernández got the first nod after the break, and the funky right-hander ran into trouble right out of the gate. After he issued a walk and a single in the top of the first, former Yankee prospect Mike Lowell stung him with a three-run blast into left field. After an inning, the Fish led 3-0.

With Brad Penny on the mound for Florida, the Yankees made their first mark in the run column in the third inning. After David Justice doubled, newcomer Ryan Thompson (brought up in wake of Shane Spencer’s season-ending injury) followed with a two-bagger of his own to put them down 3-1.

The diminished deficit was not long-lived unfortunately, as the all-powerful three-run homer came back to bite El Duque and the Yankees once again. After another single and walk pairing, it was Derrek Lee this time who belted a ball just over the left field wall. In a blink, Florida was now up 6-1.

The Yankees chipped away in the bottom half of the third however, as both Justice and Jorge Posada tallied RBI, though it still left them down 6-3 after three innings.

Hernández and Penny settled in a bit for the middle stretch of the ballgame, as they allowed just one total baserunner in the fourth and fifth innings. The Fish put up another pair of runs in the sixth, however, thanks to a timely two-out single from Luis Castillo. Scott Brosius was able to get half of that total back in the bottom half when he swatted a solo homer, but the game was getting away from the Yanks regardless.

In the bottom of the seventh, now against Craig Dingman, the Marlins began to pile on. First, Preston Wilson singled on a line drive off of Chuck Knoblauch’s wrist, ultimately forcing him out of the ballgame. After Wilson stole second, future Boston nemesis Kevin Millar scored him with a double, and Álex González plated another with his single to the right side, putting the Marlins up 10-4.

The Yankees were not done entirely, as they put up plenty of fight in the final third of this game. Justice managed another RBI knock, and Tino Martinez plated another pair with a line drive single into right field. But, with the Marlins adding an insurance run in the eighth, the late rally still had them down 11-9. Antonio Alfonseca was tasked with shutting things down for Florida in the ninth, and although he allowed the tying run to the plate, he ultimately locked down the save.

Despite the nine-run offensive output, the Yankees had now begun the second half of the 2000 season on the wrong foot. Orlando Hernández was on the hook for seven earned runs over his 5.2 innings, as a pair of three-run bombs made the difference for the Marlins. David Justice had three hits and was one of four Yankees with multiple RBI, but it wasn’t enough to swim past the Marlins. They’d be back at it again the next day looking to break their tie atop the American League East.

Read the full 2000 Yankees Diary series here.