Padres: This Day in History: Reliving Game 3 of the 1998 World Series

Today, we continue reliving the 1998 World Series between the Padres and Yankees by remembering game three, which occurred on this day, eighteen years ago.

Following two losses at Yankee Stadium including a lopsided game two loss, Bruce Bochy and the San Diego Padres returned to Qualcomm Stadium, hoping that home field advantage would propel themselves back into the 1998 World Series. Though the team was in a 2-0 hole to the 23 time world champion New York Yankees, the ball club was relaxed, aiming to take the attempted comeback one game at a time.

With this in mind, the focus was strictly on this day. The Padres sent NLCS MVP Sterling Hitchcock to the mound, and the Yankees countered with David Cone.

It was hyped as a fabulous pitching matchup, and the contest lived up to the hype. Both Hitchcock and Cone were cruising along early on, and while they were each faced with traffic, they kept the opposition off of the scoreboard through five full innings.

After a scoreless top of the sixth, the Padres came to bat in the bottom of the inning befuddled by Cone. Ironically, Hitchcock himself led off the inning with a single, and Tony Gwynn drove him home as the go ahead run. Later, after a throwing error committed by Paul O’Neill, the Gwynn scored, and the Padres held a 3-0 lead entering the seventh.

The Yankees refused to go away though in the top of the seventh. Their two spot was started by a Scott Brosius home run, and capped by a Shane Spencer RBI double.

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Still, San Diego felt confident with all-star reliever Trevor Hoffman still available in the bullpen. Unfortunately, when summoned in the eighth, Hoffman gave up a three run home run over the center field wall, the second of the evening hit by Brosius.

The Yankees had grabbed their first lead of the memorable Tuesday night 5-3 in the eighth inning. The Padres would fight back with a run in the bottom of the same inning, as Greg Vaughn hit a sacrifice fly which scored Quilvio Veras.

But legendary New York closer Mariano Rivera would not be denied of yet another postseason save, striking out Andy Sheets to seal the commanding 3-0 World Series advantage for the Yankees.

Next: This Day in History: Reliving Game 2 of the 1998 World Series

Getting the win officially for the Yankees was Ramiro Mendoza, as New York put themselves within one game of their 24th World Series title. The two teams would now look to game four at Qualcomm Stadium the next night. Tomorrow morning, check back with Friars on Base to relive a very exciting game four.