1996 ALCS Game 4

Lore & Background

The Yankees trailed the Orioles 4–3 in the bottom of the eighth inning when shortstop Derek Jeter hit a deep fly ball to right field. Right fielder Tony Tarasco moved near the fence and appeared to draw a bead on the ball when then-12 year old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the fence and deflected the ball into the stands. The play was ruled a home run, tying the game. The Yankees won 8–4 in 11 innings on a walk-off home run by Bernie Williams.

In Their Own Story

The air in the Bronx was thick with humidity and the weight of decades of failure. Down by three runs in the bottom of the eighth, the silence at Yankee Stadium felt heavier than the roar that had greeted the Orioles' earlier dominance. Then, Bernie Williams stepped up, slicing a single into left-center. The crowd stirred. Two outs. A rookie shortstop named Derek Jeter trotted to the plate, his eyes locked on the mound where Randy Myers stood ready to close the door forever. As the pitch crossed the plate, Jeter swung with a compact, violent motion. The ball found the gap in right field. The stadium erupted into a cacophony of relief and joy that would echo for generations, silencing the ghosts of 1983.

Reader's Guide

The final score was Yankees 8, Orioles 4 in 11 innings. The series status after the game was Yankees lead 3-2.

Did You Know?

• Derek Jeter's hit in the eighth inning was a ground-rule double that tied the game, not a walk-off.
• Bernie Williams hit the walk-off home run in the 11th inning to win the game.
• The ALCS MVP is awarded after the series ends, not after Game 4.