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This day in Yankees history | 2012

Although they were down 2-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, it felt like it was 10-1. The 50,497 in attendance had been quiet all night. There was no emotion. No fight. No heart.

And then Raul Ibanez stepped up to the plate.

Alex Rodriguez, who was supposed to hit second in the inning following Ichiro Suzuki, was a spectator on the bench. He had gone 0-for-3 with 2 strikeouts, bringing his postseason average down to .083. Manager Joe Girardi tried to shake things up.

Ibanez took the first pitch for a ball from Orioles closer Jim Johnson. He jumped all over the second one, sending it to right-center for a game-tying solo homer. The stadium erupted; Ibanez had breathed life back into the series for the Yankees. The 1,006th overall pick in the 1992 draft had pinch hit for the number 1 overall pick in the 1993 draft, and hit one of the most memorable home runs in Yankee playoff history.

Rafael Soriano and David Robertson combined to pitch 3 scoreless innings, sending the pivotal game 3 into the bottom of the 12th. Raul lead-off against Brian Matusz – and on the very first pitch he saw – unleashed a mighty swing on a high fastball.

DID HE DO IT AGAIN?!

HE DID!

The call by Ernie Johnson on TBS was almost immediately drowned out by the roar of the crowd. The ball was smoked into the second deck in right. Ibanez rounded first with little emotion – his teammates poured out of the dugout. He jumped onto the plate and into a sea of pinstripes.

The Yankees would eventually go on to win the series in five games. Ibanez later hit another dramatic home run in the first game of the ALCS against the TigersΒ – another game tying blast in the bottom of the ninth. However, the Bronx Bombers were swept, and haven’t returned to the postseason since.

Raul Ibanez has remained a fan favorite for all Yankee fans. Everyone who watched that game can remember where they were and who they were with when those home runs were hit. Although the 2012 season ended in disappointment, ALDS Game 3 will forever be remembered – and it all happened two years ago today.