The Yankees spilled to the center of the diamond as part of a stirring pregame ceremony on Saturday, embracing their crosstown rivals as “one unified New York”—a scene reminiscent of the hugs that the Mets and Braves exchanged before professional sports returned to the city 10 days after that awful 2001 morning.
Then, it was one of the biggest sluggers delivering in a crucial moment, with Mike Piazza’s home run etched into the historical record in the first sporting event in New York following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Twenty summers later, Aaron Judge enjoyed a starring role on the city’s brightest stage, crushing two homers in the Yankees’ 8-7 victory over the Mets at Citi Field.