The Sox were leading, 4-3, when Leskanic got two outs, and then surrendered three straight hits -- a single by Ruben Sierra, double by Cairo, and single by Flaherty -- in the final collapse.
"Getting two outs and getting that close, it [stinks]," Leskanic said. "It's not fun. I lost the game tonight and I'll take that responsibility."
In one of the most dramatic extra-inning showdowns between the archrivals, the Yankees completed a three-game sweep and gave life to the worst nightmare of the Sox faithful by extending their American League East lead to a whopping 8 1/2 games.
"They got the better of us in this series," Johnny Damon said. "But this is going to be our worst dip in our year. We still believe we're going to go off and win the World Series."
The Sox, who had embarrassed themselves in losing the first two games, took heart that they played an errorless game and played with the resiliency, if not the success, they expect from themselves.
"We didn't lose anything," said Pedro Martinez, who pitched seven innings and departed amid a 3-3 tie. "We played a great game, and we take more from this game than we lose. I bet we'll capitalize on the things we did tonight."
Still, the loss certainly broke hearts throughout Soxville. The elusive victory escaped the Sox after Yankee Derek Jeter denied them in the 12th inning by making a spectacular sprinting catch on a shallow fly near the left-field line by pinch hitter Trot Nixon with two outs and runners at second and third. Jeter's momentum rocketed him into the third row of seats, where he suffered a laceration of his chin and bruises to his right cheek and right shoulder before emerging bloody, ball in hand. (He was taken to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital for precautionary X-rays.)
"This game was just as exciting, if not more exciting, than Game 7 [of the ALCS]," said Alan Embree, one of four relievers who held off the Yankees until the 13th.
