On April 5, 2000, David Cone debuted for the Yankees after re-signing, but faced a tough outing against the Angels, foreshadowing a rough season. Cone struggled early, allowing a homer to Darin Erstad and several runs amid constant pressure from the Angels' lineup. The Yankees tried to rally, with Clay Bellinger scoring a run, but Cone's third inning saw the Angels pull ahead decisively, culminating in a disastrous outing for Cone. This game marked the beginning of a disappointing year for the veteran pitcher.
The first batter Cone faced in the new millennium, Darin Erstad, got a 2-2 pitch to hit and swatted it into the right field seats.
Although Clay Bellinger plated a run to get the Yankees back into things, Cone's afternoon headed toward disaster territory in his third inning of work.
The potent heart of the Angels' order started the inning with four consecutive baserunners, as a combination of Mo Vaughn, Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, and Troy Glaus plated another run.
Regrettably for the beloved Cone, April 5th began what turned out to be by far the worst season of his stellar career.
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