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Remembering Mets History (2015) Jacob deGrom Strikes Out Season High Eleven Allowing Just One Hit as Lucas Duda Has a Multi-HR Game

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Thursday May 21st, 2015: A Citi Field crowd of 32,783 came out for an afternoon matinee as Terry Collins second place Mets (24-18) were a half game behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East.  Today they hosted Mike Matheny's first place St. Louis Cardinals. (27-13). The Mets sent Jacob deGrom (4-4) to the mound against the Cards Jaime Garcia (0-0).  In the top of the 1st inning, deGrom began the afternoon by striking out Kolten Wong.  Matt Carpenter then singled to left field. This was to be the only hit deGrom would allow on the day.  He would retire the next 23 batters in a row all the way through the 8th inning.   No Cardinal got past first base during his eight innings of work. deGrom  then struck out Jhonny Peralta & Matt Adams to end the 1st inning with three K's. In the 2nd inning, deGrom struck out the first two batters, Randal Grichuk & Jason Heyward. Over the next four innings, he recorded a strike out in each to reach nine K...

Remembering Mets History (2005) Dae-Sung Koo Has His Day In The Sun

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Saturday May 21, 2005: On a Saturday matinee nationally televised, Fox Game of the Week,  55,800 fans came out to Shea Stadium to watch  Willie Randolph's Mets (22-20) host a regular season match up of the annual subway series.  This year's Mets, led by new manager Willie Randolph, along with newly acquired players Carlos Beltran & Pedro Martinez ushered in a winning era for the team. The Mike Piazza era was in its final year & the Mets had been struggling since the 2000 team won the NL Pennant. With a new GM, a new manager, the signing of some of the top free agents on the market as well as the established stars Piazza, David Wright, Tom Glavine & Cliff Floyd there was a new excitement at Shea Stadium. With plenty of celebrities on hand thru the weekend, Cyndi Lauper stated the game singing the National Anthem. For the Mets Kris Benson got the start facing the tall, lean, Randy Johnson.  Benson a promising young pitcher had come over from the Pirates th...

Remembering Mets History (1999) Robin Ventura Becomes the First Player To Hit Grand Slams In Both Ends Of A Double Header

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Thursday May 20th, 1999:  At this point in the season, Bobby Valentine's Mets were at 21-18, 2.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves. The Mets had lost three straight games & were in a funk losing nine of their last 13 games. This late afternoon, 19,542 fans came to Shea as the Mets hosted Phil Garner's last place Milwaukee Brewers (18-20) in a twi-night double header.  Trivia: In 1998 the Brewers were moved to the National League after having spent 27 years in the American League. Milwaukee had not had a winning season since 1992. The starting pitchers for the first game would be the Mets Al Leiter & Milwaukee's Jim Abbot. Six years earlier, Jim Abbot who was born without a right hand, had pitched a no hitter for the AL New York team. Al Leiter was having a rough start to the season, entering the game with just one win & a 6.38 ERA. In the bottom of the 1st, Jim Abbot issued walks to  John Olerud & Edgardo Alfonzo.  Mike Piazza then reached an in...

Remembering Mets History (1978) Steve Henderson's Walk Off & The Hot Dog's Multi- Four RBI Game

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Thursday May 18th, 1978: On this Spring evening, Joe Torre's fifth place New York Mets (16-21) hosted Bobby Cox's last place Atlanta Braves (16-21).  Both managers were in the early days of their Hall of Fame managing careers leading two of the worst teams in the National League. From 1977 to 1981, Joe Torre managed the Mets going 286-420 never finishing above fourth place. From 1978 to 1981  Bobby Cox would manage the Braves in his time around,  going 266-323 also  never finishing above fourth place.  Ironically, Cox was replaced by Joe Torre. In 1982 he led the Braves to their first NL West title since 1969. Torre remained in Atlanta for three years finishing second & third respectively.  Bobby Cox went to the Toronto Blue Jays managing them for four years winning an AL East title in 1985. He returned to the Braves as a General Manager (1986-1990). He then returned to the dugout managing the Braves from June 1990-2010 winning five pennants ...