October 4, 1999: The Mets went down to Cincinnati to play the Reds in a one game playoff to decide the NL Wild Card spot. They entered the game with a three game win streak and winning four of the last five. This followed a seven game losing streak (9/21-9/28) that almost finished off their season. Bobby V’s Mets entered the game with a 96-66 record, their best finish since they won 100 games back in 1988. On the mound it was all about Al Leiter who threw a complete game two hit shutout winning his 13th game of the year. Along the way Leiter struck out eight batters while walking four and it wasn’t until the 9th inning that the Reds had more than one base runner on.
The Mets struck right out of the box, as Rickey Henderson led off with a base hit & then Eduardo Alfonzo hit his 27th HR of the year, a two run blast off Steve Parris. Parris would issue a bases loaded walk to Robin Ventura in the 3rd inning making it 3-0. He would take the loss going 11-4 on the season. In the 5th inning Rickey Henderson would lead off with a HR off Denny Neagal, his 12th of the year. Alfonzo doubled in Rey Ordonez in the 6th icing the 5-0 Mets win, securing them the wild spot & their first trip to the playoffs since 1988. Also for the first time in their history the 1999 Mets had three players who drove in over 100 runs, Mike Piazza 124, Robin Ventura 120, & Eduardo Alfonzo 108. 
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