Remembering Mets History (2000) NLCS Game #5: Mets Score Seven Runs in Mike Hampton's Three Hit Shutout Clinching the NL Pennant
centerfieldmaz was in attendance with 55,695 other Mets fans in a very excited pumped-up environment.
The Mets were coming off a 10-6 win in Game #4, leading the series three games to one.
Mets manager Bobby Valentine gave the ball to Mike Hampton (15-10 / 3.14 ERA / 151 Ks). Hampton was coming off 1 22-4 season in Houston when he was dealt to the Mets along with Derek Bell. During the season he went 5-10 with a 3.14 ERA, second in victories to Al Leiter (16). In the NLDS Hampton had a rough Game One, allowing five runs in the loss at San Francisco. Then in Game #1 of the NLCS he pitched six scoreless innings to earn the win.
The Mets were coming off a 10-6 win in Game #4, leading the series three games to one.
Mets manager Bobby Valentine gave the ball to Mike Hampton (15-10 / 3.14 ERA / 151 Ks). Hampton was coming off 1 22-4 season in Houston when he was dealt to the Mets along with Derek Bell. During the season he went 5-10 with a 3.14 ERA, second in victories to Al Leiter (16). In the NLDS Hampton had a rough Game One, allowing five runs in the loss at San Francisco. Then in Game #1 of the NLCS he pitched six scoreless innings to earn the win.
Tony LaRussa went with Pat Hentgen, the former Blue Jays 1996 Cy Young Award winner who was 15-12 in St. Louis in his only season. He had not yet pitched in the post season because in his last two starts he had given up 11 runs. Tonight, LaRussa would juggle six Cardinal pitchers thru ought the game.
The Cards were still without slugger Mark McGwire, as he catcher Mike Matheny & Garret Stephenson were all out with injuries.
In the top of the 1st. Fernando Vina led off with a base hit to center field. Mike Hampton retired Placido Polanco with a fly ball, struck out Jim Edmonds & got Eric Davis on grounder to Edgardo Alfonzo at third. Hampton would retire the next seven batters in a row.
Edgardo Alfonzo immediately singled under the glove of Edgar Renteria into left field scoring Timo Perez with his record tying eighth NLCS run scored. giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.
Mike Hampton gave up a single in the 3rd & 4th innings, but they were the last hits he served up. Thru the first four innings he held St. Louis scoreless with three hits & four strike outs.
After Edgardo Alfonzo popped up, Mike Piazza doubled with a short liner into left field. Timo
Perez was unable to score & stayed at third base. Robin Ventura then walked to load the bases.
NLCS Record: Rookie Timo Perez set an NLCS record at the time with his eighth runs scored in the series. Timo had scored a run in six straight post season games, including one in each of the NLCS with two straight games with two runs scored.
In the bottom of the 7th, Ankiel was wild, Mike Bordick led off with the first walk of the inning,
then Mike Hampton bunted him over.
Bench Clearing Drama: In the bottom of the 8th inning Cardinal pitcher Dave Veres retired Robin Ventura & Todd Zeile. With two outs Benny Agbayani singled into left field with his sixth hit of the series, raising his NLCS average to .353.
The contact of the pitch from the beaning drew blood above his left eye. Payton, the Mets & a sellout crowd were furious. Thankfully cooler heads prevailed; order was restored order; everyone went back to their dug outs & play resumed. There were no ejections.
Quotes- Jay Payton: "There's only one person that ever knows the intent, but nobody's going to stand up and say they were throwing at somebody's head."
By now the anticipation of the final out had Shea Stadium overanxious. The old ballpark's upper deck stands were literally shaking up & down, which at this point was a concern for everyone's safety.
Quotes-Bobby Valentine: "He did everything anybody could hope he could do in the biggest game of his life and mine, too. When you have great players playing great, it makes my job easy."
Then the champagne flowed in the clubhouse at the festivities continued. For Mike Piazza, the team's leader, he was finally going to his first World Series.
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In the bottom of the 1st inning, Timo Perez led off with a single, extending his post season hitting streak to eight games. Timo then stole his third post season base swiping second. The ball went into left field & he scampered over to third base.
Fonzie Trivia: Edgardo Alfonzo had now hit safely in every 2000 post season game, he would hit .361 with 13 hits four extra base hits, five walks, nine RBIs, six runs scored & a 1.036 OPS thru the nine games. In the NLCS he hit .444 with eight of those hits (8-18) drawing four of the walks with four RBIs while posting a .565 on base % & a 1.176 OPS.
Mike Piazza then drew a walk, with two men on Robin Ventura singled to right field as Alfonzo scored with the Mets second run of the game. Todd Zeile grounded to the second baseman Fernando Vina, his error allowed Mike Piazza to score with the third run; it was 3-0 Mets & they never looked back.
In the bottom of the 4th, Pat Hentgen was still pitching for St. Louis when Timo Perez reached first with one out, when first baseman Will Calrk dropped a throw from short stop Edgar Renteria for the second time in the game. It was Timo's second hit of the game & his second straight multi-hit game.
Perez was unable to score & stayed at third base. Robin Ventura then walked to load the bases.
Todd Zeile then hit a long double off the center field wall clearing the bases, as Perez, Piazza & Ventura easily scored as the Mets were up 6-0.
Todd Zeile Trivia: After getting just one hit in the NLDS, Zeile batted .368 in the NLCS with seven hits, four extra base hits, a HR & led all Mets players with eight RBIs. He walked twice posting a .409 on base % & a 1.093 OPS.
Pat Hentgen's night was over as he gave up six runs on seven hits with five walks. Mike Timlin closed out the inning & Britt Reams came on for the next two innings.
By now the electrified crowd had Shea Stadium's stands literally shaking. It was even pointed out during the TV broadcast by former Mets broadcaster Tim McCarver.
After a festive 7th inning stretch, Cardinal manager Tony Larussa brought in Rick Ankiel to pitch.
Rick Ankiel Control Issues: Ankiel had had control problems throughout the series & the post season. During the regular season Ankiel had posted 194 strike outs with 90 walks & had thrown 12 wild pitches. In the post season his troubles got worse, he would pitch four innings, walk eleven batters & throw a post season record nine wild pitches serving up seven earned runs on five hits.
He would reinvent himself seven years later as an outfielder & play thru the 2013 season.
then Mike Hampton bunted him over.
After Timo Perez struck out, Rick Ankiel threw two wild pitches that sailed past the catcher's head & hit the back stop during Edgardo Alfonzo's at bat to the delight of the Shea fans.
The Mets fans really let him have it, laughing & cheering on his troubles on a wild night all around at Shea Stadium.
It was a wild scene in the stands & an ugly exit for Mr. Ankiel as Tony LaRussa pulled him after three walks, two wild pitches & a run scored after facing just four batters.
Meanwhile on the mound for Mike Hampton was showing why the Mets acquired him as he was pitching one of his best games of the year in the biggest game of the season.
From the 4th inning thru the 8th, he allowed no runs, no hits struck out eight batters & allowed just one walk.
The next batter was Jay Payton, with a 1-2 count Cardinal pitcher Dave Veres hit Payton in the helmet dead center with a pitch.
Payton fell down to the ground, immediately got up & charged the mound. Catcher Eli Marrero got between the two to hold Paytin back. Veres then pushed out at Payton, as the benches cleared. The bullpens cleared into the infield, the players held back Payton & the home plate umpire Dana Demuth & crew chief Bruce Froemming tried to keep peace.
The crowd of nearly 56,000 also grew very restless, angry & even louder. The Cards have had to fear for their safety but luckily no one jumped on to the field & the Mets fans behaved.
Quotes- Jay Payton: "There's only one person that ever knows the intent, but nobody's going to stand up and say they were throwing at somebody's head."Mike Bordick came up & grounded out to end the 8th inning.
In the top of the 9th inning, Mike Hampton came on to close out his complete game. He got pinch hitter Craig Paquette to line out to Benny Agbayani in left for the first out. The injured slugger Mark McGwire came in to pinch hit & grounded out to Edgardo Alfonzo at second for out number two.
Pinch hitter Rick Wilkins came on & flew out to Timo Perez in center field for the third out. An excited, Perez leaped in the air while making the catch for the final out of the NLCS as the 2000 Mets had won the pennant!!!!
The excited Mets players mobbed a rather somber Mike Hampton, as he was lifted high in the air by Robin Ventura raising his glove in victory. It was his biggest night as a Met as Hampton pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits, one walk & struck out eight. No Cardinal base runner ever even reached second base.
NLCS MVP: In the regular season, Mike Hampton had gone 15-10 with a 3.14 ERA leading the staff. In the NLDS he earned a no decision giving up five runs to the Giants in the Mets Game #1 loss. In the NLCS Hampton was 2-0 pitching 16 shutout innings, allowing nine hits with four walks & 12 strike outs earning him the MVP of the series.
Quotes-Bobby Valentine: "He did everything anybody could hope he could do in the biggest game of his life and mine, too. When you have great players playing great, it makes my job easy."Although no fans were permitted on the field taking it over as we did back in 1986, everyone celebrated long after the game was over, dancing in the aisles& high fiving fellow fans.
After the players celebrated on the field, Mike Piazza led them in a victory lap around Shea Stadium.
Quotes- GM Steve Phillips: "People criticized Bobby coming down the stretch & I raised my eyebrows a few times, about resting guys. But I think having guys with little more strength & fresher legs into the post season has really paid off".
Quotes- Mike Piazza: “This is what it’s all about. It’s just been so satisfying to see us come together as a team.”
Quotes- John Franco: “It’s great, man! It’s a great feeling.”
Quotes- Benny Agbayani: "I can't explain the feeling".
