Remembering Mets History: (2000) NLDS Game #2: Mets Even Series with the Giants

2000 NLDS Game #2- October 5th, 2000: Pac Bell Park, San Francisco, California.


The 2000 NLDS opened up with San Francisco Giants beating the Mets 5-1. The Giants Livan Hernandez was the winning pitcher as Mike Hampton took the loss for New York.

Ellis Burks three run HR led the way for the Giants, with RBI's from Barry Bonds & Jeff Kent as well. The Mets only gathered five hits with the lone run driven in by Jay Payton's sac fly.

The Mets regrouped for Game #2; Manager Bobby Valentine sent Al Leiter to the mound to face the Giants (& future Met) Sean Estes. 
40,430 fans entered Pac Bell Park at 8:07 Eastern time for the big prime time match up.


In the top of the 2nd, the Mets got some help from Shawn Estes as he hit Robin Ventura with a pitch. He then walked Benny Agbayani & after retiring Jay Payton, he walked Mike Bordick to load the bases.

Al Leiter attempted a squeeze play but Ventura was put out at home. In stepped the hot hitting little Mets outfielder, Timo Perez. Perez continued his hot streak, as he singled to center, bringing in the first two Mets runs. 

In the bottom of the 2nd, Ellis Burks doubled home Jeff Kent putting the Giants on the board, as it was a 2-1 Mets.

The score remained 2-1 until the 9th inning.  Shawn Estes had been knocked out after three innings after allowing two runs on three hits. Manager Dusty Baker brought in Kirk Rueter who pitched 4.1 scoreless innings & then Doug Henry who gave the Giants' 0.2 scoreless innings.

In the top of the inning, with two outs & facing Felix Rodriguez, Timo Perez got his third hit of the night. Next, Edgardo Alfonzo blasted a two run HR over Barry Bonds head in left center field, making it 4-1 New York. 

Al Leiter got the Mets to the 9th inning with another stellar pitching performance. Through eight innings, Leiter had only allowed one run, on five hits with six strikeouts, walking three.

In the 9th, Barry Bonds led off with a double. Bobby Valentine removed Leiter still holding a three-run lead. 

Once again, the unreliable Armando Benitez came in & the drama began. First Jeff Kent singled but Bonds did not budge on the base paths. 

Then Benitez served up a three run HR to J.T. Snow, tying the game 4-4 to the delight of the Bay area fans.

Benitez was able to get the next two outs, but the damage was done, it was a whole new ball game going to extras.

But these Mets didn’t go down so easy either, in the top of the 10th inning, reliever Felix Rodriguez retired Todd Zeile & Robin Ventura. But with two outs, pinch hitter Daryl Hamilton doubled to center field.

Jay Payton then stepped in, driving a single to center field scoring Hamilton with what turned out to be the winning run. The Mets took a 5-4 lead.

In the bottom of the 10th, Armando Benitez gave up a
leadoff single to pinch hitter Armando Rios. Mets manager Bobby Valentine immediately came out & yanked him, bringing in John Franco. 

The veteran Franco retired first retired pinch hitter; Marvin Bernard who attempted a bunt hit.  He then got Bill Mueller on a bouncer to Mike Bordick at short. 

The big show down came as slugger Barry Bonds stepped up to the plate. Barry Bonds had hit 34 HRs in 102 games played that season. But Franco struck out Bonds to end the game. 

The Mets won the game 5-4 & went back to New York tied at one game each in the series.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Mets History: (1977) The Felix Millan / Ed Ott Brawl In Pittsburgh

Remembering Bobby Ojeda's Tragic Boating Accident (1993)

Fictional Mets Infielder Chico Escuela ( of SNL) Visits Mets Spring Training (1979)

Remembering Vixen Founder / Guitarist; Jan Kuehnemund (1961-2013)

The History of Yogi Berra & Yoo-Hoo