Remembering Mets History: (1999) Mets Beat the Cincinnati Reds In One Game Tie Breaker

Monday October 4, 1999: Bobby Valentines 1999 Mets went down to Cincinnati to play Jack McKeon's Reds, in a one game tie breaker to decide the NL Wild Card spot. 

New York entered the game with a three game win streak and winning four of the last five games. This followed a seven game losing streak from September 21st to September 28th, that almost finished off their season.

Bobby V’s Mets entered the game with a 96-66 record, the teams best finish since they had won 100 games, back in 1988. 

On the mound it was all about Mets ace; Al Leiter. Leiter, stepped into the spot light & 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. Incredibly, it wasn’t until the 9th inning that the Reds had more than one base runner on.

Starting Lineups

	New York Mets				Cincinnati Reds
1	Rickey Henderson	LF		1	Pokey Reese	2B
2	Edgardo Alfonzo	2B		2	Barry Larkin	SS
3	John Olerud	1B		3	Sean Casey	1B
4	Mike Piazza	C		4	Greg Vaughn	LF
5	Robin Ventura	3B		5	Dmitri Young	RF
6	Darryl Hamilton	CF		6	Jeffrey Hammonds	CF
7	Roger Cedeno	RF		7	Ed Taubensee	C
8	Rey Ordonez	SS		8	Aaron Boone	3B
9	Al Leiter	P		9	Steve Parris	P

 The Mets struck right out of the box, lead off batter; Rickey Henderson led off with a base hit & then Edgardo Alfonzo hit his 27th HR of the year, a two run blast off Reds starter; Steve Parris. 

In the top of the 3rd, Parris with two outs, Alfonzo drew a walk. John Olerud doubled & Mike Piazza was walked intentionally. 

Then Parris issued a bases loaded walk to Robin Ventura making it 3-0 Mets. Parris would eventually take the loss, going 11-4 on the season. 

In the 5th inning, the Mets; Rickey Henderson led off with a HR off Denny Neagle, Henderson's 12th HR of the year. 

In the top of the 6th, Rey Ordonez walked, he was brought in when Edgardo Alfonzo doubled icing the 5-0 Mets win. 

The victory secured the New York Mets the 1999 Wild Card spot & their first trip to the playoffs since 1988. 

Trivia: For the first time in Mets team history, the 1999 Mets had three players who drove in over 100 runs; Mike Piazza (124) Robin Ventura (120) & Eduardo Alfonzo (108).