Remembering Mets History (1999) NLDS Game #3- Mets Score Nine Runs & Eleven Hits to take a 2-1 Series Lead
Friday, October 8th, 1999- NLDS Game #3- Shea Stadium, New York. The Diamondbacks had taken Game #2 with a 7-1 win in Arizona to even the series.
The post season now returned for a Mets home game at Shea
Stadium for the first time in eleven long years. It had been a long wait for the Mets faithful.
56,180 crazed Mets fans came
to Shea Stadium on this evening to cheer on their team on.
In a good pitching matchup, the Mets manager Bobby Valentine sent Rick Reed (11-5 / 4.58 ERA 104 Ks) to the mound & Arizona Manager, Buck Showalter sent Omar Dahl (16-9 / 3.65 ERA / 148 Ks) to face New York.
Piazza Trivia: Tonight, the Mets had to go without their future Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza as he was suffering thru a thumb injury. Todd Pratt took the spot behind the plate.
In the home 2nd, Benny Agbayani singled to right field, Robin Ventura drew a walk putting two men on. But veteran Shawon Dunston grounded into a double play. Todd Pratt drew a two out walk. Then Rey Ordonez came through to put the Mets on the board with an RBI single to right field scoring Agbayani.
The Mets Benny Agbayani then singled to left field, with his second hit of the day, advancing John Olerud to third base.
Robin Ventura then grounded to first base, but Edgardo Alfonzo scored from third base, making it a 3-0 Mets lead.
In the bottom of the 6th inning, the Mets blew it open off reliever Darren Holmes. Todd Pratt started with a leadoff walk & was bunted over to second base by Rey Ordonez. Bobby Bonilla then drew a walk. Rickey Henderson came through with a single to right field bringing home Todd Pratt, making it a 4-2 Mets lead.
reliever Dan Plesac to face Jon Olerud.
Multi- RBI Game: Olerud greeted him with a base hit to right field, scoring both Bonilla & Henderson making it a 6-2 Mets lead. It was Olerud's second hit of the game & his third RBI of the game as well, he now had six RBIs in the series.
The Mets hitting continued as Roger Cedeno followed with an RBI single to left field bringing home Edgardo Alfonzo. Cedeno then stole second base, that season he set a Mets single season franchise record with 66 stolen bases (second in the NL).
After Robin Ventura grounded out, Darryl Hamilton came through with the third Mets hit of the inning, scoring both Olerud & Cedeno, giving the Mets a 9-2 lead. Eleven Mets came to bat in the inning as they scored six runs, collecting four hits & three walks.
After five innings, Bobby Valentine went to his strong bullpen removing Rick Reed. On the day Reed allowed two runs on four hits, with two strikeouts & two walks.
In the top of the 7th, Turk Wendell gave up a leadoff walk then retired the next three Arizona batters.
After five innings, Bobby Valentine went to his strong bullpen removing Rick Reed. On the day Reed allowed two runs on four hits, with two strikeouts & two walks.
In the top of the 7th, Turk Wendell gave up a leadoff walk then retired the next three Arizona batters.
In the top of the 8th inning, John Franco gave up a base hit but Erubiel Durazo's doble play to Alfonzo to Ordonez to Olerud ended the inning.
In the top of the 9th, Mets manager Bobby Valentine went to veteran Orel Hershiser to close out the game. Orel got Steve Finley to fly out, Lenny Harris to pop up & then he struck out Kelly Stinnett to end the game
The Mets won it 9-2 & took two games to one lead in the NLDS, needing just one more win to advance to the NLCS.
The Mets won it 9-2 & took two games to one lead in the NLDS, needing just one more win to advance to the NLCS.
