Remembering Mets History (2000): NLDS Game #4: Bobby Jones Tosses One Hitter as Mets Advance to Thier Second Straight NLCS

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Sunday, October 8th, 2000- NLDS Game #4: 56,245 fans packed Shea Stadium on this Sunday evening, hoping to see the Mets advance to the NLCS. Tonight, they would witness one of the best post season pitching performances in Mets history.

The Mets have always been a strong pitching organization. The club has seen just two no hitters & forty-one hitters thrown by Mets pitchers. The names Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Dwight Gooden, Jerry Koosman, Ron Darling, Tug McGraw have all pitched great post season games.

 In 1973 Jon Matlack had tossed a two hitter in the NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds, but on this night in 2000, a lesser-known name, Bobby Jones would throw the only one hitter in Mets post season history.  It was an outstanding outing.

Bobby Jones (11-6 / 5.06 ERA / 85 Ks) got his first ever post season start, the start in this NLDS Game #4. Jones went up against the San Francisco Giants; Mark Gardner (11-7 / 4.05 ERA / 92 Ks).



Bobby Jones started out the game getting Marvin Bernard to fly out, then Bill Mueller grounded
to Edgardo Alfonso at second. He ended the 1st inning striking out Barry Bonds. 

For the Mets, their big bats put them on the board right away. In the 1st inning, after Timo Perez went down swinging & Edgardo Alfonzo flew out. Mike Piazza then drew a two out walk & Robin Ventura followed with a HR over the right center field fence giving the Mets the 2-0 lead. It was his first HR of the series & just his first two RBIs.

Bobby Jones rolled along; in the 3rd inning he struck out Doug Mirabelli & Mark Gardner. In the 4th he struck out Bonds for the second time in the game. Bonds struck out four times in the series, twice against Jones & twice against John Franco, both of those times coming in the 9th inning of extra-inning games.


Bobby Jones retired the first twelve batters, in the top of the 5th, Jeff Kent led off with a double to left field. It was to the only hit he would give up all day. Ellis Burks flew out to right for the first out. Jones then issued a walk to JT Snow & another to Doug Mirabelli loading the bases. 

It was the only time the Giants would have runners in scoring position in the entire game. Giants Manager, Dusty Baker chose to stick with his pitcher rather than go with a pinch hitter, Jones got Mark Gardner to pop out to end the inning. The Giants would not get another base runner the rest of the way.

In the home 5th inning, Bobby Jones struck out but reached first base as the wild pitch got past Doug Mirabelli. 

Timo Perez followed with a double to right field, then Edgardo Alfonzo doubled to center, scoring both runners to give the Mets a 4-0 lead they would never surrender.

Bobby Jones shut down the Giants over the next four innings. In the top of the 6th, he struck out Marvin Bernard then got fly ball outs to Bill Mueller & Barry Bonds. In the 7th Jones got Jeff Kent & JT Snow to ground out & Burks to fly out.

In the 8th, after Rich Aurilla flew to Perez in right for the first out. Then Dusty Baker sent up two pinch hitters, Felipe Crespo & Russ Davis but both popped fly ball outs to get to the 9th inning.


The excited Shea fans were on all on their feet for the 9th inning. Jones got the first out when Marvin Benard grounded out to first base, Bill Mueller then grounded out to Alfonzo for out number two.  The big bat of Barry Bonds was next. Jones got Bonds to line out to center field to end the game.

The Mets advanced to their second consecutive NLCS as the right-handed Bobby Jones completed his one hit masterpiece. In his 116-pitch night, he struck out five Giants & walked two over the nine-inning complete game.







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