Remembering Mets History (2000) NL Champion Mets Have Season Best Win Streak At Nine Games
After salvaging a win in the last game of a three game set in Philadelphia, they moved on to Pittsburgh where they split the first two of a three game series.
New York was finishing up a series in Pittsburgh, getting ready to come home for a ten game homestand.
Sunday April 16th, 2000: The Mets closed out this three-game set with Gene Lamont's Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium. Today all the bats began to wake up as they scored 12 runs on 15 hits with Robin Ventura leading the way.In the top of the 1st inning, Ventura started out his big day with a three run HR off future Met, Kris Benson. The three run HR was Ventura's second long ball of the year.
In the bottom of the 1st after a hit by pitch & base hit, Booby Jones had to to betaken out of the game. Pat Mahomes came in for relief & gave up two straight hits with two walks, as the Pirates took a 4-3 lead. Two of the runs were charged to Jones.
Short time Met Jon Nunnally who had been traded from Boston, replaced Rickey Henderson in left early in the game.
Ventura's Multi- Six RBI Game: In the top of the 6th, Ventura added an RBI sac fly making it 10-7 with his fifth RBI of the game. In the top of the 8th, Mike Piazza doubled, then Robin Ventura drove in his sixth run of the day, with a double to right field for his third hit of the game.
Tuesday April 18th, 2000: A good crowd of 17, 905 came out to Shea to see Bobby Valentine's Mets start a three-game set against Davey Lopes' Milwaukee Brewers. The Mets Mike Hampton took on Jamie Navarro. Neither pitcher fared well, as the Mets jumped on Navarro right off the bat.
In the home 1st, Joe Nunally led off with a double & stole third base. Edgardo Alfonzo doubled bringing him in with the first run. Mike Piazza singled scoring Fonzie making it a quick 2-0 Mets. After Robin Ventura walked, Todd Zeile singled to score Piazza then Jay Payton added a sac fly scoring Ventura making it 4-0 Mets.
In the top of the 2nd, Mike Hampton issued three walks which resulted in a Raul Casanova two run single, making it 4-2.
In the top of the 2nd, Nunally hit one of his two Mets career HRs tying up the game.
In the 3rd, Todd Zeile drove in Mike Piazza with a double to left center field.
In the bottom of the inning, Jason Kendall hit an RBI single & Brian Giles a two run double off Mahomes to put Pittsburgh back on top 7-6.
In the top of the 4th, Jon Nunnally drew a walk & stole second. Derek Bell drove him in with a base hit to tie the game. Edgardo Alfonzo then doubled putting the Mets ahead as Bell scored the eighth Met run.
After Mike Piazza was intentionally walked, Robin Ventura collected his second hit of the day driving in his fourth run with a single to left field making it 9-7 Mets.
Ventura Trivia: The six RBI's were a season high for Robin, as he had 18 multi-RBI games while driving in three or more runs eight times on the year. That season he was third on the club to Mike Piazza & Edgardo Alfonzo with 84 RBIs, while missing 20 games with injury.
Pat Mahomes would earn his first win of the season, as the Mets offense gave good support.
In the home 1st, Joe Nunally led off with a double & stole third base. Edgardo Alfonzo doubled bringing him in with the first run. Mike Piazza singled scoring Fonzie making it a quick 2-0 Mets. After Robin Ventura walked, Todd Zeile singled to score Piazza then Jay Payton added a sac fly scoring Ventura making it 4-0 Mets.
In the top of the 2nd, Mike Hampton issued three walks which resulted in a Raul Casanova two run single, making it 4-2.
In the home 4th, the Mets pitcher Hampton, singled & advanced on a wild pitch. Derek Bell then walked putting two on. Edgardo Alfonzo doubled scoring Hampton for a 5-2 lead.
Next Mike Piazza walked to load the bases for Robin Ventura. Ventura delivered with a grand slam HR over the right field wall giving the Mets a commanding 9-2 lead. It was his third HR of the season & the 14th grand slam of his career. Ventura now had 12 RBIs on the season.Ventura Grand Slam Trivia: Robin Ventura is tied for fifth on the MLB All Time Grand Slams HR list with 18. He hit six of them with the Mets. In the past two games Ventura had driven in ten runs.
In the bottom of the 5th inning Joe Nunnally's sac fly gave the Mets their tenth & final run of the 10-7 win.
Mike Hampton allowed five runs in 7.2 innings of work issuing a season high six walks, with six six hits, but earned his first Mets victory.
Wednesday April 19th, 2000: Tonight, a crowd of 18,001 came out to see Rick Reed take on Milwaukee's Jason Bere, who had started out the year at 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA.
Rick Reed pitched seven innings allowing one run, one walk & seven hits while striking out six. Reed got off to a great start for the season getting to 2-0 with an 0.91 ERA.
Mike Hampton allowed five runs in 7.2 innings of work issuing a season high six walks, with six six hits, but earned his first Mets victory.
Wednesday April 19th, 2000: Tonight, a crowd of 18,001 came out to see Rick Reed take on Milwaukee's Jason Bere, who had started out the year at 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA.
Rick Reed pitched seven innings allowing one run, one walk & seven hits while striking out six. Reed got off to a great start for the season getting to 2-0 with an 0.91 ERA.
In the home 2nd, Derek Bell added an RBI single & Edgardo Alfonzo an RBI sac fly giving the Mets all they needed in the 3-1 win. Armando Benitez collected his 6th save closing out the 9th inning.
Thursday April 20th, 2000: The Mets went for the sweep of the Brewers tonight, as Al Leiter went up against Steve Woodward.
In the 1st inning, Jeromy Burnitz gave the Brewers their first run with a sac fly. To lead off the 2nd inning, the Mets answered as Mike Piazza hit his fourth HR of the season. In the top of the 3rd, the Brewers James Mouton hit a two run HR giving the Brewers a 3-1 lead. In the top of the 5th, Charlie Hayes hit a solo HR to take a 4-1 lead.
In the bottom of the 7th, the Mets came back. Derek Bell led off with a his second HR of the year. Edgardo Alfonzo followed with a single to right field then Mike Piazza walked.
Steve Woodward was taken out of the game as David Weathers came in. Todd Zeile then singled to right field scoring both runners to tie up the game at four.
The Mets bullpen of Pat Mahomes (two innings) Dennis Cook (one inning) & Turk Wendell (one inning) got the Mets thru nine to the bottom of the 10th inning.
In the bottom of the 10th, Curt Leskanic struck out Jon Nunnally. Melvin Mora then hit a walk off HR giving the Mets the 5-4 win with a series sweep as the Mets win streak went to four games. It was Mora's first HR of the year & Turk Wendell's first win.
The Mets bullpen of Pat Mahomes (two innings) Dennis Cook (one inning) & Turk Wendell (one inning) got the Mets thru nine to the bottom of the 10th inning.
In the bottom of the 10th, Curt Leskanic struck out Jon Nunnally. Melvin Mora then hit a walk off HR giving the Mets the 5-4 win with a series sweep as the Mets win streak went to four games. It was Mora's first HR of the year & Turk Wendell's first win.
In this rainy matinee at Shea, Glendon Rusch went up against Jon Lieber. Lieber would win 12 games that season then 20 games the next year.
Both starters gave fine performances that day, with the Mets getting a scrapping out a run early going to the 6th inning.
Both starters gave fine performances that day, with the Mets getting a scrapping out a run early going to the 6th inning.
In the bottom of the 6th, Derek Bell led off with a double. The hot hitting Robin Ventura was intentionally walked. Todd Pratt grounded out to second scoring Bell with the Mets second run.
Matt Franco then singled into short right field scoring Robin Ventura making it 3-0.In the top of the 7th, Mark Grace & Shane Andrews both hit solo HRs off Glendon Rusch, as he exited with a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the 8th inning Todd Pratt led off with a walk & was sacrificed over by Matt Franco. Melvin Mora was intentionally walked to get to Rey Ordonez. But Rey singled bringing in Pratt tying the game.
As Brian Williams came to pitch, Benny Agbayani & Derek Bell hit-back-to-back two run doubles making it an 8-2 Mets lead. Derek Bell had the first of his three multi-four hit games on the year, including one the next day as he was on a hot streak.
The Mets went on to a 8-3 win winning their fifth straight game.
In the Mets home 1st, Derek Bell & Mike Piazza singled, then Todd Zeile drew a walk to load the bases. Benny Agbayani singled to left field bringing in both runners making it 2-0.
Benny Trivia: During the Mets win streak, Benny played in six games batting .364 with four RBIs raising his season average to .368.
The score stayed that way until the 5th inning, when the Cubs got an RBI hit from Jeff Huson.
In the top of the 6th inning, Sammy Sosa & Henry Rodriguez both got aboard with hits, Jeff Reed then blasted a two run double to give Chicago a 3-2 lead, knocking Dennis Springer out of the game.
But the Mets came right back in the bottom frame with a five run inning. Robin Ventura continued his big hitting as he led off with his fourth HR of the year tying up the game.
But the Mets came right back in the bottom frame with a five run inning. Robin Ventura continued his big hitting as he led off with his fourth HR of the year tying up the game.
Todd Zeile followed with a double, then Agbayani walked reaching base for the third time on the day. Kurt Abbott then reached on an infield single to load the bases. Manager Don Baylor removed Kyle Farnsworth with a future Met, Mark Guthrie. Rey Ordonez greeted him with a two run single to center giving the Mets a 5-3 lead.
The Mets pitcher, Dennis Cook sacrificed the runners over, then Melvin Mora hit a sac fly to left field scoring Abbott. Guthrie then walked Derek Bell loading the bases. Next an infield error on Mike Piazza's grounder led to Ordonez scoring making it 7-3 New York.
The Mets pitcher, Dennis Cook sacrificed the runners over, then Melvin Mora hit a sac fly to left field scoring Abbott. Guthrie then walked Derek Bell loading the bases. Next an infield error on Mike Piazza's grounder led to Ordonez scoring making it 7-3 New York.
The Mets took a 7-4 lead into the 9th inning, when Armando Benitez went for the save. In typical Benitez fashion, it wasn't easy. After getting the first two outs, Sammy Sosa singled. Then Henry Rodriguez followed with a two run HR, making it 7-6.
But then Armando Benitez got Tarrik Brock to go down on strikes to end the game, giving the Mets a double header sweep & a six game win streak. The 2000 Mets would sweep three of the four double headers they played in that season.
Sunday April 23rd 2000: As the Mets went for another series sweep, a good crowd of 27,560 came to Shea & were treated to a big day as the Mets scored a season high ten runs in this game.
Mike Hampton would have an easy time with his second win of the year s he went seven innings allowing five runs (three earned) striking out three & walking four.
The Cubs tied it after a Joe Girardi RBI double & a Sammy Sosa two run HR. It was Sosa's sixth HR of the season.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, the Mets put up seven runs with eight hits while sending 12 men to the plate. Robin Ventura led off with a double. After Todd Zeile lined out, the Mets collected six straight hits off former Met Kevin Tapani.
Mike Hampton Batting Trivia: Hampton was an excellent hitting pitcher, that year he batted .274 with eight RBIs. In 2001 with Colorado he hit seven HRs & drove in 16 runs while batting .291 in the thin air of the Mike High City. In his career he hit 16 HRs with 79 RBIs.
A Cub error off the bat of Robin Ventura led to the seventh run of the inning as the Mets took a commanding 10-3 lead.
In the bottom of the 5th, Cubs reliever Ruben Quevedo gave up a walk to Rey Ordonez, a single to Rickey Henderson, then an an RBI single to the smoking hot hitting Derek Bell. Mike Piazza hit a bases clearing double giving him multi- three RBI game.
In the bottom of the 5th, Cubs reliever Ruben Quevedo gave up a walk to Rey Ordonez, a single to Rickey Henderson, then an an RBI single to the smoking hot hitting Derek Bell. Mike Piazza hit a bases clearing double giving him multi- three RBI game.
more runs 13 times. He drove in 113 runs that year giving him back-to-back 100 plus RBI seasons as a Mets player. He would have six in his career.
The Cubs brought in Brian Williams to pitch, & Robin Ventura added a two run double making it 15-3. The Mets would win it 15-8 stretching the win streak to seven games.
Trivia: The 2000 NL Champions would score ten or more runs 24 times during the regular season.
L.A. Trivia: Davey's Dodgers would win 86 games & finish second to the Giants. Davey would manage the Dodgers for two years
Davey Johnson would get ejected from this game after disputing a close play at third base involving Melvin Mora
For the Mets, Pat Mahomes made one of his five starts of the season, shutting out the Dodgers thru five two thirds innings giving up just two hits.
Relievers Dennis Cook & Turk Wendell came on getting the Mets to the 9th inning.
In the top of the 9th, Armando Benitez walked Eric Karros to start the inning, then struck out Todd Hundley & got Adrian Beltre to hit into an inning ending double play.
In the bottom of the 9th, Robin Ventura led off with a double. Bobby Valentine, sent Melvin Mora in to pinch run. Short Time Met Jon Nunnally then drew a walk. Walk Off Hit: After recording the next two outs, Matt Franco delivered again with a weak little line drive up the middle of the infield. Nunnally came around to score the game winning walk off winning run. The Mets 1-0 win gave them an eight game win streak.
Matt Franco Trivia: Franco would have three walks off hits for the Mets in the 1999-2000 seasons.
NL East nemesis, the Atlanta Braves. Tonight, the Mets opened up a three game homestand against Jack McKeon's Cincinnati Reds.
The previous year the Mets had beaten the Reds in a one game tiebreaker to advance to the NLCS. Al Leiter had shut out the Reds in that game & was making tonight's start against Rob Bell.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Mike Piazza & Robin Ventura hit back to back doubles making it 1-0. It was Ventura's 15th RBI & fifth double of the season.
In the home 3rd, Rickey Henderson started the inning with a walk. Edgardo Alfonzo then hit a two run HR, his third HR of the year making it 3-0 Mets.
Fonzie Trivia: During the win streak Alfonzo hit .429 with 12 hits ten runs scored, two HRs & eight RBIs. Edgardo led the Mets with 40 doubles that season & tied Mike Piazza with a .324 average tops among Mets regulars. His 94 RBIs & 25 HRs were second to Piazza on the season.Two batters later, Robin Ventura hit his fifth HR of the year putting New York up 4-1.
Ventura Trivia: During the Mets win streak, Robin hit .300 with four doubles, four HRs & 14 RBIs scoring eight runs as well.
Al Leiter would pitch 5.2 innings, giving up five runs on eight hits.
Pinch Hitter Mark Lewis singled to center driving in two runs giving the Reds a 5-5 lead. Turk Wendell came on to pitch for the Mets, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings. In the bottom of the 7th, Derek Bell led off with a HR off Scott Sullivan tying up the game at five.
Bell Trivia: Derek Bell was on a seven game hit streak, hitting safely in 12 of his last 13 games collecting 26 hits batting .545 in that time raising his season average to .390.
Edgardo Alfonzo singled & Piazza doubled. Manager Jack McKeon removed his pitcher bringing in Scott Williamson. Once again in the midst of things Short time Met, Jon Nunnally drew an RBI walk bringing in Alfonzo in what turned out to be the games winning run.
Jon Nunnally Trivia: During the Mets win streak, Nunnally played in nine games, he drove in & scored four runs, hitting a HR as well. After 48 games he hit just .189, then in June his contract was purchased by the Orix Buffaloes of Japan.
John Franco & Armando Benitez held the Reds the rest of the way, sealing the win for Turk Wendell. The Mets now had completed a nine-game win streak
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Trivia: The Mets nine game win streak was their longest of the 2000 NL Pennant season. The Mets scored 66 runs in that stretch and reached first place.