Remembering Mets History (2009) Mets Steal A Franchise Record Seven Bases
This year's Giants would finish third, but in 2010 they would win the first of three championships in five years.
The Mets were struggling thru injuries, a problem that would hurt them all season. Tonight, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado & reliever JJ Putz were all out of action.
On this night the Mets as a team would set a franchise record in stolen bases ironically without Jose Reyes in the lineup. Reyes would only play in 36 games that season.
David Wright would tie another Mets record & have a big night.
In the top of the 1st inning, 1st inning, Alex Cora singled, then with two outs he stole the first of his two stolen bases on the evening.
In the top of the 3rd, Carlos Beltran singled followed by Sheffield's hit a ground rule double.
In the top of the 7th with New York still up 4-2, David Wright reached base for the third time, drawing a walk. Wright matched his career high with his third stolen base. On May 13, 2007, he had three steals in a win over Milwaukee. Ramon Castro flied out to end the inning.
John Maine had settled in after that terrible start, he got thru seven innings allowing two runs scattering seven hits, walking & striking out four. In the top of the 8th inning, Bobby Parnell blew the lead, as Fred Lewis reached on an infield single. Aaron Rowand walked. then Juan Uribe & Jose Renteria collected RBI singles, tying the game.
In the top of the 9th, the bearded Brian Wilson came on to pitch for San Francisco. Carlos Beltran
doubled with one out, then stole the Mets fifth base of the night swiping third base.
Gary Sheffield followed with an RBI base hit scoring Cora with the first run. base hit.
David Wright singled up the middle & stole the Mets second base of the night, swiping second.
Wright was getting started with what turned out to be a big night for him.
In the bottom of the 1st, John Maine had a nightmare of an inning, Emmanuel Burris led off with an infield single then stole second. Pablo Sandoval & Bengie Molina followed base hits scoring Burris with the first run. Maine threw two wild pitches gave up an RBI sac fly to Randy Winn then walked two more batters before striking out Travis Ishikawa to end the inning with the Giants taking a 2-1 lead.
David Wright collected his second base hit of the game scoring Beltran tying up the game.
Wright then stole second base for his second steal of the night. On the play Gary Sheffield scored on a wild pitch issued by Jonathan Sanchez. The Mets were now ahead 3-2.
In the top of the 4th, the slow-footed Ramon Castro drew a walk & advanced to third slowly on base hits from Ryan Church & John Maine. Castro completed his round of the bases to the delight of his teammates when Luis Castillo hit into a double play making it 4-2.
John Maine had settled in after that terrible start, he got thru seven innings allowing two runs scattering seven hits, walking & striking out four. In the top of the 8th inning, Bobby Parnell blew the lead, as Fred Lewis reached on an infield single. Aaron Rowand walked. then Juan Uribe & Jose Renteria collected RBI singles, tying the game.
doubled with one out, then stole the Mets fifth base of the night swiping third base.
Gary Sheffield then drew a walk.
David Wright continued his big night, collecting his third hit of the night driving in the games go ahead run. Wright had been in an earlier slump but over his last eight games was batting .452 (14-31).
Wright Ties Franchise Record: Wright then tied another Mets record; in a double steal he swiped his fourth stolen base of the game. The only other Met to steal four bases in a game was Roger Cedeno (1999).
Mets Set Franchise Record: On the double steal, forty-year-old Gary Sheffield stole one of his two bases on the season. The stolen bases gave the Mets a franchise record seven steals on the night.
Trivia: In 2009 David Wright led the Mets with 27 stolen bases. Luis Castillo (20) & Angel Pagan (14) were next in line.
Met catcher Ramon Castro drove in both Wright & Sheffield with a two-run single, as they went on to the 7-4 win.
The win was the Mets tenth in their last 13 games. They would win three of four in San Francisco making it 12 of 14 wins before dropping four straight. The 2009 season would not go well as they would go 70-92 finishing fourth.