Remembering Mets History: (2004) Richard Hidalgo Sets Club Mark Homering In Five Straight Games

-
On June 18th 2004, Richard Hidalgo came over to the Mets from the Houston Astros in exchange for Jeremy Griffiths & David Weathers.

Although his stay in New York was brief, he made his spot in Mets history, setting a club record by homering in five straight games.

Before his streak, he had hit three HRs in his first ten Mets games.

On July 1st, 2004 Art Howe's Mets (38-39) were at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati to face Dave Miley's Reds (42-36).

In this game Al Leiter pitched seven shut out innings giving up just two hits. He left with a 4-0 lead but reliever Ricky Bottalico gave up five quick runs in just 0.2 of an inning pitched.

The Mets had three other HRs on the night, hit by Eric Valent, Shane Spencer & Jose Reyes. In the 8th, Hidalgo hit a solo HR, his first in his club record setting streak. It was also the game winning run as the Mets squeaked out a 7-6 victory.

The next three were against the AL New York team, as the Mets swept the inter league subway series at Shea Stadium. In the 1st game on Friday night, Hidalgo led the charge hitting a two run HR off Mike Mussina in the 5th inning, his 9th of the year. Hidalgo already had an RBI double earlier in the game. That night Kaz Matsui hit two HRs & drove in five runs. The Mets went on to an 11-2 victory.

On Saturday afternoon Hidalgo hit a HR off Jose Contreras, for his third straight game with a HR. Also on this day, Cliff Floyd & Ty Wiggington also homered. It was a wild 10-9 Mets win, as 34 different players were used in a four hour sub way series epic.

Sunday- Independence Day, July 4th. The Mets used five pitchers as the AL New York club used four in another tight game. Tonight was Ty Wiggington's night as he was having himself a hell of a series. He hit two HRs including one in the bottom of the 8th which was the game winner.

As for Richard Hidalgo he had hit his fourth straight game where he hit a HR, his came in the home 7th, a game tying solo shot off Felix Heredia. Wiggy hit two, including the game winner in the bottom of the 8th inning.

After a successful weekend, the Mets went to Philadelphia on Monday July 5th to face the first place Phillies. Tonight Hidalgo wasted no time, hitting a 1st inning HR off Paul Abbot to set the Mets club record of hitting a HR in five straight games.

Two nights later, Hidalgo tripled in the Mets first run & then the games go ahead run, helping Al Leiter to a 4-1 win, getting the Mets within two games of first place. Since coming to the Mets, Hidalgo was hitting .348 (23-for-66) with 8 HRs & 15 RBIs in 17 games.

Hidalgo would end the season with 25 HRs (21 of them as a Met) & 82 RBIs but only hit for a .239 average. After a hot June/July streak, he cooled off considerably and the Mets did not resign him for 2005. He finished out his career in Texas hitting 16 HRs with a .221 average in 2005.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Bobby Ojeda's Tragic Boating Accident (1993)

-
Image
Steve Olin, Tim Crews & Bob Ojeda March 22 nd 1993: was an off day from Spring Training, for three Cleveland Indians pitchers; Former Mets 1986 World Champion pitcher; Bobby Ojeda, Tim Crews & Steve Olin. The three friends, took out an 18-foot open-air bass boat & went out fishing & gator hunting in the darkness of the evening on Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida. Tragedy struck, when the boat rammed into a private dock that jutted out some 250 feet into the still waters. Two other Cleveland Indians personnel had arrived to meet the fishing party just as the horror took place. They heard Bob Ojeda saying they needed help. The two men jumped into the water and called out for someone to call 911. 27 year old pitcher; Steve Olin was killed instantly. 31 year old pitcher; Tim Crews was alive but was struggling to breathe suffering from massive head wounds. Bobby Ojeda was in & out of shock, he was suffering from head lacerations but was coherent. The
Read more

Remembering Sal Bando: Former Italian / American All Star (1966 - 1981)

-
Image
Salvatore Leonard Bando was born February 13, 1944, in the Little Italy section of Warrensville Heights, 16 miles southeast of Cleveland, Ohio.  His father Ben was a self-employed carpenter & accomplished softball infielder. His mother Angela was a home maker who also enjoyed sports playing both softball & basketball. Ben & Angela had a daughter Victoria & sons Salvatore & Christopher. The six-foot third baseman played baseball at Arizona State University with his future Oakland teammate Rick Monday & seven others who made the major leagues.  There his manager was the legendary coach Bobby Winkles who would later go on to coach Bando in Oakland in 1974. Winkles would also manage the California Angels. In 1965 Bando batted .317 was All Conference & batted .480 (12-25) with 9 RBIs in the College World Series. Bando was selected in the sixth round of the 1965 draft after Rick Monday who was the first-round pick of the Kansas City Athletics. MLB Debut: He got
Read more

Remembering Vixen Founder / Guitarist; Jan Kuehnemund (1961-2013)

-
Image
centerfieldmaz was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Jan Kuehnemund, the founding member of the all female metal band Vixen. Jan was a fantastic guitarist, song writer & women pioneer in Heavy Metal. I am a huge fan of hard rock all girl bands & Vixen were one my long time favorites. Janice Lynn Kuehnemund was born November 18th, 1961 in St. Paul Minnesota. The female guitarist formed one of the first all female Metal bands in Minnesota with singer Janet Gardner while in high school in 1980. By 1985 they moved the band to Los Angles California, to be part of the Heavy Metal scene. In 1987 the classic Vixen line up of Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar) Janet Gardner (vocals/ guitar) Share Pederson (bass) & Roxy Petrucci (drums) formed & released their debut album the following year. Vixen 1988 In a world of all male Heavy Metal bands during its heyday, Vixen were groundbreaking in being an all female metal band. The Runaways, with Joan Jett & Lita Ford
Read more

The Odd Couple TV Show's Beloved Supporting Cast

-
Image
On this the 45th Anniversary Season of when my favorite television show of all time The Odd Couple first debuted it's time to pay tribute to the great supporting  cast. Murray Greshler was a  big hit with fans as the simple minded bumbling NYPD Officer: Murray the Cop . Murray was a long time friend of Oscar Madison & usually becomes the subject of Oscar's jokes. Some great lines referenceing Murrays nose are "N ose' Feliciano" / "Tokyo Nose" & "Come inside Murray, your sucking up all the air in the hallway".  Even Felix chimed in asking him if the other army reserve soldiers made fun of him saying "when you look up it looks like a two car garage". Murray would become one of both Felix & Oscars best friends appearing 73 of the 114 Odd Couple episodes . Murray wouldn't think twice about double parking his patrol car double parked outside the Park Avenue or Central Park West building where Felix & Oscar
Read more

The 1970's Oakland A's Ball Girls- (MLB's First)

-
Image
In the days of the early seventies the Oakland A's won three straight Championships & changed the face of baseball forever.  The team's controversial owner was known to be cheap in paying his star players & known to meddle in the teams on field affairs. He drove managers crazy & even had Dick Williams resign after winning his second straight World Series. But Finley also revolutionized baseball in many other ways. He was instrumental in getting the designated hitter in the American League & have the World Series played at night, so fans could attend after work. He gave his players fancy names like Catfish, Blue Moon & True Blue.  When his star Reggie Jackson refused to shave his beard, he encouraged the whole team to grow facial hair by paying them $200 each.  The A's team even grew their hair long, a sign of the times. But before that baseball players had not had facial or long hair since the 1800's.  He introduced bright colored yello
Read more