Remembering Mets History (2000) Mets Score Ten Runs in 8th Inning To Beat The Atlanta Braves

-
Friday June 30th, 2000:  A big crowd of 52,831 came out to Shea Stadium to see Bobby Valentines second place New York Mets (45-32) take on the Bobby Cox's first place Atlanta Braves (48-31).

At this point in time, the Mets were just three games behind the Braves after having lost to them the night before. Andres Galarraga's three run HR off Rick Reed was the biggest blow of that game. That broke the Mets seven game win streak. At this point in time, the Mets / Braves rivalry was at its peak.

On this evening, the starters were the Mets Mike Hampton (7-5) as he took the mound against Atlanta's Kevin Millwood (5-6).

In the 1st inning, Hampton was shaky, he gave up two singles. With Andres Galarraga at bat, Mike Piazza was charged with a passed ball & then Hampton hit him with a pitch to load up the bases. He then walked Javy Lopez & it was 1-0 Braves. Hampton stopped any further damage by getting Bobby Bonilla to ground into a double play.

In the 3rd, the Braves got two more lead off singles. Hampton then walked Galarraga again. Javy Lopez singled to left, bringing in two runs, as a Mike Piazza error allowed Andru Jones to score & it was 4-0 Braves.

 In the 7th Millwood got Robin Ventura to pop out. But Todd Zeile & Jay Payton both singled. After Benny Agbayani went down on strikes, pinch hitter Matt Franco delivered a base hit putting the Mets on the board.

Overall, Mike Hampton lasted seven innings, giving up five runs on nine hits & six walks. In the 8th short time Met, Eric Cammack, served up a three HR to Brian Jordan, making it 8-1 Braves, things looked terrible. Cammack made just eight appearances for the 2000 Mets & in his MLB career.

In the home 8th, Don Wengert, a journeyman pitcher who would just pitch ten games for the 2000 Braves, was on the mound. 

Derek Bell & Mike Piazza both singled. With one out Robin Ventura grounded out to second base for the second out but Derek Bell scored with the Mets second run. 

 Then an amazing two out rally led to the Mets scoring nine more runs, which resulted in a club record at that time, ten run inning. They would send 13 men to the plate, collect six hits & draw four walks in the inning.

Now, Todd Zeile singled, to drive in Piazza with the third run. Next Jay Payton singled, then
Benny Agbayani walked. 

Kelly Ligtenberg was brought in as the new Braves pitcher. With the bases loaded, he walked Mark Johnson & Melvin Mora putting the score to 8-5. Joe McEwing came into run for Johnson.

 Bobby Cox quickly yanked Ligtenberg & brought in Terry Mulholland. He then walked Derek Bell and it was an 8-6 game. As the Mets fans were going wild at Shea sensing a great comeback.

Next Edgardo Alfonzo singled, bringing in McEwing & Mora to tie up the game at eight. The crowd were on their feet as the Mets MVP-Mike Piazza came up to bat. 

Piazza delivered again, as he blasted a three run HR over the wall, bringing Shea Stadium to bedlam, capping off the record setting inning with what turned out to be the winning runs.

Armando Benitez closed out the 9th & got credited with the win (2-3) moving the Mets within two games of first place. The next night; Al Leiter improved to 10-1, as he combined with Turk Wendell on a six hit 9-1 Mets victory, bringing New York within a game of Atlanta.


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 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 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

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

Fictional Mets Infielder Chico Escuela ( of SNL) Visits Mets Spring Training (1979)

-
Image
Bill Murray interviews (Garrett Morris) Chico Escuela In March 1979, original Saturday Night Live cast member; Garrett Morris joined the Mets at Miller Huggins Field for Spring Training. At the time the Mets were still holding Spring Training in St. Petersburg Florida.  Morris was filmed being interviewed by his SNL cast mate, Bill Murray as the fictional Mets player: Chico Escuela who wore uniform #5 (cinque).  Escuela was famous for his spoof of the Latin players of the time, who did not speak much English. His famous quote "baseball been berry- berry good to me" began the previous year on SNL's weekend update. Bill Murray & Ed Kranepool It was said during the mock 1979 Spring Training interview, that Chico who was a nine time All Star second baseman, had given up his job at the Weekend Update Sports desk to make a comeback with the Mets at age 41.  Chico had fictionally written a tell all baseball book; "Bad Stuff About the Mets" which tick
Read more