Remembering Mets History (2001) Robin Ventura & Mike Piazza Have Back-to-Back Walk Off HR Games

Saturday July 28th, 2001: Bobby Valentines reigning NL Champions Mets (48-57) were having a rough follow up the pennant. They were lingering in fourth place, eleven games behind the rival Atlanta Braves. 

In the off season the Mets did not make any big signings, only coming up with former A's pitcher Kevin Appier.

In July they had gone 12-10, a mid month five game win streak was followed up by losing five of seven leading up to this afternoon's matchup.

 A good crowd of 38,972 came out to support the Mets as they hosted Larry Bowa's second place Philadelphia Phillies (57-47). New York's Al Leiter (6-8) went up against one of the leagues winningest pitchers, Omar Daal (10-3). In 2000 after winning 16 games the previous year, Daal led the NL with 19 losses then  rebounded in 2001 to go 13-7.

In the bottom of the 1st, Todd Zeile doubled to left field. Mike Piazza then drew a walk. Jay Payton & Benny Agbayani followed with back-to-back RBI singles giving the Mets a 2-0 lead. 

In the bottom of the 4th, Benny Agbayani led off with a solo HR, his fifth HR of the year making it 3-0 Mets. 

Al Leiter held the 3-0 lead until the 6th inning. 

In the 6th, Tomas Perez hit a two out HR putting the Phil's on the board. Former Met, Todd Pratt & Brian Hunter both singled. Doug Glanville doubled to left center scoring Pratt bringing Philadelphia within a run.

Leiter would go six innings, giving up two runs, matching a season high ten hits while striking out five & walking one. 

In the top of the 7th, Mets manager Bobby Valentine brought in Jerrod Riggan to pitch. Riggan gave up a one out double to Bobby Abreu who then stole third base. Pat Burrell hit a line drive to right field, Joe McEwing couldn't handle the ball, allowing Abreu to score the games tying run.

The Mets bullpen of John Franco & Armando Benitez got the Mets to the 9th inning. 

In the bottom of the 8th, former Met, Turk Wendell came on to pitch for the Phillies, after slamming the rosin bag to the mound he got thru inning easily.

In the bottom of the 9th, Robin Ventura, led off the inning, coming thru hitting a walk off HR for the 4-3 win. 

Ventura Trivia: It was his 18th HR of the season & Ventura's first walk off hit since the famous Grand slam single in the 1999 NLCS Game #5. It was his third Mets Walk off hit & only official HR.

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Sunday July 29th, 2001: On this afternoon the Mets & Phillies were closing out their four game series, with New York trying to take three of four. 

The starters were the Mets Kevin Appier (5-10) & the Phillies Nelson Figueroa (2-2). 

Appier was an off-season free agent signing that HAD turned out to be a big disappointment for the Mets. 

Appier, the off season acquisition was 5-10 at that point with a respectable 3.76 ERA. From here on to the end of the season Appier would go 6-0 with a 2.91 ERA. After the season, he would go to the Anaheim Angels in the Mo Vaughn deal.

Nelson Figueroa was brought up in late May & was making his seventh start. In 2008 he would come to the Mets for two seasons & later work as a studio analyst for the team.

In the bottom of the 1st inning, Desi Relaford singled then scored on Mike Piazza's 15th double of the season. 

The hero of yesterday's game, Robin Ventura followed with an RBI single to left field for his 45th RBI of the season, making it 2-0 Mets. 

In the top of the 4th, the Phillies Bobby Abreu hit his 22nd HR, a two run HR that tied up the game.

In the bottom of the 7th, with Ricky Botalico on the mound for Philadelphia, Mets pinch hitter Lenny Harris walked then Desi Relaford singled to right field. Piazza grounded out to second base but Lenny Harris was able to score the Mets third run for the 3-2 lead. 

In the top of the 8th the Phillies answered as Jimmy Rollins singled to center field & Scott Rolen followed with a two run HR off John Franco putting the Phils up 5-4.

In the bottom of the 8th, Jay Payton led off with a base hit off Phillies reliever Jose Santiago. Next, Tsuyoshi Shinjo hit a two run HR to give the Mets a 5-4 lead. It was Shinjo's sixth HR of the year.

In the top of the 9th, the Mets troubled reliever, Armando Benitez couldn't hold the lead once
again, blowing another save opportunity. 

Benitez walked the leadoff man Kevin Jordan, then a base hit to Johnny Estrada, advancing Jordan to third base. 

Brian Hunter's sac fly to center scored Kevin Jordan tying up the game once again, at four.

In the bottom of the 9th, Phil's closer Rheal Cormier retired Desi Relaford with the first out.  

Mike Piazza then ended the game hitting a walk off HR giving the Mets the 5-4 victory & their second walk off HR in as many days.

Mike Piazza Walk Off Trivia: This was Piazza's second Mets Walk off HR, he would hit two more (2003 & 2004) in his Mets career. Mike Piazza had a multi-three hit three-RBI game, hitting his 15th HR & reaching 63 RBI's.