Remembering Mets History (1998) John Olerud's 23 Game Hit Streak

August 1998: In 1997 John Olerud came to New York via free agency. Olerud was an established hitter having won the 1993 AL batting title. In his first season with the Mets, he hit .294 just getting adjusted in New York.

In 1998 Olerud displayed just how good of a hitter he was, setting a franchise record for best single season batting average hitting .354, passing Cleon Jones .340 average recorded 29 years earlier in the Mets 1969 Championship season. 

One of John Olerud's hitting highlights that season was setting a Mets franchise record for left hand hitters, with a 23 consecutive game hit streak.

July 1998: On July 19th Olerud came into an extra inning loss to the Phillies at Shea Stadium, entering the game in the 4th inning, replacing Todd Pratt at first base. In the bottom of the 5th inning Olerud hit his 11th HR of the year. 

The next night he collected another hit in another loss to the Phillies. 

The Mets went on a six-game win streak & a stretch where they won eight of their next ten games. 

On July 21, Rick Reed & John Franco combined on a 4-0 shut out over the Pirates. Edgardo Alfonzo collected a two run double leading the way. In the Mets four run 3rd inning Olerud singled then scored on Todd Hundley's base hit. 

On July 22nd, in the first game of a double header sweep in Milwaukee he his 12th HR of the year, coming off the Brewers Brad Woodall in a 7-5 win. In the game Edgardo Alfonzo drove in two more runs with Lenny Harris & Rey Ordonez supplying the other RBIs.

In the second game Olerud stretched his streak to five games with a pair of base hits.

In the final game of the series with the Brewers Olerud collected two more hits, as the Mets went on to a 6-5 win after Matt Franco collected a 9th inning infield single scoring Mike Piazza.

The Mets win streak continued at Wrigley Field in Chicago, as they played swept another double header to start the series. 

Trivia: centerfieldmaz was in attendance at this game on a baseball trip to Wrigley Field with Den & Party Pete. 

In the first game, in the top of the 2nd inning, Olerud started the Mets scoring when he grounded out & Hal McRae who had a multi-three hit game scored the first run.

 Later in the top of the 8th inning, Olerud extended his hit streak to seven games as he hit his 17th double of the season then scored on Edgardo Alfonzo's base hit. Armando Reynoso who was making his first start of the season & Dennis Cook combined in the 5-0 shut out.

In the nightcap the Mets won 7-3 with Carlos Baerga leading the way with a multi-three hit four RBI game. Mike Piazza, Todd Pratt & Lenny Harris also had RBIs. In the top of the 9th, Olerud came up as a pinch hitter & doubled to right field, stretching his streak to eight games.

On July 25th, the Mets win streak ended as they took a 3-2 loss at Wrigley with Olerud driving in both runs on a two run HR off Kevin Tapani. It was his 13th of the season & the third in the nine-game hit streak. 

The next day the Mets took a 3-1 loss to Kerry Wood with Sammy Sosa leading the Cubs with a two run HR, his 38th of the season. Olerud extended his hit streak to ten games with a single, as he reached base three times also drawing two walks.

On July 28th, the Mets came home & hosted the San Diego Padres. Olerud had a multi-three
hit game, including his 14th HR of the season, a 5th inning three-run shot off Andy Ashby in the 7-3 win. Brian McRae added a three run HR

The next night, John helped Al Leiter to a victory, with a pair of hits, including his 20th double of the season, driving in two runs in the 7-6 win over the Padres. Mike Piazza added his 17th HR of the year, with Luis Lopez, Todd Hundley & Brain McRae adding another RBI.

Brian McRae Trivia: McRae was also on a hot streak, from July 23rd to August 8th, he would bat .329 with 24 hits, three HRs & 15 RBIs.

The Mets lost the series finale & Olerud's hit streak was in jeopardy as he went 0-3 going into the 9th inning, then he collected a one out base hit to extend his streak to 13 games.

August 1998: The Mets started August splitting a four-game set with the L.A. Dodgers at Shea
Stadium. In the first game John had a multi-two hit game in the 4-3 loss.

On August 1st, Rick Reed pitched a complete game 2-1 victory over the Dodgers with Edgardo Alfonzo hitting a walk off double off Jeff Shaw scoring Todd Hundley. Olerud had his second straight multi-hit game, with a pair of singles, extending his hit streak to 15 games.

On Sunday August 2nd, Armando Reynoso won his second game to get to 2-0. The Mets supported him with nine runs led by Butch Huskey's three run HR & John Olerud's three RBIs in the 9-3 win. Brian McRae added two more RBIs & Mike Piazza had a sac fly RBI as well for his 60th run driven in on the season.

Next the San Francisco Giants came to Shea Stadium & Olerud had three straight multi-hit games, collecting seven hits, two doubles & three RBIs in the three games series.

On August 6th, with the Mets down 4-2 in the bottom of the 7th inning, Tony Phillips led off the inning with a HR. With one out John hit his 15th HR of the year to tie the game to extend his hit streak to twenty games. 

In the wild game, the Giants went ahead 8-7, then in the bottom of the 9th John Olerud led off the inning with a base hit, his second hit of the game, another multi-hit game. Brian McRae would drive him in with the games tying run. After the Giants Rob Nen loaded the bases, Luis Lopez drew walk from Jose Mesa to score Matt Franco with the walk off run in the 9-8 Mets win.

The Mets went on the road to Colorado for a three-game series with the Rockies. On Friday August 7th he extended the hit streak to twenty-one games, with his fourth straight multi-hit game. 

In the top of the 1st, Olerud drew a walk & then scored on Mike Piazza's 20th HR of the season. In the Mets five run 2nd inning, Olerud cleared the bases with a three run double off Pedro Astacio, collecting his 24th double & 69th RBIs of the season.

Piazza would drive in Olerud with the Mets seventh run, as he & John both celebrated a multi-three RBI game in the 8-7 win.

On Saturday August 8th, he extended his hit streak to 22 games with his 22nd double of the season & a base hit as he reached base three times also drawing a walk. In his last three games, John had scored two runs & collected two hits in each game.

August 9th, 1998: Although the Mets lost 11-4, Olerud had his biggest day during the entire streak as he collected four hits in the game getting his season average over the .350 mark, the best in the league. 

In the top of the 3rd inning he collected an RBI singled off Darryl Kile. Olerud added three more singles in the 5th, 7th & 9th innings extending his hit streak to 23 games. 

Mets Trivia: Olerud set the Mets franchise record for left hand hitters with the 23-game hit streak. That season he batted .354 still the best in a season by a Mets player. That season Mike Piazza hit .348 which is the second highest in a Mets single season as well.

On August 10th, the hit streak ended as he went 0-4 in a 4-2 Mets win in St. Louis. He was shut down by Cardinal's pitchers Matt Morris & Rich Croushore.

Hit Streak Stats: From July 23rd to August 9th, Olerud hit .449 with a 1.220 OPS & .490 ON BASE %. He collected 40 hits with 10 doubles, 5 HRs 19 RBIs & 14 runs scored. In 89 at bats, he struck out just five times & drew nine walks.