Friday August 13th 1999: Bobby Valentines
first place, New York Mets (70-47) had just swept a series with the
Padres at Shea & were not on their West Coast trip, opening a series in San
Francisco.
A crowd of 25,533 came out to see Dusty Baker's Giants (59-56)
host the Mets. The Giants would take this one 3-2, as Russ Ortiz eat Masato
Yoshi. In the top of the 4th inning, Mike Piazza hit his 24th HR of the
season. It would start a stretch where Piazza would homer in four consecutive
games. In this game, he would collect three hits & keep his average up at
.314.
Saturday August 14th 1999: This Saturday matinee
brought a huge crowd of 57,583 out to see the Mets Orel Hershiser take on
Kirk Rueter.
Hershiser had a fine year for the Mets & was 11-7 at this
point. Mike Piazza would enjoy a four hit day today, he would hit his 25th
HR in the 4th inning with John Olerud on base.
The
Mets put up five runs in the inning. After the Piazza HR, Robin Ventura doubled
& was brought in by Benny Agbayani's double.
With one out, Rey Ordonez
bunted for a base hit & was moved over by Hershiser. Rickey Henderson then
connected for a base hit making it 5-1 Mets. Agbayani would double in another
run in the 5th.
Sunday August 15th 1999: Another big crowd of 41,853 came
out for this Sunday afternoon game. Two veterans took the hill today as the
Mets Kenny Rogers took on Livan Hernandez.
The
Mets would bash Hernandez for seven runs, then beat up the bullpen, Alan Embree
& Jerry Spradlin for another five runs.
In total the Mets scored 12 runs
& knocked out 16 hits in the 12-5 win, of the rubber game in the series.
In
this game Mike Piazza had two hits & blasted his 26th HR of the year, his
third in as many games. Piazza 's was a two run shot of Embree in the 7th
inning. Piazza had also raised his average to .322 & now had 86
RBIs.
Robin
Ventura actually had hit a grad slam in this one & was actually leading
Piazza by one HR for the team lead & had 97 RBIs. Piazza had missed some
time with an injury earlier in the season would play 20 less games than
Ventura.
Monday August 16th 1999: The Mets rolled into San Diego's
Qualcomm Stadium facing Bruce Bochy's third place Padres (54-65). Mets
manager Bobby Valentine sent young Octavio Dotel to the mound to face Sterling
Hitchcock.
In
the top of the 2nd, Piazza continued his HR streak, hitting a solo shot,
his fourth HR in as many games. It was his 27th HR of the season, tying Ventura
for the lead spot. It was his only hit of the day but he
also drew a walk.
On
the hill, Dotel was having himself a fine game. In the second he walked Tony
Gwynn, but did not allow any other hits, nor any more walks going into the 7th
inning.
In
the top of the 7th, the Mets were up 2-0 after a solo HR from Rickey Henderson.
With
the no hitter still in tact, Dotel walked the first two Padres of the inning.
Then, Phil Nevin spoiled the no hit bid, blasting a three run HR.
Now
down 3-2 Dotel, struck out two of the next three batters & got a ground
out to end the inning.
In
the 7th, Edgardo Alfonzo & John Olerud both singled. Mike Piazza came
up, but grounded into a double play. Alfonzo still scored on the play, tying up
the game.
The
game went to extra innings, where Alfonzo was the hero, hitting a 10th inning
HR off Will Cunnane. Armando Benitez got his 14th save to close it out, with
Dennis Cook earning the win.
Mike
Piazza had a great four game stretch, collecting ten hits, four HRs, seven RBIs
& scored five runs. He was now batting .321 with 27 HRs & 88 RBIs.
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