Remembering Mets History (1999) Mike Piazza Goes 4-4 In Mets Wild Card Pennant Hunt

Saturday September 11th, 1999: Bobby Valentine's New York Mets (87-56) were three games behind the rival first place Atlanta Braves in the NL East but were leading the charge for the NL Wild Card spot with a 2.5 game lead over the Cincinnati Reds.

On this Saturday the Mets were in Los Angeles facing Davey Johnson's fourth place Dodgers (66-76). 

Davey Johnson had been the last Mets Manager to get the team to the post season eleven years earlier.

Mets skipper Bobby Valentine sent Masato Yoshii (10-8) to the mound against L.A.'s Ismael Valdez (9-13). 

In the top of the 1st inning, Ismael Valdez walked Rickey Henderson, who went on to steal second & third base. With two outs Mike Piazza & Robin Ventura both walked to load the bases.  But Darryl Hamilton grounded out to end the inning.

In the top of the 3rd inning, John Olerud singled with two outs. Mike Piazza then lined a two run HR over the Dodger Stadium fence, making it 2-0 Mets. It was Piazza's 35th HR of the year & his 110th RBI.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Dodgers tied it as Adrian Beltre doubled then scored on Eric Young Sr's grounder to short. 

In the top of the 4th inning, former Met Todd Hundley homered tying up the game at two.

In the top of the 6th, Mike Piazza singled for his second hit of the game. Robin Ventura walked & Shawon Dunston singled to load the bases up. 

Roger Cedeno & Rey Ordonez collected back-to-back RBI singles making it a 6-2 Mets lead.

In the 7th inning & again in the top of the 9th, Mike Piazza would add two more base hits giving him a four hit game getting his average up to .319. 

Piazza Trivia: At this point he was a favorite for the NL MVP Award. That season Piazza had 44multi-hit games, with 13 games of three or more hits & three four hit games.

Mike Piazza finished the 1999 Mets Wild Card season with career highs in HRs (40) & RBIs (124) batting .303 with 100 runs scored & a .361 on base %.

Masato Yoshi would pitch a solid seven innings allowing two runs on six hits. Pat Mahomes came in for two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit. The Mets held their 2.5 game wild card lead over Cincinnati.