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OTD 2000: Eighth Inning Rally Over Braves Capped By Piazza’s Homer

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More often than not in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Braves got the better of the Mets. That dominance extended into the 1999 NLCS when Atlanta overcame New York in six games to advance to their fifth World Series trip of the decade.

At Shea Stadium 22 years ago, just when it looked like the end result would be all-too-familiar, the Mets managed to get the Braves’ number. Ten, to be specific…as in the number of runs scored during a ridiculous eighth inning. With a succession of productive at-bats, New York rallied from a seven-run deficit—punctuated by Mike Piazza’s laser beam home run just over the left-field wall.

What took place on that Friday night certainly didn’t have the same significant comeback as Game 6 of the 1986 World Series and not quite the depth of recovery from September 1972 at the Astrodome, but the sensational 11-8 victory is arguably the franchise’s most memorable regular-season comeback.

The tie-breaking three-run bottom-of-the-eighth blast, the across-the-body right fist pump from Piazza as the ball cleared the fence, and the roar generated by 52,831 drowning out the airplanes departing LaGuardia—all of this would not have been possible if not for the excellent at-bats that preceded it.

Trailing 8-1 after seven-and-a-half innings, a hole mostly dug because of poor defense and a lack of control from starter Mike Hampton, the Mets pecked away at Atlanta pitching.

Derek Bell singled to center. After Edgardo Alfonzo flew out, Piazza singled and Bell advanced to third. Robin Ventura brought Bell home with a groundout. 8-2. Todd Zeile singled, scoring Piazza. 8-3. Jay Payton singled. Benny Agbayani walked to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Mark Johnson also walked and forced Zeile home. 8-4. Then Melvin Mora drew a free pass to score Payton. 8-5. The Mets had batted around but were still getting on without hitting as Bell walked and Agbayani scored. 8-6. Alfonzo put the ball in play and singled to left field. Both pinch-runner Joe McEwing and Mora scored. 8-8.

With each hitter, the momentum built. By the time Piazza stepped up for the second time in the inning, Shea was poised to erupt. The Mets’ slugging catcher was in danger of losing his streak of 12 consecutive games with an RBI.

The first pitch from beleaguered Terry Mulholland jumped off his bat and rocketed down the left-field line. When it struck the padding above the wall, Mets fans went delirious. The home run not only put New York on top, but it marked the most productive inning in team history up to that point.

The lead and the energy held up as Atlanta went down quietly in the ninth for an unforgettable victory.

The win pulled the Mets to within two games of the division lead, and they gained again with a victory the next night. Atlanta ultimately won the NL East war, but the Mets outlasted the Braves in October in reaching the World Series. And for any retrospective of that special season, June 30, 2000 ranks right at the top.

The post OTD 2000: Eighth Inning Rally Over Braves Capped By Piazza’s Homer first appeared on Metsmerized Online.

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