Johan Santana took the mound against the St. Louis Cardinals three years ago today on June 1, 2012 and tossed one of the most memorable games in New York Mets history.
It was a beautiful Friday night, and as a Mets fan, before every game you always think to yourself: “Maybe tonight will be the night they finally do it.” Because up until that point, no Mets pitcher had ever thrown a no-hitter (as we all know).
So Santana is dealing, and he is setting down these Cardinal hitters and escaping each inning unscathed, despite allowing a few walks.
It didn’t get serious for me until after he finished off the sixth inning. “Johan only has nine more outs to go. There’s a real possibility we might see history tonight.” I said to myself.
Then in the seventh inning, Mike Baxter made that magnificent catch going back on a line drive off the bat of Yadier Molina, and slammed against the left field wall and injuring his shoulder which sidelined him for two months.
But after that, I knew. I could feel it. Every no-hitter has that one outstanding catch to keep the game in tact. (See Dewayne Wise, Hunter Pence, Steven Souza).
Santana gets through the eighth, and goes back on for the ninth, despite his high pitch count. He retired the following two batters, and now it was just David Freese standing between Johan and history.
When Freese struck out to end the game, it was euphoric. Nothing else mattered in that moment. After 8,019 regular season games and fifty years into the Mets franchise, no one had done what Santana had just accomplished for the Amazin’s. Tom Seaver never did it, Dwight Gooden never did it, but Johan Santana on that June night three years ago, finally did it.
What made it all more amazing was Santana did this in first season back from shoulder surgery which sidelined him the entire 2011 season. It reminded fans what Santana was capable of, and brought them back to how he had consistently pitched when he first joined the Mets in 2008.
To top it all off, a Mets fan wearing a 1986 Gary Carter jersey ran on to the field after the last out and joined the Mets celebration around Santana. He was subdued by team security, but it seemed to me a sign that Carter was there that night watching over the team. He had passed away a few months prior after losing his fight to brain cancer.
This was Santana’s last shining moment as a Met, however, as after a few more starts he was placed on the disabled list for the remainder of the season and also his Mets career.
He re-injured his shoulder in 2013 and missed the entire year. The Mets cut him loose at the end of the season, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since. However, he is trying to make a comeback, as he is pitching in the Toronto Blue Jays system as we speak.
Terry Collins gets a lot of heat for letting Johan throw all those pitches to accomplish the feat, but I don’t look at it that way. Santana was pitching good all night and was feeling it. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I’m glad Santana was the one to throw it, and I’m sure he is to.
