Mets Madness Series Recap: 1998 Overcomes No-Hitter to Beat 1973 in Six

In an expectedly pitching-dominated matchup, the 1998 Mets beat the 1973 Mets in the second round of the Mets Madness tournament. The series featured a no-hitter and a strong display at the plate from Edgardo Alfonzo.

Mojo Hill is the leader of the ’98 squad, while Tim Shanahan had control of ’73.

Game 1

The first game set the tone for the series, with the ’98 Mets edging out the ’73 Mets 1-0. There were just seven hits total between the two teams. Al Leiter, whose heroics helped 1998 get to this round in the first place, pitched eight scoreless innings with only two hits allowed. He struck out seven and walked two.

“Teams don’t get here by being incompetent, so I really wasn’t expecting this,” the fictional version of Leiter said. “I just kept throwing and they kept missing.”

John Franco got the save, while the only run came on a seventh-inning homer by Alfonzo.

Game 2

The ’98 Mets took a 2-0 series lead with this next win, a 7-2 defeat of 1973. The ’73 squad scored first with two runs in the second inning, but ’98 tallied one in each of the third and fifth innings, then blew it open with a five-run seventh.

Mike Piazza, the first-round MVP, went 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, a walk and two RBIs. Willie Blair started on the mound as an opener and allowed two runs while recording three outs, but Rick Reed stepped up in a big way. He went the next 5 2/3 innings in relief without allowing a run, striking out six in the process. Dennis Cook threw the final 2 1/3 innings as the Mets cruised to the finish line.

Game 3

The 1973 team got on the board in the series by no-hitting the ’98 squad. That’s right: the losing team in the series had a no-hitter.

Jon Matlack threw nine brilliant innings with 12 strikeouts. The only baserunner he allowed was a walk to Alfonzo. Despite an utterly dominant performance, Matlack was humble in his postgame quote and credited the team effort.

Bobby Jones had a decent showing in his right for 1998, limiting the Mets to three runs in seven innings. But Greg McMichael gave up three runs while getting just one out as part of a five-run eighth inning. It was a 6-0 win for 1973, cutting 1998’s series lead to 2-1.

Game 4

A no-hitter still only counts for one win, though, and the 1998 Mets got back on track in Game 4. Alfonzo went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, while Carlos Baerga and John Olerud each hit a home run to help ’98 to a 4-1 win.

Armando Reynoso allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings, and the bullpen took it the rest of the way with Franco picking up his second save.

The 1998 team took a 3-1 series lead, rising to the cusp of victory.

Game 5

Not so fast.

The ’73 team put the ’98 squad’s celebration on hold behind a dominant effort from Tom Seaver. He nearly replicated Matlack’s no-hitter, as he struck out 12, didn’t walk anybody, and allowed one measly hit in a complete game shutout. It’s not often that a team has two of the most dominant starting pitching performances in postseason history yet loses the series.

The Mets won this one 3-0, with its runs coming on a Willie Mays double and RBIs from Wayne Garrett, Jerry Grote and Bud Harrelson. Leiter, after his fantastic Game 1 performance, was merely okay, allowing two runs in five innings for 1998.

The ’73 team was trying to crawl back into it, down 3-2 in the series.

Game 6

But at last, victory reigned for the 1998 club.

In fitting fashion, the series ended the same way it started, with a 1-0 game. Alfonzo had the lone RBI, going 2-for-3 with a double. Reed had another complete game shutout, throwing 112 pitches and allowing four hits. He outdueled Jerry Koosman, who had a strong performance in his own right with seven innings of one-run ball.

MVP

Alfonzo was the clear MVP for ’98, as really the only consistent offensive contributor throughout the series. His final slash line was .389/.476/.722. Nobody else on the team hit above .250. Alfonzo, Piazza, Baerga and Olerud each hit exactly one home run — the only four homers for ’98 in the series.

Reed and Leiter deserve shoutouts on the pitching side; Reed didn’t allow a run in 14 2/3 innings of work, while Leiter only allowed two in 13 innings. The whole pitching staff deserves a nod, for that matter, for only allowing 12 runs in six games. But in a series with pitching highlights on both sides, Alfonzo’s productive performance gave 1998 the edge.