In one of the most shocking series of the first round of the Mets Madness tournament, the 2019 Mets showed what could have been as they defeated the 2000 Mets in seven games.
The 2019 team, managed by MMO editor Allison Waxman, came through with the bat in the big moments, and their pitchers dominated. Led by two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, the 2019 starting rotation gave up nine earned runs to the 2000 team’s 12. The 2000 team, managed by MMO writer Matt Mancuso, struggled with men left on base, leaving 56 runners stranded.
Game 1
The series started with a pitching duel as deGrom and Al Leiter went head to head for their respective teams. DeGrom threw five scoreless innings, allowing only four hits, three walks and striking out eight hitters. Leiter, meanwhile, went six, giving up only two hits and one run on eight punchouts. Jeff McNeil scored the first run of the game in the sixth on an RBI single. Todd Frazier hit homers off Bobby Jones and Turk Wendell, driving in four.
Paul Sewald, Edwin Díaz, Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo finished the shutout for the 2019 Mets, combining for just one hit and four strikeouts. The 2000 Mets mustered just five hits and left ten men on base. The 2019 team won the first matchup, 5-0.
Game 2
Everything looked promising for the 2019 team going into Game 2 after Amed Rosario came around to score in the top of the first on a J.D. Davis double. Another pitcher’s duel ensued between Noah Syndergaard and Mike Hampton, and in the fifth, Rosario scored once more after an error in the inning.
Things took a turn for the worse for Syndergaard and the 2019 Mets in the bottom of the fifth after he allowed a solo home run to Benny Agbayani. The hits and runs poured on after that, with Robin Ventura scoring on a Timo Perez double. With the bases loaded and two outs, Edgardo Alfonzo stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run single, bringing the score to 4-2.
The 2000 Mets bullpen delivered four innings of shutout ball, with Armando Benitez nabbing the save to close out the game and bring the series even at one apiece.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Game 3
The long ball was the story of the night in Game 3.
Zack Wheeler took the mound for the 2019 Mets in Game 3, while Glendon Rusch got the honors for the 2000 Mets. Wheeler got himself in hot water right out of the gate after allowing a one-out single to Jay Payton. A passed ball got him to second, and Mike Piazza got on base via fielder’s choice. The next two batters walked, but Wheeler got out of the inning allowing only one run to score.
Michael Conforto got the party started for the home crowd and launched a solo shot in the bottom of the second to even the score at 1-1. After Gsellman entered to pitch the sixth, he allowed a solo homer to Robin Ventura, putting the 2000 squad ahead. In the bottom of the seventh, Conforto hit his second solo shot of the night, and Wilson Ramos hit one out of the park for back-to-back homers. The 2019 squad retook the lead at 3-2.
Steven Matz earned the save, striking out the side in the ninth. The 2019 Mets took a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4.
Game 4
Looking to take their winning momentum into Game 4, the 2019 Mets sent Marcus Stroman to the mound while Rick Reed got the ball for the 2000 squad. J.D. Davis got things rolling with a solo shot in the bottom of the first. Robin Ventura and Mike Bordick hit two singles in the top of the second, but the 2000 Mets failed to capitalize with runners on base.
After a leadoff Derek Bell leadoff single in the top of the fifth, followed by a Jay Payton double, the 2000 Mets notched in a run on a Mike Piazza sac fly, tying the game. That didn’t bode well for Jeff McNeil, who responded with a three-run bomb in the bottom of the fifth, pushing the 2019 Mets ahead 4-1. Wilson Ramos made it 6-1 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, and Matz contributed to a two-out save.
Reed went seven and two-thirds, allowing eleven hits, six runs and nine punch outs, but allowed three home runs.
Game 5
On the cusp of a series victory, Jacob deGrom and Al Leiter were once again in a heated pitcher’s duel until the top of the sixth when Edgardo Alfonzo scored on a Mike Piazza double. Pete Alonso responded in the bottom of the inning, blasting a solo shot for his first hit of the series.
Timo Perez took Justin Wilson deep in the sixth, bringing the score to 3-1. After a Jay Payton single, Alfonzo laced another run in for the 2000 Mets on an RBI double, knocking Wilson out of the game.
Wilson Ramos got the Mets within two in the bottom of the eighth on a solo shot, but Walker Lockett surrendered an RBI double to Alfonzo in the ninth. Left-hander Bobby Jones closed out the game for the 2000 squad. Heading into game six, the 2019 Mets lead the series 3-2.
Game 6
The 2000 squad almost got to Syndergaard immediately after Jay Payton and Edgardo Alfonzo singled, but Thor escaped the jam with a flyout and strikeout. However, in the bottom of the fourth, Todd Zeile knocked in a two-run single. Piazza tried to make it 3-0, but Conforto nabbed him at the plate with a strong throw.
Pete Alonso drove in Frazier on a two-run blast off of Mike Hampton in the sixth to tie the game, but the lead didn’t last long. After Sewald entered the game in the seventh, he allowed an RBI single to Timo Perez to put the 2000 Mets ahead 3-2.
Mike Piazza tacked on another run with a solo home run off Gsellman in the eighth, and Benitez locked down his second save to even out the series at 3-3.
Game 7
It’s a winner-take-all game. After reaching on an error in the second, Piazza came around to score on a Matt Franco fielder’s choice off Wheeler. Robin Ventura added on another run for his team with a solo shot in the fourth to inch closer to a World Series title. To keep the party going, Payton laced an RBI double in the fifth to bring the score to 3-0.
Down by three, Jeff McNeil led off the sixth with a single but was caught stealing. However, Conforto sends the ball out of the stadium to close the gap and make it 3-1. Pat Mahomes was immediately greeted in the seventh with lead-off singles from Frazier and Juan Lagares, followed by an RBI double by Rosario to clear the bases and tie the game. McNeil then hit a two-run homer to put the team ahead 5-3.
With Díaz in to pitch for Walker Lockett, he gave up three singles, and a run, the latter to Zeile to bring the score to 5-4. Benitez came in to pitch the top of the ninth, hitting Brandon Nimmo, then allowing a single to Lagares. J.D. Davis ripped a double down the line to break open the game 7-4, and McNeil put the finishing touches with a sac fly to make it 8-4.
Brad Brach closed it out for the 2019 Mets, and they were crowned World Series champions.
Series MVP
J.D. Davis was crowned series MVP after hitting .357 (10-for-28) with one home run and four RBIs. He was a constant force to be reckoned with and came through with clutch at-bats, delivering the game-sealing RBI double in Game 7. His .419 OBP was second on the team behind Todd Frazier, but he was on base in every game.
Worth mentioning, Edgardo Alfonzo had a terrific series for the 2000 squad, hitting .400 (8-for-20) and coming up clutch in key moments for his team. He led his team in OBP (.586) and SLG (.500).
On Deck
The 2019 squad will advance to the second round of Mets Madness, where they will take on the winner of the 2006 NL East-winning Mets and 1985 powerhouse Mets. Previously in our recaps, the 1998 team beat the 2015 Mets in seven games and the 1973 Mets swept the 2007 team.
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