October 9th has been a good day in Mets recent playoff history with multiple memorable moments including Jacob deGrom‘s playoff debut in 2015 and Todd Pratt sending the Mets to the NLCS in 1999.
DeGromination Begins
Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom was coming off a terrific 2015 season in which he posted a 2.54 ERA, WHIP under 1.00, and had 205 strikeouts in 191 innings. That earned deGrom the start against the Dodgers in the NLDS in the Mets first playoff game since 2006.
The future Cy Young winner was nothing short of spectacular in seven shutout innings. He tied Tom Seaver‘s postseason strikeout record of 13 and walked only one batter.
DeGrom was on another level in terms of velocity that night in Los Angeles, he averaged just under 96 mph on his fastball during the regular season but threw 17 fastballs in the first inning and they were all at least 97 mph.
After the game, deGrom would surprise teammate Daniel Murphy by lowering his chair and initiating one of the funnier moments in recent Mets history.
Murphy got the scoring started in the Mets 3-1 win with a fourth inning homer and David Wright knocked in two with a seventh inning single.
Pratt Becomes Unlikely Hero
Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza had a swollen thumb that forced him out of NLDS Game 3 against the Diamondbacks in 1999 and in Game 4. His replacement, Todd Pratt, provided the dramatics in Game 4 to send the Mets to the National League Championship series.
Pratt was 0-for-4 in the game when he came to bat against right-handed reliever Matt Mantei with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning. The backup catcher hit a ball to center field that Steve Finley thought for sure he was going to catch, instead he hit the wall when he jumped and came up short, and the ball went over the fence give the Mets a 4-3 win.
Todd had only one hit in the series, but he made it count.
