Robin Ventura finished his major league career with 18 grand slams. But it’s a hit that was a grand slam in theory which remains his signature Mets moment — a unique finish to a 15-inning, five-hour and 46-minute postseason classic.
For a team that spent three weeks walking a tightrope, Game 5 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves served as a pinnacle for the Mets’ late-season ability to avoid elimination.
New York staved off a sweep in Game 4 with a bottom-of-the-eighth-inning rally, highlighted by a John Olerud single. Olerud opened the scoring the next afternoon with a two-run first-inning homer off Greg Maddux. Atlanta countered with a pair in the top of the fourth, but bats went silent from there. The 2-2 deadlock persisted into extra innings. As darkness fell over Shea Stadium, so did the rain. Stranded runners (both sides totaled 31) piled up. Run-scoring opportunities went by the wayside.
Mets manager Bobby Valentine used eight relievers to keep Atlanta at bay. That was until the top of the 15th, when Keith Lockhart tripled home Walt Weiss. The three-week-long tightrope frayed to its last threads. The Braves thought they put the Mets away after pummeling them in late September, after taking a one-run lead in the eighth inning of Game 4 and again on this night.
Untested Kevin McGlinchy was in to try and close it out in the bottom of the 15th. The 22-year-old right-hander battled leadoff hitter Shawon Dunston for over nine minutes with six foul balls before he singled to center. Matt Franco worked a walk, Edgardo Alfonzo sacrificed both runners 90 feet further, and Olerud got an intentional pass. Todd Pratt, who entered the game when Mike Piazza’s strained left forearm wouldn’t allow him to continue past the 14th, also walked. Game tied.
Ventura, playing though injuries, could send everyone home and both teams south. On a 2-1 count, he drove one to right-center field. Deep enough to certainly score the winning run. And deep enough to clear the right-center-field fence.
The longest game (at the time) in postseason history reached a spectacular conclusion. But then came an unusual postscript.
After Ventura touched and rounded first base, he incessantly waved overly-enthusiastic teammates away so he could round the bases. But their exuberance was too much to allow their hero to savor a home-run trot. Instead, they mobbed Ventura before he reached second. Instead of a 7-3 final, it was (and remains) 4-3. “As long as I got to first base, I don’t care,” Ventura said. “It means we won.”
“I’ve been in long games,” said a mentally drained Valentine afterwards. “But not games where every pitch meant so much.”
