The greatest comeback in Mets history? Game 6, 1986 World Series — obviously. The largest deficit ever overcome by a Mets team? That would be September 2, 1972 in Houston — making up eight runs on the Astros.
What took place on a Friday night in June at Shea Stadium 21 years ago doesn’t hold the same significance as the ‘86 Fall Classic and not quite the depth of recovery in ‘72 at the Astrodome, but the 11-8 thriller is arguably the most memorable regular-season comeback — punctuated by Mike Piazza’s laser beam home run just over the left field wall.
The tie-breaking three-run bottom-of-the-eighth blast, the across-the-body right fist pump from Piazza as the ball cleared the fence, and the roar generated by 52,831 drowning out the airplanes departing LaGuardia — all of this would not have been possible if not for the superb plate discipline that preceded it.
Trailing 8-1 after seven-and-a-half innings, a hole mostly dug because of poor defense and a lack of control from starter Mike Hampton, the Mets pecked away at Atlanta pitching with this sequence:
- Derek Bell single to center
- Edgardo Alfonzo flyout
- Piazza single, moving Bell to third
- Robin Ventura RBI groundout, Bell scored. 8-2.
- Todd Zeile single, Piazza scored. 8-3.
- Jay Payton single
- Benny Agbayani walk. Bases loaded.
- A walk to pinch hitter Mark Johnson. Zeile scored. 8-4.
- Melvin Mora walk. Payton scored. 8-5.
- Bell walk. Agbayani scored. 8-6.
- Alfonzo single to left field. Pinch-runner Joe McEwing and Mora scored. Tied at eight.
Shea was poised to erupt. Piazza, who had produced at least one RBI in 12-straight games but hadn’t yet tonight, made sure it did. The first pitch from beleaguered Terry Mulholland jumped off his bat and rocketed down the left field line. When it struck the padding above the wall, Mets fans went delirious. The home run not only put New York on top, but it marked the most prolific inning in team history up to that point.
21 years ago tonight, Mike Piazza capped a 10-run eighth and an unforgettable comeback against the Braves with a laser beam three-run homer down the left-field line, sending Shea Stadium into deliriumpic.twitter.com/uiNuVXLHru
— Brian Wright (@BrianWright86) June 30, 2021
The lead and the energy held up as Atlanta went down quietly in the ninth — an unforgettable 11-8 triumph against a team that so regularly had its number in recent years.
”It’s a big game for us,” Piazza said afterward, according to The New York Times. ”It’s a great win for us. Fortunately for us, we snuck up on them.”
The win pulled the Mets to within two games of the division lead, and they gained again with a victory the next night. Atlanta ultimately won the NL East war, but the Mets outlasted the Braves in October in reaching the World Series. And for any retrospective of that special season, June 30, 2000 ranks right at the top.
