On this day in 1999, The Cincinnati Reds hosted the New York Mets in the one game tiebreaker for the National League Wildcard. The Reds were lead by Barry Larkin, Pokey Reese, Sean Casey, Eddie Taubensee, Greg Vaughn, Dmitri Young. The Mets were led by Mike Piazza, Rickey Henderson, Robin Ventura, Edgar Alfonzo, Rey Ordonez. The Reds sent right hander Steve Parris to the mound, while the Mets went with lefthander Al Leiter. Cinergy Field was packed, the game sold out in 20 minutes, a record. Bobby Valentine, the Mets manager that year said that was the loudest ballpark he ever managed a game in. The Mets were coming into the game fresh off a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the Reds came in thanks to a blowout victory over the Milwaukee Brewers the previous night.
Five pitches into the game, the Mets had a 2-0 lead, thanks to a Edgar Alfonzo Home Run. A 2-0 lead that year was nothing for the Reds in 1999, unfortunately, that was not the case that night. Mets pitcher Al Leiter pitched a masterpiece that night, giving up 2 hits and shutting out the Reds 5-0 as he went the distance. Al Leiter, to me is one of the Top 10 pitchers in October over the last 15 years. The Mets Cinderella Ride ended in the NLCS.
The Reds would not play a meaningful October game until October of 2010. They were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, as they were shut out twice in three games, Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter in Game One and Cole Hamels pitched a 5 hit complete game Shut Out in Game 3.
No comments:
Post a Comment