Worst moments at Shea: 9/11 comeback run fall short

New York Mets' catcher Mike Piazza can only watch as Atlanta Braves' Brian Jordan heads to Braves dugout after hitting the game-winning home run in the 11th inning to beat the Mets, 5-4, at Shea Stadium.

Shea Stadium was the home of the New York Mets for 45 seasons (1964-2008). Now, 10 years after they Mets left, many magical Shea moments like the Miracle Mets of 1969 and the Amazin’ Mets comebacks in the 1986 World Series are still remembered. But most Mets fans can only remember the most painful moments at the stadium they referred to as “a dump, but our dump.” Here’s a look back of some of the worst moments at Shea Stadium history:

Sept. 23, 2001 — The Mets were on a roll and New York City was happy to have baseball back after 9/11 attacks.

After losing the World Series to their crosstown rival Yankees the year before, the Mets looked flat coming out of the gate at the start of the 2001 season.

After a seven game losing streak and looking out of it in early August, the Amazins caught fire and suddenly found themselves in the race.


In a game in late September, the Mets had a chance to step on the throats of their division rivals.

The Mets were just one out away from a three-game sweep and their first of the Atlanta Braves in 11 years.

What would turn out to be a bad omen occurred when Mets’ fans started mocking the Braves with tomahawk chops in the eighth inning and serenaded Atlanta with chants of “Sweep! Sweep!”

Then, the Mets misery began.

Mets closer Armando Benitez walked Marcus Giles leading off the ninth.

The Mets were about to close within 2-1/2 games of the Braves and two of the second-place Phillies, and the crowd of 41,168 stood and cheered, and stayed on their feet.

But Brian Jordan homered with two outs, pinch-hitter Dave Martinez walked, Andruw Jones singled and B.J. Surhoff, another pinch-hitter, singled home the tying run.

Jordan homered again in the 11th off Jerrod Riggan, and the Braves escaped with a 5-4 victory Sunday that kept them in the NL East lead.

Benitez blew a save for the third time in 44 chances. He gave up 3 hits and 3 runs and walked two in two-thirds of an inning.

The Mets, who have captured hearts in New York by giving time, money and soothing words to the victims of the terrorist attacks, had gone 22-5 since Aug. 17, cutting 10 games from their deficit.

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About the Author

MeetTheMess
Lifetime Met fan who hates his parents for making him become a Mets fan as a child. No amount of therapy has helped and cannot switch teams now. Quitting smoking was easier. What a joke this organization really is, how much pain and suffering it has brought us through the years. Bad enough to be in Big Apple with Yankees fans.

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