Subway Series Memories at Shea
By Mike Silva ~ June 26th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
Two weeks ago I gave you my most memorable Yankee Stadium Subway Series moments, now I will give you the ones at Shea. These are all regular season and in no particular order.
1. July 10th, 1999: Mets -9, Yankees-8
This will always be the one game that angers Yankees fans. Mets fans will rejoice over the two run single, with two outs, by Matt Franco. The ball was flying out of Shea for this Saturday afternoon affair as the Yankees blasted six homers and Mike Piazza hit one that landed on the tent past the bleachers. Everyone talks about the missed strike call by Jeff Kellogg, but the real key of the ninth was Bernie Williams dropping Edgardo Alfonzo’s fly ball. That set the eventual tying and winning run to score.
2. June 26th, 1998: Yankees -8, Mets- 4
Mel Rojas goes down in infamy. The Yankees were in the midst of their dream season. The Mets had just started to play well with Mike Piazza. Leading 4-3 in the seventh, Bobby Valentine brings in Mel Rojas to face Paul O’ Neill with two on and one out. We all know what happens next. The Yanks would tack on two more runs and win the game easily. Valentine and Tim McCarver would exchange words through the media about the decision to pitch Rojas to O’Neill. The next day Valentine would point to the press box after a pitching change didn’t work out.
3. July 8th, 2000: Yankees-4, Mets- 2
Everyone talks about the night portion of this historic day/night doubleheader because of the Clemens/Piazza bean ball. What is often forgotten is the return of Doc Gooden to Shea Stadium in the day contest. I was at this game and couldn’t believe the Mets allowed a washed up Gooden to shut them down. Doc goes 5 innings and gives up only two runs. No one scored off the Yanks bullpen that year so the rest is history. Robin Ventura would return and beat the Mets a couple of years later so this wouldn’t be the last former Met to throw a Subway Series dagger. I also remember Yankees first base coach Lee Mazzilli “selling” an interference call on Todd Zeile during the game’s first play. Great story for the papers, bad day for Mets fans.
4. May 21st, 2005: Mets- 7, Yankees-1
Dae-Sung Koo scores a run while running the bases with a metal ball in his pocket. That is all you need to know.
5. May 19th, 2006: Mets -7, Yankees -6
Explosive first inning as the Yankees score 4 runs off the late Geremi Gonzalez. Carlos Beltran responds with a 3 run homer off Randy Johnson in the bottom half. The game was defined by great Mets bullpen work. Darren Oliver, Aaron Heilman, and Billy Wagner would shut the Yankees out for 6 innings. David Wright wins the game with a double over Johnny Damon’s head in the ninth.
