METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE SEPTEMBER 24, 1989 GAME:
Mets2Moon
April 28, 2005
I cite this game as probably the worst game I attended in my youth.The Mets were in the teeth of a pennant race with the Cubs and desperately needed to close this game out to keep pace. David Cone kept the game close early, long enough for HRs by Elster and Strawberry (who had not had a hit in about a week, and was booed mercilessly throughout the game...until the HR) gave the Mets a 4-1 lead. It wa a 5-1 lead in the 9th. This would be when the roof caved in. With Myers on in the 9th, the Expos preceeded to chip away. Galarraga singled. Brooks dunked a hit. Wallach hit an RBI double. Grissom struck out. Fitzgerald slapped a 2-run single to make it 5-4. At this point, the crowd was murderous. That was it for Myers. On came the Iguana man, Julio Machado. He fared no better. Raines pinch hit and walked. Wallace Johnson pinch hit and struck out. Otis Nixon, who had pinch-run for Fitzgerald, and Raines pulled off a double steal with Dave Martinez at the plate. He worked the count to 1-2, a few fouls, a few balls, the count full, the crowd on their feet. Martinez then looped a dying quail into left. Mark Carreon was playing there that day. He came in...in...dove... And missed it. Nixon and Raines scored. 6-5 Expos. The Mets would put 2 on in the last of the 9th, but ultimately fail. 1989 is an eminently forgettable year for the Mets, in my opinion. An ugly year where the team as a whole vastly underachieved. And this game is the lasting memory I have from that season. Close, but embarassingly far away.
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