Steve and the Tank! - Mets demolish Dodgers at Shea

Mets demolish Dodgers at Shea

It's September and the leaves are a changin' so the playoffs are right around the corner.

As I am riding the 7 train to Shea, I see a Mets fan writing "2006 NL East Champs" with a black Sharpie pen on a white t-shirt. I yell out "No! You're going to jinx it!". Even though I recent wrote "Braves Burial" that the Atlanta Braves were ALMOST mathematically eliminated, the Braves are still 14 time defending NL East Champions until they are dethroned. Hopefully sooner than later but I am very superstitious.

Saturday's showdown at Shea offered a possible playoff preview with the Dodgers on Italian Day at Shea.

El Duque started for the Mets and future Hall of Famer "The Professor" Greg Maddux started for the Dodgers who is second on the all time wins list behind Roger Clemens with 330.

It was my first time seeing Nomar Garciparra play since Derek Jeter's classic dive into the stands to catch a foul ball on July 1, 2004. Unlike most of the Boston Red Sox, Nomar was actually sitting down in the dugout. Within a month, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs.

The Dodgers fans must have brought the sun and humidity with them to Shea today.

The Mets take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a Carlos Delgado home run.

Kenny Lofton, who has played for eight teams over the past six seasons including the Yankees, starts the top of the fourth and flies out to right field because of a nice catch by Shawn Green at the wall. Steve and Mets GM Omar Minyara are so right about this guy.

As the Tank goes to the restroom in the bottom of the Fourth in his inspirational superstition, David Wright doubles to right-center but is not driven home.

Lofton singles home catcher Russell Martin to tie the game at one in the top if the sixth. Nomar lines to DW who gets "The Professor" in a run down going home and El Duque tags him out. (Maddux later admits that the run down wears him out as he gave up the single to Valentin to start the bottom of the sixth.)

J.D. Drew singles home to take the lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, a little boy a couple of rows in front of me and a little girl several rows back yell out "Let's Go Mets!" and Jose Valentin immediately doubles. Very cute and it's better than them crying. Carlos Beltran is intentionally walked and "The Professor" goes to the bench. Tim Hamulack is the new pitcher. Delgado flies out to right field to advance the runners to second and third. The Dodgers bring in a new pitcher to face DW.

DW singles to center to score two runs. Mets lead 3-2 after sixth innings.

Get up and stretch!

As a pinch runner, Lastings Milledge is caught in a run down to end the seventh.

Aaron Heilman works an effective eighth.

Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" is the XM Satellite Radio Eighth Inning Song.

El Profesor Jose Reyes hit a ground rule double to center to start the bottom of the eighth which could have been another inside the park home run as Steve reported Thursday night because he was actually running sooner out of the box. Valentin flies out to first while trying to sacrifice him. Reyes steals third while Beltran is at bat with one out. The Dodgers decide to intentionally walk Beltran with Delgado coming up. Whoa! Buckle up! The Dodgers unfortunately turn a 5-4-3 double play.

Metallica's "Enter Sandman" blares as Mets closer Billy Wagner comes into the top of the ninth.

The Armitron Attendance is 47,062.

J.D. Drew grounds out to Valentin. Jeff Kent is almost called out on 2-2 but singles on 3-2 to center. Kent is replaced with pinch runner Jason Repko. Olmedo Saenz is the pinch hitter. On a strike 'em out, throw 'em double play, the Mets strike out Saenz and solid defensive backup catcher Kelly Stinnett throws out Repko to end the game. Put it in the books, the Mets are "Takin' Care of Business" and demolish the Dodgers 3-2.

Posted by the Tank live from Shea!

Live! | MLB

Saturday, September 09, 2006 11:21:02 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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