Remembering Mets History: (2016) Bruce on the Loose With Third Straight HR Game- Mets Guaranteed At Least A Wildcard Tie

Friday October 1st 2016: Terry Collins New York Mets (86-74) guaranteed themselves of at least playing after Sundays last regular season game. Tonight after the Mets downed the Phillies in Philadelphia they reduced their magic number down to one to clinch a wild card spot & a chance for post season action.

Jay Bruce, the latest hot hitting Mets hero had a big three hit, three RBI night where he homered for his third straight game. After his benching that seemed like a lifetime ago, Bruce has hit 4 HRs with 8 RBIs in six games. Yes it seems, finally Bruce is on the Loose! Bruce now has 99 RBIs for the season to match his 33 HRs. The center of the Mets offense, Yoenis Cespedes added another RBI as well, giving him 86 on the season.

Many of these pennant chasing Mets were not even on the roster when this season started & New York was setting out to avenge their NL Championship title. But injuries, season ending injuries no less, have made this a different ball club.

But somehow that championship hunger has been passed down to this years version of the New York Mets. Whether its the fact that they can keep plucking young pitching studs from their minor leagues, or PCL batting champions (the AAA Las Vegas club had the leagues top three) from the minor leagues, or sign veteran players that are reviving their careers, or the fact that Sandy Alderson & Terry Collins have built a winning culture in New York, these Mets are Amazing again.

With an afternoon win at Philadelphia, the Mets can wrap up this wild card thing & get ready for the big game on Wednesday Night.

Quotes: Terry Collins- "It's step one of a big accomplishment. We're certainly very, very pleased that we get to play past Sunday. But we want to take care of business this weekend and solidify where we need to be, and get ourselves ready for that day."

On Friday Robert Gsellmen went six innings allowing just a run on seven hits with seven strike outs to get his record to 4-1 while posting a 242 ERA. In his last two games he has 15 strikeouts & an ERA of 0.60.

After falling behind 1-0 the Mets answered in the 4th with two outs singles from Yoenis Cespedes, Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce & TJ Rivera to go up 2-0. In the 7th Bruce connected with his 33rd HR of the season, making it 3-1.

In the 8th inning, with Alejandro DaAza & Jose Reyes on board, Cespedes hit a wicked pop up into the night. The wind carried it away from Ryan Howard & the ball landed on first base, DeAza scored on a weird force pop out. Bruce followed with another hit driving in Reyes with the games fifth run.

A familiar Mets late inning relief corps of Fernando Salas, who has fit very nicely into the 7th inning, led the way for 8th inning ace; Addison Reed who notched his 40th hold of the year, while maintaining an ERA of 2.00 & then leading the way for the door to be closed by Jeurys Familia, who saved his 51st game.

Quotes: Jay Bruce- "The reason you play is to make the playoffs. I've been fortunate enough to go the playoffs three times... It's like Opening Day every day. It's great. That's why we play. We're close to securing that and we really look forward to having that opportunity and really controlling our own destiny. We're not really focused on what anyone else does. We come in here tomorrow and take care of business, it won't matter."