Remembering Mets History (2001) Home Opener- Mike Piazza Hits Two HRs As the Mets Raise the NL Champion Flag
53,640 fans sold out Shea Stadium for the pre-game festivities. The Mets home opener that day came against their main NL Eastern rivals during that era, the Atlanta Braves.
For the 2001 season the Mets did not do much to add to a team that had won the 2000 NL Pennant but was staring to see its top player's age. They added pitcher Kevin Appier who had won 15 or more five times & was coming off a 15-11 season in Oakland. Appier was replacing Mike Hampton who left New York via free agency for family reasons.
passed up on signing Alex Rodriguez who grew up a Mets fan & wanted to play in New York. It was big mistake.
The Mets had opened up the 2001 season in Atlanta the week before taking a 6-4 win. They took two out of three in that series but then lost three straight games in Montreal. They arrived home with a 2-4 record.
Manager Bobby Valentine sent his newest pitcher Kevin Appier to the mound as they hosted the Braves. Manager Bobby Cox sent Kevin Millwood to start for Atlanta.
In the top of the 1st inning, Appier retired the side in order in his home debut.
Then Mets run producers who were both second & third to Mike Piazza in 2000 in RBIs came thru as Edgardo Alfonzo & Robin Ventura singled bringing in two runs to put the Mets up 3-1.
In the top of the 7th inning, Kevin Appier came out & gave up a lead off base hit Andru Jones then after retiring Javy Lopez, served up a two run HR to former Met Rico Brogna, making it a 7-3 game.
In the bottom of the 7th, Robin Ventura drew a leadoff walk. Mike Piazza added his second of the day, the two-run shot coming off Joe Slusarski. It drove in the Mets ninth run of the day to make it 9-3.
In the bottom of the 8th, John Franco got the first two Brave outs before giving up a base hit to Brian Jordan, but Franco hen got BJ Surhoff to ground out to Edgardo Alfonzo to end the inning.
The 2001 Mets disappointed with an 82-80 record finishing third. In the year of the 911 tragedy, the Mets were 71-73 at that point in the season.
The ceremonial first pitches were thrown out by the football New York Giants Tiki Barber & Kerry Collins fresh off their Super Bowl appearances the previous football season.
In the bottom of the 1st, The Mets got a two out single from Robin Ventura. Kevin Millwood balked & advanced Ventura over to second. But he was left stranded there when Mike Piazza flew out for the third out.
In the top of the 2nd, the Braves B.J. Surhoff hit a solo HR to make it 1-0 Atlanta.
But the Mets answered right back in the bottom of the 2nd, as Todd Zeile walked & stole second base. Rey Ordonez then singled him in to tie it up the game at one.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Mets had a big five inning, with five hist & sending eight men to the plate. Rey Ordonez led off double. After the pitcher Kevin Appier struck out, Darryl Hamilton reached on a base hit to left field.
Then Mets run producers who were both second & third to Mike Piazza in 2000 in RBIs came thru as Edgardo Alfonzo & Robin Ventura singled bringing in two runs to put the Mets up 3-1.Mets Triva: Both players would see significant drop in their RBIs in 2001. Alfonso played in 26 less games & drove in 45 less runs. Ventura at age 33 was winding down as he drove in 23 less runs with the same amount of playing time than the previous year. He retired after the 2004 season.
Then Mike Piazza delivered the big blow of the day, a three run HR to right center field off Millwood, to make it 6-1 Mets. The Shea crowd went crazy as their hero Piazza delivered again.
At age 32 Piazza would drive in 94 runs in the 2001 season, 19 fewer than the 2001 NL Pennant season. His 94 RBIs led the team by far with Todd Ziel's 62 RBIs a distant second.
In the bottom of the 6th inning, the newest Met- Tsuyoshi Shinjo, a star player from Japan hit his first HR of the season, pleasing the crowd even more as this Shea home opener was becoming a happy day for all Met fans.
On the day, Appier would pitch seven innings allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out three & walked two while earning his first Met win.
Kevin Appier Trivia: In just one season in New York Appier was 11-10 with a 3.57 ERA. After the season he was traded to Anaheim for Mo Vaughn.
In the bottom of the 8th, John Franco got the first two Brave outs before giving up a base hit to Brian Jordan, but Franco hen got BJ Surhoff to ground out to Edgardo Alfonzo to end the inning.
In the top of the 9th, Armando Benitez came on, he struck out Andru Jones & then gave up a solo HR to Javier Lopez. He then struck out Rico Brogna walked Keith Lockhart & ended the game fanning Rafael Furcal. The Mets won the home opener 9-4.
The 2001 Mets disappointed with an 82-80 record finishing third. In the year of the 911 tragedy, the Mets were 71-73 at that point in the season. After playing resumed, they had a slight surge as the legendary Mike Piazza HR in the first game back in New York, sparked the team to win eight of nine games, putting them in a chance for a wild card. But they lost eight of their last nine & that was that.
That year the Mets traded away Rick Reed, Turk Wendall & Todd Pratt. After the season they traded away Robin Ventura, Todd Zielle & Benny Agbayani. A few bad years followed.
Trivia: In June of 2001 the Mets signed number one draft pick, David Wright.