Remembering Mets History: (2001) Mike Piazza Hits Two HRs As the Mets Raise the NL Champion Flag

Monday April 9th, 2001: The 2001 Mets home Opener was a special one as the New York Mets were raising the National League Champions flag high over Shea Stadium.

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.

Manager Bobby Valentine sent his newest pitcher Kevin Appier to the mound. 

Appier had been acquired in the off season after Mike Hampton left for free agency. Today he
went up against Bobby Cox & the Braves starter Kevin Millwood.

The Mets had opened up the season in Atlanta the week before taking a 6-4 win. They took out of three in that series then lost three straight games in Montreal as they came home with a 2-4 record. 

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. 

Appier retired the side in order in the 1st inning. The Mets got a one out single from Robin Ventura & then Millwood balked him 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 in the bottom of the 2nd, as Todd Zeile walked & stole second base. Rey Ordonez then singled him in to tie it up at one.

The Mets had a big five run 5th inning, staring with a Rey Ordonez leadoff double. After Appier struck out, Darryl Hamilton reached on a base hit. Then run producers Edgardo Alfonzo & Robin Ventura singled to bring in run each to put the Mets up 2-1.

Then Mike Piazza delivered the big blow of the day, a three run HR to right center field, to make it 6-1 Mets. The Shea crowd went crazy as their hero Piazza delivered again.

In the bottom of the 6th inning, the newest Met- Tsuyoshi Shinjo hit his first HR of the season, pleasing the crowd even more as this Opening Day was becoming a good time for all Met fans.

Appier started the 7th inning giving up a lead off base hit then a one out two run HR to former Met Rico Brogna making it a 7-3 game.

Appier would pitch seven innings allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out three & walked two while earning his first win.

In the bottom of the 7th, Mike Piazza added his second of the day, a two-run shot off Joe Slusarski. It drove in Robin Ventura with the Mets ninth run of the day in the 9-4 victory.

John Franco pitched a scoreless 8th for the Mets. He got the first two outs before giving up a base hit to Brian Jordan but then got BJ Surhoff to ground out to Edgardo Alfonzo.

Armando Benitez came on in the 9th, 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.