Remembering Mets History (2000) Mike Piazza Blasts Grand Slam in June Subway Series Matchup

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 Friday June 9th, 2000: This highly anticipated regular season subway series game was a prelude to the World Series Subway Series, the first in New York City since 1956, forty years earlier. 

Bobby Valentines Mets (34-26) were in second place, 4.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves but the Mets were leading the wild card race. Tonight, they were across town in the Bronx, facing Joe Torre's A.L. New York club (32-24) a half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox in the AL East.


The starting pitchers for this matchup were the Mets Al Leiter (6-1) against Roger Clemens (4-5).

The game was scoreless until the 3rd inning. The Mets Jason Tyner reached on a Jorge Posada error on a throw to first base. Derek Bell then drew a walk, both runners advanced on a passed ball. 

Edgardo Alfonzo then drew another walk to load the bases. Up came Mike Piazza, he launched a rocket of his own, a grand slam HR to dead center field to put the Mets up 4-0. And the Met fans went crazy in that other stadium.



Trivia: In eight regular season match ups between Piazza & Clemens, Piazza batted .412 with four HRs eight extra base hits & ten RBIs. Totally dominating the known steroid user. 

This led to Clemens beaning Piazza with a pitch during the July 2000 subway regular season matchup the following month.

In the 4th, Melvin Mora walked & stole second as Jorge Posada was also having a bad day. Derek Bell's single brought in Mora for a 5-0 lead. 

The AL New York team got a run in the 4th on Tino Martinez's double & Scott Brosius' base hit. They would get just one more run on a sac fly in the 5th.

In the top of the 5th, Piazza collected his second hit a base hit to left. He moved up on a ground out & was driven in by Todd Zeile for a 5-1 lead.

In the top of the 6th, Jason Tyner singled but was picked off first base, but Clemens throw went wild & he advanced to second. Derek Bell doubled to bring in Tyner. 

Edgardo Alfonzo joined the fun by bashing a two run HR off Clemens making it 9-2. 

Joe Torre came out & removed Clemens to boos from the home fans & cheers from the Mets fans. Oh those wild subway series games of the early 2000's.

In the 7th Jay Payton & Melvin Mora singled off pitcher Todd Eros. Derek Bell continued his big day with a three run HR, his 8th of the year. For Bell he had three hits & five RBIs on the day. The score was 12-2 & that's the way it ended.

Al Leiter took the win to get to 7-1 He pitched seven innings, allowing a run on seven hits, he struck out four & walked three. Turk Wendell & Rich Rodriguez both pitched a scoreless inning each.

Piazza, Derek Bell & Jay Payton all had three hits. Jason Tyner had two hits. Bell drove in five runs, Piazza four runs with Edgardo Alfonzo collecting a pair of RBIs & Todd Zeile one.


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