Remembering Mets History (2001) Bobby Valentine Wins 1000th Career Game & Another Mets One Hitter

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 Saturday July 14th, 2001: A large crowd of 52,006 came out to this Shea Stadium matinee to see Bobby Valentine's Mets (39-52) host Jimmy Williams Boston Red Sox (52-37). 

The Mets were the reigning NL Champions but were struggling mightily, twelve games behind the Atlanta Braves in fourth place. It was a terrible follow up to the 2000 season. They would gain some steam toward the end of the season, that would suffer the tragedy of 911 but still finish at 82-80.

Today's Mets win would give Bobby Valentine his 1000th win as manager. Valentine began managing with the Texas Rangers (1985-1992) there he took the Rangers over .500 five times but never finished higher than third. In eight years in Texas, he went 581-605.

In New York Valentine was one of just two managers to take the Mets to the post season in back to back seasons, he was the first to do it. 

Bobby manager the Mets from 1996-2002, winning over ninety games twice, finishing over .5000 five straight years & getting to two NLCS & one world series. He would go 536 - 467 as a Mets manager in 1003 games. He has the third most wins & third most games in Mets managerial history.

The starters today would be Glendon Rusch for the Mets (4-5) & Rolando Arrojo (1-3) for Boston.


Glendon Rusch would pitch his finest game on this day. The 24-year-old left hander started out
the game striking out Jose Offerman. After Chris Stynes reached on an error, Rusch gave up a single to Trot Nixon. That would be the only hit he allowed on the day.

He retired the next eleven batters in a row before issuing a walk in the 5th inning. He then retired the next twelve Sox in a row while striking out ten batters throughout the game. The walk to Scott Hatteberg in the 5th was his only base on balls.

 He earned his 5th win (5-5). Armando Benitez came on & pitched an easy three up three down 9th inning for his 20th save.

Trivia: This was the 22nd one hitter thrown in Mets history. The last being done in the 2000 NLDS when Bobby Jones one hit the San Francisco Giants in Game #4 to clinch the series.

The Mets scoring came when Mark Johnson led off the 2nd inning with a HR off Rolando Arrojo, Johnson's third HR of the season. Later in the 7th, Desi Relaford led off with a double. Robin Ventura grounded out advancing Relaford to third. Mark Johnson then grounded out to Offerman at second & Relaford scored the second Mets run.

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