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Met All The Criteria

Wednesday was the first time in a long time that the Mets, in a performance emblematic of the 2009 season, met all of the following criteria:

* They played at home
* They played a 9-inning game
* They had at least 11 hits AND at least 4 walks
* They managed 2 runs or fewer

We mention this because the last time the Mets met all of the preceding criteria, they won via walk-off, and we haven't had much chance to celebrate past walk-offs this season.

The game of reference took place on May 14, 1989 against the Padres, and the Mets went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, instead of Wednesday's lovely 2-for-18 effort (the second 2-for-18 of the season!).

The Mets scored their first run in the opening inning on a bases-loaded single by Gregg Jefferies, but would set the tone for the rest of the contest by leaving three men on base.

The home team would manage baserunners in every inning, killing off rallies in a variety of manners (three double plays), while stranding a dozen baserunners through the first eight frames. The newspapers report that Darryl Strawberry was hurting, which might explain why he popped out with the bases loaded and a chance to put the Mets ahead in the home eighth.

Thankfully Bob Ojeda was the Mets starter that day and he provided a stellar six-inning effort, allowing but one run. Rick Augilera had an impressive seventh and eighth, and Roger McDowell turned a bunt into a double play to offset a walk and two hits in the ninth.

That left the game there to be won in the home ninth. The Mets tried not to, but won in spite of themselves. Howard Johnson led off with a hit, then was thrown out at the plate (thanks, Roberto Alomar) on a subsequent double by Keith Hernandez. On the throw home, Hernandez got to third, so with one out, the Padres walked the next two Mets hitters.

That brought up Mark Carreon, who obliged the San Diego strategy with a slow ground ball to short. Luis Salazar, normally a third baseman, muffed it, and the Mets won the only way they could that day- on a walk-off error.

True Metsochists know...Wednesday marked the fourth time the Mets had a game that met all of the listed criteria above. The 1989 game is the only one of the four that they won.

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