New York Mets: Three past players known for one particular game

Mets with one memorable game – Dave Mlicki

Next up is another impressive feat against the Mets’ crosstown rivals. In 1997, the Mets and Yankees played their first ever Subway Series game on June 16. Regular season interleague play had just begun that year, four days earlier with a matchup between the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants.

On this Monday night between the Bronx Bombers and the Amazins, over 56,000 fans crowded into Yankee Stadium to watch Mets starter Dave Mlicki square off against Yankee southpaw Andy Pettitte. Mlicki had spent a few years in a Mets uniform and was a solid starter in 1995 and 1996, but generally flew under the radar. Until this Subway Series outing, Mlicki had not had a “signature moment” in a Mets uniform.

Mlicki came into this historic game having won only two of his previous 13 starts. By the way he pitched, an unsuspecting fan might have thought he was a former Cy Young winner. Mlicki handled the powerful Yankees lineup with ease, scattering nine hits and two walks over nine scoreless innings.  It was a complete game shutout for Mlicki at Yankee Stadium, and he emerged the victor in a 6-0 Mets win.

The Mets had plenty of offense to carry them in this game, putting up a three-spot against Pettitte in the first inning to get the Mets off and running. However, Mlicki’s performance was the real star of the evening. He struck out eight, including Derek Jeter twice. Perhaps more impressively, though the Yankees had 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position throughout the night, they failed to get a hit in any of them.

This game may have been at Yankee Stadium, but Mets fans in attendance made sure their voices were heard loud and clear. In a New York Times article recapping that famous game, Matt Franco commented, ”When there was a strike three, they’d roar like we were at Shea.”

Recently, Franco and Mlicki caught up with Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose to reminisce about that Subway Series shutout. Mlicki recounted the event by noting, “It’s amazing, I can’t believe it meant so much to so many people” and added that he still receives fan mail specifically thanking him for that start. Clearly, once you’ve pitched a shutout against the Yankees, you’re a Mets legend for life.