NY Mets: 3 games that define heartbreak courtesy of one pitcher

The New York Mets franchise throughout history always seems to give their fans more heartbreak than jubilation. Albeit the multiple championships and multiple playoff runs the team always seems to find a way to let you down no matter how much you are prepared for it.

When each Mets fan thinks about the Mets in terms of heartbreak, they can recall specific moments of games that stand out in their mind. For me, when I think of the times, I have experienced heartbreak with the Mets I can think of three very specific games that perfectly define such an emotion.

Some may feel that the right emotion is sadness not heartbreak but Mets fans are so passionate that when the team fails it always seems to happen when we all finally start to believe things will turn around but instead we get our hearts broken.

Mets fans are so passionate and always want their team to be as good as can be. So, when the team is successful the fans are just brimming with excitement but when the team lets us down it is truly a heartbreak because we as fans so badly want our team to be good, and just when they are about to show us how good they can be the other shoe drops and it all comes crashing down.

There are so many games or moments from my lifetime that could be talked about in the realm of heartbroken but the following three games really stand out in my memory.

July 30th, 2015 Mets vs. Padres

Many Mets fans may know this game as the Justin Upton game but for those who don’t remember this game let me paint a picture for you.

July 30, 2015 started like any normal game. It was a Thursday afternoon, and the Mets were trying to avoid a series sweep by the San Diego Padres. The Mets started the game well hitting Andrew Cashner for seven runs over 5.1 innings then things started to turn.

After Hansel Robles gave up a grand slam to Derek Norris in the 7th inning which cut the Mets lead to 7-5 things took an even bigger turn going into the ninth.

With 2 outs in the top of the ninth the heavens opened up and the rain came pouring down. Normally the with that little of game left to play they would just finish it and be done but the umpires decided to call for the tarp. After about 45 minutes they resumed play and brought back Jeurys Familia to finish his save opportunity.

Familia ended up giving up back-to-back hits to Norris and Matt Kemp as the rain resumed to fall with Justin Upton coming to the plate. Keep in mind that Familia had not given up a home run all season long and all the Mets needed was one out and they could go get dry and leave with a win. Justin Upton had other ideas.

Familia left a fastball over the middle of the plate and Upton crushed it over the centerfield fence to put the Padres in front 8-7 which ended up being the final score.

True and utter heartbreak especially because the game should have either been finished without a delay or called once the tarp came out but neither happened and the Mets exhibited a crushing defeat.

October 27th, 2015 Mets vs. Royals

Game 1 of the 2015 World Series between the Mets and the Kansas City Royals was filled with a lot of emotions from the very beginning of the game. Unfortunately, by the time the game was over the only emotion most Mets fans had was heartbreak.

The game was pretty back and forth with four lead changes through eight innings. Both Matt Harvey and Edison Volquez giving up three earned over six innings each.

It was the eighth inning, and the Mets were winning 4-3 and Terry Collins decided to go to Familia with 2 outs in the eighth to try and get the four-out save.

Familia had been lights out all year long with the only blemish coming in the game previously mentioned where he had given up the home run to Justin Upton.

Familia was able to get Mike Moustakas to ground out to end the inning keeping the Mets lead intact. Then came the ninth.

The whole season in 2015 Familia was able to command the bowling ball sinker that has made him such a successful career and trusted. In fact, he had never allowed a home run off that pitch since it is so hard to elevate as a hitter.

Getting back to the ninth inning, Familia made quick work of Salvador Perez getting him to ground out. That would bring Alex Gordon to the plate and he did something no one else in baseball was able to do that season. He hit a Familia bowling ball sinker to dead center for a home run tying the game at 4.

This was devastating. The Mets could not have started the game any worse with Alcides Escobar hitting an inside the park home run to start the game and for the Mets to fight back and have a lead going into the ninth we as Mets fans thought that with Familia pitching the way he was we were going to grab game 1 and get one step closer to a World Championship.

Unfortunately, the Baseball Gods had a different idea. The game would 14 innings and the Mets would lose on a sacrifice fly by Eric Hosmer.

A true heartbreaker of a game and a tone-setter for the rest of the World Series.