NY Mets: The final out of every World Series appearance in team history

The New York Mets have a much less illustrious history than many fellow MLB teams, but even the Amazins have made a few World Series appearances in their time. In total, the Mets have gone to the World Series five times in their history, in 1969, 1973, 1986, 2000, and 2015. This figure seems sparse compared to teams like the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals, both of whom have many more Fall Classic appearances to their name.

Though only two of those appearances resulted in the Mets hoisting the championship trophy, all five were memorable in their own ways.

If a team wins the World Series, the final out of the decisive game is etched into the minds of the fans forever. If it loses, most fans would rather never be reminded of the moment that their wildest hopes and dreams were officially dashed until the following April. Let’s take a look back at all five final outs in Mets World Series history, beginning with the moment that sealed the Amazins’ first title back when Joan Payson still owned the team.

1969: Cleon Jones catches a fly ball in left field hit by future Mets manager Davey Johnson

By the time the Mets got to Game 5 of the 1969 World Series against the mighty (and heavily favored) Baltimore Orioles, they had already defied the odds many times over. Backed by a lockdown pitching staff and enough clutch hitting to tide them over, the Mets arrived at Game 5 with Jerry Koosman, one of their main workhorses, on the mound. He had a splendid season in 1969, going 17-9 with a 2.28 ERA, 1.058 WHIP, 241 innings pitched, and 180 strikeouts and receiving MVP votes.

Koosman was on his way to going the distance in the clinching game of that World Series, entering the ninth having allowed three runs on five hits over the prior eight frames. The Mets had a slim 5-3 lead, and Koosman was up against two future Hall of Famers and another intimidating slugger in that ninth inning, set to face Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, and Brooks Robinson.

Koosman made things interesting, walking Frank Robinson to start the inning and bringing the tying run up in front of the hollering Shea faithful. From there, he bore down and finished the job. Powell followed by grounding into a forceout, and Brooks Robinson flied out to Ron Swoboda in right field after that. With two outs, Dave Johnson stepped up to the plate.

Johnson had enjoyed a fantastic as the Orioles’ primary second baseman in 1969, finishing the regular season with his second of four All-Star selections and his first of three straight Gold Gloves. However, with the O’s down to their final out and needing a home run to tie the game, Johnson perhaps wasn’t the man they wanted up — he only hit seven home runs in the regular season, and none in that year’s postseason.

Alas, the trend continued, and Johnson lofted a fly ball to Cleon Jones in left field. Jones wandered back towards the warning track, tapped his glove in preparation, and secured the final out in his glove, nearly dropping to a knee as pandemonium broke out around him. Of course, Johnson later managed the Mets to their second World Series title in 1986 (more on that later), but back in 1969, he was the final punctuation that cemented their glorious fate.

1973: Wayne Garrett pops out to Bert Campaneris, Mets lose World Series to Oakland A’s

In 1973, the Mets mustered much of the same “Miracle Mets” energy they had in 1969, vaulting from last place into first in the season’s final month and nearly bringing it all the way home for their second World Championship in five years. After beating the Cincinnati Reds in five games to secure the second NL pennant in franchise history, the Mets embarked on a back-and-forth seven-game series with the A’s to determine that year’s victor.

In that final, winner-take-all game at Oakland Coliseum, the Mets found themselves in an early 4-0 hole after sending the former Rookie of the Year, Jon Matlack, to the mound. Matlack didn’t make it out of the third inning after allowing two two-run homers to Bert Campaneris and Reggie Jackson (who became the World Series MVP) in a single frame. From there, the Mets attempted to claw their way back.

By the time the ninth rolled around, the Mets were down 5-1, scoring their only run on an RBI double from Rusty Staub in the sixth. They had been mostly unable to solve A’s hurler Ken Holtzman, who had a 2.97 ERA in the regular season and made his second consecutive All-Star team. But facing future Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers, the Amazins unexpectedly primed themselves for a comeback.

After a walk and a single, Ed Kranepool pinch-hit and kept the Mets’ hopes alive with two outs, reaching on an error by A’s first baseman Gene Tenace (more on costly errors by opposing first basemen later). John Milner scored, and the Mets brought the tying run to the plate in Wayne Garrett as the A’s replaced Fingers with reliever Darold Knowles. Garrett subsequently popped out to the shortstop Campaneris, and the series was over.

As the A’s celebrated their World Series championship in their home stadium, the Mets went home empty-handed. It was 13 years before they made their next Fall Classic appearance, which ended on a much more triumphant note.

1986: Jesse Orosco strikes out Marty Barrett to seal Mets’ second World Series title

Much has been made about the Mets’ 1986 World Series win over the Boston Red Sox. It has been the subject of many books and a four-part documentary by ESPN. Game 6 is revered as one of the most iconic postseason comebacks in MLB history, and rightfully so. It’s also arguably the most famous game in Mets history. But Game 7 of that thrilling Fall Classic is what truly put the bow on the Mets’ season and capped a blustering, boisterous ride that took the Mets to the promised land.

Ron Darling started that decisive game, facing Red Sox hurler Bruce Hurst. Darling got an early hook after allowing three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, the Mets were stymied by Hurst until the bottom of the sixth, when future co-captains Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter tied the game with an RBI single and a groundout, respectively. From there, New York teed off on Calvin Schiraldi, who had blown the save for the Red Sox in Game 6, and took an 8-5 lead into the ninth.

To close out the final frame, the ball was in Jesse Orosco’s hand. He had relieved fellow bullpen stalwart Roger McDowell in the eighth, and even delivered an RBI single after hitting for himself in  the bottom of the inning. Orosco had been a force to be reckoned with out of the ‘pen all year, pitching to a 2.33 ERA over 58 appearances in the regular season. Scheduled to hit were Ed Romero, future Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, and Marty Barrett.

Orosco easily aced the most important assignment of his career. He retired Romero on a foul popup and got Boggs to ground out to nail down the first two outs. Barrett, who finished top 20 in AL MVP voting in 1986, then stepped up to the plate. After working the count to 2-2, the left-handed Orosco got Barrett to swing and miss for strike three.

Both the Mets and the loud Shea crowd roared with hearty excitement. Legendary announcer Vin Scully, who was calling the TV broadcast, sat back and let the moment breathe for viewers watching at home. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated joy.

2000: Mike Piazza flies out to Bernie Williams, Mets lose World Series to Yankees

Major League Baseball instituted regular-season interleague play in 1997, which featured the first-ever Subway Series between the Mets and the Yankees. It took just four seasons for those two teams to match up in the Fall Classic, one that ultimately capped the Yankees’ late-1990s dynasty rather than starting a new Mets dynasty.

Just like in 1986, the Mets found themselves matched up against Roger Clemens, though by this time he had traded in “Sweet Caroline” for “New York, New York.” The most memorable moment of the 2000 World Series, at least for Mets fans, is likely the infamous “Clemens bat-throwing incident” with Mike Piazza, which occurred in Game 2.

Unfortunately, that fiery incident was not a major catalyst for the Mets in the series, though they did win Game 3. By the time Game 5 rolled around, Andy Pettitte was on the mound for the Yanks opposing Mets ace (and former Yankee) Al Leiter. Pettitte cruised through seven innings, allowing two unearned runs and handing the ball off to Mariano Rivera in the ninth with a 4-2 lead. Leiter gave a valiant effort over 8 2/3 innings, but he could not stave off the Yankees enough, and the Mets entered the bottom of the ninth inning down 4-2.

Due up were Darryl Hamilton, Benny Agbayani, and Edgardo Alfonzo, with Piazza looming on deck as the tying run if anyone got on base. Hamilton struck out to start the inning, and Agbayani walked to follow him. After advancing to third on defensive indifference and a flyout from Alfonzo, Piazza stepped up to the plate, looking to tie the game with one swing.

Though he was initially booed when he came to Queens, Piazza quickly turned those jeers into cheers. By 2000, he was in the prime of his New York career, having finished the regular season with a .324 batting average, 38 home runs, 113 RBIs, and a 1.012 OPS, finishing third in NL MVP voting. Unfortunately, his potent bat couldn’t quite come through against the greatest closer of all time.

On an 0-1 pitch from Rivera, Piazza swung and launched a ball to deep center field. The Mets fans at Shea erupted, hoping against hope that the ball had left the park. But center fielder Bernie Williams tracked it a few feet in front of the wall, looked the ball into his glove, and secured the final out of the Yankees’ third straight World Series title. In the battle for New York’s bragging rights on baseball’s biggest stage, the Mets were still the little brother.