Happy Recap
October 18, 2000
This was one of the worst postseason moments in Mets history. Doc Gooden was sailing along on a cold night at Shea. It looked like the Mets were about to take a 3-1 series lead over the Dodgers, and a return trip to the World Series looked imminent. And then along came Mike Scioscia. His three-run homer tied the game, and I think everyone at Shea felt like they'd been punched in the stomach.

I remember sitting in the cheap seats which, of course, weren't all that cheap, with a full bladder. I was too cold to get up from my seat, and I didn't want to miss a pitch, so I just sat there with the urine freezing inside of me as the game went into extra innings. Eventually, Kirk Gibson would hit a homer, Orel Hershiser would come out of the bullpen to stamp out a Mets rally, and I'd finally get to visit the restroom. It was a horrible turn of events, and you could make an argument that it took the Mets organization 11 years to recover. But at least I didn't sustain any kidney damage.

Stems31
July 26, 2001
I was 14 years old sitting in the loge section right behind the "Karate Kid"...yup, the one and only Ralph Macchio, man was he small. I remember it being cold and damp and Hernandez wearing just his short sleeve uniform with no long sleeve shirt underneath. Anyway, when Scoscia hit that home run...I deflated. Oh, what could have been.

Joe Lanzisera
July 22, 2002
As far as I'm concerned this game marked the end of the ride for Mets fans in the '80s. Gooden sailed into the 9th pitching as well as he had in years - it was the old Dr. K back in town. We were going to go up 3 games to 1 and close the series out at home on Monday. I remember that with one out in the 9th, he had John Shelby dead to rights on a couple of hooks and Shelby just managed to foul them off. I think there was a bad call on an inside fastball too, but maybe its just my imagination running wild. Anyway, Shelby walked and then Scoscia followed with his blast.

Anyway, once the ball went out you just knew the Mets were done. Then the next day the Dodgers roughed up El Sid and we were effectively done.

Brian
September 1, 2004
This was the one and only postseason game I've ever been too. I was 15 and so excited about the Mets and it seemed like a perfect game - Gooden was pitching well, Strawberry and McReynolds went back to back, and the Mets were headed to the World Series. Until they blew it in the 9th. I cried myself to sleep that night, knowing that this game was going to turn the series. What if Johnson had brought in Randy Myers? I think it would have been a 1-2-3 ninth. But he went with his heart and left Doc in there. Not saying it was a terrible move, but I just remember how good Myers was that year. The fact that the Mets had the bases loaded with 1 out in their last at bat and couldn't get the tying run home added to the sting. The Mets beat the Dodgers 10 of 11 times in the regular season. This should never have happened.

The significance of this game combined with the fact that I was actually there make this the saddest sports memory of my life. Maybe if the Mets had beaten the Yankees in 2000 it would have exorcised the demons - but alas, the suffering of Mets fans continues.

murphy
May 21, 2005
Without a doubt this game was the most painful loss of my life. I really don't like to think about watching Scioscia's ball go over the wall. It was a swift kick to the groin with a steel-toed boot. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the Mets would have wiped out the A's in the World Series. It still hurts to this day.

Professor G
June 10, 2005
Wihtout a doubt, the worst game I've ever experienced at Shea. It was so festive in the top of the ninth. I thought to myself: "We're gonna go up 3-1 and I'll be here tomorrow to see us actually win the pennant." But I also CLEARLY remember asking my dad, before Mike Scioscia came to the plate: "Why doesn't Davey have Randy Myers warmed up to pitch to Scioscia in this situation?" To this day, I still believe if Davey made this move, we would've been back in the World Series.

Jim
July 12, 2005
I'm trying to remember a Gary Carter triple in this game, and drawing a blank.

Bob K.
November 5, 2006
My recollection is that Gary Carter was on third base with fewer than two outs and did not score, a typical failing for the Mets even in that great year. Had someone found a way to drve him in earlier in the game, the Scioscia home run wouyld have been a ho-hum footnote to a glorious Mets win. But nooooooooooooooo!

Herman
March 9, 2007
As soon as Gooden put a runner on base in the 9th, Johnson should have removed him. Other than Orel, this was not a good Dodger team. Come on... Micky Hatcher, John Shelby. Ham and eggers. But a bad move by Johnson cost the Mets a date in the World Series.

Stu Baron
October 12, 2007
I was sitting in mezzanine reserved, wondering why Randy Myers wasn't warming up in the top of the ninth...Gooden walked John T-Bone Shelby, and up came Mike F. Scioscia, when a guy behind me comments, "If this guy hits a homer, it's tied up!"

Of course, I respond, "Yeah, but he doesn't have much power; he only hit about 4 homers all year!"

Me and my big mouth! Scioscia promptly launches his dinger into the Mets bullpen...DOH!

Frank the Met
April 6, 2008
This was the second worst game in Mets history (the worst being the Pendleton game from Sept. 11 of the previous year.) It was the most obvious move in the world -- frankly, a no- brainer -- to bring in the smoking Randy Myers to finish off the Dodgers. But Johnson had it in his head that Gooden was entitled to finish the game. This bonehead mentality cost the Mets their third World Series victory. What no one has mentioned is that once Gooden walked Shelby, it was even MORE obvious that he bring in Myers. It would have been Myers vs. the aging no-power Rick Dempsey, who was the righty version of the catcher platoon. Just like the Pendelton game, the Mets lacked the character to recover from this. Every honest fan knew they were dead. Strangely, the Mets hold the distinction of having been defeated in the playoffs by the two worst (and untalented) world champions in history, the 1988 Dodgers and 2006 Cardinals.

Michael
August 14, 2009
Was at this game, season ticket holder Field Box 163g, seat 1, this game was deja vu of 9/11/87 of the Terry Pendleton home run. Mike Scioscia had hit only 3 home runs all year and no one thought this would happen and it did. Davey Johnson made his worst decision ever as manger by not removing Gooden after he walked John Shelby on an 0-2 count. That should have a sign he was tired and it was Randy Myers time. Myers would have come in and Tommy Lasorda would have the aging Rick Dempsey pinch hit since he was right handed. Scioscia usually did hit against tough lefties like Myers. The potential dynasty that could have been was over after this and we never saw the playoffs again until 1999. Davey Johnson should have been fired after losing this NLCS for his bad moves.