Friday, May 16, 2008

Flashback - Subway Series 1997

Major League baseball went to interleague play back in 1997 for the first non-exhibition meeting between the Yankees and Mets. There were only 3 games between the two teams in the interleague inaugural season (we'd love it to go back to that). Lets take a look back at that first series.

Dave Mlicki was the unlikely hero of the first game at Yankee Stadium, June 16, 1997. Mlicki had a journeyman career and was in his 3rd full season in the majors. He would win just 66 games, but none would be bigger than this one against the defending world series champions.

Mlicki scattered 9 hits en route to a complete game shutout as the Mets took the opener 6-0. The Mets jumped right on Yankees starter Andy Pettitte for 3 runs in the 1st inning. It included an unlikely steal of home by Randy Hundley, and RBI hits by John Olerud and Butch Huskey. Olerud drove in 3 runs all told. Joe Girardi had 3 hits for the Yankees.

Starting Lineups:

New York Mets New York Yankees
1. Johnson cf Jeter ss
2. Gilkey lf Kelly 2b
3. Olerud 1b O'Neill rf
4. Hundley c Fielder dh
5. Huskey dh Martinez 1b
6. Everett rf Hayes 3b
7. Baerga 2b Whiten lf
8. M. Franco 3b Curtis cf
9. Lopez ss Girardi c
Mlicki p Pettitte p

Game 2 matched unbeated Armando Reynoso against David Wells. The Yankees knocked the 5-0 Reynoso out of the game in the 2nd inning with 4 runs. Joe Girardi's bases loaded single brought home the first run and Derek Jeter followed with a 2-run double. Luis Sojo's double off of Reynoso brought in the final run of the inning and caused the Mets starter to be removed.

The Mets got 3 back quickly against Boomer in the 4th, but he settled down and went 8 innings before giving way to Mariano Rivera, who picked up his 22nd save of the season in a 6-3 Yankees win.

Starting Lineups:

New York Mets New York Yankees
1. Johnson cf Jeter ss
2. Gilkey lf Sojo 2b
3. Olerud 1b O'Neill rf
4. Hundley c Fielder dh
5. Huskey dh Martinez 1b
6. Everett rf Hayes 3b
7. Baerga 2b Whiten lf
8. M. Franco 3b Curtis cf
9. Lopez ss Girardi c
Reynoso p Wells p


Rick Reed and David Cone matched up in the Sunday finale. Coney was on his game, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 11 over 8 innings, but his teammates couldn't generate offense. The Yankees had taken a 2-0 lead on solo home runs by Cecil Fielder and Chad Curtis, but the Mets cut the lead in half on an RBI ground out by Olerud in the 7th and tied the game on Cone's balk in the 8th.

The game went to the 10th where Paul O'Neill walked and moved to 3rd on Cecil Fielder's single. Tino Martinez brought home the game winner with a single of his own as Mike Stanton improved to 3-0.

Starting Lineups:

New York Mets New York Yankees
1. Johnson cf Jeter ss
2. Gilkey lf Sojo 2b
3. Olerud 1b O'Neill rf
4. Hundley c Fielder dh
5. Baerga 2b Martinez 1b
6. Huskey dh Boggs 3b
7. M. Franco 3b Whiten lf
8. Everett rf Curtis cf
9. Lopez ss Girardi c
Reed p Cone p

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