Amazing Away Games: Houston Astrodome. Piazza Bashes Unhittable Wagner.

September 16, 1998. Mets 4, Astros 3 (11)

It seems like every pitcher today can ramp it up close to 100 mph. The starter gives it everything he's got at 98 to get through 4.1 to 5 innings. The bullpen guys throw one inning each, with the fastest getting it past 100 to 104!

But what seems to me like only a few years ago (Get off my lawn!), a starting pitcher would throw 8 or hopefully 9 innings, with your closer coming in late, often throwing his own brand of junk to fool the hitter. I'm talking about you, John Franco!

However, there was one little lefty that could throw faster than anyone of his time. Billy Wagner, hilariously listed at 5 ft 10 inches tall, but most likely in the 5'7'' range, getting the ball in at 100.

With Nolan Ryan retired, hitters were practically hopeless against Wagner, because they just didn't see that speed.

Billy is a natural right hander, who began throwing lefty as a child after breaking his right arm twice. To this day, he does everything else but pitch right handed!

Wagner's career 2.31 ERA is the 10th lowest from everyone in the Hall of Fame. If we only want to look at post War numbers, only Mariano Rivera is lower. That's the company Billy Wagner keeps.

The Astrodome was not a friendly place for the Mets. They went 90-154 in Houston until the dome was no more. That's a 37 percent winning percentage. That's equal to a 102 loss season. Not very good. (It makes the 2026 total of "only" 88 losses seem sparkling).

Bobby Jones was the starter for the Mets, and he was considered their ace. He was coming off a 15 win season and his only All-Star appearance. However, 1998 was a little rough. Jones would go 9-9 with a 4.05 ERA in 1998. This game was one of his better ones, as he would pitch 8 innings, only giving up 2 runs.

Who was the Houston pitcher getting the best of Bobby Jones? Old friend Mike Hampton, who threw 8 shutout innings this day. That's Mike Hampton, the 2000 NLCS MVP for the Mets. With Mike Scott winning the NLCS MVP for the losing Astros in 1986, Hampton was the first Mets NLCS MVP. There has been only one more, Daniel Murphy in 2015. (None were given out in 1969 and 1973).

The Astros actually had three future Hall of Famers appear that day. In addition to Wagner, you can probably guess the other two were Astro stalwarts Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell.

Of the other 7 Astro starters, surprisingly FIVE were former or future Mets!

There was Hampton, Richard Hidalgo, Tim Bogar, Carl Everett, and Moises Alou.

Hidalgo only played 86 games in 2004 for the Mets, but homered 21 times. Bogar played parts of 4 years with the Mets in the mid 90's, playing almost every position.

Everett, who could really hit, had many personal issues that featured him playing for 9 teams in 14 years. He actually played the most games in his career as a Met. He has questioned the validity of dinosaurs and the moon landing, in addition to having said controversial remarks about gay teammates. He temporarily lost custody of his children during a game at Shea when a worker noticed bruises on his daughter. Carl was later arrested in 2011 on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon when he held a gun to his wife. His wife did not press charges, but Everett was arrested again for assaulting a family member later in 2011.

Frighteningly, teams kept giving him chances because he was a good hitter! But only the Mets gave him 322 games. Most pulled the plug after about 250. (That's a year and a half).

Alou was a fearsome hitter who hit everywhere he went . Even though he played for 7 teams in his 17 years, there are no Everett-like tales for the professional Alou. With over 2,000 hits, 332 homers, and a lifetime .303 average., Alou seems to just fall short of Hall of Fame status. Personally, I'd take him in the middle of my lineup over the usual questionable names Harold Baines, Scott Rolen, Jeff Kent, and even Fred McGriff. (Sorry, Scooter, you don't belong either! Holy Cow!)

Alou is the son of Felipe Alou, the nephew of Matty and Jesus, the cousin of Mel Rojas , and the half-brother of former Mets manager Luis Rojas. How about that!

Alou still holds the Mets record for a hitting streak, with 30 games in 2007.

Back to our game! The Astros took a 2-0 lead on an Everett homer in the third. Through 8 innings, the Mets were 0-7 with runners in scoring position, and would be 1-11 the entire game, The Mets also hit into 4 double plays.

Wagner's first batter in the ninth, looking for a save with a 2-0 lead, was pinch hitter Todd Pratt. Pratt was hitting for the left handed Lenny Harris. Pratt hit a ground ball single through the shortstop hole. Tony Phillips struck out and Edgardo Alfonzo flew out deep to right for the second out. Down to their last out against the future Hall of Famer, John Olerud hit an extrememly rare infield single to third and was pinch run for by Ralph Milliard. Milliard was aquired by the Mets from Florida in the Al Leiter trade, but he had a quick Mets career, with only 10 games played and only one at bat, in which he struck out.

Mike Piazza was up next. Only the second Mets cap in Cooperstown. (Hint: The first was Terrific).

Piazza was still in his first Mets season and was going to be a free agent. He hit one of his line drive monster homers to the right-center gap, and, incredibly, the Mets had the lead. Piazza pumped his fist rounding first and was absolutely mobbed at the dugout by his euphoric teammates. It happened to be Mike's 200th Major League home run!

Dennis Cook was in for the save, but gave up a homer to the light-hitting future manager, Brad Ausmus to tie the game once more.

Wager stayed on for the tenth. Jermaine Allensworth got things started with a line drive single to left and went to second on an error by Alou. Luis Lopez bunted him to third, but Rey Ordonez and Matt Franco were unable to get the run across.

Mets reliever Greg McMichael walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth, but another future Met, Ricky Gutierrez, struck out to send it to the 11th.

With two outs against reliever Sean Bergman, Todd Hundly, pinch hitting for McMichael, homered to center to give the Mets the lead! Met pinch-hiiters were 3-3 on this day. Bobby Valentine is a genius!

Turk Wendell was brought in for the save, and Turk-u-lees (rhymes with Hercules) struck out the side for a most memorable victory! Time of game for a contest that was 2-0 entering the ninth was 4:05. Do you like the pitch clock? Let us know in the comments.