Mets vs. Yankees @ Shea Stadium, Game 3, 2005

In a game that was filled with Mets dominance, the rubber game of the Subway Series was a heartbreaking loss to take for most Met fans. Who's your daddy, huh? Dominated by Pedro Martinez through the first 7 innings, the Yankees could not scratch out a run against their arch enemy. Their biggest threat came in the first inning when Martinez loaded the bases only to be saved by David Wright when he dove into the third base stands to catch Jason Giambi's foul fly. Althought a great defensive play, more impressive was the fact that it was his second opportunity to make the catch, and Wright once again proved to be a quick learner. Later on, the Mets managed to push two runs across the plate when Alex Rodriguez botched a grounder by Pedro Martinez. Jose Reyes followed with a basehit to score the second run of the game. Miguel Cairo then scorched a liner down the third base line, but to the dismay of many, it was right into the glove of Rodriguez. This play would prove important later on, but it was overshadowed by the self-destructin of the Mets infield in the 8th inning.

Following an error by David Wright in the 8th inning, the Mets seemed to have a second opportunity to get the lead runner. With a man on first, Miguel Cairo flipped to Reyes to get the lead runner in a possible douple play but Reyes awkwardly came across the bag and never managed to catch the ball. After a call to the bullpen, there was an immediate double steal by the Yankees in which Wright never bothered to cover the third base bag. With two outs and just as many strikes, Roberto Hernandez was one strike away from getting out of the inning. However, it was not to be as Hideki Matsui poked a two run single to left field to tie the game. After falling behind 1-0 to the next hitter, Bernie Williams pulled a Hernandez fastball into the right field corner. Cairo's throw to the plate was not in time and Matsui slid home before the tag to put the Yankees on top. Perfectly following the trend of the first round of the 2005 Subway Series, the Met defense passed up a stellar performance by their ace and went on to lose the game 5-3. Series:Yankees. Record: 23-21.


Matsui slides in for the decisive run.

Game Analysis:

When the smoke cleared, a large percentage of Met fans were probably letting out their profanity laced diatrabes on sports talk radio and in bars all over. A team full of so much potential managed to let one slip away once again. A perfect illustration of what it means to be a Met fan. So close, yet so far. On top of that, it feels like this was not just another game. They failed to get bragging rights for the time being and also failed to move up in the standings with the loss of the Atlanta Braves. What exactly can the Mets take from this series? Well, for starters, that's exactly what they can take. The starting pitching, although not perfect, managed to compete with the Yankees and gave the Mets a change to win every game. Their losses, however, were at the hands of their own defense (No pun intended). Self-destructing during late situations in games 1 and 3, the Mets can learn from their mistakes and move on. Young players like David Wright and Jose Reyes performed wonderfully but failed to deliver during crunch time. Take into account that Wright and Reyes are both under the age of 23 and they will only get better with time. Furthermore, the Met bullpen showed it's vulnerable weak points and if the Mets are to become a great team, then they must address these issues. Most importantly, this game was just one loss. Although it hurts twice as much to lose to the cross-town Yankees, it has a normal effect on their overall record. With that said, the Mets can now return to battle against their national league rivals and who knows? Maybe they've learned from their mistakes. Only time will tell with these Mets. Next stop? Mets vs. Braves.