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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Wild pitch, wild finish and maybe wild card for
the New York Mets.
|  | | Melvin Mora gets mobbed after scoring the winning run. |
Just days after being counted out of the playoff chase, the Mets
assured themselves at least a tie for the NL wild card when Melvin
Mora scored on Brad Clontz's ninth-inning wild pitch for a 2-1 win
Sunday over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
After blowing a four-game lead with 12 left, the Mets began the
final weekend two behind Cincinnati and Houston. But New York swept
three from the Pirates while the Reds lost their first two games to Milwaukee before winning the series finale setting up a one-game playoff with the Mets for the NL wild card.
The game will take place Monday night at Cincinnati's Cinergy Field beginning at 7:05 p.m. ET. ESPN will televise the contest.
"Everybody left us floating in the water with sharks all around
us," said John Franco, whose 878 career appearances without making
the postseason are the second most in history. "We needed help and
got it from the Brewers. But we also need to take care of our own
business and we did that."
The Mets jubilantly ran on the field after Clontz's first pitch
to Mike Piazza with the bases loaded and one out skipped onto the
screen above the backstop.
"I guess it's kind of indicative of the season we've had,"
Piazza said. "Everyone had us buried six feet under."
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PLAYOFF GAMES
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Monday makes the 10th playoff in major league history. Here are the results of the first nine:
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Year
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Winner
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Loser
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1946
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Cardinals
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Dodgers
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1948
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Indians
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Red Sox
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1951
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Giants
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Dodgers
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1959
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Dodgers
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Braves
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1962
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Giants
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Dodgers
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1978
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Yankees
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Red Sox
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1980
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Astros
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Dodgers
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1995
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Mariners
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Angels
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1998
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Cubs
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Giants
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If the Mets win the one-game playoff against the Reds they will begin the playoffs at Arizona on Tuesday night, their first postseason appearance since 1988.
The Mets flew to Cincinnati after Sunday's game in preparation for Monday's playoff game.
"It's hard. I would much rather pour champagne than wait and
see," Franco said. "As high as we are today, we can be down
tomorrow."
Houston avoided the possibility of a three-way tie by beating
Los Angeles 9-4 to win the NL Central.
After losing their final five games last year to fall one game
short of a wild-card playoff, the Mets lost seven in a row to blow
their lead this year. But by winning four of the last five, they
made certain their season would go on for at least another day.
"We've got nothing to lose now," Piazza said. "Everything
from here on out is icing on the cake. We have a second chance and
I think we are a lot more relaxed."
The rally that capped the improbable reversal was started by an
improbable hero. Mora, 4-for-30 in his career, hit a one-out single to right
off Greg Hansell (1-3). With the crowd of 50,111 chanting "Let's
go, Mets!" Edgardo Alfonzo lined a single to right that sent Mora
to third.
Hansell intentionally walked John Olerud to load the bases for
Piazza, who led the NL this year in grounding into double plays.
But that was never a factor when Clontz, who briefly pitched for
the Mets last year, threw a low-and-outside pitch that catcher Joe
Oliver could not handle.
"I was thinking, we win. That's it," Mora said. "We're going
to fly somewhere."
The Mets mobbed Mora as he crossed the plate, letting out all of
the frustration of the past two weeks that led to manager Bobby
Valentine saying he would fired if the team didn't make the
playoffs.
Valentine said now he was never worried about his job security.
"I got a call from (owner) Fred Wilpon the next day saying
don't worry about it," Valentine said. "So if you are asking if
it was ever a matter of concern for me, it wasn't."
Policemen -- some on horses -- immediately lined the field as the
crowd stood and cheered for more than 10 minutes. The Mets then
came back out of the dugout to celebrate on the field and wave to
the crowd.
Signs of the postseason were all around Shea Stadium: The Mets
arrived at the park Sunday with their bags packed for a playoff
trip; a plane was waiting at nearby LaGuardia Airport to take them
to Cincinnati; and the line for postseason tickets, which had been
nearly invisible the past two days, stretched around the park.
This was the most meaningful game for the Mets since Oct. 12,
1988, when Orel Hershiser pitched a five-hitter for Los Angeles to
beat New York 6-0 in the seventh game of the NL Championship
Series.
This time, Hershiser was on the Mets' side. One of the best
big-game pitchers of his era didn't disappoint.
Coming off the shortest start of his career, having gotten only
one out against Atlanta last Tuesday, Hershiser allowed an RBI
single in the first inning to Kevin Young.
Hershiser didn't allow another hit until Al Martin's one-out
double in the sixth.
"What experience you can draw on is that there's no situation
out there that is going to surprise you," Hershiser said.
Dennis Cook, Pat Mahomes, Turk Wendell and Armando Benitez (4-3)
finished with 3 2/3 innings of one-hit relief.
Pittsburgh's Kris Benson was just as tough. The rookie
right-hander, who pitched a six-hitter to beat the Mets 5-1 on July
27, allowed one unearned run in seven innings.
New York's only run off Benson scored in the fourth when Olerud
reached on first baseman Young's two-base throwing error and
Darryl Hamilton hit an RBI double.
"I don't think anyone can say we ever didn't battle," said
Pirates manager Gene Lamont, whose team finished 78-83. "We gave
the Mets all they could handle."
Game notes
Pittsburgh first base coach Joe Jones was ejected in the
third inning after arguing with umpire Andy Fletcher that Martin
beat out a double-play grounder. Replays showed Jones was correct.
Rick Renick coached first for the rest of the game, and later
argued with Fletcher on a call. ... Hershiser is 8-3 with a 2.70
ERA in 19 postseason games. ... New York's Rickey Henderson left in
the seventh with a sore hamstring. Mora pinch-ran for him.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 9
Cleveland 2
Boston 1
Baltimore 0
Tampa Bay 6
NY Yankees 2
Minnesota 1
Chi. White Sox 1
Detroit 0
Kansas City 0
Anaheim 1
Texas 0
Oakland 3
Seattle 1
Atlanta 18
Florida 0
Philadelphia 6
Montreal 5
NY Mets 2
Pittsburgh 1
St. Louis 9
Chicago Cubs 5
Houston 9
Los Angeles 4
Colorado 9
San Francisco 8
Arizona 10
San Diego 3
Cincinnati 7
Milwaukee 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Mike Piazza is happy with the Mets' strong finish.
wav: 121 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Bobby Valentine knows the Mets have another game.
wav: 85 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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