The night started off like any other night at Citi Field. Hung out with Randy (and his better half) from Read The Apple, Sean Kenny (@theseankenny) and Enzo (@zofourtwenty) in the parking lot for a little tailgating. I was mentioning how fast I got my Pride of Whitestone shirt from the7line. I gave Enzo my extra ticket and he wandered to McFadden’s never to be seen by the remaining four of us again. I told Sean come hang with me in Enzo’s seat and we stayed there till Randy tweeted he was in the promenade club. I noticed there was a possible chance for the Johan to keep his no-hitter going. Being a Mets fan(a positive one at that) I shrugged it off.
In the fifth inning Randy came running over to me a in the club where I was eating and whispered,”None of us can’t leave this place. We stay here till it is over one way or the other.” I agreed with him and stayed. The innings kept going by, Pitch count was being considered throughout the club, Randy was biting his nails, Randy’s better half was trying her best to keep him calm and Sean, well Sean dealt with his nerves by visiting the beer station. Me? I didn’t want to let my guard down. I didn’t want to be disappointed.
When Mike Baxter(glad I ordered that shirt now.Coincidence it came today though, like a sign) made that catch where he nailed the wall in Left, I started hoping. When the ball that should have been called a double was called foul, I was up a notch. Seeing how hard the Mets were playing to try to keep this game a no hitter, I became jacked up. This was all on the inside. On the outside I was cold and aloof, cheering here and there but not going crazy. The bundle of nerves I was on the inside, Randy was showing it on the outside.
Randy was at the edge of his seat from the top of the seventh on. Legs twitching, fingers tapping on the counter, hell, he was even hitting the club windows in front of him like it was the glass at a hockey game. The nervous energy coming of him was high. When we got through the eighth it felt like it could be more of a reality then ever.
Top of the ninth. Johan goes out on the mound to gut through this. One out, then two outs. Really are we a part of this? The crowd is all on their feet. The stadium is electric. Randy is standing up on his stool, Sean is glued to the glass, Mrs. Apple is cheering, and I am planning how fast I can get out of club to be by the crowd after this happens.
Strike three. It happened. Randy kisses his wife, high fives me, I high five Sean, and run out of the promenade club to shoot video. The crowd at Citi Field is going nuts. People are cheering, whooping it up, some crying with joy. Pure raw emotion is running through the stands. Randy comes out of the club and basically jumps into my arms and then runs along high giving everyone around. Sean follows suit. I am standing here taking it all in. I got to be a part of history that took to the Mets their whole existence to this point to achieve. I feel bad for all those fans that were boycotting this season who didn’t get to see this in person. Faith will be rewarded, and it was tonight. Johan deserved this after all he has done for this team. That guy leaves it out on the field every night he pitches and finally got rewarded with his place in Mets Lore.
After the game, Randy, Mrs. Apple, Sean and I just relaxed in the parking lot soaking it all in. Fans were going nuts on the way out of the parking lot. Some in awe, some giddy with excitement, some too young to realize what they witnessed and some ecstatic that they got to see this moment finally.
Sorry for such a lengthy post, but I hope I gave you guys that didn’t get to see it in person a view into what it was like. I have some videos I will be posting a little bit later.
I am still in WOW mode right now.
Post game pic with Randy, Sean, and Me.
anybody at the game most likely missed seeing the naked man during the dickey post game interviews. dickey was sitting down in a chair, the hallway to the showers was in the background. they were asking him questions when somebody walked out of the showere without a towel on and you saw the guy from thr waist down including his junk….too funny and all live in sny!!!
How about the guy in the Gary Carter jersey who was hugging the Mets on the field and was then pummeled by security?