On the first night of the 2008 League Championship Series, SI.com put together a nice collection of pictures celebrating the best moments in LCS history. Obviously there were quite a few Yankees moments in there, since the Yankees are just such a great franchise and have played in the LCS so often. There are three Mets moments in there as well, and Met fans may enjoy the first two but certainly not the third. A lot of great moments were left out, but I didn’t put this list together, so don’t blame me. Either way, it’s definitely worth checking out.
- 1973: Reds vs. Mets, Game 3
Pete Rose and Bud Harrelson scuffled in the fifth inning after Rose slid hard into second base trying to break up a double play, instigating a 10-minute bench-clearing brawl. Rose was pelted with garbage and bottles when he went out to left field in the bottom of the inning.
- 1976: Royals vs. Yankees, Game 5
Chris Chambliss’ leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth off Mark Littell snapped a 6-6 tie and ended New York’s 12-year pennant drought. Chambliss needed a police escort to reach home plate after pandemonium broke out at Yankee Stadium.
- 1980: Royals vs. Yankees, Game 3 (not a good moment Yankee fans)
George Brett’s three-run homer into the upper deck at Yankee Stadium off longtime rival Goose Gossage in the top of the seventh inning sealed a three-game sweep of New York, sending Kansas City to its first World Series.
- 1996: Orioles vs. Yankees, Game 1
Twelve-year-old Jeffrey Maier created a game-tying homer by Derek Jeter in the eighth inning when he reached out of the stands and grabbed a ball that was about to be caught by Tony Tarasco. Bernie Williams homered in the 11th to give New York a 5-4 victory.
- 1999: Braves vs. Mets, Game 5
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 15th inning, Robin Ventura took Kevin McGlinchy deep to force a Game 6. Ventura was mobbed by his teammates and never reached second base, changing his homer to a single and making the final score 4-3 instead of 7-3.
- 2003: Red Sox vs. Yankees, Game 7
Pedro Martinez couldn’t hold leads of 4-0 and 5-2, and Boston couldn’t score against Mariano Rivera. Enter Aaron Boone, who set off bedlam in the Bronx with a leadoff home run in the 11th inning off Tim Wakefield to give New York a 6-5 victory and its 39th American League pennant.
- 2006: Cardinals vs. Mets, Game 7
Yadier Molina’s second homer of the NLCS was off Aaron Heilman in the top of the ninth in Game 7. The two-run homer broke up a 1-1 thriller.
Filed under: MLB - Mets, MLB - Yankees, Writer - Bill Slattery
