I never thought I'd be able to experience that level of euphoria. Well, I got to be there live and in living color. It has been six days since the New York Mets rolled over the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS and won the 2015 National League pennant. As I type this, they are 90 minutes from kicking off Game 1 of the World Series against Kansas City.
Tickets that were going for at least $600 just a few days prior were suddenly available for around $200. I scored one for $140, which I was pretty pleased with. Before the game, I went to the Fifty/50 bar in Wicker Park for a Philly foldover sandwich (not as good as last time, can you guys cook the peppers and onions please?). Then it was the 70 bus east on Division, followed by a 2 mile walk north on Clark St to Country Club, where I met up with about 25 Mets fans. I saw some old friends like Larry and Vic and met some people who came in just for the game, like Brian, Scott, and Chico. I sat in Section 524, right next to the press box. The weather was pretty comfortable, around 50 degrees, unseasonably warm for an October evening in Chicago. And thankfully, I had two Mets fans sitting behind me.
I was incredibly excited, but very focused. I was not about to get cocky; I've been burned too many times to do that. Plus, I had a feeling that Chicago was due to at least take one game. But even if they did, I felt good that Matt Harvey would close them out in Game 5. Curtis Granderson lead off with a single against Jason Hammel and Daniel Murphy got yet another base hit. And then Lucas Duda, silent all playoffs, smoked a three-run homer to center field and it was 3-0. Travis d'Arnaud immediately followed with a bomb to right field for a 4-0 first inning lead. I was feeling really good at this point, but wasn't ready to celebrate. In the second, Duda knocked a two-run double into right center for a 6-0 Mets advantage. The air went out of Wrigley Field right there. Yes, the Cubs rallied in the fourth and fifth innings, but managed just one run. They even loaded the bases with no outs and settled for one run.
Defense played such a pivotal role in this game, as well as the series. David Wright caught a blast from Starlin Castro to save at least two runs in that fourth inning. Meanwhile, you had Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler playing the outfield for the Cubs like they were Stevie Wonder. A missed dive here, a dropped fly ball there.
After the seventh inning, I headed closer to the field to watch with my friends Larry and Daniel. We saw Murphy hit a home run in the eighth inning, his sixth consecutive postseason game with a home run, setting a new major league record. Tyler Clippard gave up a two-run homer to Kris Bryant and the lead was 8-3. But Jeurys Familia closed Chicago out in the 9th inning, striking out Dexter Fowler, and about a thousand of us Mets fans who were in Wrigley got to celebrate the franchise's first pennant in 15 years.
For me, it was my redemption. Maybe my biggest sports fandom triumph aside from the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup 21 long years ago. For the 20 losses I've seen the Mets have in Chicago compared to maybe 3 or 4 wins. After we've gone through Bernie Madoff scams, the reduced payroll, the terrible signings (ala Jason Bay, Frank Francisco, and Oliver Perez), the Yankee dynasty, and the Phillies title, and the heartbreak in 2006, the epic collapses of 2007 and 2008, Willie Randolph getting unjustly canned in California, the Tony Bernazard scandal, Citi Field initially opening as a Brooklyn Dodgers tribute park, and on and on.
My expectation was I was certain this series would go at least six games, even though I felt the Mets were the better all around team. It took all the pressure off. Honestly, the World Series would be gravy now. I'm sure I'll be disappointed if they lose, but I can't imagine that I would be devastated. Onto Kansas City. Kansas City, here we come.
We New York Mets fans have a moment to be on top of the mountain. A precious moment on top. Actually, it's right on the crest. Just a few steps left...to the summit.
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