End of an Era as Mets make it back to back!

It was the end of an Era as another NY ballpark was going out of buisness. The New York Mets had everything on the line on what would be the last day at Shea. Most of the old Mets players from the past came by for old time sake as the Mets were to throw a ceremony after the game for one last time. Some even wondered if Dwight Gooden would even show up and come by for the festivities. Before the 1st pitch, the guy they called the Franchise, Tom Seaver, made his way to the center field area to help the lovable Mr. Met take down the #1 off the center field wall, indicating one last day. When the Met players ran onto the field, most of the fans were still running high with momentum from Johan Santana complete game shout out that kept the season alive for today. Now it was Oliver Perez who was expected to follow up Santana's performance and deliver the goods.

It was in the 3rd inning with the game still scoreless, that the Mets fans let out this loud cheer out of no where, it was after noticing that the Cubbie's had just taken a 1 to 0 lead on the Brewers.

If was still scoreless in the 6th, and if your a Mets fan like me, you start to feel the tension building as Marlin's starter Scott Olsen, is matching up Perez efforts. The rain then starts to fall making it for a more climatic scene as the Mets fans stay right in their seats regardless of the rain that falls on them. Leading off the inning for the Marlins was Cameron Maybin who doubles to start things for the Marlins as Mets fans begin to worry. Maybin was then followed by Jeff Baker who then would go on to single to score Maybin for a 1 to 0 lead. Jorge Cantu would follow with another hit and by now Perez begins to falter.
Perez would then get former Mets Mike Jacobs to fly out to deep left but both Baker and Cantu would advance to 2nd and 3rd. Jerry Manuel would then walk Dan Uggla to load the bases and set up a match up of Joe Smith vs Josh Willingham. The game had now reach nail biting time when Joe Smith then walks Willingham to force in the 2nd run. Joe Smith then finds himself and gets the next 2 batters to get out of the jam, keeping the Mets still in the game.
In the Mets 6th, Ronbison Cancel gets on to lead the inning for the Mets. He is then followed by Jose Reyes who then flies out to right for the 1st out. Up next was Carlos Beltran who then takes a Scott Olson pitch deep and over the wall for a game tying HR. It was just was the Mets needed at the time, and so things were starting to look up. For the time in the game I start to feel good about our chances today.
In the 7th, Endy Chavez makes a nice running catch to keep the game tied at 2, no way is that catch made if the Mets have Daniel Murphy or Nick Evans out there.
With the game still tied in the 8th, Jerry Manuel hands the ball to Scott Schoenwiess to keep the Marlins at bay. The Marlins counter with pinch hitter Wes Helms. Helms a veteran would go on to takes Scott Schoenwiess deep and over the wall giving the Marlins a 3 to 2 lead. You can here a pin drop at Shea. Manuel then relieves Schoenwiess and brings in Luis Ayala who proceeds to give up another HR, this time it was Dan Uggla who makes it back to back. I felt crushed.
In the Mets 8th, the Met quickly mounted a bit of a threat as they get 2 on with 2 outs and with Carlos Delgado coming up for the clutch situation. Delgado who has been the Mets most prolific hitter in these clutch moments, was looking to put himself into Big Papi status if he could deliver for the Mets and put them ahead. Facing the hard throwing veteran lefty Authur Rhodes, Delgado drives the ball deep to the opposite field in what looked like another opposite field bomb by Delgado. But it was not to be as the ball found the glove of Josh Willingham for the 3rd out.
Now I really felt crushed.
The Bullpen would go on to hold the Marlins in the 9th as the Mets now got ready for their final at-bats. David Wright led the inning off against the hard throwing former Met farmhand Matt Lindstrom, everyone in the stands was waiting for something to happen. You then start to get the feelings that the Mets could possibly go down for a 2nd straight year, on the last day. The count was 3 and 2 as Wright then flies out for the 1st out.
A concern look was now on all the Mets faces. Endy Chavez was up next as he then grounds out to the pitcher for the 2nd out. What is happening here? Damon Easley was the last hope and by now things start to look rather bleak at Shea. Damion Easley would come up and get on with a walk bringing the trying run to the plate.
Up next was the struggling Ryan Church who was due up next as you start to look for a prayer. Church took his swing and as the ball came off his bat, the ball travled deep and far in what looked like a game tying HR, but all it was was the end of the Mets when Church would fly out to Maybin and for the 2nd straight year the Marlins had put an end to the Mets in front of the home crowd, closing out the Shea ERA in tears. It was over.

Now the Mets were getting ready to pay respect to the old players who had helped write the Mets history books. It was suppose to be a joyous ceremony but it felt more like a funeral. It just didn't seem right. As you watch this unfold, Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darliing looking a bit shaken, try to put into words what they had just finished witnessing once again.

It was not easy but this was reality and the season was now over. For a 2nd straight year the Mets had let is all go on the last day. This one was suppose to be special, one last game at the old eyesore, and one last miracle.
I guess this is how it is suppose to be for the Mets Next year, when the Mets get ready to open up the new CitiField, maybe a new brand of Mets baseball will come with it.
Seeing all the old Mets come out one by one made you a little misty eye cause you knew that you was watching the end of an Era in New York Baseball.
Yes Shea was an eyesore, and Yankees Stadium was really nice, but those are our childhood memories and come next year these 2 ballparks will be no more.
For many of us growing up and going to these parks as a kid was just part of growing up in NYC and being a baseball fanatic. Mets fan around the world, will never forget the last day at old Shea, and the collapse that helped seal the deal.