Enjoyed a "Subway Series" game at CitiField yesterday.

My best friend's sister got his kid 3 tickets to the game for graduation from one of those NYC very expensive, frou-frou private elementary schools. The kid's friend, who is also a avid Mets fan was suppose to be the third.

The reason for there being three tickets required in the first place is that my friend HATES pro sports. So, that third person is there so at least the kid has someone to talk to about the game, strategy, etc.

I was a last minute replacement for the friend. So, there was me in my Brooklyn Cyclone's hat, orange Mr. Met shirt and Met sock. The kid in his classic blue Met hat [which the team almost never wears anymore] and #5 David Wright jersey. And, my friend, in a shirt that in Russian says something like "Show us your tits!!".

The packed stadium was about equally divided between Met and Yankee fans. Like at Yankee Stadium, the majority of those with tickets for the best/most expensive seats spend the entire game in the restaurant/club.

I was fascinated by the number of "mixed" couples. A guy in his Yankee stuff and the girl in her Mets gear ... and vice versa. My first look at what would be a common theme was when I boarded the 123 at Pleasant. A mixed couple entered the bus with us.

We had decent tickets. Second section of field level along the left field foul line. The way the new seats are, seated fans never block your view. The only blind spot is right in front of you. You cannot tell if a ball hit deep down the left field line lands fair or foul.

The Yankee fans were virtually silent until their first hit in the 4th, IIRC, when Cano doubled. Then they rocked the place and we Met fans tried to drown them out.

The population shifted after the top of the 8th when the Yankees took the lead. The specter of the Yankees sweeping the Mets seemed too much for many Met fans and the demographics changed to 60/40 Evil Empire.

This promised to get even worse when the Mets squandered 2 two-out walks with our leading hitter with RISP taking a called third strike.

But, oddly many Yankee fans left, too. Maybe it was the mixed couples thing.

So, as the game headed into the bottom of the ninth, the best reliever in baseball history strode to the mound. And, after making short work of the first two Mets, he had worthless, overpaid Jason Bay down to his last strike and walked him. Duda promptly singled him to third.

Interestingly, Ronny Paulino, a righty who kills lefties, was sent up to bat for lefty Thole. It seems that Collins and the Mets think it is better to hit Mariano from the right side. Beltran chose not to bat lefty, for example. And, after going down 0-2, Paulino gave me a special moment.

I was THERE when Mariano blew a save!!

I was in euphoria when Jeter-lite missed the ball. But, Gardner expected it, pounced on the ball and threw Duda out to extend the game.

Most of the Yankee fans left after the play at the plate. By the time Jason Bay redeemed part of his season with the winning single, the crowd was 70/30 Mets in my estimation.


So while I was denied seeing Jose in person in a Mets uniform for the last time, I did get an unexpected walk-off win with Jason Bay, of all people, scoring the tying run and driving in the winning run.


And, I felt Fatcesa called it since he stressed on Friday that the Yankees should NEVER walk Mets at CitiField since they have no power. The last two runs got BBs.


So my collection of Bison, Bay and Beltran won on BBs. Seems fitting.