Edgardo Alfonzo (4-for-6, 2 runs, 2 rbi) and Bernard Gilkey (3-for-4, HR, 3 runs, 4 rbi) did the heavy lifting, helping Brian Bohanon get the win -- despite giving up a season-high 5 runs. Cory Lidle, easily the Mets best rookie of 1997, pitched the final 4 innings to collect his second and final save of his career. Since this game, only 2 Mets pitchers have recorded saves of at least 4 innings: Turk Wendell, coincidentally just 3 days after this, and Brian Stokes in 2008.

The game was broadcast on FOX, and Joe Buck and Tim McCarver were in high-sell mode for the upcoming NFL season, which kicked off the next day with the Giants hosting the Eagles. I was surprised to look back and saw the G-Men actually went 10-5-1 in 1997, which was Jim Fassel's first year as head coach. They beat the Eagles, 31-17.

One other thing they brought up during the telecast was the apparent rift between Bobby V and Hundley, stemming from comments the manager made about Todd's self-inflicted sleep deprivation, and some subtle stabs at his fondness for drinking beer and smoking cigarettes after games. I totally get Bobby's point, but to make the issue public instead of approaching Todd privately was obviously not going to sit well. Bobby loved to play mind games with those who he disagreed with or who he thought weren't giving it their all, and while Hundley's vices certainly didn't help his career longevity, he was also dealing with an elbow that needed surgery, a painful toe fungus, and pregnant wife, and a terminally ill mother at the time. So maybe he should have been cut a little slack. Whatever the case, the seeds were already being planted here than Bobby was open to going a different direction at catcher -- despite Hundley's great numbers -- which of course would ultimately lead to Mike Piazza arriving in New York in less than 9 months time.