Monday’s win proves: ‘Ya Gotta Believe!’

There’s a tremendous amount of heartache and frustration that come with rooting for the New York Mets. But Monday’s 9-8 come-from-behind win over the San Diego Padres proved why all the sacrifice is worth it in the end.

The game began with the team’s trademark dominant pitching; starter Mike Pelfrey cruised through the first five innings allowing just one run. And despite their recent stretch of injuries and general negative vibes, the boys from Queens jumped out in front with four early runs.

But the Mets channeled their inner Armando Benitez when Pelfrey and some shaky defense allowed four Padre runs to score in the sixth inning. And just as everything settled down in the seventh, New York’s bullpen blew up for four more runs in the eighth inning, sending all but the most devout fans away from their radios or televisions.

“Ya gotta believe!” was former Mets closer Tug McGraw’s rallying cry during their 1973 World Series run. On the short end of an 8-4 score with their two best hitters – Jose Reyes and Daniel Murphy – injured and Carlos Beltran traded, the remaining players showed why there’s none scrappier than a New York Met.

The team got two runs back in the eighth inning, the first coming when fill-in Mike Baxter doubled in Lucas Duda for his first hit with the team. They continued their rally against one of major league baseball’s best bullpens with three runs in the ninth inning.

WFAN announcer Howie Rose yelled mistakenly at San Diego’s defense when Jason Pridie took second on a wild pitch as Angel Pagan struck out. He acknowledged his mistake – Pagan was out since first base was occupied, but his energy never waned. When David Wright singled in Pridie, Rose’s voice jumped a few more octaves. And when Duda dribbled one around multiple defenders and into centerfield, Rose nearly exploded.

In their 49-year-history, the Mets developed a reputation as a passionate bunch who never back down. Rose summed it up in his adrenaline-fueled victory rant, saying you can “break their bones, twist their ligaments, pull their MCL’s,” but they always have faith in whoever is wearing the jersey.

That’s what being a Mets fans is all about.