Mets Just Refuse to Shea Die

Overcoming seemingly dire situations marked the New York Mets’ wild playoff-berth-producing ride.

It’s not over yet.

Powered by first baseman’s John Olerud’s big night, the Mets staved off elimination with a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the National League championship series Saturday at Shea Stadium.

Olerud drove in the Mets’ runs with a sixth-inning solo home run against Atlanta starter John Smoltz, and an eighth-inning, two-out, two-run single against closer John Rocker.

The Mets completed a key double steal during the eighth--Dodger castoff Roger Cedeno was the catalyst--before Olerud’s final timely hit provided the tying and go-ahead runs before another raucous sellout crowd of 55,872.

The vociferous New Yorkers had been silenced only moments before after back-to-back solo homers by Brian Jordan and Ryan Klesko gave the Braves a 2-1 lead in their half of the eighth. The consecutive blasts occurred on the first and third pitches Met starter Rick Reed threw in the inning, almost ruining his strong outing.

Fortunately for the Mets, Olerud helped them survive to play another day.

Reed matched his more-experienced playoff counterpart in a fast-moving pitchers’ duel, and the Braves’ bullpen failed to protect the lead after Smoltz’s strong 7 1/3-inning effort.

Winner Turk Wendell retired the side in order after relieving Reed in the eighth and Armando Benitez pitched a perfect ninth to earn the save, striking out pinch-hitter Keith Lockhart to end the game.

The Mets now trail, 3-1, in the best-of-seven series. No team in major league history has won a playoff series after losing the first three games, so things still appear bleak for the Mets.

They’ve been there before.

“This just seems to be way it has been working out for us all year,” Olerud said of the Mets’ roller-coaster season. “It hasn’t been our choice to do it that way.

“It has been a tough road, making it to the playoffs, and we’ve had some tough stretches. But we’ve been able to battle and get back each time. Hopefully, that will be the situation here.”

The Mets earned the NL wild-card berth after surviving a season-ending tailspin and defeating the Cincinnati Reds in a one-game playoff. If the Mets emerge from this hole, Olerud will deserve much of the credit, his teammates said.

“The thing about our team is that we’ve all picked up each other all year,” catcher Mike Piazza said. “When we’ve had guys struggle, someone has always been there to pick up the slack.”

Olerud has filled the important role many times.

“John has been a big hitter all his career,” Met Manager Bobby Valentine said. “He’s just a talented guy who goes unnoticed.”

Not Saturday.

The smooth-fielding Olerud provided the game’s first run with his two-out homer against Smoltz in the sixth. He crushed a 1-and-1 pitch, sending the ball over the right-field wall, stirring celebrations among an anxious crowd hoping the Mets weren’t playing their final game of the season.

But the crowd was soon silenced.

The Braves’ dormant offense awoke in the eighth against Reed, who had only given up a one-out, fourth-inning single to Bret Boone to that point.

Jordan led off the inning with his second homer of the series on Reed’s first pitch--hitting a blast to center. Then Klesko crushed a 1-and-0 pitch from Reed, lining the ball over the right-field wall to put the Braves ahead.

Reed received a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd when he was replaced by Wendell. The Mets were in a hole again and, again, they found a way with Olerud leading.

Cedeno opened the eighth with his third single against Smoltz. After Rey Ordonez popped out trying to bunt, Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox removed Smoltz, who had thrown 100 pitches.

Enter Mike Remlinger, who struck out pinch-hitter Benny Agbayani, but Cedeno stole second with Melvin Mora batting, and Remlinger walked Mora.

Cox then summoned Rocker and shortstop Ozzie Guillen, who replaced starter Walt Weiss, on a double-switch. Rocker is Public Enemy No. 1 in New York because of his intended-to-incite comments about the Mets’ fans.

Valentine moved Olerud from his customary No. 3 spot in the batting order to second before Game 3 in an attempt to jump-start the offense. The left-handed Olerud went hitless in his previous nine at-bats--with five strikeouts--against the left-handed Rocker.

With Olerud batting and a 1-and-1 count, Cedeno and Mora completed a double-steal, putting both runners in scoring position. Rocker didn’t bother with the runners, preferring to focus on Olerud.

“I was just concentrating on throwing him good pitches,” said Rocker, who suffered his first blown save in eight opportunities against the Mets this season. “We’ve been having a mini battle going all year, and I have such a bad pickoff move, I didn’t even bother throwing over there. I just wanted to focus on him.”

Olerud understands.

“Well, he hasn’t had a whole lot of trouble getting me out,” Olerud said. “I’m sure that his main focus was throwing strikes to me, as opposed to throwing over to first.”

On a 2-and-2 count, Olerud hit a curveball through the middle and off Guillen’s glove.

“I don’t think any of our shortstops could catch that ball, we were shaded too much the other way,” Cox said. “Weiss and Guillen, the range is the same. I think it would have ended up the same way.”

With the Mets finding a way again.

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ROSS NEWHAN

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