The One That Saves Me

The Mets comeback victory on Wednesday night felt like a turning point. Three swings of the bat appeared to turn a lost season back into one of possibility. It was exhilarating, terrifying, and remarkably dramatic.

Mets fans woke up buzzing on Thursday. We were railed up on adrenaline and ready to party.

We come to sports for the drama. Sure we want our teams to win. But it’s the way we win that can create romance.

FLASHBACK — May 22, 2022 — San Francisco, CA

I’m in Maggie McGarry’s, a charming pub on the north end of Chinatown. The bar is a football place. Real football, not that roided-up shit with the tackling and fumbles.

My friend Kirk van Motherfucker has come down from Oregon to watch the game. We’re both Manchester City supporters and it’s the final day of Premier League season.

City have a chance to win the league. There are multiple scenarios but basically Manchester City have to win. And they should win being they’re playing Aston Villa who are not great and have a stupid name.

But we’re passed the 70th minute of the 90 and City are down 2-0. It’s a nightmare. How can we lose to a bottom of the table team at home? Tension among the City supporters in the bar is massive.

Then in the 75th minute, Raheem Sterling floats in a cross from the right side of the box. The ball is perfectly weighted for Ilkay Gundogan to head into the net, which he does. 2-1.

A restrained cheer comes up through the bar. We’re in business but we’re running short on time.

Two minutes later, Oleksandr Zinchenko cooked a Villa defender that had the poor bastard sitting on his short pants. Zinchenko laid a pass to a charging Rodri at the top of the box. Rodri let loose a targeted missile that found the back corner of the net. 2-2.

I shut my eyes and screamed. When I opened them, I saw pandemonium. Hugs, cheers, arms flailing, and a shirtless bartender on top of the bar waving his shirt like a flag. Kirk van Motherfucker was saying, “Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmiGOD!” Goddamnit we were alive.

Then in the 79th minute, just two minutes later, Kevin de Bruyne won a 50-50 ball and charged down the right side. deBruyne then sent a remarkable cross diagonally through the box. Gundogan slid into the ball and tapped it into the net from about a foot away. 3-2 City.

Then came the jumping. There was SO MUCH JUMPING. And hugging and screaming. My whole body was on fire. So was my soul. Kirk van Motherfucker was screaming, “They did it! They fucking did it!” I think I cried. There’s a good chance I blacked out for a few seconds.

Manchester City finished the match out and won the league. ‘Wonderwall’ by Oasis filled the room, as is the custom after City wins. A full room of joyous fans with their arms in the air sang, “I said maybeeeeeee, You’re gonna be the one that saves meeeeeeee.”

That morning at Maggie McGarry’s was the greatest time I’ve ever had watching a sporting event. It’s tattooed on my heart where it will live forever.

BACK TO PRESENT

On Wednesday night, Alvarez hit a game-tying home run in the 9th inning with 2 outs and 2 strikes. He exploded up into the air as he rounded 1st base and yelled at his team in the dugout. It felt like we were all yelling with him.

Then two more swings completed the masterpiece. Brett Baty singled to right and Mark Canha blasted a triple to bring him home. In just about three remarkable minutes, the Mets said plainly for the baseball world to see: We are still alive. And we’ll ruin your day if you let us.

Had the Mets won this game 7-0 it would have been great. But not like this. The dramatic comeback put a charge into this team. Wednesday night brought hope.

Anyone who watches Ted Lasso knows that the English have a saying when it comes to football, “it’s the hope that kills you.” Well in baseball, it’s the hope that keeps you alive. And the New York Mets are alive.