Tonight is the 105th game of the 2015 season for the New York Mets.
It is arguably the biggest and most meaningful for the Mets in a very, very long time. ESPN flexed this game a few weeks ago to be the primetime premier game for today, which starts at 8:08 PM.
While the ballpark has been open since 2009, tonight marks one of the biggest games in its six-year history.
Until now, it’s been a rough six years in the new home of the Mets. And because of those poor and rebuilding seasons, there really haven’t been too many notable games for the Mets in their ballpark, not to mention any games with actual playoff predictions.
Finally, those games have arrived to Citi Field.
But it’s easy to forget some of the (very) few memorable big games which have been played at this truly beautiful ballpark in Flushing.
Here’s a look back at those games ahead of what could be the most impactful game of the year…
Johan Santana’s No-Hitter
Arguably the franchise’s most significant moment at Citi Field is Johan Santana’s no-hitter on June 1, 2012. It wasn’t just the first no-hitter thrown at Citi Field – it was the first and last no-hitter thrown in the Mets illustrious pitching history.
For those greats who have pitched in a Mets uniform, including Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan, Dwight Gooden, David Cone, and more, I still find that utterly remarkable.
No-hitters are special because it’s not a game you can circle on the calendar and go to. It’s the ultimate showcase of baseball randomness which combines great pitching (not always dominant), great defense, and as much luck a baseball player can find on a diamond.
No, Citi Field wasn’t sold out that night. It was a misty, muggy Friday night, and let’s face it – the team was hardly relevant at that time.
But those that chose to go to the park that night were treated to the greatest individual performance by a pitcher in Mets history, and the crowd was electric watching the brilliant pitching performance they had witnessed.
The day finally came that no Mets fan ever thought would happen.
R.A. Dickey’s 20th Win
The final home game of the 2012 season was indeed a magical one.
No, the Mets weren’t playing for a postseason berth, as they had been eliminated well before game 156.
Instead, fans swarmed to the ballpark for the final game of the season at Citi Field to watch the underdog, R.A. Dickey try to win his 20th game of the season, his first in his career, while he was en route to a Cy Young Award that fall.
The story of Dickey had been well documented and he was embraced by the Mets fans for not only his accomplishments on the field, but how he went about business off of it as well in addition to the journey he had undertaken to enjoy such great personal success.
It’s what made it so easy to root for a guy like R.A..
The 7 Line Army packed the Big Apple Reserve seats in center field that afternoon as apart of their faithful to the final out pledge. It helped to create the big game atmosphere that Citi Field had been longing for, but hadn’t really had.
Dickey would go 7 2/3 innings before leaving to a raucous ovation. Bobby Parnell saved the game and Dickey had won his 20th, and last game in a Mets uniform.
2013 All-Star Game
In the first midsummer classic player in Flushing since 1964, it was aguably the most notable baseball game played at Citi Field’s history.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t a Mets game; rather, it was a gathering of the biggest and best baseball players that MLB has to offer.
The 2013 All-Star Game featured the largest attendance for a baseball game in the ballpark’s history, with 45,186 flocking to Flushing. It started out with Seaver throwing out the first pitch, with the game’s biggest moment would be for one of the greatest relief pitchers, Mariano Rivera, and his final All-Star Game appearance.
Although this wasn’t a Mets game, it did feature two of the organizations biggest stars. The first one being David Wright getting voted into starting at third for the National League squad.
However, what made this one a little more special for the Mets and their fans was the guy that started it for the National League, Matt Harvey.
The Dark Knight of Gotham and Citi Field were shown off to the world that night. Harvey delivered with two shutout innings and showed that this is his home. And, he reveled under the international spotlight.
But the All-Star Game serves as the measuring stick for when the Mets do eventually get into the playoffs, or play a meaningful game late in-season as they charge forward in a pennant race.
While Citi Field isn’t Shea Stadium and it has not seen a playoff game in its short history, that all could very well be changing soon.
Tonight has the potential to be added to the list of memorable games at Citi Field.
Tonight could be the night the Mets sweep the Nationals and tie for first place in the East.
Tonight may be the night that the Nationals start to get scared of the Mets.
Tonight has a chance for the Mets to put the rest of baseball on notice that they’re ready for the big time in their own ballpark.
Just Mets 