• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

August 8, 2015, Queens, NY  He was born on this day in 1962 and is the third most important MC of all time. His career began with the second most influential hip-hop group of the “first” school, The Treacherous Three, with L.A. Sunshine and Special K.  He went solo and had more than a few hits (“Go See the Doctor,” “I Go to Work,” & Wild, Wild, West). But the song from his historic catalog that applies to the New York Mets who find themselves in first place with 109 games played is: How Ya Like Me Now?

If you don’t know whom I’m referencing, turn in your “I love hip-hop card.”  I’m talking about Kool Moe Dee.  Before the trading deadline, the Mets were dead and stinkin’ in the minds of many. Last night, they rallied to beat the Tampa Rays in Tampa before an overwhelmingly pro-Mets crowd, 4-3. This was their seventh straight win giving them a two-game lead over the Washington Nationals. (The Nationals played the Rockies last night, but the game was not finished by the submission of this article.)

Jacob deGrom got the start looking to improve upon his 10-6 record. He lasted 6 1/3 innings, gave up two runs (both solo home runs) and six hits, and struck out seven. Tyler Clippard got the win, and Jeurys Familia notched his 30th save. It was a game where the Mets kept battling back from one-run deficits. The Rays took the lead in the fourth inning scoring  on a Grady Sizemore homer. The Mets tied the game in the seventh via a Juan Uribe home run, but James Loney went yard on deGrom to give the Rays a 2-1 lead.  The Mets tied it in the eighth but gave up a run in the bottom half of the inning. Entering the 9th, the Mets found themselves down 3-2.  That’s when Mets magic happened. The Mets scored twice in the ninth. They tied the score off a single by Wilmer Flores and went ahead on a double by Michael Conforto.

The Mets, once again, demonstrated grit and appear to be contenders, not pretenders.  They have overcome the doubters and have rallied the fan base. And in the spirit of Kool Moe Dee on his birthday, How You Like ‘Em Now?

Professor Clifford Benton can be reached at @CliffordBenton.

By Vernon McKenzie

Graduate of New Institute Of Technology with a BA in Communications with a focus on Television Radio. Owner and Executive Producer of PureSportsNY

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