What Lenny Harris accomplished Friday night at Shea Stadium won't draw much nearly as much attention as what Barry Bonds and Rickey Henderson are doing out on the left coast. Still, in collecting his 150th career pinch-hit, Harris tied one Major League mark and set another as the Mets dropped an 8-6 decision to the Expos on a warm night in Queens.
Harris tied Manny Mota's all-time mark for pinch hits with a fifth-inning single off Mike Thurman. The single, which came on a 1-0 count, was his Major League-leading 20th pinch-hit of the season. It was also Harris' 82nd pinch-hit at-bat of the season, breaking the Mets record of 81 set in 1983 by Rusty Staub.
He was given a standing ovation from the small [10,281] but vocal Shea Stadium crowd after his hit and at the end of the inning.
"It only took 12 years," Harris joked.
Harris Hawk
New York Mets first base coach Rickey Henderson on...
English: Shea Stadium - 2007 New York Mets-Cincinn..."Today is really big for me and my family, especially for my dad [Arthur James Harris, who died in January]. You never know when you're going to play as a pinch-hitter and it's been a tough season for me and the New York Mets. But I feel I have one more to go. I'll just go out and do the best I can."
English: Former New York Mets player before presen...
Français : Le Shea Stadium.
The Home Run Apple in Shea Stadium, New York, home...