New York Mets: Top 5 Mets Games of 2011

The past year was a tough year for New York Mets fans.

Not only did the Mets finish 77-85, but they lost the heart and soul of their franchise to the rival Miami Marlins.

However, even if Mets fans don't want to admit it, there were some good moments for their team in the crazy 2011.

Take a look at the Mets' top five games of the 2011 season. 

Honorable Mentions

May 20 @Yankees, W 2-1: Though the Mets lost the season series to the Yankees 4-2, coming to Yankee Stadium and winning the teams' first meeting of the season was pretty cool

May 12 @Rockies, W 9-5: In a makeup of the May 11 rainout, Carlos Beltran blasted three home runs to help the Mets win their early-season series in Colorado.

5. August 26 vs Braves (W 6-0)

In the only game of the Mets' late August series with the Braves (due to Hurricane Irene), Chris Capuano tosses one of the best games in his career.

Capuano stifles Braves batters all night to record the complete game, two-hit shutout. He also set his career high with a 13-strikeout performance. 

It was the one happy part of a very scary weekend in NYC.

4. June 25 @ Rangers (W 14-5)

In this Saturday afternoon game, the Mets scored three off Rangers starter Alexi Ogando early, and never looked back. 

Though no Mets player hit a home run, eight of the nine starters recorded hits, with Lucas Duda leading the way with three doubles and four RBI.

Though Jon Neise wasn't perfect, he pitched very well (5.2 innings, 2 ER, 7 K) and helped the Mets win a series on the road against a premiere AL team (the Mets won the next day 8-5 to win the series).

This was probably the Mets' best offensive output of the season.

3. September 28 vs Reds (W 3-0)

This was an incredible game.

In Jose Reyes' final game as a Met, he recorded a bunt single in the first inning, and then took himself out of the game to preserve his .337 average.

Though Reyes' move received some backlash, he won the Mets' first ever batting title later that night when Ryan Braun went 0-for-4.

(SIDE NOTE: Anyone who hated Reyes' move and was rooting for Braun to go 3-for-4 that night—do you STILL wish Braun won the batting title?)

This game also had hometown kid Mike Baxter's first ever home run as a Met, as well as Miguel Batista's two-hit shutout.

This would be higher, but the sad, awkward atmosphere of this game (due to the fact that fans knew that this was probably the last time they'd ever see Reyes in a Mets uniform) drops this to No. 3.

2. June 10 @ Pirates (W 9-1)

What a start to the season rookie pitcher Dillon Gee had.

Gee pitched eight innings of one-run ball to improve to 7-0, making him the only undefeated starting pitcher in the majors (with at least five starts) and only the second rookie since 2000 to start the season 7-0.

Though rain robbed Dillon of going 8-0, and his next start after that was a loss, this game made me very excited for a future with plenty of Gee starts.

1. June 22 vs Athletics (W 3-2)

If you were up to witness this, it's hard to not have been thrilled by this game.

Pitchers R.A. DIckey and Gio Gonzalez both pitched excellently for their respective teams—the game was tied 1-1 after seven innings.

However, the Mets scored a run off of Joey Devine and the Athletics scored a run off Francisco Rodriguez to force extra innings.

After three scoreless extra innings, the Mets finally got their bats going, as Lucas Duda and Daniel Murphy hit back-to-back, one out singles. After an Angel Pagan flyout and a Jose Reyes walk, it was all up to fiery second baseman Justin Turner.

On the first pitch, Turner was hit by a pitch, bringing Duda home and giving the Mets an incredible 13-inning victory.