national league wild card tie breaker game national_league wild card tie breaker game game extension major_league_baseball mlb regular season played new_york_mets cincinnati_reds determine winner national_league wild card played field cincinnati october won game starting pitcher pitching hit shutout result qualified postseason reds game necessary teams finished season identical win loss records described collapsing late season race reds division rival close create possibility way tie reds won coin flip late season rule time awarded home field game winning advanced defeated arizona games advanced championship series defeated games bringing end season baseball statistics tie breaker counted regular season game teams events game added regular season statistics background reds playoffs previous season finished season record reds finished tied chicago_cubs san_francisco_giants wild card race late season september win game year finished season game cubs giants tied cubs giants played tie breaker cubs ultimately winning wild card sports writers said blew lead collapse later comparing season troubles late season joined prior season spent year starting left fielder baseman reds added right fielder center fielder starting pitchers offseason spent days season leading following seven game losing streak september game winning streak division rival september braves took commanding game lead division relinquish reds locked tight race central division led division season lead games august day ultimately won division record game ahead reds won game final day season houston won game reds instead locked way tie suggested mlb lucky avoid situation believed reasonable deal way tie arisen won wild card reds played tie breaker central division title losing streak late season led stark label sinking ship column september broke streak win dominant pitcher following loss swept games pittsburgh_pirates sweep included walk win final game series pirates tied ninth inning pirates closer threw wild pitch allowed score win game tying reds record new_york_daily_news described late season performance roller coaster ride fans reds holding best non division winning records league tie breaker necessary determine wild card winner said time like wild card system believed drama authenticity pennant race approved playoff teams disagreed arguing late season race reds showed excitement wild card add season coin flip conducted earlier september set reds home park field location tie breaker game game summary box score monday october field cincinnati took quick lead single open game followed immediately home run added lead drew walk hit double advanced base reds starter intentionally walked load bases relieved walked score extend lead remained game yielded home run henderson lead fifth inning fourth run loaded bases outs walks followed single escaped inning scoring reds pinch hit fifth entered pitch sixth inning graves walked inning starter sacrifice second following scored double graves remained game pinch hit eighth reyes relieved ninth graves reyes held score steady sixth reds offense score won game pitched complete game shutout scattering hits walks inning start complete game season reds player reach scoring position entire game doubling lead ninth inning advancing ground labeled flag bearer coming games team needed example defeated previous start september snap seven game losing streak earned run average second half season runs lower start earned game score tied 14th best total national_league season aftermath new_york win clinched team fifth postseason berth franchise history losing national league championship series playoff berth second team mlb history playoffs games leader games left play season defeated games win advanced defeated games defeat general manager summed weeks team saying destiny hands lost destiny got hands didn choke didn fold won performance playoffs drew heavy television viewership decisive game scoring highest ratings league championship series broadcast overall averaged million viewers higher drawn year variety writer argued good sign future baseball boston_red_sox drawn younger viewers time postseason believed baseball needed fresh teams successful yankees braves draw new audiences grow viewership baseball statistics tie breakers count regular season games events added regular season statistics example grounded 27th double play season 9th inning adding league leading total similarly performance advanced position statistical including walks issued season won finished sixth valuable player voting taking award new_york_yankees playoffs eventually advancing world series defeated atlanta braves prior elimination noted possibility subway series term world series played new_york based teams world series yankees series yankees pitcher told want subway series selfish reasons want play failed series met following year world series yankees won games world series appearance playoffs lost seven games reds place division returning playoffs managed reds fired season team finished games division leading cardinals
1999 National League Wild Card tie-breaker game