It only took a handful of swings to change the tone of the night.

Mets pitcher John Maine left three pitches over the plate on June 12, 2007, and the bottom of the Dodgers’ order made him pay—Wilson Betemit, Matt Kemp, and pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo each homered on the first pitch they saw. Maine could only shrug afterward: “Leave three pitches across the plate, and that’s what’s going to happen.” The Mets fell 4–1, part of a brutal stretch that left them clinging to slim division leads over Atlanta and Philadelphia.

🕵️ Inside Today’s Original Newspaper Coverage:

  • What the next batter did with the next pitch from Maine

  • The most unexpected of the three dingers

  • A bat flip so stylish it caught Willie Randolph’s eye

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