NEW YORK (AP) — It took four seasons, 250 games and reconfigured dimensions, but a left-handed hitter for the New York Mets has finally cleared the left-field fence at Citi Field.
Rookie outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit the opposite-field drive to left-center off San Francisco lefty Barry Zito in the fifth inning Friday night.
The drive cleared the new 8-foot fence by about 2 feet and landed in the Party City Deck. It was well short of the old 16-foot wall, which is about 10 feet deeper.
It was the fourth home run in seven games that cleared the new fence but would not have gone over the old wall. Nieuwenhuis’ solo drive cut the Mets’ deficit to 3-2.
Batting left-handed, Angel Pagan hit an inside-the-park opposite-field homer for the Mets on Aug. 23, 2009.
