On September 28, 2008 — In the last game played at Shea Stadium, the Mets complete their second dramatic late-season collapse in as many years, losing 4 – 2 to the Marlins. Relievers Scott Schoeneweis and Luis Ayala give up back-to-back homers to Wes Helms and Dan Uggla in the 8th inning to seal the Mets’s fate. Meanwhile, the Brewers defeat Chicago behind CC Sabathia’s four-hit complete game, in his third straight start on three days’ rest, and Ryan Braun’s home run, to clinch the National League Wild Card. New York led the NL East by 3 1/2 games with 17 games to play, but were passed by both the Phillies and Brewers to fall out of the playoff picture. For the Brewers, it will be a first postseason appearance since 1982.

After the contest, former Mets, including Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, and Tom Seaver, as well as Darryl Strawberry, Dwight ‘Doc’ Gooden and Mike Piazza, but not any of the club’s current players, take part in a ceremony to celebrate the history of the 45 year-old ballpark in front of the subdued spectators gathered to ‘Shea Goodbye’ .