"The din was continuous, depressing. It was punctuated by clacking and random howls of encouragement. Mets fans have waited 10 seasons to return to the World Series. "Wait 'til next year" sounds more like a warning than optimism.

So, they take excitement where they can get it, and when Mets reliever Manny Acosta pumped two quick strikes to Melvin Mora in the eighth inning, they rose to their feet.

The collective groan that followed sounded like a jet roaring overhead towards LaGuardia.

With one swing, Mora broke 30,000 hearts and placed a defibrillator on the Rockies, his grand slam shoving Colorado to an unlikely 6-2 victory Wednesday night at Citi Field.

"I don't know if that was a must-win," said first baseman Todd Helton, whose two-out single started the rally. "But Melvin's hit is as big as it gets."

When Mora, a key member of that 2000 Mets World Series team, stepped into the box, the Rockies trailed 2-1. The deficit felt much larger, since Colorado had won just three road games against the Mets since 2002.

But there were hints that something significant was transpiring. Carlos Gonzalez walked after Helton, which he rarely does, even when teams try to pitch around him.

"But I knew they were going to throw me groundballs, so there was no way I was swinging," Gonzalez said.

After Acosta fired a pitch to the backstop, the Mets intentionally walked Troy Tulowitzki, who is 21-for-55 since returning from the disabled list. Mora was surprised, if only because Mets bench coach Dave Jauss knows him. They were together with the Orioles last season and Jauss, Mora said, is aware of how much he likes to hit in the clutch."