John From Albany: 40 Years Ago - Bobby O Gets a W in his Mets Start, 4/22/1986

1986, the last year the Mets won the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to that Fall Title.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 1986; Game #10; Tuesday;  Apr 22, NYM 7  Vs. PIT; 1;   boxscore;   W: Ojeda; LP: Kipper; Time: 02:46; NIGHT; Attendance: 15,668; Record: 7-3; Standings: 1; Games up/behind: Tied; W;

Kevin Mitchell CF-LF: 2 for 4; 2 runs; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 1 K; Tim Teufel 2B: 1 for 3; SB; 2 walks; 2 Ks; Keith Hernandez 1B: 1 for 5; HR,2B; 2 RBIs; 1 K; Gary Carter C: 1 for 3; 2 RBIs; 1 walk; Darryl Strawberry RF: 1 for 4; 1 walk; 3 Ks; George Foster LF: 1 for 5; SB; 1 run; Ray Knight 3B: 1 for 1; 2 runs; 1 RBI; 3 walks; Howard Johnson 3B: 0 for 1; 2B; Rafael Santana SS: 2 for 4; 2 runs; 1 RBI; Bob Ojeda P: 2 for 4; 2 Ks; Lenny Dykstra CF: 0 for 1; Bob Ojeda, W (2-0): 7 innings; 1 run; 1 ER; 4 hits; 1 walk; 3 Ks; Roger McDowell: 2 innings; no runs; 1 walk; 3 Ks; 

Bob Ojeda (W,2-0) wins in his first Mets start, 7 innings, 1 run, 1 ER, 4 hits, 1 walk, 3 Ks.  Mets score 8 on 5 doubles (Strawberry, Rafael Santana, Hernandez, Mitchell, George Foster) and Ray Knight's 4th homer of the year.  

The win was the Mets 5th straight and moved them into a tie for 1st with the St. Louis Cardinals.

NL East Standings - 4/22/86

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
STL	7	3	.700	--	44	25	.738
NYM	7	3	.700	--	54	38	.655
PIT	6	4	.600	1.0	54	40	.634
MON	5	6	.455	2.5	41	51	.401
PHI	3	7	.300	4.0	36	56	.308
CHC	3	8	.273	4.5	38	61	.296

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/22/1986.

John From Albany: 40 Years Ago - Knight's Late Homer Ties it, Carter Walks it off, 4/21/1986

1986, the last year the Mets won the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to that Fall Title.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 1986; Game #9; Monday;  Apr 21, NYM 6 Vs. PIT; 5;  boxscore;   WP: McDowell; LP: Clements; Time: 02:55; NIGHT; Attendance: 10,282; Record: 6-3; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 1; W-wo;

With the Mets down 4-2 in the 8th, Davy Johnson allowed Ray Knight to hit against right hander Cecilio Guante instead of sticking with the straight 3B platoon with Howard Johnson.  Knight responded by tying the game with a 2-run homer.  The homer lead to Ray Knight being the regular 3B in 1986.  After the Pirates scored in the top of the 9th, the Mets tied it again on a Tim Teufel double and won in on a Gary Carter walk-off single.  

The win was the Mets' 4th in a row and put them just 1 game back the first place Cardinals.

NL East Standings 4/21/1986

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
STL	7	2	.778	--	42	22	.766
PIT	6	3	.667	1.0	53	33	.704
NYM	6	3	.667	1.0	47	37	.608
MON	4	6	.400	3.5	33	49	.327
PHI	3	6	.333	4.0	34	48	.347
CHC	2	8	.200	5.5	35	59	.278

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/21/1986.

John From Albany: 40 Years Ago - Sid and Heep Lead Mets to Phillies Sweep, 4/20/1986

1986, the last year the Mets won the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to that Fall Title.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics. 

Year: 1986; Game #8; Sunday;  Apr 20, NYM 8  Vs. PHI; 0; boxscore;   WP: Fernandez;  LP: Gross; Time: 02:38; DAY; Attendance: 41,848; Record: 5-3; Standings: 3; Games up/behind: 1.5; W;

Lenny Dykstra CF; 2 for 5; 2 runs; Wally Backman 2B; 3 for 4; SB; 1 run; Keith Hernandez 1B; 1 for 3; HR,2B; 1 run; 1 RBI; 2 walks; 2 Ks; Darryl Strawberry RF; 2 for 4; 1 run; 2 RBIs; 1 K; Gary Carter C; 2 for 5; 1 run; 1 RBI; Danny Heep LF; 1 for 4; SB; 1 run; 3 RBIs; 1 K; Howard Johnson 3B; 1 for 3; 1 walk; 1 K; Rafael Santana SS; 1 for 4; 1 K; Sid Fernandez P; 2 for 3; 2B; 1 run; 1 walk; Sid Fernandez, W (1-0); 8 innings; no runs; 2 hits; 3 walks; 6 Ks; Roger McDowell; 1 inning; no runs; 2 Ks; 

Mets jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st, thanks to a 3-run homer by Danny Heep.  Sid Fernandez allowed just two singles over 8 shut out innings and Darryl Strawberry drove in two runs as part of a 2 for 4 day as the Mets cruised to an 8-0 win.  

Mets sweep the 3-game series against the Phils and move to 1.5 games behind the 1st place Cardinals.

On This Date 04/20/1986: Sid Fernandez pitched a gem to lead the Mets to an 8-0 victory with 8 scoreless innings, 6 strikeouts and only allowed 3 walks and 2 hits on the mound while also at the plate getting 2 hits and a walk + a stolen base. https://t.co/tFcxQ3dOlx pic.twitter.com/6zdsUmaA5m

— Brad Badini ⚾️ (@celeBRADtion) April 20, 2022

John From Albany: 40 Years Ago - Mets move above .500 with 3-2 win over Phils, 4/19/1986

NY Daily News 4/20/1986

Year: 1986; Game #7; Saturday;  Apr 19, NYM 3  Vs. PHI; 2; boxscore;   WP: Gooden;  LP: Rawley; Time: 02:27; DAY; Attendance: 38,333; Record: 4-3; Standings: 3; Games up/behind: 2.5; W; 

Kevin Mitchell CF-LF; 0 for 4; 1 K; Tim Teufel 2B; 2 for 4; SB; 1 run; 1 RBI; Keith Hernandez 1B; 2 for 4; HR,2B; 1 run; 2 RBIs; Gary Carter LF-C; 0 for 2; Darryl Strawberry RF; 0 for 1; 1 walk; Ray Knight 3B; 1 for 4; SB; 1 K; Barry Lyons C; 1 for 4; 2 Ks; Lenny Dykstra CF; 0 for 3; 2 Ks; Rafael Santana SS; 1 for 3; 2B; 1 run; 1 K; Dwight Gooden P; 1 for 3; Dwight Gooden, W (2-0); 9 innings; 2 runs; 1 ER; 6 hits; 2 walks; 10 Ks; 

Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the 1st as Glenn Wilson singled in Gary Redus.  Mets tied it at 1 in the bottom of the 5th on a Barry Lyons groundout that scored Gary Carter.  Phils went back up 2-1 in the very next inning when Von Hayes singled in Milt Thompson who had reached base on a Tim Teufel error.  Mets tied it right back up at 2 as Dwight Gooden led off the inning with a single and Kevin Mitchell doubled him in.

In the 8th, Cary Carter singled in Kevin Mitchell to put the Mets up 3-2.  Dwight Gooden (W,2-0) Ks 10 in the complete game win, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 ER, 2 walks. 

The win put the Mets over .500 - something they would maintain the rest of their historic season.

NL East Standings - 4/19/1986

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
STL	7	1	.875	--	42	20	.795
PIT	5	2	.714	1.5	38	19	.780
NYM	4	3	.571	2.5	33	32	.514
PHI	3	5	.375	4.0	34	40	.426
MON	3	6	.333	4.5	31	49	.302
CHC	2	7	.222	5.5	27	49	.251

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/19/1986.

John From Albany: 40 Years Ago - Mets break 3-game losing streak, beat Phillies 5-2, 4/18/1986

NY Newsday 4/19/1986

1986, the last year the Mets won the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to that Fall Title.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics. 

 

Year: 1986; Game #6; Friday;  Apr 18, NYM 5  Vs. PHI; 2; boxscore;  WP: Darling; LP: Carlton; Save: Orosco; Time: 02:35; NIGHT; Attendance: 26,906;  Record: 3-3; Standings: 3; Games up/behind: 2.5; W;

Lenny Dykstra CF; 1 for 5; 2B; 1 run; 2 Ks; Tim Teufel 2B; 0 for 4; 4 Ks; Keith Hernandez 1B; 1 for 3; 2 runs; 1 walk; Gary Carter C; 1 for 3; 2 runs; 1 walk; Darryl Strawberry RF; 1 for 1; HR; 1 RBI; 3 walks; George Foster LF; 1 for 3; 2 RBIs; 1 walk; 1 K; Ray Knight 3B; 1 for 4; SB,2·HBP; 2 RBIs; 1 K; Jesse Orosco P; 0 for 0; Rafael Santana SS; 0 for 2; 2 walks; 1 K; Ron Darling P; 0 for 3; 2 Ks; Howard Johnson 3B; 0 for 1; 1 K; Ron Darling, W (1-0); 7 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 4 hits; 2 HRs; 1 walk; 4 Ks; Jesse Orosco, S (2); 2 innings; no runs; 1 hit; 4 Ks; 

Mets break a 3-game losing streak.  It didn't start out great as Milt Thompson and Mike Schmidt each hit homers to start the game against Ron Darling but the Mets came right back.  After Steve Carlton loaded the bases in the 1st on a Lenny Dykstra single and walks to Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter, he walked Darryl Strawberry for the first Mets run, then Ray Knight blooped a single to put the Mets up 3-2.  George Foster added two more with a bases loaded single in the 8th to put the Mets up 5-2.  Ron Darling (W,1-0) went 7 innings allowing just the 2 1st innings runs on 4 hits, 1 walk.  Jesse Orosco two scoreless innings for his second Save of the year.  

The win pulled the Mets ahead of the Phillies and Expos and kept pace with the Cards who won 4-2.

NL East Division Table

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
STL	6	1	.857	--	33	14	.828
PIT	4	2	.667	1.5	24	11	.807
NYM	3	3	.500	2.5	30	30	.500
PHI	3	4	.429	3.0	32	37	.434
MON	3	5	.375	3.5	25	40	.297
CHC	2	6	.250	4.5	19	35	.246

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/18/1986.

John From Albany: 40 Years Ago - Hojo's error sinks Mets in 13th inning, 4/14/1986

NY Newsday 4/15/1986

1986, the last year the Mets won the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to that Fall Title.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 1986; Game #5; Monday; Apr 14, NYM 2 STL 6; boxscore; 13 innings; WP: Perry; LP: Niemann; Time: 04:21; DAY; Attendance: 47,752; Record: 2-3; Standings: 4; Games up/behind: 2.5; L; 

Lenny Dykstra CF; 1 for 5; SB; 1 walk; Tim Teufel 2B-1B; 0 for 4; SF; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Keith Hernandez 1B; 1 for 4; Wally Backman PR-2B; 0 for 2; SB; 1 run; Gary Carter C; 1 for 4; GDP; 2 walks; Darryl Strawberry RF; 1 for 5; 1 RBI; 1 K; George Foster LF; 0 for 4; 1 walk; Ray Knight 3B; 0 for 2; GDP; 1 run; 1 walk; 1 K; Howard Johnson PH-3B; 0 for 2; Rafael Santana SS; 0 for 4; 1 walk; 1 K; Dwight Gooden P; 0 for 1; SH; Kevin Mitchell PH; 0 for 1; 1 K; Danny Heep PH; 0 for 1; 1 K; Dwight Gooden; 8 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 5 hits; 1 walk; 6 Ks; Roger McDowell; 2 innings; no runs; 1 hit; 2 Ks; Jesse Orosco; 2 innings; no runs; 1 hit; 2 walks; 3 Ks; Randy Niemann, L (0-2); 0 inning; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 1 hit; Bruce Berenyi; 1 inning; 2 runs; 1 ER; 2 hits; 1 walk; 1 K; 

Media Panic was starting to set in with the Mets managing just 4 hits over 13 innings as they fall below .500, a 2-3 record to start the 1986 campaign.  In their home opener, Darryl Strawberry's single tied the game at 2 with 1 out but with the winning run on 3rd, George Foster popped up to the catcher and Howard Johnson popped up to short.  In the 13th, Howard Johnson's bases loaded error allowed the Cards to take the lead.  Mets went down 1,2,3 in the bottom of the 13th.  Though the season did not start the way fans hoped - things were about to change as the Mets would soon embark on one of their longest winning streaks in team history.

Steve Jacobson of NY Newsday had this to say about this game: "Besides, it was the Cardinals, The Mets were 8-10 with them last season and wound up three games behind them in the standings.  And one of the limited number of golden starts Gooden can make against the Cardinals was wasted - lost and gone forever.  That makes it more than just one game of 162."

 

NL East Standings 4/14/1986

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
STL	5	1	.833	--	29	12	.834
PIT	3	2	.600	1.5	20	11	.749
PHI	3	3	.500	2.0	30	32	.471
MON	2	3	.400	2.5	13	26	.220
NYM	2	3	.400	2.5	25	28	.448
CHC	1	4	.200	3.5	9	21	.175

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/14/1986.

John From Albany: 40 Years Ago - Mets Fall to Phils 4-2 , 4/13/1986

 

1986, the last year the Mets won the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to that Fall Title.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 1986; Game #4; Sunday; Apr 13, NYM 2 @ PHI 4; boxscore; WP: Rawley; LP: Aguilera; Time: 02:14; DAY; Attendance: 27,691; Record: 2-2; Standings: 3; Games up/behind: 1.5; L;

Lenny Dykstra CF; 1 for 4; 1 K; Tim Teufel 2B; 1 for 4; SH; Keith Hernandez 1B; 3 for 3; 2B; 1 run; 1 walk; Gary Carter C; 1 for 4; SF; 1 RBI; Darryl Strawberry RF; 1 for 4; 2B; George Foster LF; 1 for 4; 2B; Ray Knight 3B; 2 for 4; 2B; 1 run; 1 RBI; Rafael Santana SS; 0 for 4; Rick Aguilera P; 0 for 2; Kevin Mitchell PH; 0 for 1; Wally Backman PH; 0 for 1; Rick Aguilera, L (0-1); 6 innings; 4 runs; 4 ERs; 4 hits; 2 HRs; 2 walks; 6 Ks; Bob Ojeda; 2 innings; no runs; 2 hits; 1 walk; 

Mets were not able to solve 30 Year old journeyman and Ex-Yankee LHP Shane Rawley (W,1-0) losing 2 out of 3 in a weekend series to the Phillies.  Rawley goes the distance - 2 runs, 2 ER, 10 hits, 1 HR, 1 walk, 1 K.  Down 4-0, the Mets score in the 8th as Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter hit back to back doubles and one more in the 9th on Ray Knight's 2nd homer of the year.  Mets fall to .500 in the young 1986 season.

NL East Standings - 4/13/1986

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
STL	4	1	.800	--	23	10	.821
PHI	3	2	.600	1.0	29	29	.500
PIT	2	2	.500	1.5	17	10	.725
NYM	2	2	.500	1.5	23	22	.520
MON	2	3	.400	2.0	13	26	.220
CHC	1	4	.200	3.0	9	21	.175

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/13/1986.