Today In Mets History: 1985- Classic 19 Inning Fourth of July Mets Epic

July 4, 1985: It was suppose to be a nice little fourth of July game with a post game fire works display. Dwight Gooden going against Rick Mahler in Atlanta. Two rain delays, nineteen innings and six hours later, the fireworks show began. The residents in the surrounding area thought they were under attack hearing the 4 AM blasts. The Braves used 22 players & The Mets used 21 players knocking out a club record 28 hits. Gary Carter led with five hits, Keith Hernandez & Wally Backman had four hits each.

Doctor K gave up 2 early runs and after a rain delay, Roger McDowell came on to pitch. The Mets retook the lead in the 4th when Backman doubled, Hernandez tripled & Carter singled. Later Daryl Strawberry drove in two more runs & Hernandez hit his 5th HR of the year as the Mets went ahead 7-4. But Jesse Orosco & Doug Sisk couldn’t hold the lead, the Mets fell behind 8-7.

Wasting no time HoJo, Danny Heep & Lenny Dykstra singled tying the game again. The score held up after the second rain delay until the top of the 13th. With Ray Knight aboard Howard Johnson hit a two run HR off Terry Foster, putting New York ahead 10-8. The wackiness continued as Tom Gorman took the mound for the Mets and gave up a tying two run HR to Terry Harper 10-10.

In the 18th inning, Howard Johnson singled, and went to third when pitcher Rick Camp booted Danny Heeps bunt. HoJo scored on Lenny Dykstra’s sac fly. Just when it looked like this thing would end, Braves pitcher Rick Camp hit his only career HR off Tom Gorman to Tie it up again 11-11.

In the top of the 19th the Met bats exploded. Gary Carter singled, Rusty Staub walked and Ray Knight doubled home Carter. Hojo was walked intentionally, and on another wacky play, Danny Heep singled scoring all three base runners on an error by left fielder Terry Harper. Heep scored on Wally Backman’s 4th hit of the night and Ron Darling was brought in as a fresh arm to close it.

Nothing was easy in this epic affair; Claudel Washington reached on a rare Hernandez error. Darling walked two batters loeading the bases. Terry Harper (who went 5- 10 with 5 RBIs in the game) singled bringing the Braves within three. But Darling struck out Rick Camp it was finally over. Mets won 16-13.