1986 World Series: Game Seven

October 27, 1986 World Series- Game #7: After the unbelievable Game Six comeback, the Mets and their fans couldn’t wait to play Game 7. There was just no way they could lose. It rained on Sunday and the game was postponed until Monday. My Game 6 ticket has a seven strategically placed on it in an attempt to get in, it didn’t work. I was determined to get in and finally I bribed a ticket taker with a ten dollar bill wrapped around a lot of ones. He said I let to many in already, I said there’s a lot of money here, he let me in. I found the only empty seat in Shea that night and I was there.

Ron Darling got his third start and already had given up three runs by the time I settled in. Darling already had a win & loss in the Series, overall in 17 innings pitched he only gave up the three earned runs in this game, good for a 1.53 ERA. The turning point of the game came in the 4th inning when Sid Fernandez relieved Darling. El Sid shut down the Sox, retiring all batters he faced, striking out five of the last six. Boston’s Bruce Hurst was tough in the first five innings allowing only one hit.

In the 6th, the Mets began their come back. After Sid walked off to a standing ovation, he was pinch hit for by Lee Mazzilli. Mazilli singled, Mookie Wilson singled & Tim Tuefel walked. With the bases loaded, Mr. Clutch Keith Hernandez came to bat and singled up the middle scoring two runs. Gary Carter grounded out but the tying run crossed the plate. Shea Stadium was a different place; the crowd was now a factor.

Roger McDowell came on and retired the side in the 7th. After a wild 7th inning stretch, Ray Knight led off with a HR, his biggest hit as a Met. Lenny Dykstra pinch hit for Kevin Mitchell and singled. The crowd began to sing “We Will Rock You” and it rattled Calvin Shiraldi. This was the Series where the song was played & sung by the crowd at a ballgame to my knowledge. As the Queen song turned into taunts of “Caaaaalvin” Shiraldi threw a wild pitch, Dykstra moved to 2nd. Then Rafael Santana singled and Nails scored as the Mets were up by two.

McDowell gave up a run and three straight hits in the 8th and Davey Johnson pulled him for Jesse Orosco. In the bottom of the 8th, with Al Nipper now pitching for the Sox, Daryl Strawberry added to the heroics leading off with a monstrous HR to right field. The crowd roared. Ray Knight who would win the Series MVP award, got his 9th hit of the Series (good for a 3.91 average). He moved up on an intentional walk to Santana in order to get to the pitchers spot. Orosco came up and singled in his only post season at bat, scoring Knight for the final run. Steve Crawford came in to pitch and hit Mookie Wilson with a pitch.

Orosco retired the side in order in the 9th with Marty Barrett striking out for the final out. Orosco three his glove in the air and his team mates piled on him on the mound. The dream had come true again, the Mets were World Champions. There were no fans on the field this time as the NYPD had mounted police surrounding the field. Believe it or not, I found strength I didn’t know I had and ripped my seat right off. I still don’t know how. I still have it, I cant prove it by I know what it is, besides it’s not for sale!

The 2006 NLCS: Mets Good Until the Last Inning

October 20006- NLCS
Game #1: A sold out Shea Stadium hosted the first Game of the Series and it may have been Tom Glavine's biggest night as a Met. Willie Randolph needed an Ace with Pedro on the DL and he gave the ball to Glavine. Glavine added another gem to his post season career throwing a four hit shut out over seven innings. He only struck out two Cards , but only walked two and never had a runner reach third base. Guillermo Mota & Billy Wagner both pitched perfect eight & ninth innings to seal the shut out.

The Mets offense only needed one big blow and it came in the 6th inning off Jeff Weaver. Paul Loduca singled and Carlos Beltran blasted a long HR over the right center field fence. The Mets took the opener 2-0.

The Mets lost Game Two, 9-6 as Billy Wagner gave up three runs in the 9th inning. They were shit out in Game Three 5-0 as Steve Trachsel gave up and lost his team forever, he never returned.

Game #4 was the night the Mets bat woke up. Carlos Delgado had a big five RBI night, including a two run HR in the 5th and a ground rule double scoring Reyes & Wright in the 6th inning. That inning Sean Green & Jose Valentin added RBI hits giving the Mets a total of eleven runs. Carlos Beltran also had a big night blasting two solo HRs with three hits, two walks, two RBIs & four runs scored. David Wright also hit a solo HR, as Oliver Perez got credit for the win.

Game #6 was an exciting night at Shea. I was at this one and the crowd was sure electric and into it from the pregame to the very end. Obviously with the Mets down 3-2 in the Series it was do or die, but that night it never felt like they could lose this thing.

In the 1st inning, Jose Reyes got things started with a lead off HR. Sean Green got drove in the second run on an RBI single after singles by Beltran & Wright. In the 7th the crowd let former Met Braden Looper have it as he entered. With two outs, pinch hitter Michael Tucker singled and Reyes followed with another. Both runners stole bases and Paul Loduca drove them both in with a single center field.

On the mound it was one of Johnny Maine's finest moments as he pitched into the 6th inning, allowing only two hits while striking out five. He wasn't to happy getting yanked by manager Willie Randolph in the 6th, but left to a standing ovation. Three more relievers led the way to Billy Wagner who got the save even though he gave up two more runs.

Game Seven is still a tough one to swallow, especially after what happened the next three seasons. The game was highlighted by Endy Chavez stealing a HR in the 8th inning making one of the greatest over the fence catches in history. Oliver Perez stepped up pitching six good innings allowing only a run. The score remained tied in a 1-1 nail bitter until the 8th inning. Aaron Heilman, a name I hate to even mention served up a two run HR to Yadier Molina, the catcher with the .216 season average and just 6 HRs in 417 at bats. That was it, the Mets did threaten in the bottom of the inning as Valentin & Chavez both singled. Then Cliff Floyd struck out & Reyes lined out. Paul Loduca walked to load the bases then Adam Wainwright struck out Carlos Beltran looking to end it. Ugh!, it still hurts.

Game Six

October 25, 1986: This game was probably the greatest Met game of them all. It was definitely the greatest comeback of them all. I am proud to say, as a true life long Met fan, I was there. After seeing that fans were setting up TV’s and watching the game in the parking lot that was my plan for Game six. A friend of mine at the time and myself armed with a duffel bag full of cans of Bud went looking for a spot. Instead we ran into a guy looking to sell of his tickets for only a little more than the regular price. Jackpot!!! We had to put the beers back in the car and walked over by the Flushing Marina.


We met a kool cop who actually had a beer with us, when that guy Sergio jumped out of the small plane with his Lets Go Mets banner. What a night this was turning out to be. I have never felt such a change in emotions as I did in the last inning of that game. From being on the brink of the last strike and last out, it was a feeling of total depression. How could they lose this game after this great season? We stayed and I remember saying we mine as well go down with them if they are going to lose, but maybe just maybe…. Then as the hits came, the feeling of hope and joy. Then when the game was tied & won a feeling of ecstatic happiness, as everyone in our section jumped & hugged each other. Oh what a night……..now a happy recap!

The starting pitchers were Roger Clemmens and Bobby Ojeda. Both pitched well getting there team to the seventh inning tied at two. The Sox got a run in the 1st on Dwight Evans double and one in the 2nd on Marty Barrett's single. In the Mets 5th, Daryl Strawberry singled, stole second and was driven home by the hot Ray Knight. Mookie Wilson then singled and pinch hitter Danny Heep grounded into a double play but Knight scored. In the Redsox 7th, Roger McDowell walked Marty Barrett, with one out Jim Rice grounded to Ray Knight. Instead of getting the out Knight booted the ball and the next batter Dwight Evans grounded to short scoring Barrett. Catcher Rich Gedman singled to left field and on a huge play in the Series, Mookie Wilson threw out Jim Rice as the plate. Gary Carter stood his ground and put the tag on Rice, inning over.

In the bottom of the 8th Gary Carter tied it with a sac fly, and the game went to extra innings. Rick Aguilera had an easy 9th but in the 10th Dave Henderson led off with a HR down the left field line, a blow that looked like it was a nail in the Mets coffin. Aguilera struck out the next two batters but then The Sox scored an insurance run taking a 5-3 lead.

Calvin Shiraldi took the mound trying to win the Sox first World Series since 1918. Back then there was no talk about curse’s or anything like that. Wally Backman flied out, Keith Hernandez flied out next. The Mets were down to their last out. Hernandez went to the locker room he didn’t want to see the Redsox celebrate on his field. Davey Johnson huffed in disgust in the dugout, and New York held it’s breath. Gary Carter singled, Kevin Mitchell pinch hit and he singled as well. Ray Knight singled and it was 5-4. The crowd began to stir and make some noise, Hernandez was going to come back to the dug out but superstition told him; “there’s hits in that chair’ he stayed in the locker room.

Bob Stanley was brought in to pitch, to the crowd chants of “We Will Rock You” the anthem which was born this night at Shea Stadium. Mookie Wilson came to the plate in the most important at bat in Mets history. Bob Stanley got Mookie down to his last strike and he fouled a few off. Then it happened, amazingly Stanley threw a wild pitch that Mookie had to jump over to avoid getting hit. The ball rolled to the backstop, Mitchell scored the game was tied. Shea Stadium was pandemonium; you just knew there was no way we were losing now.

Next, Mookie hit a little roller up along first, it got by Bill Buckner right under his legs. Ray Knight came scampering home, holding his helmet in amazement, the Mets win it!! Unbelievable!! The madhouse they call Shea Stadium is now way beyond pandemonium. There is insanity on the field as the team mobs Knight & Wilson. Years later many feel Mookie would have still beat out Buckner to first base due to his bad knees. It didn’t matter the Mets win it & force Game Seven.

2000 World Series- Game #3: Agbayani's Double Puts Mets Ahead For Good In 8th

October 24th 2000- World Series Game #3: It was the only game I acknowledge from that Series, as we sat in the very last seats in the left field upper deck at Shea Stadium and let the other NY teams fans have it.

It was the first World Series game back at Shea since the Championship of 1986, which I was at as well. Tonight the Mets stopped Orlando Hernandez's post season win streak at eight games as they won 4-2. In the bottom of the 2nd, Robin Ventura put the Mets on the board with a HR to right center field, almost hitting the apple.

Rick Reed lost the lead and the Mets trailed 2-1 until the 6th inning. Ventura got aboard on a walk, and Todd Zeile doubled him home to tie it. Turk Wendell, Dennis Cook & John Franco got the Mets to the 9th inning with out any further damage.

In the bottom of the 8th, Zeile singled and Benny Agbayani who hit over .350 in the post season doubled home what would be the winning run. Agbayani was removed for pinch runner Super Joe McEwing. Next Jay Payton got an infield hit and pinch hitter Bubba Trammell's sac fly made it 4-2.

Armando Benitez got the save in the 9th, and the Mets had a happy recap.

1986 World Series Games at Fenway Park

1986 World Series Games 3-4-5: The Mets were shocked being down two games to none and in Fenway Park for the next three. 18 game winner Bobby Ojeda got the ball against his old team facing a grown man named Oil Can Boyd? Oil Can got the oil knocked out of him as the Met bats finally woke up, getting him for six runs and nine hits. They began in the 1st inning as Lenny Dykstra lead off with a HR. Ironically it was the third time a Met has led off a Game #3 with a HR; Tommie Agee in 1969, Wayne Garrett in 1973 & now Dykstra in 1986.

Next Wally Backman & Keith Hernandez singled, then Gary Carter doubled off the Green Monster driving in Backman. Ray Knight grounded to third and Hernandez broke for the plate, he was caught in a run down play. Wade Boggs blew the tag, then missed Carter at second and everyone was safe. Danny Heep was getting a rare start as a DH, then singled home two runs making it 4-0. Carter drove in two more with a double in the 6th, making it 6-1. Straw singled in the 8th to be driven in by Ray Knights double for the seventh run.

Bobby O rolled along going 7 innings allowing a run on five hits, while striking out six Sox. Roger McDowell pitched two perfect innings & the Mets were back in it.

In Game #4 Ron Darling got a chance to pitch in the region he grew up in, and face the team he followed as a kid. It was a big night for another "Kid"- Gary Carter, he blasted two HRs, a two run shot off Al Nipper in the 4th and a solo shot off Steve Crawford in the 8th. Later Lenny Dykstra hit his second of the Series, a two run shot off Crawford in the 7th. Ray Knight was just getting hot too and added an RBI single as the Mets won this one 6-2. Darling got his first & only World Series win, allowing no runs on four hits through seven innings.

Just when things were looking good, the Sox beat Dwight Gooden early in Game 5 and the Mets couldn’t solve Bruce Hurst. Hurst scattered ten hits but pitched a complete game 4-2 victory. This was the famous Series where the taunts of “Daaaaaryl” began in the right field bleachers of Fenway Park. He responded by tipping his cap in sarcasm. The Met fans responded by taunting reliever Calvin Shiraldi in Games six & seven. It was back to Shea for the greatest comeback of them all.

1973 World Series- Game #5: Koosman & McGraw Combine On Three Hit Shut Out

October 18th 1973- World Series Game #5: In 1973 the Mets pitching staff was their strngth. Tonight was no different as they continued to be phenominal. Jerry Koosman & Tug McGraw shut down the mighty Oakland line up combining on a three hit shut out. Koosman went into the seventh inning, allowing just three hits while striking out four. He would earn his fourth post season win, without any losses.


Tug McGraw's big moment came when he relieved Koosman in the 7th. First he walked Deron Johnson to load the bases, but then got Angel Mangual to pop out. With the bases still loaded he struck out the hot hitting Oakland shortstop Bert Campaneris looking at a sensational screw ball. Even NY Mayor John Lindsay was above the dugout yelling "You Gotta Believe" with an estatic She crowd. Tug came off the mound, pounding his glove against his thigh.


The Mets scored just enough runs to win the game 2-0. They scored quickly in the 2nd inning, when Cleon Jones doubled & John Milner singled him home. In the 6th Jerry Grote singled and Don Hahn tripled to the left centerfield gap driving him in. The Mets took a 3-2 Series lead back to Oakland. Unfortunatley they would fll one game short of another Championship.

1973 World Series Game #4: Rusty Staub's Five RBI Night Evens Series

October 17th 1973- World Series Game #4: It was a rematch of Game 1 starters as Jon Matlack went up against Ken Holtzman on a chilly night at Shea. The Mets erupted in the 1st inning as Wayne Garrett & Felix Millan both singled. Then the star of the night, Rusty Staub blasted a three run homer way back over the left center field fence, putting New York up 3-0. The Mets got two more base runners but failed to capitalize. John Milner walked & Jerry Grote singled, knocking Holtzman out in the 1st inning up 3-0.

The A's got an un earned run in the 4th, but Mets struck again in the bottom of the inning. Don Hahn & Bud Harrelson both singled. A's manager Dick Williams brought in Darold Knowles who hit Wayne Garret with a pitch to load the bases. Felix Millan grounded to second baseman Dick Green who booted the ball & Hahn scored. Then the hero of the night Rusty Staub singled to right field, driving in two more runs, puttting the Mets up 5-1.

Matlack cruised along pitching 8 innings, allowing only one unearned run on three hits, striking out five A's. Ray Sadecki pitched a scoreless ninth, and the Series was tied at 2-2.

1986 Mets Beat Houston in 16 Inning Epic to Win the Pennant

1986 NLCS Game #6: Game six began in the late afternoon New York time with the Mets up three games to two. It ended four hours and forty five minutes later in one of the greatest games ever. The epic began with Bobby Ojeda & Bob Knepper facing off again, and the possibility of Mike Scott already 2-0 in the Series looming for game seven.

Bobby O got roughed up for three runs in the first inning, he settled down but left after five innings, Rick Aguiler came on to throw three more scoreless innings but the Mets were still down 3-0 in the 9th. Houston’s Bob Knepper was outstanding until the 9th, with the Series on the line, he only allowed one hit & one walk. But in the 9th the Mets woke up. Lenny Dykstra sparked the team with a leadoff triple, he was brought home by Mookie Wilsons base hit. Then with one out, Keith Hernandez doubled home Mookie bringing the score to 3-2. Houston’s manager brought in reliever Dave Smith who walked Carter & Strawberry. Ray Knight hit a sac fly to tie the game. The city of Houston was devastated; New York was just waking up.

The game went on for seven more innings of nail biting drama, Roger Mcdowell pitched five shutout innings allowing only one run. Houston's Larry Anderson matched him with three hitless innings. In the 14th Aurelio Lopez came in to pitch for the Astros, Carter led off with a single, then Straw walked. Ray Knight attempted a sac bunt but Carter got nailed at third base. Backman then singled to right field putting the Mets ahead in what looked like the game winner. Not so fast, Houston came right back as Billy Hatcher blasted a HR off Jesse Orosco tying it again in a wild crazy scene at the Astrodome.

In the top of the 16th with a depleted bullpen, Lopez started the inning. Strawberry hit a leadoff double to center and was brought right home by Gary Carters single. Jeff Calhoun was brought in and threw a wild pitch and then walked Backman. Jesse Orosco got a rare plate appearance and wouldn’t ya know it, Calhoun threw another wild pitch scoring Knight. Orosco then bunted Backman to third, and Lenny Dykstra drove home what would be the all important winning run.

Davey Johnson stuck with his relief ace Jesse Orosco through another intense drama filled bottom of the 16th. Craig Reynolds struck out to start out the inning, then Davey Lopes drew a walk. Bill Doran singled, and then Billy Hatcher struck again with a single driving in Lopes. Denny Walling then grounded out for out number two. Glen Davis then singled bringing the score to within one. Next up was the dangerous Kevin Bass who kept fouling off Orosco’s curve balls.

Keith Hernandez visited the mound and told Jesse if he threw another curveball they were going to fight. He reared back struckout Bass and the Mets won the pennant. New York City had come to a stop the past few hours following the excitement of the game, and now it celebrated and went wild. They advanced to the World Series for the third time in their history to face the Boston Red Sox.

The Amazing Mets Win the 1969 World Series

October 16th 1969: The miracle finally happened, all the dreams came true. The Mets who were a 100-1 favorite to win the 1969 World Series did it. They became the first team to ever go from last to champions and forever would define the underdog winner in sports. As Bud Harrelson recently said, any under dog team that ever comes back to win is always compared to the '69 Mets. In just eight short season, a team that had finished last six times was now the champions of the world. What a way to end the sixties.

Jerry Koosman got the call for Game #5 vs. the Orioles Dave McNally. There was no stopping the Mets on this day even after they fell behind. Koosman had a shaky 3rd inning. He allowed a two run HR to the opposing pitcher, of all people, and one to old Frank Robinson. Koos came in to the dug out angry at himself, he thre his glove down. He told the team "I'll hold them right there, you guys go out & score some runs."

It wasn't until the bottom of the 7th when the Mets made their come back. It all started when Gil Hodges pulled the famous "shoe polish incident". McNally's pitch ball bounced or hit batter, Cleon Jones' foot, then rolled into the Mets dugout. Hodges picked up the ball, then walked out of the dug out to home plate umpire Lou Dimuro. He showed him a ball with shoe polish on it as proof Jones was hit by the pitch. Dimuro awarded Cleon 1st base and the miracle continued. Baltimore manager Earl Weaver who had already been thrown out of one Series game came out to argue, but pretty much knew he was done. Next up World Series MVP Donn Clendenon followed with his 3rd home run of the Series, putting the score at 3-2, sending Shea Stadium into a 1960's mad house. In the Mets 7th, Al Weiss who had never homered at Shea Stadium, and only hit two all season in 247 at bats, hit a home run over the left field wall to tie the game. The whole city of New York went nuts, and little guys every where found a new hero in Weiss.

In the bottom of the 8th Cleon Jones doubled to lead off the inning. Then came Ron Swoboda, he got his second hit of the day and his 5th in two days, as he doubled down the left field line scoring the go ahead run. Swoboda too would score when Jerry Grote reached 1st base on a pitchers error.

Koosman Came out to complete his five hit victory. His line score, nine innings, three runs, five hits, five strikeouts & one walk. It was his second win of the Series going 2-0, allowing only seven hits in 17.2 innings. He could have easily been the Series MVP as well, but the honors went to Don Clendenon who set a Five game Series record at the time hitting three Hrs . The last out was made on future Mets manager Davey Johnson's a fly ball to left field, Cleon Jones got down on one knee and sealed the Championship.