Remembering Mets History (1986) NLCS Game #5: A Classic Featuring Dwight Gooden vs Nolan Ryan & Gary Carter's Walk Off Hit

Tuesday October 14th, 1986- NLCS Game #5- Shea Stadium, New York:

from center field: It was a rainy Tuesday afternoon, as we pulled out work trucks into the yard, when my boss "Big Dom" asked me if I wanted to go to the big game today. I said- Sure, but I'm at work & have no ticket! But he pulled out three tickets & handed them over to me. Amazing- so Me, Paulie the Shop man & Artie the Hat, tore out to Shea Stadium in my Monte Carlo for Game #5. We arrived a bit late as most of the crowd did due to the earlier rainy weather & traffic. This turned out to be one of the best pitching matchups & one of the most exciting games I ever attended.

Game Five was postponed due to rain the previous day & the game was moved to Tuesday afternoon. The day began gloomy with rain but the skies cleared & after a delay play began.

A crowd of 54,986 finally would eventually fill up Shea Stadium as the weather cleared & people could get to the ballpark. 

The NLCS was tied at two games each, this being the final game in New York as the series would shift back down to Houston. This was a big game. 

Two of the game's best pitchers went head-to-head as the Astros manager Hal Lanier sent future Hall of Famer; Nolan Ryan to the mound (12-8 / 197 Ks / 3.34 ERA) to face the Mets reigning NL Cy Young Winner, Dwight Gooden (17-6 / 200 Ks / 2.84 ERA).

1969 Mets Trivia: 17 Years earlier Nolan Ryan had pitched in his only career World Series game, relieving Gary Gentry in Game #3 of the 1969 World Series win over Baltimore. Ryan then a Met, pitched 2.1 scoreless innings striking out three & walking two at Shea Stadium.

Quotes- Bud Harrelson: "Was it the same date? No wonder I felt a strange twitch today."

Harrelson was short stop on the 1969 Mets & a third base coach for the 1986 Mets.

In Game #2 of this NLCS Ryan had given up five runs on seven hits with five strike outs in five innings of work taking the loss to Bobby Ojeda.

Dwight had taken a 1-0 loss in the series opener to Mike Scott despite giving up just one run on seven hits with five K's.

In the top of the 1st inning, Dwight Gooden got the first two Astros to ground out to Wally Backman at second base. Denny Walling collected a two out single but was stranded as Glenn Davis flew out to Darryl Strawberry in right. 

Big Controversial Double Play: In the top of the 2nd, Kevin Bass & Jose Cruz started the inning with base hits. Dwight Gooden struck out Alan Ashby, then got Craig Reynolds to bounce to Wally Backman at second who turned the 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. 

The throw appeared it may have been late to first, but umpire Fred Brocklander called the runner out & Kevin Bass who was crossing the plate was erased. Craig Reynolds exploded with more emotion than his teammates had ever seen.

Quotes- Keith Hernandez: "I cheated a little because I felt it was going to be a close play, I yelled out when I caught the ball because I saw the umpire a bit in question & I just wanted to put it in his head".

For Houston, Nolan Ryan retired the first 13 Mets in order, recording two strike outs in each of the first four innings. In the 1st he struck out Len Dykstra & Wally Backman both looking, In the 2nd he struck out Darryl Strawberry looking & Gary Carter swinging. In the 3rd Ryan struck out Ray Knight swinging then Doc Gooden looking. In the 4th Dykstra went down on strikes for the second time & Keith Hernandez as well totaling eight K's.

Quotes- Nolan Ryan: I didn't have a very good curveball but I went to the change up in the middle of the game"

In the top of the 5th inning of the scoreless game, Astro catcher, Alan Ashby collected his third hit of the series with a lead off  double down right field line beating Darryl Strawberry's throw. 

Craig Reynolds got a ball through the hole between third & short quickly putting two men on for Houston. Nolan Ryan attempted a sacrifice bunt, Gooden fielded the ball & got the force at second with Ashby unable to score on the play. 

Bill Doran then grounded out to Backman at second, he got the lead runner at second but Doran beat the throw to first with Ashby able to score giving Houston the 1-0 lead. 

Doran then stole second, Gooden walked Billy Hatcher putting two men on. But Doc got out of it by getting Denny Walling to fly out to Mookie Wilson in left field ending the inning.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, with one out, Darryl Strawberry hit a long fly ball down the right field line. The ball wasn't fair by much but it cleared the foul pole going for a HR tying up the game at one. 

It was Straw's second game tying HR of the series & his team leading fifth RBI. In Game #3, his 6th inning three run HR off Bob Knepper tied up the game as well.

Darryl raised his arm in triumph rounding the bases, he gave his teammates high fives in the dugout then came out for a Shea curtain call.

Nolan Ryan retired the next two Mets to end the inning. He retired six Mets in a row getting him
into the bottom of the 7th inning. With one out, Keith Hernandez collected his team leading sixth hit of the series with a single to right field.  

Next, the slumping Gary Carter who was in a 0-14 skid, popped up to short stop for the second out. Darryl Strawberry then drew a walk, which was the only walk issued by Nolan Ryan on the afternoon. 

With two on, Mookie Wilson flew out to Jose Cruz in left field ending the inning. 

After giving up the lone Astro run in the 5th inning, Dwight Gooden had retired 12 of the next 14 batters he faced. In the top of the 6th, Kevin Bass collected his second hit of the game with a base hit to left center field. Bass attempted to steal second but was thrown out by Gary Carter. 

Stolen Base trivia: Bass who had 22 steals on the season, had been successful in three other stolen base attempts in the series. Gary Carter tossed out just two of the six Astros attempting to steal on him.

In the top of the 7th, Gooden retired the side in order, striking out Nolan Ryan to end the inning.

In the top of the 8th, Bill Doran collected a lead off single. Billy Hatcher sacrificed to Keith Hernandez moving the speedy Doran over to second. 

Mookie's Defense: Denny Walling hit a liner to left field that Mookie Wilson snagged for the out. Bill Doran thinking it was the third out rounded the bases. Mookie jogged to the infield & threw to Rafael Santana doubling Doran up to end the inning.

In the top of the 9th, Gooden retired the side in order getting Glenn Davis to fly out, then Kevin Bass to ground out to Wally Backman & Jose Cruz to fly out to Mookie in left field to end the inning.

Ryan's Performance: In the 8th & 9th innings, Nolan Ryan would retired the Mets in order, setting down seven straight. Ryan would leave the game tied at one as he allowed one run on just two hits & walk while striking out twelve Mets in an outstanding post season performance.

This would be the final post season appearance for the Hall of Famer.

Extra Innings: In the top of the 10th, after getting the first two outs on ground balls, Terry Puhl reached on an infield hit & then stole second. Gooden then walked Bill Doran. With two on, two outs & the go-ahead runner in scoring position, Billy Hatcher flew to Darryl Strawberry in right field ending the inning.

Doc's Performance: On this day Dwight Gooden put in his best pitching effort of the 1986 post season. In ten innings or work he gave up one run on nine hits striking out four & issuing two walks.

Quotes- Dwight Gooden: "I let everything I had go in the ninth inning because I had never pithed ten innings before. I figured that was my last inning. Then when I came back to the dugout after the 9th nobody said anything. It was like getting ready for the game all over again I was worried I wouldn't have anything left  but I felt fine. I think I could have gone longer.

Charlie Kerfeld a rather chubby  goofy fellow, who donned with dark sunglasses & a cheek full of tobacco, came on to pitch for Houston. On the year Kerfeld was 11-2 with seven saves & a 2.59 ERA .

In the bottom of the 10th, Kerfeld got Gary Carter to ground out to third base, as Hal Lanier had Denny Walling playing on the line. Carter continued to struggle now in a 0-15 slump. Kerfeld struck out Darryl Strawberry & Mookie Wilson. Kerfeld pumped his fist & confidently came bonding off the mound.

In the top of the 11th, Jesse Orosco came on for the Mets. That season Jesse was 8-6 second to Roger McDowell with 21 saves posting a 2.33 ERA. 

Rally Caps: The 1986 Mets were famous for their rally caps. In this game, the NLCS version featured backward upside down caps with blue towels draped over the head as Tim Teufel, Kevin Mitchell & Howard Johnson displayed.

Orosco first struck out Denny Walling, then got Glen Davis looking at a third strike. Kevin Bass then hit a comebacker to the mound for the third out.

In the bottom of the 11th, Kerfeld retired Ray Knight & pinch hitter Lee Mazzilli on ground ball outs. He then struck out Danny Heep to end the inning as he retired all six batters he faced going into the 12th inning.

Trivia: The last time an NLCS Game had gone into the 12th inning was the 1973 NLCS Game #4 which the Mets lost to the Reds 2-1. Pete Rose hit a 12th inning HR off Harry Parker a day after his infamous fight with Bud Harrelson.

In the top of the 12th, Jose Cruz popped up to Ray Knight, then Alan Ashby grounded to Knight for the second out. Dickie Thon then flew out to end an easy inning for Orosco.

In the bottom of the 12th, Len Dykstra grounded out to second to start the inning. The pesky Wally Backman who was batting .167 in the series but was 2-5 (.400) in his career vs Kerfeld,  then reached with an infield hit that bounced off Denny Walling at third base. It was the first Mets base runner since the 7th inning & just the third all day. 

Backman was caught off guard at first base, as Kerfeld possibly had him picked off, but Kerfeld threw the ball away. Backman scampered to second base as the Shea crowd erupted & chanted "Let's Go Mets- Let's Go Mets". 

Keith Hernandez was then intentionally walked to get to a slumping, Gary Carter. 

Carter was in a miserable slump, having gone 1-21 in the Series up to that point having been hitless in his last 15 at bats. The future Hall of Famer Carter stepped in & got to a 3-2 count.

 

After fouling off three straight pitches, The Kid then took a Kerfeld pitch straight up the middle for a base hit. 

Center fielder Billy Hatcher was playing shallow, he threw the ball to home plate, but there was no way to get the speedy Wally Backman as he crossed the plate & scored the game winning walk off run. Shea Stadium went wild chanting "Gary-Gary-Gary!

Quotes- Gary Carter: "I'd be less than honest to say I wasn't frustrated at that point but I didn't bring one negative thought to the plate with me. I believed something good was going to happen & it did".

Gary Carter was mobbed by his teammates, as he threw a fist in the air in triumph, as well as in relief, as he finally broke the slump. He acknowledged the cheering Shea crowd. It was one of his biggest Mets moments in his Hall of Fame career.

The win sent the Mets back to Houston with three games to two lead. They would need one more game to win for the NL pennant & get to the World Series.

It was quite a game with quite an exciting ending, certainly a Mets classic!

Trivia: That season Gary Carter did not have a walk off hit but he led the NL with 16 game winning RBIs (tied with Houston's Glenn Davis). 

Quotes- Keith Hernandez: "Strong men rise to the occasion".

Quotes- Gary Carter: "Well we got to feel really pumped up about being able to fortunately being able to come back & play the game with the weather & all. Being able to win today's game it's going to be a sweeter ride down to Houston but we got our work cut out for us this Houston ball club just does not give up, we got our hands full but it's a nice feeling to be at advantage right now three two."