Remembering Mets History: (1989) Greg Jeffries Ties Club Record With Four Extra Base HIts In A Game

Thursday September 7th, 1989: Davey Johnson's Mets were in third place (74-65) just 3 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs. Tonight they hosted their NL East Rivals; Whitey Herzog's St. Louis Cardinals (76-63) who were 1 1/2 games behind Chicago & two games ahead of New York. 23,354 came to Shea to see Frank Viola (10-16) go up against Ted Power  (6-6).

It was an overall big night for Mets bats, 13 runs on 15 hits in a 13-1 win, but it was a personal huge night for Greg Jefferies. Jefferies tied a club record with four extra base hits on this night, four hits with two HRs, five RBIs & two runs scored.

Starting Lineups

	St. Louis Cardinals				New York Mets
1	Vince Coleman	LF		1	Gregg Jefferies	2B
2	Ozzie Smith	SS		2	Juan Samuel	CF
3	Jose Oquendo	2B		3	Howard Johnson	3B
4	Pedro Guerrero	1B		4	Darryl Strawberry	RF
5	Tom Brunansky	RF		5	Kevin McReynolds	LF
6	Terry Pendleton	3B		6	Dave Magadan	1B
7	Milt Thompson	CF		7	Barry Lyons	C
8	Todd Zeile	C		8	Kevin Elster	SS
9	Ted Power	P		9	Frank Viola	P

In the 1st inning, Jefferies batting lead off, doubled to start his big night. In the home 3rd, Jeffries added a two run HR, his 5th of the year, scoring Kevin Elster. Howard Johnson followed with a solo HR to make it 3-0 Mets. Ted Power was knocked out of the game & reliever Matt Kinzer came in for St. Louis.

In the 4th the Mets added  four more runs; Barry Lyons had an RBI double, & Frank Viola added a two run single. He scored on Terry Pendelton's error, making it 7-0. In the inning Greg Jefferies doubled as well, but was starnded on third base.

In the 5th inning, Jefferies went into the Mets record books, he hit another two run HR, his 6th of the year, this one off Bob Tewksbury.

Dave Magadan added a couple of RBI's, as Viola & the Mets cruised to a 13-1 win. Jeff Musselman & Julio Machado closed out the Mets win. The Mets finished second to the Cubs that year, six games back, with the Cards a game behind the Mets.

Greg Jefferies would bat .258 with 12 HRs 28 doubles & 56 RBIs. The next year he would lead the NL in doubles with 40, hitting 15 HRs & 68 RBIs while batting .283. He spent five seasons with the Mets, coming up with huge expectations that never panned out.