Remembering Mets History (1988) Darryl Strawberry Hits His Second Career Walk Off HR Off John Franco

Friday May 6th, 1988: Davey Johnson's first place Mets (19-7) were in first place up by 1.5 games over the Pirates. The Mets had just won ten of twelve games & were at the start of a five-game winning streak.

Tonight, the Mets hosted a good Cincinnati Reds team (14-14) that would finish second to the Dodgers that season. In just two years they would win a World Championship.

Reds Pete Rose Trivia: On April 30th in a game against the Mets in Cincinnati, Reds Manager Pete Rose had made contact with umpire Dave Pallone during an argument. Rose eventually shoved the umpire & was elected. 

The Reds fans showered the field with debris & Pallone was kept off the field for his own safety, as just three umpires were used the rest of the game.  

Rose was serving his suspension & former Reds / Astros infielder, Tommy Helms was the team's acting manager.

22,857 fans came to Shea Stadium to see Dwight Gooden take on the Reds Dennis Rasmussen.

In the top of the 1st, Barry Larkin led off with a base hit, after Chris Sabo grounded out, Gooden struck out Kal Daniels & Paul O'Neill.

In the bottom of the 1st, Tim Teufel drew a one out walk, then Keith Hernandez singled sending Teufel to third. Darryl Strawberry hit a sac fly to centerfield scoring Teufel making it 1-0. 

Dwight Gooden would allow a hit in each of the next two innings but got out without any runs scoring. In the top of the 4th, the first two Reds singled to start the inning, then he retired the side in order.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, Keith Hernandez singled with two outs, then stole second base. Darryl Strawberry then drove in his second run of the game with a base hit up the middle scoring Hernandez.

In the top of the 7th, Gooden walked Ron Roenicke & hit Jeff Treadway with a pitch. Pinch hitter
Dave Collins singled bringing in Roenicke. 

Barry Larkin then grounded into a double play getting Treadway to third. Chris Sabo then singled to center tying the game at two.

In the top of the 9th, with two outs, Treadway singled & Lloyd McClendon walked. A double steal put runners on second & third. Gooden got Barry Larkin to ground out to short to end the inning.

Dwight Gooden pitched nine innings, allowing two runs scattering eleven hits, striking out five & walking two. Dennis Rasmussen pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Frank Williams & Rob Murphy got the Reds to the John Franco in the 10th inning.

In the top of the 10th, Randy Meyers came on for the Mets & gave up a leadoff HR to Chris Sabo. 

Chris Sabo Trivia: Sabo was that year's Rookie of the Year, hitting 11 HRs with 40 doubles & 44 RBIs batting .271. He would make two All Star teams in his nine-year career.

Myers got thru the inning, striking out Nick Esasky & Bo Diaz to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 10th, Brooklyn native, John Franco was on the mound to save it for the Reds. 

John Franco Trivia: That season, Franco would lead the NL in saves with his career best 39. Franco spent six years with the Reds, making three All Star teams & saved 148 games. He would move on the Mets, playing 14 years saving 276 games for them, making the Mets Hall of Fame. Franco would end his career as the All-time left-handed save leader with 424 saves.

Walk Off HR: Franco would retire the first two Mets, then walk Keith Hernandez. Darryl Strawberry came to bat. Three years ago, Strawberry had hit a walk off HR off Franco in a 2-1 win. On this day, once again Strawberry would hit another walk off HR off Franco, giving the Mets the 4-3 win.

Darryl Strawberry Trivia: Strawberry drove in all four runs in this game, he would have 25 multi-RBI games that season, with three games where he drove in four runs or more. It was Strawberry's second career walk off HR with both coming off Franco. That season, Strawberry would go on to lead the NL with 39 HRs, matching his career high from 1987.