Remembering Mets History (1986) World Series Game Four: Gary Carter's Two HRs & Ron Darling Help Mets Even Series

Wednesday October 22nd, 1986 -World Series Game #4: The Mets were excited going into Game Four as their bats had woken up & they were alive & well in the World Series.

A Fenway Park sellout of 33,920 came out on this cool New England night. Natalie Cole did a stunning rendition of the National Anthem to start things off.

Red Sox Manager John McNamara sent Al Nipper (10-12 / 5.38 ERA) to the mound for the Red Sox. It was Nippers first post season start, dating back to August 18th he had lost five of his last seven decisions with a 6.75 ERA.

Davey Johnson had Ron Darling (15-6 / 2.81 ERA / 184 Ks) going for New York. Ron had pitched seven innings in Game #1 at Shea Stadium, allowing one unearned run taking a heart breaking 1-0 loss.

Darling Trivia: Ron had grown up in Massachusetts & was a Red Sox fan with Carl Yastrzemski
being his favorite player. He was sitting in the centerfield bleachers the for Game Six when Bernie Carbo tied the game with a HR that landed near Daring. The Red Sox won the game on a walk off HR from Carlton Fisk.

Ronnie admitted in his news paper column, a side project in which he had been writing for a NY paper during the post season, that he suffered from the worst nerves he ever had in his life. His family & 40 high school friends were on hand as he lived out his boy hood dream, pitching in a World Series at Fenway Park. 

In the bottom of the 1st inning, Ron Darling was a bit shaky due to his jitters pitching in his home town. After retiring the lead off hitter Boggs, Marty Barrett doubled to center field collecting his sixth hit of the series having hit safely in all four games.

Bill Buckner grounded to Keith Hernandez unassisted for the second out. Darling then walked Jim Rice & Don Baylor consecutively to load the bases. Dwight Evans grounded out to Rafael Santana at short to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 2nd, Darling's old high school opponent, Rich Gedman led off with a double but Darling got the next three outs & retired ten in a row getting thru the first four innings scoreless.

For Boston, Al Nipper walked Keith Hernandez in the 1st inning nut went through the first three innings scoreless.

In the top of the 4th, Wall Backman led off with a base hit & advanced on Keith Hernandez's grounder to short. Gary Carter came up & blasted a two-run HR over the Green Monster in left field giving the Mets a 2-0 lead. Carter had now hit safely in all four series games & six straight post season games.

Quotes- Davey Johnson: " I think Gary Carter is having the kind of Series everyone knew he would have." 

Darryl Strawberry then doubled to left field, for just his second hit in twelve Series at bats. Ray Knight who wanted to make sure his name kept being put on Davey Johnson's line up card drove a base hit to centerfield scoring Straw with the Mets third run of the game.

In the bottom of the 5th, Darling issued a one out walk to Spike Owen & Marty Barrett collected his second hit of the game & seventh hit of the series with a single putting two men on. But Bill Buckner popped up to Wally Backman to end the inning.

In the top of the 6th, Gary Carter blooped a double to right field diving head first in second with a double for his second hit of the game. Carter advanced to third on Darryl Strawberry's fly out to right. 

Ray Knight then lined a ball to Jim Rice in playing shallow in left, Carter tagged up anyway but was thrown out at home as Rich Gedman applied the tag as Carter tried to get around him, for the third out.

In the bottom of the 6th, with two outs & a runner on, Rich Gedman lined a shot off the Green Monster, Mookie Wilson played it perfectly threw to Wally Backman at second who applied the tag nailing Gedman to end the inning. Mookie had made seven outfield assists during the regular season.

Al Nipper had gone six innings giving up three runs on seven hits, two K's & a walk. Steve Crawford came on to pitch for Boston.

In the top of the 7th inning, Mookie Wilson singled past the short stop in to center field. Mookie had 25 stolen bases in the regular season, it was his second steal in the Series & he would add another in the 9th inning. After Rafael Santana struck out, Lenny Dykstra blasted a HR over the low right field wall that bounced off the glove of Dwight Evans making it 5-0 Mets. 

Nails Trivia: It was Dykstra's second game in a row with a HR, his third HR & sixth RBI of the post season. He now had 13 hits & was batting .333 in the post season.

In the bottom of the 7th, Ron Darling issued two walks, his fifth & sixth walks of the night. Ron now had eleven walks in 19 post season innings. In 1985 he had led the NL in walks (114) & had 33 fewer base on balls in 1986. Once again Bill Buckner popped up to get Ronnie out of the jam.

Ron Darling pitched seven shut out innings allowing just four hits with six walks & four strike outs. In his two World Series starts he hadn't given up a run in 14 innings of work. He gave up seven hits, nine walks & struck out 12.

Quotes- Ron Darling: "I was able to make the big pitch when there were men on base & there were plenty of them & I certainly got plenty of help from my defense. It;s strange it was such a struggle for me considering I had better stuff than in Game one. My pitches were moving better than they did on Saturday  but I had much location then".

Multi- HR Multi- RBI Game: In the top of the 8th inning, with one out & facing Steve Crawford, Gary Carter blasted his second HR of the night. A massive blast over the Green Monster, over the screen & into the Boston night. In the World Series, Carter now had seven hits (7-17) with two HRs & team leading seven RBIs.

Quotes- Gary Carter: "He struck me out the first time on an excellent slider, I was just trying to keep my shoulder in & drive the ball. I wasn't sure how hard I hit it but when I saw Rice's reaction, I knew it had a chance.

After Carter's blast, Darryl Strawberry singled collecting his second hit of the game. It was just the slumping Strawberry's third hit of the World Series.

In the 8th, Roger McDowell who had been perfect up to this game in the post season gave up a double to Jim Rice doubled & RBI single from Dwight Evans. 

Rich Gedman then singled to right with his third hit of the game. The Sox catcher was batting .311 in the series. Dave Henderson hit an RBI sac fly to Strawberry in right field scoring Evans with the Red Sox second run.

In the bottom of the 9th, Jesse Orosco came on making just his second World Series appearance.  Marty Barrett grounded to short for the first out. Bill Buckner then grounded to Keith Hernandez for the second out. Jesse Orosco then struck out Jim Rice to end the game.

The Mets won the game 7-1 evening the World Series at two game apiece.

Quotes::  Ron Darling: "I went to the locker room to watch the final two innings. I was pacing. I never remember feeling so wrapped up in a game after leaving. It was the greatest thrill of my life, my first post season victory after coming up empty twice. The timing & the site couldn't have been more perfect".