Remembering Mets History (1985): Dwight Gooden Seals Winning the Pitching Triple Crown

Wednesday, October 2nd 1985: Davey Johnson's New York Mets (97-61) were in St. Louis for a huge series against their NL East nemesis' - Whitey Herzog's  first place Cardinals (98-60). 

The Mets entered the series three games behind the Cardinals & would take two of the three games, getting to one game & heading back home to Shea Stadium to finish the regular season against the Montreal Expos. 

Tonight Dwight Gooden (23-4) would take the mound & set more records, closing out his historic Cy Young season. He would go up against the Cardinals twenty game winner, Joaquin Andujar (21-10).

Starting Lineups

Mets

1	Mookie Wilson	CF
2	Wally Backman	2B
3	Keith Hernandez	1B
4	Gary Carter	C
5	Darryl Strawberry	RF
6	George Foster	LF
7	Howard Johnson	3B
8	Rafael Santana	SS
9	Dwight Gooden	P

Cardinals

1	Vince Coleman	LF
2	Willie McGee	CF
3	Tom Herr	2B
4	Jack Clark	1B
5	Andy Van Slyke	RF
6	Terry Pendleton	3B
7	Darrell Porter	C
8	Ozzie Smith	SS
9	Joaquin Andujar	P

Gooden didn't have the greatest outing of his incredible year but gave his team the chance to win & still dominated his opponents. He threw a complete game victory, allowing two runs on nine hits, walking four & striking out ten. The win would seal Gooden winning the pitching triple crown, as he led the majors in wins (24) strike outs (268) & ERA (1.53). It was the 11th time in the season he struck out ten or more batters.

Trivia: He joined some elite company in MLB history with pitchers, Walter Johnson (1913) Grover Cleveland Alexander (1915 & 1917) Dazzy Vance (1924) Lefty Grove (1930 & 1931) Hal Newhouser (1945) & Sandy Koufax (1963-1965 & 1966) all having done so in the past.

In the 1st inning, Wally Backman singled, stole second & scored on Gary Carter's base hit. In the 2nd, George Foster singled & went to third on Howard Johnson's base hit. Dwight Gooden helped his own cause with an RBI base hit to make it 2-0.

Trivia: It was Gooden's 9th RBI of the seasons. He would drive in nine runs in five times in his Mets career (1985 1988 1990 1992 & 1993).

In the 5th, Rafael Santana doubled & later scored when Mookie Wilson hit into a double play. He would drive in Santana in the 7th with a base hit as well, knocking Andujar out of the game. 


Earlier in that inning George Foster hit a solo HR, his 21st of the year.

The Mets would lose the final game of the series & then lose two of three at home to the Montreal Expos, ending their season in second place (98-64) three games behind the Cardinals. The Cards would beat the Dodgers in the NLCS & lose to the Kansas City Royals in the World Series.