Remembering Mets History (1992): Hojo Steals 200th Base & Eddie Murray Hits 400th HR

Sunday May 3rd, 1992: Jeff Torborg's New York Mets (15-10) visited Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium to play Bobby Cox's N.L. Champion Atlanta Braves (12-13) in front of 41,282. 

The Mets were coming off a bad 1991 which was their first losing season 1983. They had been in contention until the last part of that season.

In the off season the Mets brought in veterans Eddie Murphy, Bobby Bonilla, Willie Randolf, Kevin McReynolds & pitcher Bret Saberhagen as well as manager Jeff Torborg. 

Due to injuries, age & bad performance the Mets went 72-80, the teams' most losses since 1983.
They became known as the Worst team money could buy.

But in this game, there was to be two career milestones for two good players, providing some season highlights.

The starting pitchers for matinee, were David Cone (2-1) for New York & Charlie Leibrandt (2-1) for Atlanta.

The two pitchers matched zeros until the top of the 5th inning. The Mets, Bobby Bonilla led off with a single, Eddie Murray followed with a double down the left field line but Bonilla could not score. 

Howard Johnson came up next & hit a line drive to third resulting in a double bringing in both runners making it 2-0 Mets. Johnson then stole third base. The Mets took a 5-0 lead the inning with RBI's from David Cone & Willie Randolph.

HoJo Career Milestone: In the top of the 6th, Howard Johnson drew a walk off new pitcher Kent Mercker. He would then steal second base.  The stolen bases put him at 200 steals for his career, making him the 16th player in MLB history to have 200 HRs & 200 stolen bases. 

Back in 1989 Johnson had joined Willie Mays & Bobby Bonds as the only two players (at that time) to have had multiyear 30 HR / 30 stolen base seasons.

Later that inning, Johnson would score on Daryl Boston's RBI base hit, making it 6-0 Mets.

Murray Career Milestone: In the 8th inning veteran Eddie Murray had his own career milestone. Murray stepped in & hit a solo HR off the Braves Marvin Freeman marking the 400th HR of his Hall of Fame career. It was his second HR of the season; he would hit 16 for the Mets & drive in 93 runs. Murray would go on to hit 504 career HRs.

The Mets went on to a 7-0 win, as David Cone pitched the complete game shutout allowing just five hits, walking four & striking out eight.