Remembering Mets History (1988) Keith Hernandez Drives In Seven Runs - Hits Seventh Career Grand Slam & Reaches 1000 Career RBIs
The 1988 Mets would win 100 games, taking the NL Eastern Division by 15 games over the Pirates. But a team that suppose to win it all again, as they had done two years ago fell short. They lost a heart breaking NLCS to the eventual World Champion Dodgers in seven games.
In 1988 he would lead the league with 17 losses for the fifth place Braves who finished 69-92, twenty games behind the Giants. But Glavine's Hall of Fame career was just beginning. By 1991 Glavine would win twenty games or more three straight seasons & accomplish that feat five times on his way to Cooperstown with 305 career victories.
The star of this game would be Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez, who would have one of the biggest games of his Mets career as well as setting personal career milestones.
In the bottom of the 1st inning, the Braves Ron Gant reached on Darryl Strawberry's error in right field. Dale Murphy then doubled giving the Braves a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the 4th, Kevin McReynolds hit a one out double & Gary Carter walked. Howard
Johnson then flew out to center. With two outs, Kevin Elster doubled to right field Kevin McReynolds scored, but Gary Carter got thrown out at home plate by Dale Murphy. The Mets were within a run at 3-2.
In the top of the 8th inning, with the Mets still ahead 6-4, Gary Eave came in to pitch for Atlanta. He walked Kevin McReynolds, then Gary Carter was able to reach on a ground ball in the hole at short for a base hit.
It was the seventh & final grand slam HR of Hernandez's career. In September of 1987, he had hit his last grand slam coming off the Pirates Vicente Palacios in a 5-4 Mets win.
Tom Glavine got roughed up for four runs, five hits & three walks in just two innings of work. Jim Aker took the loss giving up two runs on three hits. Gary Eave would give up four runs & former Met, Seaton Hall alumni, Charlie Puleo gave up three runs as well.
The pitchers for tonight's game were the Mets All-Star Dwight Gooden facing a young Braves pitcher named Tom Glavine.
Trivia: In 1988 Glavine was just 22 years old pitching in his first full season. The previous year he had been brought up in August, going 2-4 in nine appearances.
The star of this game would be Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez, who would have one of the biggest games of his Mets career as well as setting personal career milestones.
In the top of the 2nd, with two outs Gary Carter homered off Tom Glavine tying up the game. It was Carter's seventh HR of the season & the 298th of his career, as he was eyeing the 300 mark.
Gary Carter's 300th HR Drought: On May 16th he would hit HR #299 then go into a HR drought that would have him wait three months before he reached the 300th career HR milestone. That would come at Wrigley Field off Al Nipper in a 9-6 Mets win. The 34-year-old Carter would hit just 11 HRs on this year.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Gooden walked Dion James, then Ron Gant singled putting two men on. Veteran Ken Griffey's two run double put Atlanta ahead 3-1.
Johnson then flew out to center. With two outs, Kevin Elster doubled to right field Kevin McReynolds scored, but Gary Carter got thrown out at home plate by Dale Murphy. The Mets were within a run at 3-2.
In the bottom of the 4th, Gooden allowed a single to Ken Oberkfell, he then stole second base. After striking out Bruce Benedict, Paul Runge doubled to right field scoring Oberkfell putting the Braves up 4-2.
Keith Hernandez had started out the game, by going 0-2. In the top of the 5th inning, Keith came to bat with Mookie Wilson aboard & blasted a two run HR off Tom Glavine, to tie up the game at four. It was his first HR of the year, as he would hit 11 in the 1988 season.
Tom Glavine was done after five innings, giving up four runs on five hits including two HRs.
In the top of the 7th facing Kevin Aker, Kevin Elster singled up the middle. Mookie Wilson doubled scoring Elster breaking the tie putting the Mets ahead 5-4.
Mookie advanced on Tim Teufel's base hit. Keith Hernandez then grounded into a force play scoring Mookie Wilson with the Mets sixth run 6-4. It was Keith's second hit & third RBI of the night.
Howard Johnson hit a liner to short & reached first safely as Kevin McReynolds scored the Mets 7th run. Kevin Elster followed with a base hit scoring Gary Carter making it a 8-4 Mets lead.
Former Met Charlie Puleo then came in to pitch for the Braves. Dwight Gooden sacrificed then Mookie Wilson walked to load the bases. Charlie Puleo then walked Tim Teufel bringing in the Mets ninth run.
Grand Slam: Keith Hernandez then came up with the bases still loaded & ripped a hard liner to centerfield that went over the fence for a grand slam HR.
It was the seventh & final grand slam HR of Hernandez's career. In September of 1987, he had hit his last grand slam coming off the Pirates Vicente Palacios in a 5-4 Mets win. Multi seven RBI Game: With the four RBIs from the grand slam, Hernandez had a season high seven on the night. It was the most runs he drove in in any game of his seven years with the Mets.
1000th Career RBI: Keith also reached a career milestone, surpassing 1000 RBIs. Keith would drive in 57 runs that season while playing in just 95 games due to back issues. He would finish his career with 1070 RBIs two years later.
After the Hernandez grand slam, the game was now a blow out with a 13-4 Mets lead. Dwight Gooden would go the distance, giving up four runs on ten hits, walking three & striking out five. He earned the win to go to 5-0 on the young season with a 2.83 ERA. Gooden would go 18-9 with a 3.19 ERA & 175 strike outs for the NL East Champions.
