Remembering Mets History (1989) Doc Gooden Wins His 100th Career Game

Monday June 19th
, 1989:
Being young & a big Dwight Gooden fan, centerfieldmaz attended this game knowing Dr. K was going for his 100th career victory. It was another of his many milestone games that I was in attendance for at Shea.


On this Monday night Davey Johnson's second place Mets (35-31) were only 1.5 games behind the division leading Chicago Cubs. 


Tonight, the Mets hosted Buck Rogers' third place Montreal Expos, who were just a half game behind the Mets. Tonight 23-year-old Dwight Gooden took the mound looking for his 100th career victory.

As a good crowd of 40,064 came out to Shea to root on Dr. K. centerfieldmaz was on hand for this game, adding to the many Gooden milestone & record setting games having attended. 

The Expos Kevin Gross took on Dwight Gooden. 



In the top of the 1st inning, Andres Galarraga hit a two run HR giving Montreal a 1-0 lead.

But the Mets came back quickly, in the home 1st, Dave Magadan reached with a one out walk. Howard Johnson then hit a two run HR down the right field line, for his 17th HR of the year, putting the Mets up 2-1.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, with two outs, Dave Magadan drew his second walk of the game. Then Howard Johnson hit his second HR of the game, his 18th of the season. The two-run shot made it 4-1 Mets. 

Hojo Trivia: From June 1st thru June 19th Hojo hit eight HRs with four doubles & 15 RBIs over 16 games. His 18 HRs were among the tops in the NL.  He would hit 36 on the season, second to the Giants Kevin Mitchell. This was his only multi-HR game of the season, Hojo would lead the league in runs scored (104) & drive in 101 runs.

In the bottom of the 4th inning, Juan Samuel drew a one out walk. Dave Magadan then singled to left field scoring Samuel with the Mets fifth run.

In the top of the 5th, Gooden walked Spike Owen, Dave Martinez then doubled to score Owen. Martinez stole third base & scored when Dwight Gooden threw a wild pitch cutting the Met lead to 5-3.

Gooden then retired eight of the next nine batters, leaving with the 5-3 lead after the 7th inning. He went seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out nine & walking two. 

Rick Aguilera came in relief, in the 8th inning for two perfect innings, earning his sixth save.

Gooden Trivia: Gooden earned the win, getting to 9-2 on the season with a 2.56 ERA as one of the top pitchers in the league. The win was a milestone 100th career victory for the 23-year-old Gooden. 

He became the third Mets pitcher after Tom Seaver & Jerry Koosman to earn all 100 wins in a Mets uniform.

Unfortunately for the Mets & Gooden, it was his last victory of the season. A shoulder injury at the start of July, would shut him down until September 13th. He made just two relief appearances in that month.

The Mets won 87 games (87-75) finishing second, six games behind the Chicago Cubs while missing the playoffs.