Remembering Mets History (1985) Doc Gooden Becomes the Youngest Pitcher to Win Twenty Games During a 14 Game Win Streak

Sunday August 25th, 1985: In 1984 Dwight Gooden had burst on the scene taking the league by storm leading the NL in strike outs (276) going 17-9 leading the Mets staff as baseball's newest phenom.

In 1985 he had one of the best seasons any pitcher could have in MLB history, heading into this game the 20-year-old Dwight Gooden was leading the league with a 19-3 record a 1.74 ERA & 2.08 strike outs. 

Personally, Gooden was on a 14-game win streak, not having taken a loss since back on May 25th, three months earlier. In that time, he had tossed five shut outs & ten complete games.

 

From May 25th thru August 20th, Gooden had posted a 1.77 ERA, allowing 28 earned runs while collecting 142 strike outs in 142.1 innings of work. He also had eight double digits strike out games including a season high 16 K game in his previous outing also a shut out.

The incredible Cy Young Award season for Gooden reached was about to reach another mile stone as Doctor K was going for his 20th win of the season, which make him the youngest pitcher to ever accomplish that feat.

Centerfieldmaz, along with 37,350 Mets fans filled Shea Stadium as Davey Johnson's second place Mets, who were just one game behind the fist place Cardinals, hosted Dick Williams second place San Diego Padres. At the time the Padres were the Reigning NL Champions having lost the World Series to the Detroit Tigers.

It certainly wasn't Gooden's most dominating performance of the year, but it was good enough for win #20. He pitched six innings, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out four while walking one.

In the top of the 1st, Gooden recorded the first three outs ending the inning striking out Steve Garvey.

In the top of the 1st inning, Len Dykstra singled, & Keith Hernandez reached on a Tim Flannery error at second base. Darryl Strawberry started out his big day with a two run double scoring both Dykstra & Keith. Howard Johnson followed with an RBI base hit making it a 3-0 Mets lead. 

In the top of the 3rd, Tim Flannery led off with a base hit, then advanced on Gooden's wild pitch. The pitcher Eric Show hit a comebacker to the mound that Gooden made an error on, allowing Flannery to score the Padres first run. Tony Gwynn, the reigning NL Batting champion then singled scoring Show making it 3-2.

In the bottom of the 5th, Darryl Strawberry hit his 20th HR of the season, a solo shot giving the Mets a 4-2 lead.

After his shaky 3rd inning. Gooden retired eight batters in a row until Steve Garvey doubled to start the 6th inning. Garvey tagged up on a fly ball out & then scored on Terry Kennedy's infield ground out making it a 4-3 one run game.

Manager Davey Johnson felt Gooden had enough as it was a god outing but not his usual dominating performance. He was removed after six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, a walk & striking out four. Roger McDowell was brought in for the 7th inning.

In the home 7th, with reliever Tim Stoddard now pitching for San Diego, Keith Hernandez led off with a single, Gary Carter doubled & Strawberry walked loading the bases. 

Veteran George Foster collected a two-run single scoring Keith & Carter making it 6-3 Mets. Pinch hitter Rusty Staub followed with a pinch-hit base hit to center scoring Strawberry. Veteran Larry Bowa came in to pinch run for Staub. Roger McDowell added an RBI double scoring Bowa giving the Mets an 8-3 lead.

In the bottom of the 8th, Keith Hernandez & Gary Carter both singled, both having two-hit games. Darryl Strawberry then collected his third hit of the game as he drove a base hit to center scoring both Keith & Gary giving him a multi-four RBI game.

Straw Trivia: Darryl would collect 17 multi-RBI games that season driving in four or more runs six times.

Dwight Gooden Trivia: The Mets went on to the 9-3 win with Gooden getting the victory, becoming the youngest player at twenty years & nine months old to ever become a twenty-game winner. Gooden was the first Mets pitcher since Jerry Koosman in 1976 to win twenty games, eight years earlier. His eight shut outs that year are a franchise single season record.

1985 Cy Young Award Winner: In his Amazing season, Gooden would finish up winning the Triple Crown of pitching, leading the league in wins (24) ERA (1.53) & strike outs (268). He also led in complete games (16) Innings (276.2) & WAR (12.2) although it was not a stat at the time.

Gooden's 24 wins are second most in franchise history for a single season behind Tom Seaver's 25 in 1969.