Remembering Mets History (1985) Darryl Strawberry Hits Three HRs Leading the Mets Into First Place
The Mets were in Chicago going up against Jim Frey's fourth place Chicago Cubs (54-50). In 1984 the Cubs won the NL East losing the NLCS to the San Diego Padres.
The Mets had dropped the first game of the series, ending a three-game win streak. They took the next two games of this four-game series & had won six of their last eight games.
Mets Trivia: On Sunday, Dwight Gooden had won his franchise record 11th straight passing Mets legend Tom Seaver who at the same time was winning his 300th career game in New York, but in the Bronx in a Chicago White Sox uniform.
A crowd of 34, 167 filed into the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field to see the Cubs Derek Botelho (0-0) go up against New York's Ed Lynch (8-5).
Strawberry hit his 13th HR of the year, a three-run shot giving the Mets a quick 3-0 lead.
In the top of the 3rd, with two outs Strawberry hit a solo HR, his second off starter Derek Botelho making it 4-0 Mets.
In the top of the 5th, Wally Backman led off stretching a single into a double on a ball hit thru the right side. After Gary Carter & Keith Hernandez were retired Strawberry was walked intentionally.
Danny Heep then delivered a two run double to center, scoring Backman & Straw making it 6-0 Mets & knocking Derek Botelho out of the game.
As for the Mets starter Ed Lynch, he retired the Cubs in order thru the first four innings before surrendering a solo HR to Jody Davis in the 5th inning.
In the top of the 7th, with New York up 6-1, Darryl Strawberry made Mets history as he connected for his third HR of the game. It was a solo HR off reliever Ron Meredith for Darryl's 15th of the year.
Mets Trivia: Strawberry became the fourth Mets Player- Jim Hickman (1965) Dave Kingman (1976) & Claudell Washington (1980) to have hit three HRs in a game. Since, nine Mets have accomplished the feat into 2025.
In the top of the 9th inning, Straw would add a single to his four-hit day. In the game he collected four hits, a season high three HRs with five RBIs.
Trivia: From July 20th to August 5th, Darryl had homered in three of the 15 games. But each game was a multi-HR game as he hit seven HRs & drove in 16 runs in those three games. They were his only three multi-HR games of the season. Straw had 17 multi-RBI games on the season with six games where he drove in four or more runs.
Ed Lynch would pitch into the 8th inning, when the Cubs collected two singles & an RBI sac fly from Rob Dernier. Eddie got the win to get to 9-5 on the season with a 2.87 ERA. Roger McDowell finished off the game getting the final four outs.
Mets Win Streak: Later that night, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, the Cardinals were beaten by the Phillies 9-1. The Mets victory put them in first place in the NL East. The Mets had won three straight games & would continue on a nine-game win streak. From July 25th to August 14th, they would win 15 of 17 games.