Remembering Mets History (1988) Ron Darling Shuts Out the Dodgers as the Mets Magic Number to Clinch Gets Smaller

Friday September 2nd, 1988: Davey Johnson's first place New York Mets (78-54) were getting closer to clinching the NL East title. They now had a comfortable 8.5 game lead over the second place Pittsburgh Pirates.

Tonight, the Mets hosted Tommy Lasorda's first place Los Angeles Dodgers (77-56) in what was to be an NLCS preview. 

This year, the Mets dominated the Dodgers in the regular season, as they would do on this night as well. The post season would prove to be a different ball game. 

Tonight Ron Darling (13-9) went up against the Dodgers, Tim Leary (14-9) in front if 44,889 Shea Stadium fans.

 After two scoreless inning the Mets started the scoring in the 3rd inning, with solo HRs from
youngsters Kevin Elster & Greg Jefferies. It was both players second HR of the season.

Greg Jefferies Trivia: On August 28th, Greg Jefferies had been brought up making an immediate impact on the club with six hits in his first three games. This was his second HR in five games. Jefferies would play in 29 regular season games batting .321, earning a starting spot on the 1988 Post Season roster. He would bat .333 in the NLCS.

In the bottom of the 5th, Gary Carter led off with a base hit, next Kevin Elster connected again, with his 8th HR of the year giving the Mets 1 4-0 lead.

Kevin Elster Trivia: Elster was playing in his first full season. It was his only Mets career multi-HR game in seven seasons with the club where he hit 34 HRs.

In the home 7th, the Mets had a big inning, sending eight men to the plate. 

Kevin Elster started out with a walk. After Ron Darling popped out on a sacrifice attempt, Mookie Wilson hit his eighth HR of the year, a two-run shot giving New York a 6-0 lead.

Greg Jefferies then singled for his third hit of the night; he advanced on Kirk Gibson's error in the outfield. Keith Hernandez then drove him in with a base hit to right center field. 

Keith had missed time with ongoing back injuries that year & it was his 46th RBI in just his 79th game played. Hernandez played in just 95 games for the NL Eastern Champs that season batting .276, his lowest average since 1978. By 1990 the back issues would end his career. 

Hernandez would score when Dodger right fielder Mike Davis made an error on Kevin McReynolds fly ball making it an 8-0 blow out.

Ron Darling breezed along through the night, as he shut out the Dodgers with a five hit, complete game victory. Darling struck out eight batters on the evening, walking walked just one as he won his 14th game of the season (14-9) lowering his ERA to 3.15.