Things had slowly going sour for the Mets, since the '86 Championship Season. They had only made the post season one more time (1988) in the 1980's not living up to the expectations put on them. They began 1990 looking to top the NL East once again. The pitching staff was led by Dwight Gooden, David Cone, Sid Fernandez, Ron Darling & Frank Viola.
The Mets had acquired Frank Viola during the 1989 season. The Long Island native & St. John's alumni was certainly a local boy. At the time he was the AL's current reigning Cy Young Award winner. After starting out at 3-5 he won his last two starts of the 1989 season. On September 29th he pitched a 7-2 complete game win in Pittsburgh.
April 11th 1990: In 1990 Viola started the third game of the season shutting out the Pirates for 7.2 innings at Shea Stadium, allowing five hits with eight strike outs earning his first win over Pittsburgh's John Smiley. Greg Jefferies & Kevin McReynolds both homered with Darryl Strawberry driving in the third run.
April 16th, 1990: In his second start, Viola rolled over the Cubs at Wrigley Field in a 10-1 win. He pitched six shut out innings allowing four hits striking out eight more batters. Howard Johnson led the offense with two doubles & three RBIs. Mark Carreon hit a two run HR & drove in three runs as well. Mike Marshall collected three hits with a pair of runs driven in. Darryl & Barry Lyons also drove in a run each.April 24th, 1990: In his third start, Viola beat the Montreal Expos at Shea Stadium. He entered the top of the 9th with a 5-1 lead but gave up a two run HR to Andres Galarraga & left the game with two on. John Franco gave up a two run double to Spike Owen with the runs charged to Viola. But Franco got the final out to save the game 5-4.
In the top of the 4th, Darryl Strawberry provided a two run HR, in the 7th Kevin Elster hit a two run HR of his own giving the Mets a 5-1 lead. Kevin McReynolds had an RBI single for the fifth run.April 27th, 1990: In this pitchers duel at the Houston Astrodome, Fran Viola shut out Houston for five innings but left the game early with lower back pain. Wally Whitehurst & John Franco finished off the combined 1-0 shut out. The only run of the game came on Mark Carreon's HR off Mark Portugal.
May 2nd, 1990: In his fifth straight win Viola shut out the Reds 5-0 at Shea Stadium. He allowed six hits while striking out a season high 11 batters, his only double digit strike out game of the year. Viola went to 5-0 with a 0.99 ERA, posting 40 strike outs in 36.1 innings of work.
Howard Johnson & Mike Marshall provided the HRs with Mark Carreon & Kevin Elster adding RBIs as well.May 7th, 1990: As the Astros came to Shea, Viola held them to a run into the 7th inning. The offense supported him with seven runs, Darryl Boston hit a two run HR & drove in three runs. Kevin McReynolds drove in two runs to reach 15 RBIs, team leader Howard Johnson drove in his 18th run & Mike Marshall collected his 12th RBI.
Viola went to 6-0, with a 1.05 ERA, five more K's gave him 45 in 42.2 innings. He had now tied a franchise record of eight straight wins dating back to last season.
Saturday May 12th, 1990: Tommy Lasorda's Los Angeles Dodgers (14-17) came to Shea Stadium to face the Mets (16-14) & baseballs hottest pitcher Frank Viola. A large Shea crowd of 41,935 came out on this Saturday afternoon looking to see "Sweet Music" set a team record for consecutive wins.
In the top of the 1st, Juan Samuel flew out to start the game. Then Frank Viola struck out Willie Randolph & Kal Daniels to end the inning. In the top of the 2nd, with two outs Mike Sharperson singled to right field. Viola walked veteran Rick Dempsey but Viola got Alfredo Griffin to ground out to end a threat.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Mike Marshall doubled with two outs. Daryl Boston then singled to left field scoring Marshall giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Barry Lyons singled & was sacrificed over by Frank Viola. Dodger pitcher, John Wetteland then walked Greg Jefferies & Kevin Elster loading the bases. Howard Johnson's ground out brought in Lyons for the second run & his team leading 19th RBI. Darryl Strawberry's single scored Jeffries to make it 3-0.
In the bottom of the 4th, with two outs, Barry Lyons singled, then Frank Viola hit a comebacker to the mound, but Wetteland made an error on the play & Viola reached safely. Greg Jefferies then doubled scoring Lyons making it 4-0. Next, Kevin Elster singled to left bringing home the winning pitcher Viola & Jefferies, capping off the Mets 6-0 scoring.
Frank Viola then retired seven batters in a row, before Mike Sharperson collected his second hit with a single to started the 5th inning. With two outs, John Shelby singled but Viola got Juan Samuel to ground out to end the inning.
Over the next four innings, the Dodgers managed just one hit, in the top of the 7th Mike Sharperson collected his third hit of the game but was erased when Rick Dempsey hit into an inning ending double play.
Viola retired the final seven batters to finish off the complete game, four hit shut out, his second shut out of the season. It was his seventh straight win of the season getting to 7-0 with a 0.87 ERA, 52 strikeouts in 51.2 innings & the top pitcher in the NL.
Franchise Record: The victory was Viola's ninth straight win dating back to last season, setting a new Mets franchise record.
In 1990 the Mets finished second to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Frank Viola won twenty games (20-12) (2nd most wins in the NL) with a 2.67 ERA (4th best in the NL), leading the league in innings pitched (249.2) & starts (35) striking out 182 & walking 60. He pitched seven complete games (5th most in the NL).
Mets 20 Game Winners Trivia: Frank Viola was the fifth Mets pitcher to win twenty or more games. Tom Seaver (four times) Jerry Koosman (1976) Dwight Gooden (1985) David Cone (1988). The next pitcher to win as many would be R.A. Dickey 22 years later in 2012.
