Remembering Mets History (1986) World Series Game #3: Bobby O's Pitching- The Kid's Multi-RBI Night & Nail's Multi-Four Hit Game Give Mets First Series Win

 

Tuesday October 21st, 1986 World Series Game #3: After losing the first two games of the World Series at Shea Stadium, the heavily favored Mets were shocked being down two games to none. The Mets bats had fallen sleep in the first two games they scored just four runs with 12 twelve hits.

They had been to Boston earlier that year for an exhibition game so it wasn't their first time at Fenway Park. They had surveyed & took batting practice at the Green Monster then. So on Monday manager Davey Johnson told them to stay the hotel. & he'd go at the Ballpark & face the media.

Davey also decided to rearrange his pitching rotation & use Sid Fernandez, an All Star that year as well as a 16 game winner, out of the bullpen. It was not a popular decision at first with Sid or anyone for that matter but it would certainly come to fruition as the series went on.

33,595 fans filled Fenway Park for Game Three, excited that the home town Sox were up 2-0. At that time there was no talk of curses but New England was aware its team had not won a World Series in 68 years. The last World Series game played at Fenway was eleven years prior when the Big Red Machine won their second straight Championship on that field.

Davey Johnson's sent his winningest pitcher of 1986, Bobby Ojeda (18-5 / 2.57 ERA / .783 Win % (best in the NL) to the mound against his old team. Ojeda had spent six seasons with the Red Sox going 44-39 with a 4.21 ERA. 

He had some issues with manager John McNamara & had come over to the Mets along with John Mitchell & Tom McCarthy in exchange for Calvin Schiraldi, John Christensen & Wes Gardner. Schiraldi would also play a big part in this World Series. 

The Red Sox sent Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd (16-10 / 129 Ks / 3.78 ERA) to the mound. Boyd a pitcher with a sometimes bad attitude had complained about he not being included on the past two All Star team rosters. He may have had a point winning 15 & 16 games respectively the past two years. A sometimes phrase in Boston about it's pitching staff was "Clemens Boyd & fill the void".

The National Anthem was sung by Miami Vice actress Saundra Santiago & Massachusetts politician, Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill tossed out the first pitch.

In the top of the 1st inning Lenny Dykstra led off the game with a HR over the right field wall. 

It was the first extra base hit for the Mets in the World Series & the first time they had a lead. During the season Dykstra had hit two lead off HRs.

Mets Game Three HR Trivia: It was the third time in franchise history a Mets player led off a World Series Game #3 with a HR. Tommie Agee (1969) & Wayne Garrett (1973) both did it at home in Shea Stadium.

Next, Wally Backman & Keith Hernandez both singled then "the Kid" Gary Carter blasted a double off the left field Green Monster, driving in Wally Backman, making it 2-0 Mets. Carter had hit safely in the last five post season games & his first double since Game #2 of the NLCS.

Darryl Strawberry struck out for the 17th time in 29 post season at bats as his struggles continued.

Ray Knight bounced a ball to third base with Keith Hernandez breaking for the plate, Wade Boggs threw home & had Keith caught up in a rundown play but when Gary Carter got near third base short stop Spike Owen ran him down failing to throw to the base. 

When he looked at Hernandez on third Carter slid safely back to second as the Red Sox infield botched the play.

DH Trivia: Danny Heep was getting the start tonight at DH, becoming the first official Mets Designated hitter in franchise history.

Danny who was 0-3 in the series so far, singled to center brining in two more runs as the Mets capitalized on the Red Sox run down mistake, making it a 4-0 New York lead.

The Mets sent nine men to the plate in the inning getting Oil Can Boyd for four runs on five hits.

In the bottom of the 1st, Bob Ojeda was making his first return to the Fenway Park mound since having been traded to New York a year ago. Ojeda had left Boston with mixed feelings saying some of the tough Boston press was fair others not so much. He also commented on his relationship with his former manager John McNamara in a pregame interview with Marv Albert.

Quotes- Bobby Ojeda: "He traded me, he got here & I got here so I don't have any hard feelings none what so ever. I think it boils down to differences in philosophies differences in the way we went about lives because behind the uniforms, behind the hats & behind the faces there's individuals & individual characteristics. Some think alike & get along pretty well. We weren't like total enemies or anything like that but we did have our differences without a doubt."

Bobby O retired the first four Red Sox he faced then gave up a double to Don Baylor making his first World Series start. Then Bobby got Dwight Evans on a grounder to short & he struck out Rich Gedman to end the inning.

I the bottom of the 3rd Dave Henderson singled to left field & Wade Boggs drew a one out walk. Marty Barrett then collected his fourth hit of the series with an RBI single to left to Boston on the board. Barrett had hit safely thru the first three games.

Oil Can Boyd settled down to retire eleven Mets in a row to get to the top of the 5th when Lenny Dykstra singled for his second hit of the game.

In the bottom of the 5th, Wade Boggs & Spike Owen collected back to back two out singles off Ojeda but Bill Buckner grounded to Rafael Santana to end the inning.

In the top of the 7th inning, Boyd collected the first out then Rafael Santana & Len Dykstra both singled. After Wally Backman flew out to Jim Rice in left, then Keith Hernandez drew a two out walk, reaching base for the second time in the game & loading the bases for the hot hitting Gary Carter.

Kid's Multi-RBI Game: Carter continued his big World Series night, after falling behind 0-2 he hit a two run single to left field scoring Dykstra & Backman giving the Mets a 6-1 lead. Carter would get caught off first getting tagged in a run down play to end the inning. Carter now had three RBIs on the night.

In the 7th inning, Bob Ojeda retired the side in order finishing up his big return to Boston. In seven innings Bobby gave up a run on five hits with six strike outs & three walks. In three post season games he would go to 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA.

Quotes- Bobby Ojeda: "Part of me is still here beyond a doubt because I left some blood here & some tears here, as dramatic as that sounds. I grew up here but I belong somewhere else now but I enjoyed my time here."

In the top of the 8th inning, Brooklyn/ Long Island native Joe Sambito came into pitch for Boston. Darryl Strawberry led off with a base hit to center field. 

Sambito then ran into control issues as he threw a wild pitch advancing Strawberry to second then had another pitch go past catcher Rich Gedman, scored a passed ball. 

Ray Knight was the Mets best hitter against left handed pitching & had not played in Game #2. He publicly stated he was unhappy at his managers decision to sit him.

Quotes- Ray Knight: "I want to be a part of everything & I want Davey Johnson to turn to me in those crucial times as he's done all year. I feel like I'm the guy who can come thru with the big hit when they need it. I have confidence in my ability to do that. So when you come down to making out a line up I'd like to think he thinks of my name."

Knight proved his point & doubled down the left field line scoring Strawberry with the Mets seventh run 7-1. For Knight who did not play in Game #2, it was his first hit of the series.

In the bottom of the 8th, Roger McDowell came in relief & pitched two perfect innings, retiring all six Sox he faced. The Mets won the game 7-1 getting closer down two games to one.

In the 9th inning Lenny Dykstra singled becoming just the second Mets player to collect four hits in a World Series Game. Rusty Staub had collected four hits in Game 34 of the 1973 World Series.

In the World Series Roger McDowell had now pitched four scoreless, hitless innings in two appearances. In four post season games he had now pitched eleven scoreless innings.