Sox Collapse, Mets Take Series in Seven (10/27/86)

Most of the world saw this coming after the Boston Red Sox committed an all-time collapse in Game 6 but it doesn't make it hurt any less. After a rainout postponed Game 7, the New York Mets finally pounded the final nail in the Red Sox coffin with an 8-5 comeback victory to win the 1986 World Series. The Sox took a 3-0 lead and Bruce Hurst continued his dominance for 5 innings....then it all went to hell as the Mets got the last laugh in Shea Stadium.

                                                Doom and gloom all around

Ron Darling was scheduled to start Game 7 before the rainout and he took the mound to start the game. Wade Boggs lined out to short to start and Marty Barrett flied out to right. Bill Buckner got a mock standing ovation by the Mets crowd but he shut them up real quick with a base hit to right. Jim Rice flied out to right to end the inning. Oil Can Boyd was scheduled to start Game 7 before the rainout but Sox manager John McNamara decided to start Bruce Hurst on 3 days rest. At first the gamble worked in the bottom of the first when Mookie Wilson grounded out to second on the first pitch. Tim Teufel popped up to second and Keith Hernandez lined out to center to end the inning.

The Red Sox took out their frustrations of Game 6 on Darling in the top of the second inning. Dwight Evans and Rich Gedman crushed back to home runs, the Gedman homer popping out of the glove of Strawberry in right field. Dave Henderson walked but Spike Owen popped up to short. Hurst bunted Henderson over to second and Dave scored on the roller up the middle hit by Boggs to increase the lead. Barrett caught Ray Knight asleep at third with a bunt single. With a chance to break the game open early....Buckner flied out to center to end the inning. Still, the Sox shook off the effects of Game 6 to take a 3-0 lead.

                                              Gedman helps out with a home run

Hurst breezed through the bottom of the second as Gary Carter was snuffed out on a bunt single attempt to start. Darryl Strawberry popped up to left but Ray Knight singled. Kevin Mitchell grounded out to first to end the inning.

The Sox missed a chance to hit Darling hard in the top of the third when Rice singled off the left field wall but Mitchell gunned him down at second trying to stretch. Evans popped up to center and Gedman grounded out to first to end the inning. Hurst cruised in the bottom of the third as well, punching out Rafael Santana to start. Darling hit a ball hard to right but Evans snared it at the wall. Wilson flied out to right to end the inning.

The Sox knocked out Darling in the top of the fourth as Henderson was plunked to start. Owen flied out to right and Hurst sacrifice bunted Henderson over to second, shades of the second inning. That was it for Darling as Mets manager Davey Johnson pulled him in favor of Sid Fernandez. Boggs walked to put two men on and with another chance to break it open....Barrett flied out to right to end the inning. Hurst remained perfect in the bottom of the fourth as Teufel whiffed, Hernandez flied out to a running Evans in right and Carter grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Sox went quietly in the top of the fifth inning as Buckner flied out to right, Rice whiffed and Evans also swung and missed at strike three to end the inning. Hurst would not be denied in the bottom of the fifth as Strawberry flied out to center to begin. Knight grounded out to short and Mitchell whiffed to end the inning. At this point Hurst was working on a 1 hitter with 4 innings to go after already dominating his first two World Series starts. He could have been a legend in Boston if he could have gotten those last 12 outs.

                                                       1 hit through 5 for Hurst

Fernandez returned for the top of the sixth and froze Gedman to start. Henderson flied out to center and Owen watched strike three go by to end the inning. The wheels fell off for Hurst in the bottom of the sixth although Santana grounded out to short to start. Lee Mazzilli pinch hit for Fernandez and singled. Wilson singled and Teufel walked to load the bases. Sox manager John McNamara came out to chat with Bruce but to no avail as Hernandez dealt the crushing blow to Hurst with a base hit to center that scored Mazzilli and Wilson, moving Teufel to third. Wally Backman pinch ran for Teufel and he scored when Evans dove for a Carter flare and missed. Hernandez was tagged out at second but the game was tied. Strawberry flied out to left to end the inning but Hurst was done and the game was tied.

                                                   The Mets tie it up

Shea Stadium was in a frenzy as Roger McDowell took over on the mound with Tony Armas pinch hitting for Hurst. Armas whiffed on 3 pitches. Boggs grounded out to third and Barrett grounded out to short to end the inning. For some inane reason, Sox manager John McNamara brought in Calvin Schiraldi to pitch the bottom of the seventh despite getting rocked and rolled in Game 6. The gamble failed miserably for the Sox as Knight blasted a leadoff home run to put the Mets just 6 outs away from victory. Lenny Dykstra pinch hit for Mitchell and singled before a wild pitch moved him up to second. Santana singled home Dykstra to increase the lead as the crowd got even louder. McDowell bunted Santana to second as Sox manager John McNamara finally realized his mistake and pulled Schiraldi out of there.

                                               Knight gives the Mets the lead

Lefty specialist Joe Sambito was brought in but the idiot McNamara decided to intentionally walk Wilson, which begs the question why would you bring in the lefty only to intentionally walk the lefty batter? That move also backfired because Sambito walked Backman to load the bases. Hernandez flied out to center but Santana scored to give the Mets what seemed to be an insurmountable lead. That was it for Sambito as Bob Stanley was brought in to mop up the mess. Stanley did manage to get Carter to ground out to end the inning but the Mets were up 6-3 and on the verge of the title.

                                                      Another run, another nail in the coffin

With their backs to the wall, the Sox briefly sprang to life in the top of the eighth against McDowell. Buckner blooped a single to left to open the inning and Rice lined a base hit past Santana. Evans continued to torture Mets pitching by lining a double to center that scored both runners to cut the lead to 1. That meant if McNamara let Sambito pitch to Wilson, maybe the 6th run doesn't score and its now a tied game. Instead, Davey Johnson brought in lefty Jesse Orosco to face the lefties. Once again McNamara was asleep as Gedman didn't try to bunt Evans to third, instead he lined out to second, nearly getting Evans doubled off at second. There would be no magic for Henderson this time as he whiffed. Finally McNamara got his head out of his ass by pinch hitting the righty Don Baylor for Spike Owen to face Orosco. Unfortunatey Baylor grounded out to short to end the inning but the Sox had gotten within a run 6-5.

                                              One last moment of glory for the Sox

Inexplicably McNamara pulled off a double switch, putting Ed Romero at short but bringing in Al Nipper of all people to relieve Stanley. Oil Can Boyd was nowhere to be found and once AGAIN the move backfired as Strawberry smashed a solo home run off Nipper to kill any momentum the Sox generated. Knight singled and moved to second on the groundout by Dykstra. Santana was intentionally walked and Davey Johnson was going to live or die with Orosco, so he left him in to bat. As if anything else could go wrong this season, Orosco who had just 3 at-bats all season faked a bunt and singled up the middle with the entire infield breaking to field a bunt. Santana scored to ice the game. McNamara then pulled Nipper for Steve Crawford which begs the question why he didn't have Crawford start the inning? Wilson was plunked to load the bases but Crawford recovered to get Knight at home on a force by Backman. Hernandez grounded out to end the inning but it was all over, 8-5 Mets.

                               Nipper can't bear to watch anymore, neither can Roger Clemens

The season came to an end in the top of the ninth inning. Romero hit one up the elevator shaft, caught by Hernandez for the first out. Boggs grounded out to second and Orosco punched out Barrett to put the Sox out of their misery. The Mets had won the game and the World Series by a score of 8-5.

                                                                    Ugh


Jackass of the Night should be John McNamara just like in Game 6 for all his idiotic decisions but unfortunately it has to be a player so its Calvin Schiraldi. He was charged with the loss, allowing 3 runs that ended up being the difference in the game in just 1/3 of an inning pitched.

                                           Game 7 Jackass....same as Game 6


The Good:

Bill Buckner was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Jim Rice was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Dwight Evans did all he could, going 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 total rbi's.

Dave Henderson walked, was hit with a pitch and scored a run in 4 plate appearances.

Bob Stanley retired the only man he faced.

Steve Crawford got the final two outs of the eighth inning.



The Bad:

Spike Owen was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

Tony Armas struck out as a pinch hitter.

Don Baylor was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.

Ed Romero was 0 for 1 in his plate appearance.

Al Nipper allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk in just 1/3 of an inning.



The Ugly:

Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4 with a walk but drove in a run.

Marty Barrett was just 1 for 5.

Rich Gedman was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a solo home run.

Bruce Hurst fell apart in the 6th inning and was charged with 3 runs in his no-decision. Had he not fell apart, the Sox may have won the game.

Joe Sambito walked two and allowed an inherited runner to score in 1/3 of an inning.




Final Thoughts:

Is this team cursed? It sure feels like it after one of the greatest seasons in history with so many high points crashed harder than a 747 jet. If Game 6 wasn't bad enough, this was just as bad. The Sox had a 3-0 lead in the 6th inning and it blew away. Then John McNamara brought in the wrong pitcher 3 times and it cost the Sox the game. He brought in Schiraldi who sucked, Sambito who walked 2 guys (albeit one intentionally) and Nipper who sucked. For all the heat Bill Buckner took about Game 6, most of which wasn't his fault to begin with, he deserves no blame for Game 7. McNamara made one bumbling decision after another and Schiraldi couldn't get it done twice. Its a shame such a promising season came to an end like this. In 1967 and 1975 you could say the better team won and no hard feelings, but the Sox had the Mets dead to rights twice and couldn't put them away. As it is, this is one of the all-time chokes that may never be equaled. How can the Sox come back from this? You come within a strike of winning it all in Game 6 and 12 outs in Game 7 and lose both games. I dread to think what 1987 will be like with the world series hangover they're going to have. Give the Mets the credit they deserve for coming back down 2-0 going to Fenway, coming back in Game 6 and then again in Game 7. They earned their World Series title, too bad the Sox couldn't put them away.

Sox Pull All Time Collapse, Lose Game 6 (10/25/86)

There are no words to describe what happened tonight. The Boston Red Sox were one strike from being world champions. Up 5-3 with 2 on and 2 outs in the ninth, Calvin Schiraldi had Ray Knight down 0-2 and one more strike meant the Sox were World Series Champions....it didn't happen. Instead, the Red Sox pulled off one of the all-time chokes by allowing 3 straight hits, a wild pitch and an error which led to a shocking 6-5 defeat at the hands of the New York Mets at Shea Stadium, forcing a Game 7 tomorrow night that nobody in Boston wants to see.

                                                                       Ugh

The Sox wasted no time scoring against Bob Ojeda in the top of the first inning. Wade Boggs singled off the gloves of both Ray Knight and Rafael Santana but Marty Barrett lined out to center. Bill Buckner came to the plate as some idiot in a parachute with a "Go Mets" sign plummeted onto the field and was escorted peacefully out of the park by police. Buckner flied out to center but Jim Rice worked a walk. Dwight Evans silenced the crowd with a double off the left field wall that scored Boggs and moved Rice to third. Rich Gedman flied out to right to end the inning but the Sox were up 1-0.

                                                       Evans puts the Sox on top

Roger Clemens took the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Len Dykstra froze for strike three to begin. Wally Backman also was caught looking and Keith Hernandez flied out to center to end the inning.

The Sox struck again in the top of the second inning although Dave Henderson flied out to center to start. Spike Owen hit a comebacker through the legs of Ojeda for a single. Clemens struck out but Boggs played some hit and run to single Owen all the way to third. Barrett singled to left to score Owen to increase the lead. Buckner almost caught Darryl Strawberry asleep in right but he made the catch in time. Still, the Sox were up 2-0.

                                       A premature graphic but Barrett did make it 2-0 Sox

Could Clemens pitch with the lead in the bottom of the second? YES! Gary Carter flied out to center but Strawberry walked. Knight whiffed on a high fastball but Strawberry swiped second. Clemens froze Mookie Wilson to end the inning.

Ojeda got himself on track in the top of the third inning by freezing Rice with a nasty curve to start. Evans flied out to right and Gedman whiffed to end the inning. Clemens stayed tough in the bottom of the third by whiffing Santana and Ojeda. Dykstra grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Sox failed to add on to the lead in the top of the fourth inning as Henderson hit a broken bat liner to center to start. Owen singled in the hole at short, but Clemens popped up his bunt up the elevator shaft. Boggs grounded out to short to end the inning. Clemens returned to the mound in the bottom of the fourth and got Backman to fly out to left to start. Hernandez popped up to third and Boggs reached into the stands to get it. Carter squibbed one to the mound and Clemens through him out to end the inning.

The Sox threatened in the top of the fifth as Barrett lined a single but both Buckner and Rice flied out to right. Evans walked and with a chance to put the Mets away....Gedman flied out to left to end the inning. The Mets finally woke up in the bottom of the fifth inning. Strawberry walked and took second on a fastball in the dirt. Knight lashed a single for the Mets first hit and Strawberry scored to cut the lead to one. Wilson singled Knight all the way to third before Ray scored to tie the game on a double play by pinch hitter Danny Heep (for Santana). Ojeda grounded out to second to end the inning but the Mets had tied it 2-2.

                                       Knight drives in the Mets first run before they tie it

Kevin Elster took over at short and Ojeda returned for the top of the sixth inning. Henderson grounded out to short but Owen beat out an infield single. Owen was erased on another failed bunt by Clemens and Boggs grounded out to second to end the inning. Clemens recovered in the bottom of the sixth to free Dykstra to start. Backman beat out a great diving stab by Owen for a single. Hernandez singled Backman to third but Roger caught Carter looking for a huge second out. Strawberry grounded out to second to end the inning, balsy inning for Clemens.

That was it for Ojeda on 3 days rest as Mets manager Davey Johnson brought in Roger McDowell to pitch the top of the seventh inning. Barrett walked but moved to second on the ground out by Buckner. Rice hit a routine grounder that KNIGHT AIRMAILED! Instead of runner at third and 2 out, its 1st and 3rd with one out. Sox manager John McNamara decided to play hit and run to stay out of the double play. The move worked as Evans hit a double play ball to second but Rice was safe at second, Evans out at first and Barrett scoring to give the Sox the lead. A huge play of the game came when Gedman singled and Rice gunned it for home....OUT! Rice was out at the plate but it was 3-2 Sox with just 9 outs to go.

                                               Rice is out but its 3-2 Sox

Clemens was determined in the bottom of the seventh inning and he got Knight to fly out to right to start. Wilson grounded out to second and Elster flied out to center to end the inning. For some reason that was it for Clemens after 7 dominant innings.

                                     The best pitcher in baseball saves the best for last

The Sox wasted a golden chance to add some insurance in the top of the eighth due to McNamara's ignorance. Henderson led off with a single off the arm of Elster and moved to second on the sacrifice bunt by Owen. McNamara defied all logic by bringing in rookie Mike Greenwell rather than Don Baylor to pinch hit for Clemens, which was defying logic since Clemens was pitching a gem. Right on cue Greenwell waived at a pitch in the dirt for strike three. Boggs was intentionally walked but Barrett chased McDowell with a walk to load the bases. Mets manager Davey Johnson brought in Jesse Orosco and once again McNamara defied all logic by leaving Don Baylor on the bench and letting the crippled Buckner hit. Sure enough, Buckner flied out to center to end the inning. Thanks a lot McNamara.

                                              This idiot manages better than McNamara

With Clemens out of the game, Calvin Schiraldi took the mound in the bottom of the eighth just 6 outs from the world title. Lee Mazzilli pinch hit for Orosco and singled to right. Dykstra bunted back to the mound but the idiot Schiraldi tried to get Mazzilli at second....and bounced the throw in the dirt to allow everyone to be safe. Backman dropped down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position and naturally Carter hit a sac fly to left to tie the game, also moving Dykstra to third. Rice getting thrown out at home, McNamara's boneheaded pinch hit decisions and now Schiraldi throwing to the wrong base led to the game being tied. Strawberry flied out to center to end the inning but it was 3-3.

                                             Schiraldi blows it....the first time

The Mets pulled a double switch when Rick Aguilera was brought in to pitch and Mazzilli took over in left, removing Strawberry from the game in the top of the ninth. Rice whiffed but Elster went OLE! on a ball hit by Evans, allowing Dwight to reach first. It didn't matter as Gedman banged into a double play to end the inning. The Mets damn near won the game in the bottom of the ninth as Knight worked a leadoff walk. Wilson bunted and Gedman fired to second....SAFE! Owen jumped up and down as Barrett sprinted over screaming at the umpire. McNamara ran out of the dugout to argue but unfortunately that was the right call, Owen came off the bag. Howard Johnson pinch hit for Elster and Schiraldi got a huge out by striking him out on a check swing. Mazzilli then crushed a 2-0 pitch to right...foul. Mazilli then straightened out a fly ball to left but it was caught for the second out. Dykstra also flied out to left to end the inning and on to extras we went.

                                                Few inches higher and the Mets would have won

The Sox looked to have the game in the bag when Henderson led off the top of the 10th with a home run to left off Aguilera to silence the crowd. Owen struck out and once again McNamara made the idiotic decision to leave Baylor on the bench against the rattled Aguilera, letting Schiraldi strike out. Letting Schiraldi hit loomed large when Boggs sliced a double down the left field line and Barrett singled him home, taking second on the horrible throw by Dykstra. Buckner was hit with a pitch but Rice lined out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3, once again just 3 outs from the world titles.

                                            Henderson does it again

Just three outs away from victory in the bottom of the tenth inning, it all went to hell. Schiraldi did manage to get Backman to fly out to left to start. When Hernandez flied out to center, an ominous message flashed across the scoreboard reading CONGRATULATIONS WORLD CHAMPION RED SOX. There was still one out to go and as it turned out, it never came. Suddenly Schiraldi came unglued as Carter lined a base hit to center to start the rally. Kevin Mitchell pinch hit for Aguilera and singled to center as well. Schiraldi then had Knight down 0-2 putting the Sox one strike away from winning it all. Once again it didn't happen as Knight hit a flare to center to score Carter and send Mitchell to third. That was it for Schiraldi as McNamara finally pulled the plug and brought in Bob Stanley to pitch to Wilson. Stanley worked Wilson to a 2-2 count putting the Sox once again one strike away from victory even after the 3 straight hits....instead Gedman mishandled a Stanley sinker and it went to the backstop, scoring Mitchell with the tying run. At this point it should be noted despite being lifted for Dave Stapleton all year, Buckner was still out there in the bottom of the tenth. This made the end even more bitter as Wilson hit a routine grounder to Buckner....RIGHT THROUGH HIS LEGS! Knight came around to score and just like that, the Mets had won. From a 5-3 lead with 2 outs and nobody on to a bitter 6-5 defeat just...like...that. It was one of the most if not THE most ignominious collapses in baseball history. Forget the Merkle boner, forget Bobby Thompson, forget Fred Snodgrass or Fred Lindstrom...the play by Buckner will be remembered forever by baseball fans.

                                                          No words


Jackass of the Night should be John McNamara for all the dumb decisions he made all night but conventionally I'm going with Calvin Schiraldi. He blew the game in the ninth AND 10th, it never should have come down to Buckner having to make a play.

                                          Schiraldi blows Game 6....twice, Jackass


The Good:

Wade Boggs was 3 for 5 with a walk and 2 runs scored.

Marty Barrett was 3 for 4 with 2 walks, 2 rbi's and a run scored.

Dave Henderson was 2 for 5 including the go-ahead homer in the top of the tenth.

Spike Owen was 3 for 4 with a run scored.

Roger Clemens was outstanding, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned in 7 innings pitched.



The Bad:

Bill Buckner was 0 for 5 with a hit by pitch but allowed the winning run to score on an error.

Mike Greenwell struck out as a pinch hitter.



The Ugly:

Jim Rice was 0 for 5 but walked.

Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4 with a walk but drove in 2 runs.

Rich Gedman was just 1 for 5 and allowed the tying run to score on a ball he should have handled.

Bob Stanley allowed 2 inherited runners to score but one was on what should have been a passed ball and the other on an error by Buckner.




Final Thoughts:

Congratulations Red Sox, you now own the biggest choke in MLB history. No team has ever led by 2 with 2 out and no one on base, come within one strike away...and lose. So many...many things went wrong even before the final play of the game. Rice getting thrown out at home, McNamara's failure to bring in Don Baylor to pinch hit. McNamara letting Buckner take the field in the bottom of the tenth. McNamara not going to a rested Stanley to begin the bottom of the tenth and taking Clemens out after the 7th inning after allowing just 1 earned run. It never should have come to the ground ball through Buckner's legs but that was just icing on the bitter sundae. How do you come back from this? You had the Mets dead to rights and now they have all the confidence in the world. The worst part is, there's still a Game 7 to play. Yup, there's still another game to blow as well. Oil Can Boyd goes up against Ron Darling on 3 days rest tomorrow night at Shea Stadium in the winner take all Game 7. Yippie.....

Hurst Pitches Gem, Sox One Win Away (10/23/86)

The 68 year old world championship drought could be coming to an end for the Boston Red Sox. After the 108 win New York Mets came into Fenway Park and stomped the Sox by a combined score of 13-3 in the prior two games, Sox starter Bruce Hurst said "That's the end of that!" Hurst went the distance, scattering 10 hits and a walk as the Sox got some timely offense to squeak by with a 4-2 win over Dwight Gooden and the Mets at Fenway Park. The Sox need just one more win at Shea Stadium over the heavily favored Mets and they're the champions.

                                                  NYDN gets it right again

After Ted Williams threw out the first pitch, Bruce Hurst took the mound in the top of the first inning. Len Dykstra grounded out to second to begin the frame before Tim Teufel made up for his game one error with a gap shot double. Keith Hernandez advanced Teufel with a ground out to second but Gary Carter also grounded out to second to end the inning. Dwight Gooden got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Wade Boggs hit a weak tapper back to Gooden for the first out. Marty Barrett walked but was foolishly picked off before Bill Buckner could even step to the plate. The pickoff was costly as Buckner singled up the middle and Jim Rice hit one off the glove of Teufel. Instead of the bases loaded and one out, it was 2 on and 2 out as Teufel was not charged with an error. Don Baylor got plunked to load the bases (which would have scored Barrett) which brought up Dwight Evans, who failed to produce in the first inning last night. History repeated itself as Evan popped up to left to end the inning. The Sox had 4 men on base but couldn't score any of them.

Darryl Strawberry began the top of the second inning by grounding out to first, Hurst having to cover first since Buckner couldn't move on his bad heels. Ray Knight flied out to right and Boggs made a diving grab and threw to first to nab Kevin Mitchell to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Vin Scully put over Ted Williams' final at-bat at Fenway back in 1960. Rich Gedman greeted Gooden by lofting a broken bat pop up to short to begin. Dave Henderson then lined one into the gap that made both Strawberry and Dykstra fall down, Hendu motoring into third with a triple. Spike Owen popped up to left but Henderson made a mad dash home to score the game's first run. Boggs grounded out to first to end the inning but the Sox had a 1-0 lead.

                                              Hendu scores to make it 1-0

Hurst began the top of the third inning by freezing Mookie Wilson as Scully says this was the first time the home team has led in the entire series. Rafael Santana walked and Dykstra blooped a single to center to put the Mets in business. Hurst recovered to get Teufel and Hernandez to both fly out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the second although Barrett grounded out to second to begin. Buckner reached on a Santana error and Rice walked, but Baylor swung at a ball in the dirt for strike three. Evans lashed a single to center and Buckner dove into home safe. Gedman flied out to center to end the inning but the Sox were now up 2-0.

                                                    Buckner scores to make it 2-0

Could Hurst pitch with the lead in the top of the fourth? YES! He froze Carter with a pitch at the knees although Strawberry lashed a single by the lunging Barrett. Knight banged into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. The Sox threatened in the bottom of the fourth although Henderson swung at a ball in the dirt to begin. Scully brought up how Gooden was drafted 5th overall by the Mets in the 1982 draft and Spike Owen was chosen 6th overall by the Mariners. Owen whiffed but Boggs singled up the middle just as Scully said he was 0 for his last 8. Barrett stroked a seeing eye single that moved Wade to third but Hernandez robbed Buckner of a single to end the inning.

The Mets threatened in the top of the fifth inning when Mitchell blooped a single to right and Wilson singled in the hole at second. Santana dropped down a sac bunt to move both runners into scoring position but Hurst got a huge out by striking out Dykstra. Teufel grounded out to third to end the inning as Fenway roared. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Rice lit up the crowd with a wind blown triple off the top off the bullpen wall, mere feet from a home run. Baylor scored Rice with a bloop single to right and Evans chased Gooden with a single to move Baylor to third. Bye Bye Gooden.

                                                Gooden leaves with the Sox up 3-0

Sid Fernandez took the mound and struck out Gedman but Henderson doubled down the left field line to score Baylor. Evans moved to third and was one hit away from breaking it open, but Owen was robbed of an rbi single by Teufel and Evans couldn't move. Boggs flied out to left to end the inning but it was 4-0 Sox.

                                                   Baylor "We got this one guys!"

Hurst returned for the top of the sixth and retired Hernandez on a one hopper to Owen. Carter grounded out to third and Strawberry was caught looking to end the inning as Scully was reciting The Music Man for no apparent reason. Fernandez returned for the bottom of the sixth and Barrett popped up to first to begin. Buckner flied out to left and Rice struck out to end the inning.

Knight led off the top of the seventh with a bloop single to right with 3 guys chasing the ball, but holding Ray at first on a heads up play by Gedman to cover second. Hurst recovered to make Mitchell swing at air and Wilson to fly out to right. Santana popped up to second to end the inning, that's 15 innings and ZERO runs allowed by Hurst in this series. Fernandez came back for the bottom of the seventh and whiffed Baylor to start. Evans grounded out to short and Gedman whiffed as well to end the inning.

The Mets finally cracked Hurst in the top of the eighth inning. Dykstra popped up to Owen to start but Teufel hit a wind aided, 300 foot home run down the right field line to put the Mets on the board. Hernandez blooped a single to right but Hurst recovered to get Carter to ground out to second. With the sell-out crowd on their feet, Hurst got Strawberry to pop up to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1

                                               A pop up to right somehow goes out

The fans started taunting Strawberry in the bottom of the eighth as he tipped his cap to the crowd. The Sox threatened in the bottom of the eighth while it appeared Hurst's night was done with Calvin Schiraldi warming in the bullpen. Henderson flied out to right and Owen whiffed but Boggs singled off the ankle of Teufel who hopped around screaming "habooooowoahhowhowhow!!!!" Barrett doubled off the Monster but Buckner ended his night by popping up to third to end the inning.

Hurst shockingly came back to finish his work in the top of the ninth. Dave Stapleton took over at first for Buckner as Bruce needed just one pitch to retire Knight on a grounder to third. Mitchell popped up to first as the crowd rose to its feet in the final game at Fenway Park this season. Wilson delayed the celebration with a double into the left field corner. Santana made it interesting by lining a base hit to right to score Wilson and bringing the tying run to the plate in Dykstra. Hurst got Dykstra to chase a high pitch to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-2 and were one win away from being World Series champions.

                                           The mob congratulates Hurst for going the distance

Hero of the Night is Bruce Hurst. He went the distance to save the bullpen for Game 6 and tossed a gem. 9 innings of 2 run ball to put the Sox one win away from the championship.

                                                     Hero of the Night: Bruce Hurst

The Good:

Wade Boggs was 2 for 5.

Marty Barrett was 2 for 4 with a walk.

Jim Rice was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Don Baylor was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a run scored.

Dwight Evans was 2 for 4 with an rbi.

Dave Henderson was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

The Bad:

Rich Gedman was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

The Ugly:

Bill Buckner was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.

Spike Owen was 0 for 3 but walked.

Honorable Mention:

Dave Stapleton played first base in the top of the ninth inning.

Final Thoughts:

Could it be? Could the Sox finally win the championship that's eluded them for 68 years? It sure looks good after Hurst's complete game victory. The bullpen will be well rested headed into Game 6 with Roger Clemens, the shoo-in for the AL Cy Young award, looming to pitch. Bob Ojeda pitched a great Game 3 so he'll be tough but Clemens is due for a gem. As mentioned earlier, the Sox look to finish off the World Series in Game 6 with Clemens going opposite Ojeda at Shea Stadium. If the Sox were to win it all, it will have to be on the road. Still, after nearly 68 years of misery it won't matter where they win it as long as they win it. For guys like Rice who missed the 75 Series and guys like Sammy Stewart that have already won it, it will all be worth it in the end if they win just one more game.

Mets Pound Sox, Even Series (10/22/86)

It seemed too good to be true and it turned out to be a nightmare. The Boston Red Sox came home to Fenway Park up 2-0 and are now tied going into Game 5. After Bob Ojeda shut down the Sox attack last night, tonight it was Ron Darling who threw 7 shut-out innings. Gary Carter hit two home runs and the Mets evened the series with a 6-2 win at Fenway Park.

                                                               Series tied

Nipper took the mound in the top of the first and Len Dykstra grounded out to short to begin the game. A graphic showed an unflattering fact that Nipper was the only starter in the post-season with a losing record in the regular season. The injury to Tom Seaver is the only reason he's pitching...plus he's on SEVENTEEN DAYS rest. Wally Backman hit a little roller to Bill Buckner who hobbled to first for the out. Keith Hernandez drew a walk as Buckner slipped and fell trying to catch a pop-up by Gary Carter. Nipper recovered to freeze an irate Carter looking to end the inning. Worcester native Ron Darling came back on 3 days rest to get the Game 4 start. Wade Boggs hit a comebacker to Darling to begin the bottom of the first inning. Marty Barrett doubled into the gap in left then moved to third on the ground-out by Buckner. Jim Rice drew a walk to put runners at the corners and Don Baylor walked to load the bases. Dwight Evans had a chance to break it open early but he grounded into a force to end the inning. Huge chance wasted there.

Darryl Strawberry began the top of the second inning but grounding out to second but Ray Knight singled. Danny Heep then grounded into a double play to end the inning. Rich Gedman greeted Darling in the bottom of the second with a double down the right field line. Some idiot released a bunch of balloons with a GO SOX billboard on it from the right field facade which made its way down to the field. This distracted Dave Henderson long enough to strike out. Gedman moved to third on the ground out by Spike Owen but was stranded when Boggs popped up to end the inning. That's 4 men left on base by the Sox, not good.

Mookie Wilson opened the top of the third inning by grounding out to Buckner, flipping to Nipper for the out. Rafael Santana hit a check swing chopper back to Nipper for the second out. Dykstra grounded out to first to end the inning. Darling cruised in the bottom of the third as Barrett hit a broken bat looper right to short to start. Buckner popped up to first and Rice struck out to end the inning.

The Mets struck first in the top of the fourth as Backman singled up the middle to start. Hernandez swung at a pitch out and grounded to short, but it moved Backman to second. Carter then put the Mets on a board with a 2 run bomb into the screen in left. Strawberry then hit a double off the Monster and Knight singled to center to score Darryl. Heep popped up to right and Wilson popped up to center but it was now 3-0 Mets

                                                Carter's bomb makes it 2-0

Pitching with the lead, the Sox mustered nothing in the bottom of the fourth inning against Darling. Darling struck out Baylor to start before Evans popped up to left, sending Mookie Wilson sprawling to the ground. Gedman popped up to third to end the inning.

Nipper returned for the top of the fifth and struck out Santana in short order. Dykstra hit a comebacker back to Nipper but Backman hit a seeing eye single in the hole at short. Backman swiped second but Hernandez grounded out to the crippled Buckner to end the inning.

                                             "I got these bums" - Nipper

The Sox tried to rally in the bottom of the fifth as Henderson watched strike three go by to begin. Owen walked as Vin Scully said that was sacrilegious to walk him hitting lefty. Boggs flied out to the left field wall but Barrett singled Owen to third. Buckner popped up to second to end the inning. More men left on base the Sox could ill afford.

Nipper returned for the top of the sixth inning and Buckner couldn't catch an inside out double by Carter down the right field line. Strawberry was robbed of a home run by Evans at the wall but Carter moved to third. Knight lined out sharply to Rice and Carter broke for home. Carter slid.....YER OUTTA THERE! The great throw by Rice and tag by Gedman gunned down Carter to end the inning with the game still 3-0.

                                            "Yeah you're out Carter" - Gedman

The crowd sprang to life as the Sox came to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rice flied out to center to start as Baylor flied out to the left field wall. Evans worked a walk and Gedman singled off the Monster....but was thrown out at second trying to stretch to end the inning. That was a huge out considering the Sox had Darling on the ropes.

                                                "Yeah you're out Gedman" - Backman

That was it for Nipper as Steve Crawford took over for the top of the seventh and got Heep to pop up by the Mets dugout to start. Wilson singled up the middle but Santana watched strike three go by. Wilson swiped second and Dwight Evans dropped a fly ball by Dykstra over the right field wall for a 2 run home run to ice the game. Backman grounded out to second to end the inning but it was all but over, 5-0 Mets.

                                The entire city of Boston feels the same as Dwight, 5-0 Mets

Darling returned for the bottom of the seventh and got Henderson to break his bat flying out to left field. Owens drew another walk to piss Darling off. Boggs flied out to right and kicked the dugout steps in disgust. Barrett worked a walk but Buckner popped up to short to end the inning.

Crawford returned for the top of the eighth and Hernandez lined right to Evans to start. The pain in the ass Carter launched an even longer home run completely out of Fenway to increase the lead. Strawberry singled past the diving Barrett but was thrown out at second trying to steal, but the Mets led 6-0.

                                                 Carter is all smiles as its 6-0

The Sox FINALLY got on the board against Roger McDowell in the bottom of the eighth inning as Rice led off with a double down the right field line. Baylor lined out to Santana and Evans made up for dropping the home run by driving in Rice with a seeing eye single up the middle. Gedman hit another seeing eye single that moved Evans to third. Henderson flied out to right but Evans ran home to cut the lead further. How big was the 3 runs allowed by Crawford now? Mike Greenwell pinch hit for Spike Owen and walked. Ed Romero pinch ran for Greenwell as Fenway came alive. That was it for McDowell as Mets manager Davey Johnson brought in Jesse Orosco to pitch to Boggs. Again, how big were the Crawford runs? Boggs grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox trailing 6-2.

                                                     Evans gets some redemption but its 6-2

Bob Stanley took the mound in the top of the ninth and got Heep to pop up to begin. Wilson singled past Stanley to center and broke for center. Gedman threw the ball away due to Santana throwing the bat in his face, moving Wilson to third. Santana hit a comebacker to Stanley who caught Wilson in a run-down, although Santana made it to second base. Dykstra grounded out to second to end the inning.

                                         Stanley says "Not on my watch Mookie"

The Sox had one last shot in the bottom of the ninth but Barrett grounded out to short to start. Buckner grounded out to first and Rice struck out to end the game. The Mets had evened the series with a 6-2 victory.

Jackass of the Night is Steve Crawford. Yes Nipper gave up the first 3 runs but Crawford gave the Sox no chance for a comeback by giving up 3 runs of his own.

                                      Crawford is Jackass tonight



The Good:

Marty Barrett was 2 for 4 with a walk.

Rich Gedman was 3 for 4.

Spike Owen walked twice in 3 plate appearances.

Mike Greenwell pinch hit for Owen and walked.

Bob Stanley pitched a scoreless ninth inning.




The Bad:

Wade Boggs was 0 for 5.

Bill Buckner was 0 for 5.




The Ugly:

Jim Rice was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored.

Don Baylor was 0 for 3 but walked.

Dwight Evans was 1 for 3 with a walk, a run scored and an rbi single but he dropped a catchable over the wall for a crucial 2 run home run.

Dave Henderson was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.

Al Nipper took the loss but pitched 6 solid innings and made one mistake to Gary Carter.




Honorable Mention:

Ed Romero played shortstop in the top of the ninth inning.




Final Thoughts:

So much for clinching the World Series at Fenway. Now they have to win Game 5 just to have a chance to win it in New York. Going 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position will get this team nowhere especially when you have your worst starting pitcher going. Evans dropping the home run over the wall was the microcosm of the game slipping away. Well, now the Sox HAVE to win Game 5 but they're going to throw Bruce Hurst up against Dwight Gooden in Game 5. Hurst dominated the Mets in Game 1 and he'll have to do it again if they have any prayer of winning the series.

Mets Strike Back, Take Game 3 (10/21/86)

There's a reason why the New York Mets won 108 games during the regular season and they showed it tonight. Their bats woke up for the first time all series and old friend Bob Ojeda pitched shut-down baseball. Sox starter Oil Can Boyd got pounded in the first inning and the Sox could never recover. When all was said and done, the Mets had won the game 7-1 to get back into the World Series.

                                                         Peeeee-you

The Mets set the tone right from the outset as Len Dykstra struck the third pitch of the game around the Pesky Pole for a leadoff home run. Wally Backman followed with a single and Keith Hernandez singled in the alley in center to move Backman to third. Gary Carter doubled to the wall to score Backman as NBC analyst Vin Scully said the Can was leaky. Boyd got a huge out by striking out Darryl Strawberry. Wade Boggs then fielded a routine grounder by Ray Knight and blew not one, but TWO run-downs as both Hernandez, then Carter scampered to their respective bases safely to load the bases. The failed rundown bit the Sox has Danny Heep lined a single to score Hernandez to increase the lead. Boyd blew Mookie Wilson away and Boggs made up for his mental error by snaring a hard hit ball by Rafael Santana, tossing to second for the force to end the inning. The Mets had jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Sox could even come to bat.

                                 The botched run-down proved to be the difference

Old pal Ojeda got the ball to start the bottom of the first and Boggs led off with a comebacker to the mound. Marty Barrett followed with a comebacker of his own and Bill Buckner flied out to right to end the inning.

Boyd came back for the top of the second inning and retired Dykstra on a ground ball to second. Boyd froze Backman with a rainbow curveball for strike three and Hernandez grounded out to first to end the inning. Jim Rice took strike 3 to open the bottom the bottom of the second as Vin Scully says Ojeda's best friend on the Sox was Rich Gedman. Don Baylor was robbed of a home run by the top of the Monster and had to settle for a double. Baylor was stranded as Dwight Evans hit a squibber to short and Gedman watched strike three go by to end the inning.

Boyd began the top of the third inning by getting Carter on a broken bat pop up to left. Strawberry flied out to right-center and Knight popped up to end the inning. The Sox broke through in the bottom of the third as Scully reminded the fans that when the eventual 1984 World Champion Detroit Tigers started the season 35-5, one of the 5 losses was a shut-out pitched by Ojeda for the Red Sox. Dave Henderson was unimpressed and singled to left to lead off the inning. Spike Owen lined out softly to third but Boggs walked. Barrett singled home Henderson to put Boston on the board and Ojeda on the ropes. Buckner let him off by striking out on a pitch up in his eyes and Rice grounded into a force to end the inning, but the Sox were now down 4-1.

                                              Henderson is safe and the Sox are on the board

Could Boyd keep it a 4-1 game in the top of the fourth? Heep flied out to center to start. After Scully gave us a short history on the Green Monster and a map of Boston, Wilson grounded out to second. Santana grounded out to third to end the inning. That's 11 in a row retired by Boyd after the disastrous first. Ojeda matched Boyd in the bottom of the fourth as Baylor grounded out to short to begin. Evans was out on a swinging bunt in front of the plate before Gedman lined out to a running Wilson to end the inning.

Dykstra broke the string by Boyd with a bloop single to start the top of the fifth. He moved to second on the ground out by Backman then to third on the fly out by Hernandez. Carter popped up to short to end the inning. Henderson was caught looking on a changeup to open the bottom of the fifth as Scully compared Ojeda to diffusing a bomb. Backman made a great diving play to rob Owen of a hit but Boggs singled down the left field line. Barrett singled up the middle but Ojeda got out of it by getting Buckner to ground into a force to end the inning. Another chance wasted.

Boyd came back for the top of the sixth as Strawberry popped up to center to begin. Knight hit a ground ball to Owen that was dug out by Buckner for the second out. Heep popped up to right to end the inning. The Mets have had just one baserunner since Heep's rbi single with one out in the top of the first. The Sox tried to start a rally in the bottom of the sixth as Rice walked to start the inning. Baylor popped up to Knight who almost cleaned out Santana making the catch. Evans struck out but a wild pitch by Ojeda moved Rice to second. Gedman got caught looking on a curveball at the knees to end the inning, another runner left in scoring position.

Boyd returned for the top of the seventh inning and Wilson popped up to Buckner in foul territory to begin. Santana singled up the middle and Dykstra singled to right. Backman popped up to left but Hernandez walked to load the bases. Carter then iced the game with a base hit to score Santana and Dykstra before being thrown out in a run-down to end the inning. The Mets had put the game away 6-1. Boyd stayed in one batter too late even if he completed 7 innings.

                                            Carter gets thrown out after icing the game

Ojeda came back for the bottom of the seventh and walked Henderson to start. Owen banged into a double play on a great play by Backman then Boggs hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.

Joe Sambito got the ball in the top of the eighth and Strawberry singled to center before taking second on a wild pitch. Darryl took third on a passed ball when Gedman dropped it then scored on the Knight double down the left field line. That was it for Sambito as Sox manager John MacNamara pulled him in favor of Bob Stanley, terrible outing by Joe. Lee Mazzilli pinch hit for Kevin Mitchell who was pinch hitting for Heep and grounded out, moving Knight to third. Stanley blew away Wilson who did a 360 on his way back to the dugout. Santana hit a comebacker to Stanley to end the inning with the lead now 7-1.

Roger McDowell took over for Ojeda in the bottom of the 8th inning as Scully claimed there hasn't been a complete game thrown by a lefty since Frank Viola in August of 1985. Barrett and Buckner were both retired on squibbers and Rice on a ground out to third to end the inning.

Stanley returned for the top of the ninth and Dykstra greeted him with a single in the hole at short. Dykstra was erased on the force by Backman but Hernandez singled. Carter banged into a double play to end the inning. McDowell returned for the bottom of the ninth and got Baylor to ground out to third after a lengthy at-bat. Evans flied out to right and Gedman grounded out to second to end the game. The Mets had won it 7-1.

                                                   The scoreboard says it all, 7-1


Jackass of the Night is Oil Can Boyd. It really should be John McNamara for leaving him in too long but he went 7 full innings giving up 6 runs the Sox could not recover.

                                                         Boyd is Jackass


The Good:

Wade Boggs was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Marty Barrett was 2 for 4 with an rbi.

Dave Henderson was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored.

Bob Stanley tossed 2 scoreless innings.



The Bad:

Bill Buckner was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Dwight Evans was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Rich Gedman was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Spike Owen was 0 for 3.

Joe Sambito was charged with a run without retiring anyone.



The Ugly:

Jim Rice was 0 for 3 but walked.

Don Baylor was just 1 for 4.



Final Thoughts:

Damn....that's all that can be said. The Sox had a perfect chance to bury the Mets and they let them off the hook. The leadoff homer by Dykstra set the tone and the 4 run first inning was too much for the Sox to overcome. Yes they've overcome greater disadvantages in the past but these are the 108 win Mets, these guys are for real.  Tomorrow night Ron Darling goes on 3 days rest for the Mets against a rested Al Nipper. If only Tom Seaver was healthy, but hopefully Nipper can bury the Mets in Game 4.