Skip to main content

Dodging Bullets

It is possible not to hit with runners in scoring position and win. It just doesn't happen very often.

That's why the win of September 9, 1985, in the finale of an exhilerating three-game series in Los Angeles (first game: Gooden-Valenzuela showdown; second game: Dodgers walk-off win) is one to treasure.

The Mets and Dodgers played 14 innings that day. It was a long enough game that the Mets got 20 at-bats with runners in scoring position. You know how many hits they got?

One.

The Mets failed on their first nine and last 10 opportunities with runners on second and/or third base. The hit was a Keith Hernandez single off Orel Hershiser with two outs in the eighth that scored Mookie Wilson, and put the Mets up 3-1.

Mike Marshall tied the game with a two-run, 44o-foot (by newspaper accounts) home run off Jesse Orosco in the bottom of the eighth, depriving Sid Fernandez of a decision in a finely-tossed effort (7 IP, 1 R, 3 H).

If the recent offensive output of the current squad is enough to make you ill, those of this particular day aren't well-suited to the stomach.

The Mets stranded Lenny Dykstra on second base in the 9th.
The Mets stranded Wally Backman on second base in the 10th.
The Mets stranded Darryl Strawberry on third base in the 11th.
The Mets stranded Mookie Wilson on second base in the 12th.
The Mets stranded Lenny Dykstra on second base in the 13th.

By the 14th, it was evident that the only way this game was going to end was if someone could poke the ball out of the ballpark and end the batting misery.

Mookie Wilson, he of only three home runs that season and sidelined for chunks of the season due to shoulder issues, wasn't the most ideal person to do that (This was Wilson's first start since June 28). but when Dodgers reliever Carlos Diaz hung a changeup, Wilson delivered, with a home run to left field. The Mets led 4-3, and just for good measure, they stranded Keith Hernandez on second base to end the inning.

Doug Sisk closed out the Dodgers with a 1-2-3 14th inning, a feat as rare as a hit with a runner in scoring position, and after nearly five hours the Mets had a victory that left them within 1/2 a game of first place.

The Mets fan who can hit with runners in scoring position knows...The Mets have 8 extra-inning wins in Dodger Stadium, with this one being the second-lengthiest. On May 24, 1973, they beat the Dodgers 7-3 in 19 innings.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The best Mets ejections I know

When you think of the Mets and famous ejections, I'm guessing you first think of the famous Bobby Valentine mustache game, when after Valentine got tossed, he returned to the dugout in disguise. You know it. You love it. I remember being amused when I asked Bobby V about it while we were working on Baseball Tonight, how he simply said "It worked. We won the game." (true) But the Bobby V mustache game of June 9, 1999 is one of many, many memorable Mets ejection stories. And now thanks to Retrosheet and the magic of Newspapers.com , we have a convenient means for being able to share them. Ever since Retrosheet's David Smith recently announced that the Retrosheet ejection database was posted online , I've been a kid in a candy store. I've organized the data and done some lookups of media coverage around the games that interested me post. Those newspaper accounts fill in a lot of blanks. Without further ado (and with more work to do), here are some of my findings

Minutiae Break: Worst Mets Relievers

It occurs to me after 79 straight walk-off related posts and some fatigue still remaining from Saturday's finish that I did promise to bring Metspective on other issues related to the Flushing 9, so I offer this posting up as a "Minutiae Break." This came about after several discussions related to the offhand Dick Tidrow/Danny Graves remark the other day , the conclusion of which indicated that it would be fun to create a list of the worst Mets relievers of all-time. I don't want to step on the territory of other bloggers, like " Faith and Fear in Flushing ," Mets Guy in Michigan " and " Metstradamus ," so I'll tread carefully here, aided by their influence. Should any friends, family members, or fans of these pitchers visit this site, I mean no harm. I'm just here to have a little fun with this topic. The ground rules are as follows: The pitcher must have had a Mets stint as long as Dick Tidrow's (11 games, 15 2/3 innings), for wh

The 'Duca of Earl (and walk-offs)

If I told you that the Mets had just obtained a guy who is a career .316 hitter with runners in scoring position? How about if I told you that the Mets just traded for a hitter who has consistently ranked among the toughest in baseball to strike out? Or if I mentioned that the Mets just dealt for a player who was selected to the NL All-Star team the last three seasons, with the last honor coming via a vote by his peers? So, although he's on the down side age wise, his throwing arm isn't as good as it used to be, and he doesn't provide much power, there are a lot of good things that Paul Lo Duca brings to the New York Mets. For example: He'll sacrifice his body for the good of the team The Dodgers and Braves squared off on August 23, 2002 and Lo Duca made an impact both on the start and finish of this game. Three pitches after being dusted by Greg Maddux, Lo Duca made him pay with a first-inning home run. The Braves rallied to tie the game, 3-3 in the ninth, but their bu