1986 World Series - Game Six
October 25, 1986 at Shea Stadium
Mets 6, Red Sox 5 Best of Seven Series Tied 3-3
The Mets evened up their series with the Red Sox in a classic game. We’ve all seen the end of this one. Roger Clemens got the start against Bob Ojeda.
It didn’t take long for the Red Sox to get to their former pitcher. Bob Ojeda gave up an RBI double to Dwight Evans in the first inning and an RBI single by Marty Barrett in the second. The 2-0 Red Sox lead would stand until the fifth when the Mets finally began to hit Roger Clemens.
Darryl Strawberry led off the fifth with a walk and then he stole second. Strawberry then scored on Ray Knight’s RBI single and then Knight moved to third on Mookie Wilson’s single and an error by Dwight Evans. Ray Knight then scored when Danny Heep grounded into a double play. The Mets had tied the game up at 2-2 though.
Roger McDowell came in to relieve Ojeda in the seventh and in that inning, an error by Ray Knight cost the Mets a run. Dwight Evans eventually grounded out but Barrett scored the go ahead run on the play.
The Mets went down quietly in the bottom of the seventh and the Red Sox threatened in the eighth and loaded the bases up but Jesse Orosco got Bill Buckner to fly out to center to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Lee Mazzilli led off with a single. Lenny Dykstra then laid down a bunt and they tried to get Mazzilli out at second but failed. Wally Backman then moved both baserunners over and Keith Hernandez was given a free pass before Gary Carter hit a fly ball far enough to score Mazzilli. Darryl Strawberry then flew out to end the inning and the game entered the ninth inning 3-3.
Kevin Elster’s fielding error gave the Red Sox a baserunner in the ninth but Rich Gedman grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Mets then got the first two hitters on base in the bottom of the ninth but failed to bring either on home. The game then headed into extra frames.
Dave Henderson led off the tenth with a homerun to make it 4-3. Rick Aguilera then struck out Spike Owen and Calvin Schiraldi, but Wade Boggs kept the inning alive with a double. Marty Barrett then singled home Boggs to give the Red Sox a 5-3 lead.
Things looked very grim for the Mets in the tenth. Wally Backman and Keith Hernandez both flew out to start the inning and the Mets were down to their last out. Gary Carter kept things alive with a single and Kevin Mitchell followed that up with a single and then Ray Knight drove home Carter with a single to make it 5-4. Bob Stanley then replaced Schiraldi on the mound to try to stop the damage.
Stanley then threw a wild pitch. Mitchell scored to tie the game up, and now the Mets had the winning run in scoring position. Mookie Wilson then hit what appeared to be a routine ground ball to first baseman Bill Buckner, but the ball scooted between his legs and Ray Knight came around to score from second base to end the game.
The Mets were pretty much done, but they found new life somehow. Now things would come down to a game seven that would decide the 1986 World Series.
