Tom Seaver Fan Club

April 24, 1986 at Busch Stadium 

Mets 5, Cardinals 4  (8-3)

It took ten innings, but the Mets won their sixth game in a row.  The Cardinals had a 3-1 lead heading into the eighth inning but the Mets shaved that lead in half on Gary Carter’s RBI single.  The Cardinals added a run in the bottom half of the inning, and the Mets went into the ninth down by two runs.

George Foster led off the ninth with a double and he moved to third on Ray Knight’s ground out.  Then Howard Johnson came up huge a two run blast that tied the game, sending it into extra innings.

The Mets didn’t waste much time to put the game away.  Wally Backman led off with a walk and stole second base.  Keith Hernandez grounded out to third and Gary Carter flew out to right.  Darryl Strawberry was given an intentional pass, and then George Foster came up with another big hit as he singled home Backman.

Roger McDowell threw the ninth and tenth and didn’t give up a hit while striking out two. He improved to 2-0.  The bullpen really kept the Mets in the game as four relievers (including McDowell) combined to throw five innings of one hit ball.