National League Championship Series Game Three
October 11, 1986 at Shea Stadium
Mets 6, Astros 5 Mets Lead Best of Seven Series 2-1
The Mets came back to top the Astros in game three of the NLCS and in the process, took their first series lead. Bob Knepper got the start for the Astros while Ron Darling threw for the Mets.
The Astros jumped out in front early. In the first inning, the Astros tagged Darling for two runs on three hits. Denny Walling singled home Billy Hatcher and Jose Cruz singled home Walling to make it 2-0.
Darling didn’t get much of a break because the Astros hit him hard in the second inning as well. Bill Doran’s two run homerun put the Astros comfortably in the lead 4-0.
While this was happening, Knepper was mowing down the Mets. New York posed no real threat until they got two men on in the fourth but even that was with two outs and Knepper got Ray Knight to fly out to end the inning. It wasn’t until the sixth inning that Mets finally got to Knepper and started their comeback.
Kevin Mitchell led off the sixth and he moved to second on another single by Keith Hernandez. Gary Carter then reached base on Craig Reynolds error and Mitchell came around to score. Then Darryl Strawberry hit a huge three run homerun to clear the bases and tie the game up 4-4.
The Astros answered in the very next inning. Walling hit into a fielders choice with Bill Doran on third base and Doran scampered home. The Mets then went down quietly in the seventh and eighth and entered the ninth still down by a run.
Wally Backman laid down a bunt single to put a runner on and then Andy Ashby’s passed ball allowed Backman to move over to second. Danny Heep flew out to center, and then Lenny Dykstra came through huge with a two run walk off homerun to win it for the Mets.
