July 22, 1986 at Riverfront Stadium
Mets 6, Reds 3 (62-28)
After the fifteen inning loss to the Astros on the 20th, you’d think the Mets’ tanks were on empty. And to play a second five hour game only two days later must have been taxing for the team, but they really came through to pull out the win.
The Reds took a 2-0 lead in the third inning as Dave Parker hit a two run shot off of Bobby Ojeda. The Mets shaved that lead in half in the fifth on Len Dykstra’s RBI triple, but the Reds answered in the bottom half of the inning on Buddy Bell’s solo homer. Neither team scored in the next three innings so it was 3-1 heading into the top of the ninth.
The Mets appeared to catch in early break in the ninth when Howard Johnson struck out. He then kicked the ball and ended up advancing to first on what turned out to be a passed ball. Mookie Wilson then put that threat to rest by hitting into a double play. Fortunately the Mets weren’t done. Len Dykstra drew a walk and then moved to third on Tim Teufel’s double. Keith Hernandez then hit a fly ball to Dave Parker, who then misplayed the ball. Parker was credited with an error and Dykstra and Teufel scored to tie the game up.
As the game went into extra frames, neither team scored until the fourteenth inning. Ed Hearn led off with a double and then Jesse Orosco drew a walk. Roger McDowell struck out, but then Howard Johnson came up huge with a three run homer to put the game away.
Davey Johnson’s use of the pen was simply fantastic. At the end of the game, he had Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco both on the field. While one was pitching, the other was out in the outfield. This went on from the tenth inning.
Roger McDowell threw three innings and gave up only a single hit as he improved to 8-4. In all, five different relievers held the Reds to no runs on eight hits through nine innings of work.
