August 6, 1986 at Wrigley Field
Mets 7, Cubs 6 (70-34)
The Mets finally figure out the Cubs and won their 70th game in a twelve inning thriller that started off an exciting double header against the Cubs. The Mets took a quick 1-0 lead in the first after a 48 minute rain delay on a solo homerun by Keith Hernandez. The Cubs answered in the third when Bob Dernier stole home and Ryne Sandberg took Dwight Gooden deep with a solo shot. The Cubs added a run in the fourth on Jody Davis’ sac. fly to make it a 3-1 game.
In the top of the fifth, the Mets answered in a big way. Kevin Mitchell struck out to lead off the inning, but three straight singles by Rafael Santana, Dwight Gooden, and Len Dykstra led to two scoring runs, and then Wally Backman’s sac. fly gave the Mets a 4-3 lead.
The Mets put an insurance run on the board in the top of the eighth on a fielder choice by Mookie Wilson that scored Dykstra. Gooden cruised through the eighth, but once again it looked like Davey Johnson rode his starter a little too long as he let Gooden pitch in the ninth. Jody Davis took Gooden deep with a two run shot that tied the game and sent it into extra innings.
The Mets threatened in the 11th but couldn’t get anyone across. In the 12th, Keith Herandez led off with a walk and he moved to third on Gary Carters single and Shawon Dunston’s error. Then Mookie Wilson drove home both baserunners with an RBI single off of Hall of Fame closer Lee Smith.
Roger McDowell was touched up in the bottom of the twelth but the Cubs could only manage a single run. McDowell won his tenth game of the season.
August 6, 1986 at Wrigley Field
Mets 7, Cubs 6 (71-34)
It wouldn’t be for a few more year’s until Wrigley Field would have lights and it affected this game. The Mets finished their double header sweep against the Cubs in another close game. The second game saw the Mets jump out to a 6-2 lead in the fifth only to see the cubs shave it to 6-4 before the game was suspended at the end of the seventh. It was finished the next day and the Mets squeaked out a narrow 7-6 win that saw the Cubs score twice in the ninth to shave the lead to a single run. The Cubs rally was cut short when Bob Dernier tried to bunt Ryne Sandberg over to second but ended up hitting into a double play instead.
Rick Anderson walked away with his first win of the seasonby going five innings and giving up three runs on five hits. Jesse Orosco got the final batter out to earn his fifteenth save of the season.
Gary Carter went two for five with a homerun and three RBIs. Keith Hernandez and Mookie Wilson both had three hits and Howard Johnson hit his eighth homerun of the season.
