1986 National League Championship Series

The 1986 National League Championship Series featured the New York Mets taking on the Houston Astros. 1986 is considered one of the all-time best years of baseball, and this series is part of the reason.

Coming off an 108-54 regular season record, the Mets were favored over the 96-66 Astros, and after some trouble, the Mets would win the best-of-seven series 4-2. The Astros were not expected to do much in 1986 at all, let alone battle the Mets for a chance to go to the World Series. But they did, and they would fall short in this great series, capped off by a 16-inning game, the longest game by innings in playoff history until the 2005 National League Division Series when the Astros beat the Atlanta Braves in 18 innings, also to clinch the series.

The Mets would also go on to beat the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, 4 games to 3.

Umpires: Doug Harvey, Lee Weyer, Frank Pulli, Dutch Rennert, Joe West, Fred Brocklander

Television: ABC (Keith Jackson and Tim McCarver announcing)

Game 1

October 8 (Houston)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Houston	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	X	1	7	1
WP: Mike Scott (1-0)  LP: Dwight Gooden (0-1)
HR: NYM – None.; HOU – Glenn Davis (1)

Game 1 was a nailbiter as Game 1's often are, which featured an excellent pitching duel between Mike Scott and Dwight Gooden.

Mike Scott was far and away the best pitcher in the National League in 1986. Gooden was the Mets' ace, so this game was predicted to be great. In the end, Scott and the Astros would prevail 1-0. The Mets only got 5 hits throughout the game. Scott struck out 14. The game was complete in 2 hours, 56 minutes.

Astro First Baseman Glenn Davis hit a long home run leading off the second inning, producing the only run the Astros would get and all they would need, as the Astros took the series lead 1 game to none.

Game 2

October 9 (Houston)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	0	0	0	2	3	0	0	0	0	5	10	0
Houston	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	10	2
WP: Bob Ojeda (1-0)  LP: Nolan Ryan (0-1)
HR: NYM – None.; HOU – None.

An amazing game like Game 1 wouldn't be seen again in Game 2. The Mets blew by the Astros and won 5-1. Keith Hernandez hit a two-run triple in the 5th inning to break the game wide open. The Astros would eke out one run in the 7th and lose by 4.

After the game, Hernandez commented. "It was a big win for us -- obviously," said Hernandez. "But to say that we have the edge now, I disagree. Houston is a fine team, and this is the best matchup in the playoffs since Philadelphia and Houston in 1980.

Bob Ojeda got the win for the Mets, pitching a gem. The Mets won in a smooth 2 hours, 40 minutes.

Game 3

October 11 (New York City)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Houston	2	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	8	1
New York	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	2	6	10	1
WP: Jesse Orosco (1-0)  LP: Dave Smith (0-1)
HR: HOU – Bill Doran (1); NYM – Darryl Strawberry (1), Lenny Dykstra (1)

Game 3 would be another historically great game, with an amazing comeback that was hugely important in deciding the series.

In a game that lasted 5 minutes under 3 hours, Houston broke through first with 4 runs in the first two innings. Ron Darling was pitching for the Mets and settled down after that, which gave them time to get back into the game. They would tie it in the bottom of the 6th with 4 runs in the inning. But the Astros would strike again right away, taking the lead 5-4 in the top of the 7th.

One of the most historic playoff home runs of all time would come off the bat of Lenny Dykstra, one of the last guys people expected to hit a home run. It was the bottom of the 9th and the Astros still held the lead. The Astros closer, Dave Smith came in to close the Mets out. Wally Backman bunted his way on against Smith in the first real controversial play of the series.

Backman ran and slid out of the first-base line to avoid the tag of first baseman Glenn Davis, who had to come up the line and field the bunt. Astros manager Hal Lanier argued that Backman should have been called out. But first base umpire Dutch Rennert ruled that Backman was allowed in that case to leave the baseline because he already had passed Davis.

Then, up came Dykstra. In his first at bat, he struck out. He didn't start the game because he never started games against lefties (Bob Knepper). Dykstra would get a hold of one, and the Mets would take the series lead 2-1 in New York. Dykstra was as shocked as anyone. "I wasn't thinking about going up there to hit a home run to win the ballgame," he said. "I was just thinking base hit. I saw the pitch real well and hit it real well. Don't get used to this. You're not going to see too many more game-winning home runs from me."

Lanier explained his decision to bring Smith in after a scoreless 8th inning by reliever, Charlie Kerfeld. "When I've got a man pitching who saved me 33 games, I'll bring him in," said Lanier.

Darryl Strawberry had a home run in the Mets win.

Game 4

October 12 (New York City)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Houston	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	4	1
New York	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	3	0
WP: Mike Scott (2-0)  LP: Sid Fernandez (0-1)
HR: HOU – Alan Ashby (1), Dickie Thon (1); NYM – None.

Houston would stike back in Game 4 and tie the series at 2, with a smooth 3-1 win behind ace, Mike Scott, who was going on 3 days rest. It was another complete game for him, and 2 home runs from the Astros was all the offense they would need. Scott would not pitch again in the series.

"God couldn't have pitched better than Scott did tonight," said second baseman Wally Backman, who (along with first basemen Keith Hernandez) maintained that Scott threw an illegally defaced ball.

"We knew what had to be done," said Astros manager Hal Lanier. "We had to win tonight. We knew if we didn't win, we'd be down 3-1 and we'd be seeing Dwight tomorrow."

Scott had kept them in the series, but the all important Game 5 was in just 2 days. The game lasted only 2 hours, 23 minutes.

Game 5

October 14 (New York City)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	R	H	E
Houston	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	9	1
New York	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	4	0
WP: Jesse Orosco (2-0)  LP: Charlie Kerfeld (0-1)
HRs: HOU – None. NYM – Darryl Strawberry (2)

Though it would be overshadowed a day later by Game 6, Game 5 was still one of the best games in the history of the playoffs, a tense 12-inning pitcher's duel that ended with a game-winning RBI single by slumping Gary Carter in the bottom of the 12th. The Mets won the game 2-1 and took the series lead 3-2.

It's not a comfortable feeling," said Mets manager Davey Johnson, talking about a return to Houston. "The Astros don't give up. They fight tooth and nail. They'll have two fine pitchers going against us, who are each able to beat us. We'll have to play real well to beat them."

Dwight Gooden continued his outstanding pitching in the LCS for the Mets, allowing only one run in 10 innings, the longest outing of his career. Astros starter Nolan Ryan matched him pitch for pitch, however, allowing only a single run himself. Both teams scored a lone run in the 5th inning. Craig Reynolds drove in Alan Ashby with an RBI single to put the Astros up 1-0, but the Mets evened the score in the bottom of the inning on Darryl Strawberry's second home run of the series. Neither team would score again for seven more innings.

In the 11th inning, Gooden was relieved by Jesse Orosco, who came in and shut down the Astros for two innings. Then in the bottom of the 12th, the Mets finally broke through. Wally Backman opened things with an infield single to third, then went to second on an errant pickoff throw by Charlie Kerfeld. The Astros elected to walk Keith Hernandez intentionally to face Gary Carter, who was batting .048 (1-21) in the series so far. Carter ended the game with a single to center, sending the series back to Houston with the Mets one win away from earning a trip to the World Series.

Game 6

October 15 (Houston)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	R	H	E
New York	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	7	11	0
Houston	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	6	11	1
WP: Jesse Orosco (3-0)  LP: Aurelio Lopez (0-1)
HRs: NYM – None. HOU – Billy Hatcher (1)

Game 6 was one for the ages, in more ways than one. The game went 16 innings with the Mets coming out on top 7-6. It was the highest scoring game of the series; in fact, the 16th inning alone featured more runs than three of the previous five games had in their entirety.

The Astrodome hosted what some consider to be one of the greatest games of all time that October and it will forever be remembered.

The big story of Game 6 was that both teams needed the game. The Astros obviously had to have it because they were facing elimination. Even though they were up 3-2 in the series, the Mets regarded it as a must-win because they were scheduled to face Mike Scott again in Game 7. Scott had given up a grand total of 1 run in his first two starts of the series, and had dominated the Mets so completely that even the most optimistic Mets fans knew their chances of beating him in a potential Game 7 were small. The end result was one of the greatest Game 6 scenarios ever seen.

The Astros broke through first, and for a low scoring series like this, they broke through big, scoring three runs off a possibly tired Bob Ojeda in the bottom of the first. He settled down after that, however, and the Astros wouldn't score again for the next 12 innings. Meanwhile, Astros starter Bob Knepper was brilliant from the very first pitch, and the game headed to the 9th still 3-0.

Just when it looked like the Mets would have to face the mighty Scott, however, their bats suddenly came to life. After pitching almost perfectly for the first eight innings, Knepper clearly tired in the 9th. He allowed three hits and recorded only one out, and left with the Astros clinging to a 3-2 lead. The decision by Lanier not to bring in Smith to start the inning was talked about for years to come. Smith was their closer, but had blown a save earlier in the series. When Smith finally did appear, he was ineffective, walking two batters to load the bases and then allowing the trying run to score on a sacrifice fly by Ray Knight. In a matter of minutes, the previously raucous crowd of 45,718 had been almost completely silenced and extra innings had soon begun.

In the 14th, the Mets made their first bid to win. After Gary Carter opened with a single, a walk to Darryl Strawberry put two runners on with nobody out. After Knight forced Carter at third, Wally Backman drove a single to right. When Kevin Bass's throw to the plate sailed high over Alan Ashby's head to the screen, Strawberry scored. It looked like the end for the Astros, as Orosco came in to close them down.

With one out in the bottom of the 14th and the Houston fans with their heads in their hands, Billy Hatcher shocked everyone with a line drive home run off the left field foul pole. Hatcher went 3 for 7 in the game, and his homer meant the Astros would be kept alive for at least one more inning. Both teams failed to score in the 15th, and the game went to the 16th inning, the most innings in playoff history at that time.

The 16th inning would be the deciding factor, and it was not an easy 16th for either pitching staff. The Mets appeared to take control of the game once again, this time coming up with 3 runs in the top half of the inning. The rally began with Strawberry receiving a gift double when Billy Hatcher and Bill Doran misplayed his towering fly ball with one out. When Knight followed with a single to right, a poor throw to the plate by Kevin Bass allowed the tiebreaking run to score, just as it had in the 14th. A walk, two wild pitches, and a single by Lenny Dykstra brought in two more runs, putting the Mets up 7-4. This sent some of the Houston faithful for the exits; those who stayed, however, almost witnessed the unthinkable.

Orosco struck out Craig Reynolds to open the inning, but a walk and two singles later, Houston had a run in and the tying run on base. Orosco induced Denny Walling to hit into a force play at second for the second out, but Glenn Davis singled home another run, bringing the Astros within a run. People everywhere were quiet as they watched Orosco face right fielder Kevin Bass with two outs and the tying run on second, and the winning run on first.

It was all up to Bass to drive in a run and tie the game. Orosco threw Bass six straight sliders; when Bass swung and missed the last of them, the epic series was over. Orosco was awarded the victory, marking the first time in postseason history a reliever won three games in a series. It would be a long winter for the Astros, but for the Mets, an even bigger trial awaited them. After taking two days off to recover from the exhausting series against Houston, the Mets began a legendary World Series against the Boston Red Sox, a series in which they would pull off one of the greatest comebacks of all time.

The Mets had won the series with a .189 batting average, the lowest average ever recorded by a winning team in a postseason series. Their pitching had been the key.

"What we got was the big hit and that's what Houston could never get off our relievers," said Dykstra.

"What can you say?" said Keith Hernandez of the Mets.

And then, raising a bottle of champagne, he said it all: "I just don't ever want to go through another playoff series like this." The series finale had been the longest postseason game, in terms of innings, of all time, a record it would hold until 2005. It still holds the record for longest League Championship Series game. Baseball historians and fans often regard the series as the greatest series to not reach a deciding game. It was part of one of the most historic baseball seasons of all time, 1986, and featured one of baseball's all-time best performances by a player on a losing team: Mike Scott.

Mike Scott, who got both Astro wins in the series, would never get another crack at the Mets, and the Mets would be world champions.