MLB – 1986 NLCS – Game 5 – New York Mets vs Houston Astros – Shea Stadium – 1st Thru 4th Inning

DOG COMMENTARY:

This particular set of 3  videos encompassing the 1986 NLCS Game 5 holds a very special place in this lil ole chiweenie Sportsphile’s heart….cuz Bone Daddy was in attendance for Game 3, Game 4 and Game 5 at Shea Stadium in Flushing Meadows, NYC from October 11 – 14…and he comments all the time about how it was a truly great set of three games….especially Game 5…. although his beloved Astros would put him in a position where their lead and his Texas arrogance made him roar to the high heavens as he sat middle of the Mets fans on the 1st row of the Mezzanine level right above the Mets dugout would only lead him to heartbreak and a huge dose of “humble pie” that he had to eat as served up as ibkt New York sports fans can do….but that is another story for another day….however, Bone Daddy has always said that this Game 5 was one of the greatest baseball games he has ever seen.  

After rain postponed Game 5 to a noon start on October 14….the Mets took a 3–2 series lead as Gary Carter’s single off Charlie Kerfeld in the bottom of the 12th scored Wally Backman with the winning run for a 2–1 victory.  Game 5 was a pitching duel between Dwight Gooden and Nolan Ryan….as Gooden allowed just one run in 10 innings….while The Ryan Express also surrendered just a single run on two hits while striking out 12 in nine innings….

With no score in the top of the second….Gooden surrendered consecutive singles to Kevin Bass and José Cruz….putting runners on the corners with nobody out…then he caught Alan Ashby looking on a full count….and induced Craig Reynolds to ground into a double play to escape the jam….however, Craig Reynolds appeared to clearly beat out a double-play ball, thanks to a slow pivot by shortstop Rafael Santana….when first base umpire Fred Brocklander called Reynolds out, negating a run from Kevin Bass. Brocklander ruled that Reynolds’ foot was above the bag and not on it when Santana’s relay arrived to Keith Hernandez. Surrounded by reporters after the game the umpire Brocklander said “I saw the replay, I go with my call. It was a bang-bang play, as close to a tie as you’ll get.”….to which Reynolds criticized Brocklander’s response, saying, “If he said he saw the replay, then all I can say is that he missed it twice.”

Said Astros manager Hal Lanier: “If it goes our way, we would have won in nine.”….as Mets 1B Keith Hernandez would reveal in 2011 that he had stepped off the bag as the first baseman in that play. Hernandez would say, “[Reynolds] clearly beat it, but I cheated and we got the call.”….and had Reynolds correctly been called safe….Bass would have scored from third and the Astros would have taken an early 1–0 lead.

The Astros eventually did take 1–0 lead in the fifth when Alan Ashby doubled and took third on a single by Craig Reynolds….then scoring on Bilyl Doran’s ground-out….but, the Mets came right back and tied it in the bottom half when Darryl Strawberry took Ryan deep for the Mets’ first hit of the game and his second homer of the series.

The Astros reached second base in the eighth and tenth innings….however, in the 8th Gooden got Denny Walling to fly out to Mookie Wilson in left field….to which Wilson doubled off Bill Doran from second base to end the inning….while in the 10th inning, Gooden gave up a single to pinch hitter Terry Puhl….who then stole second base….then Gooden walked Bill Doran….after which he got Billy Hatcher to fly out to right field to end the inning with no damage done.

The game stayed tied until the 12th when with one out Wally Backman got an infield single off Kerfeld….then took second on Kerfeld’s errant throw on a pick-off attempt. Houston manager Hal Lanier opted to intentionally walk Keith Hernandez and pitch to Gary Carter….who had been just 1-for-21 in the series….but the catcher came through by lashing a single to center to give the Mets the win and a one-game lead as the series shifted back to Houston.

By the time Bone Daddy left Shea Stadium on the evening of October 14, 1986….he had endured “return fire” from all of the enemy Mets fans that he sat amongst….after dishing out more than his fair share of “Texas Trash Talk” for nearly 4 1/2 hours…..so, you can see why this video is near and dear to my heart.