1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series was a memorable battle between the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox that helped spread the legend of "The Curse of the Bambino" to mass public awareness. The Mets had been in a swirl of controversy during the entire season thanks in part to their edgy and rowdy players. But the team always seemed to be able to pull it together for a game, and they had won a total of 108 games during the regular season to win the NL Championship Series, 4 games to 2, over the Houston Astros.
Umpires: John Kibler (NL), Jim Evans (AL), Harry Wendelstedt (NL), Joe Brinkman (AL), Ed Montague (NL), Dale Ford (AL)
Game 6, October 25
Going into the game, Boston was leading 3 games to 2 in the best-of-seven series. It appeared that Boston was going to win their first championship since 1918 when the Mets came to bat in the bottom of the 10th inning, trailing 5 runs to 3.
With 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th, Mets catcher Gary Carter singled to left field, followed by pinch hitter Kevin Mitchell, who singled to center. Then, third baseman Ray Knight hit a single that scored Carter and advanced Mitchell to third base. The score was now 5-4. The Red Sox replaced pitcher Calvin Schiraldi with Bob Stanley to face left fielder Mookie Wilson. Stanley's wild pitch allowed Mitchell to score, and Knight advanced to second base. The score was now tied, 5-5. Wilson then fouled off a few pitches, then he hit a roller up the first base line and through the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner. Knight scored from second and the Mets won the game. Two days later, they won the 7th and decisive game of the series.
October 25, 1986 at Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E - - - - - - - - - -- - - - BOS A 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 - 5 13 3 NY N 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 3 - 6 8 2 BATTING Boston Red Sox AB R H RBI BB K PO A Boggs 3b 5 2 3 0 1 0 1 0 Barrett 2b 4 1 3 2 2 0 1 4 Buckner 1b 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 Rice lf 5 0 0 0 1 2 5 0 Evans rf 4 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 Gedman c 5 0 1 0 0 1 8 0 Henderson cf 5 1 2 1 0 0 5 0 Owen ss 4 1 3 0 0 1 2 2 Clemens p 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Greenwell ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Schiraldi p 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Stanley p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 42 5 13 5 5 7 29 8 FIELDING - DP: 1. E: Buckner (1), Evans (1), Gedman (2). BATTING - 2B: Evans (1, off Ojeda); Boggs (3, off Aguilera). HR: Henderson (2, 10th inning off Aguilera 0 on, 0 out). SH: Owen (1, off McDowell). HBP: Buckner (1, by Aguilera). IBB: Boggs (1, by McDowell). New York Mets AB R H RBI BB K PO A Dykstra cf 4 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 Backman 2b 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 Hernandez 1b 4 0 1 0 1 0 6 1 Carter c 4 1 1 1 0 1 9 0 Strawberry rf 2 1 0 0 2 0 5 0 Aguilera p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mitchell ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Knight 3b 4 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 Wilson lf 5 0 1 0 0 1 2 1 Santana ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Heep ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Elster ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 Johnson ph,ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Ojeda p 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 McDowell p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Orosco p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mazzilli ph,rf 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 36 6 8 3 4 9 30 11 FIELDING - DP: 1. E: Knight (1), Elster (1). BATTING - SH: Dykstra (2, off Schiraldi); Backman (1, off Schiraldi). SF: Carter (1, off Schiraldi). IBB: Hernandez (1, by Schiraldi). BASERUNNING - SB: Strawberry 2 (3, 2nd base off Clemens/Gedman 2). PITCHING Boston Red Sox IP H HR R ER BB K Clemens 7 4 0 2 1 2 8 Schiraldi L (0-1) 2.2 4 0 4 3 2 1 Stanley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 9 8 0 6 4 4 9 New York Mets IP H HR R ER BB K Ojeda 6 8 0 2 2 2 3 McDowell 1.2 2 0 1 0 3 1 Orosco 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Aguilera W (1-0) 2 3 1 2 2 0 3 Totals 10 13 1 5 4 5 7 WP: Stanley (1). HBP: Aguilera (1, Buckner). IBB: Schiraldi (1, Hernandez); McDowell (2, Boggs). Umpires: Ford (home), Kibler (1B), Evans (2B), Wendelstedt (3B), Brinkman (LF), Montague (RF) Attendance: 55,078