OTD 1986: Unique Double Play Seals Mets Win

On August 27, 1986, the New York Mets were in San Diego taking on the Padres. It was the final game of a three-game series, and the Mets were going for the sweep. The guys from Queens were 19 games up in the East Division of the National League, cruising to a division title. The ending of this game was very unusual and quite exciting,  befitting the 1986 squad.

Let’s set the scene. The Mets led 5-1 going into the bottom of the eighth inning. The offense had been supplied Darryl Strawberry (four RBIs, including a home run) , and Ray Knight, who drove in a run on an error by Padres’ pitcher, Ed Whitson.

Roger McDowell took the mound for the home half of the eighth inning, and ran into immediate trouble when two runs scored on error by Wally Backman on a ball hit by Steve Garvey. Jesse Orosco replaced McDowell, and surrendered the lead on run-scoring hits by Carmelo Martinez and future Met Garry Templeton. The game remained tied until the 11th inning.

The Mets took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Keith Hernandez off pitcher Rich Gossage, scoring Lenny Dykstra. Now came the intriguing bottom of the 11th inning.

With Doug Sisk pitching, Templeton led off with a double. After a strikeout, Tim Flannery stepped to the plate. A double play is unlikely with just a runner on second base, and one that went this way is very rare. Take a look at the video below.

As Ralph Kiner said, Templeton runs well, making the play all the more unlikely. Templeton absolutely pummeled Mets’ catcher (and current bench coach) John Gibbons, who stayed in the play and fired a strike to Howard Johnson to nab Flannery at third base.

That kind of play gave the feeling that the 1986 Mets were not only a great team, but also destined to win. The Mets proceeded home after that game (Tim McCarver said they had a plane to catch) where they would take two-of-three from the Los Angeles Dodgers and five-of six from the San Francisco Giants and the Padres.

On September 17, 1986 the Mets would achieve the first of  three postseason prizes, clinching the division at home against the Chicago Cubs. As the 2024 team fights for the postseason, we can hope that moments like the one that took place 38 years ago will happen once again.

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