Remembering Mets Opening Days (1986) The Start of the Mets Championship Season
After the disappointment of not making the playoffs the Mets & their fans went into 1986 looking to win it all. With all the Mets talent, the feeling was nothing else but a championship would be acceptable.
In the off season, the Mets had traded for starting pitcher Bobby Ojeda & infielder Tim Teufel. Ojeda would go on to lead the talented staff in victories going 185 with a 2.57 ERA.
Tim Teufel would platoon with Wally Backman at second base. He would bat .247 with 4 HRs & 1 RBIs in 93 games.
Early in Spring Training, Mookie Wilson was struck in the right eye by a ball thrown by Rafael Santana during a rundown drill. Mookie would miss the start of the season, opening the door of opportunity for Lenny Dykstra who would prove to be a big part of the Mets outfield. Lenny would bat .295 with 31 stolen bases playing in 147 games.
The 1986 season opened up in Pittsburgh at Three Rivers Stadium in a night game front of 48,962. Davey Johnson sent his 1985 Cy Young Award winner Dwight Gooden to the mound to face Jim Leyland's Pirates & veteran Rick Reuschel.
The Mets wasted no time showing they meant business this season. In the top of the 1st inning Len Dykstra walked to start the game. After Wally Backman flew out, Keith Hernandez doubled brining in the first run of the 1986 season.
In the bottom of the 1st, Dwight Gooden gave up a leadoff HR to R.J. Reynolds making it a 2-1 game.
Pirate's pitcher Rick Reuschel settled down after giving up the two runs, keeping the Mets down into the 6th inning. In the top of the 6th, Darryl Strawberry & George Foster collected back-to-back doubles, with Foster bringing in Straw to make it 3-1 Mets.
In the top of the 7th, Lenny Dykstra led off with a walk & was sacrificed over by Wally Backman. Keith Hernandez singled bringing in his second run of the game, as Dykstra scored for a 4-2 Mets lead.
In the off season, the Mets had traded for starting pitcher Bobby Ojeda & infielder Tim Teufel. Ojeda would go on to lead the talented staff in victories going 185 with a 2.57 ERA.
Early in Spring Training, Mookie Wilson was struck in the right eye by a ball thrown by Rafael Santana during a rundown drill. Mookie would miss the start of the season, opening the door of opportunity for Lenny Dykstra who would prove to be a big part of the Mets outfield. Lenny would bat .295 with 31 stolen bases playing in 147 games.
Rick Reuschel Trivia: Rick was no stranger to facing the Mets on Opening Day, he had faced them three straight years while pitching for the Cubs (1979-1981). In his career he made four Opening Day starts all against the Mets & was the losing pitcher of record each time.
Hernandez advanced to third on the throw & then Gary Carter hit a sac fly scoring Keith to make it 2-0 Mets
Keith Trivia: Hernandez would lead the team in doubles (34) runs scored (87) hits (183) & batting (.309) on the season.
Gary Carter Trivia: Carter would lead the team in HRs (32) & RBIs (100) in the championship season, he would drive in 100 or more runs four times in his career.
In the bottom of the 1st, Dwight Gooden gave up a leadoff HR to R.J. Reynolds making it a 2-1 game.
Foster would play 72 games with the Mets hit 13 HRs bat just .227 & get released in August after falling out with the team, the organization & the fans.
Gooden was not his overpowering self on this day but would still hold the Pirates scoreless up until the 6th inning.
In the home half of the 6th inning, R.J. Reynolds doubled & advanced to third on a force play. Second baseman Johnny Ray grounded out for the second out, but it scored Reynolds to cut the Mets lead to a run 3-2.
It was all the Mets needed, as Gooden went the distance, pitching nine innings allowing two runs on six hits with six strike outs & one walk. Gooden also collected one of the Mets six hits.
Trivia: Dwight Gooden would go 17-6 in the Championship season with a 2.84 ERA, 200 Ks in 250 innings pitched. He threw two shut outs & had 12 complete games.
The Mets won their first two games, then lost three straight. But they went on a 11-game sin streak took over first place & never looked back.