Gary Carter's 1986 Post Season Performance

1986 NLCS: In the first four games of the 1986 NLCS against the Houston Astros, Mets catcher Gary Carter struggled. In the Game #1 loss, he went 0-4 against Mike Scott. 

In Game #2, Carter collected a 4th inning RBI double off Nolan Ryan putting the Mets up 1-0. 

But from there he would go 0-15 batting .050 into the 12th inning of Game #5. Carter was visibly frustrated as the at bats continued, especially as the Mets found themselves tied 2-2 in the series.

In Game #5 at Shea Stadium, a classic in which the Mets Doc Gooden had pitched nine innings & Houston's Nolan Ryan had pitched ten innings to a 1-1 tie. (centerfieldmaz was in attendance for this classic). 

The Mets Wally Backman collected an infield single he then reached second on a botched pick off. Carter stepped in facing Houston’s cocky reliever Charlie Kerfeld. 

As the tension mounted with each pitch, Carter finally broke out of his slump, he delivered with a single up the middle, scoring Backman for a dramatic Mets victory, giving them a 3-2 Series lead.

Shea Stadium went wild, and Carter may have been the happiest guy in the whole stadium as he raised his hands screaming back in joy after his biggest hit yet as a New York Met. 

For Game #6, the series shifted back to Houston & was one of the greatest playoff games ever played. The game went 16 exciting innings, lasting four hours & forty-two minutes. Carter, ever the workhorse was behind the plate & caught every inning. 

In the 9th inning, after going 0-3 at the plate, Kid reached with a walk off reliever Dave Smith. The Mets had just scored two runs on an RBI single from Mookie Wilson & double from Keith Hernandez. Ray Knight's sac fly tied the game but Carter was left stranded on third as the game continued tied it at three. 

In his next at bat, he drew another walk. In the 14th inning, he led off with a single off Aureilo
Lopez but was forced out at third. In the 15th inning he collected his second hit with another base hit. 

The Mets put up three runs in the top of the 16th, the Astros scored twice in the bottom of the nail-biting inning, but Jesse Orosco shut the door clinching the Mets pennant. The Mets were NL Champions & heading to their third World Series.

As the 1986 World Series opened up at Shea Stadium, there was much excitement in the air. The Mets had come off an exhausting NLCS & there was much anticipation that they were about to finish off their dominating season with a long-awaited Championship.

1986 World Series Game #1: The World Series didn't start out like the Mets & the fans had hoped. The Red Sox lefty, Bruce Hurst shut the Mets out for eight innings, holding them to just four hits as he struck out eight. 

In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Gary Carter came to bat with two men on & grounded out to end the inning. 

In the 6th inning, with the game still scoreless, Keith Hernandez led off with a walk. Carter then singled to centerfield. But Darryl Strawberry struck out looking & Ray Knight grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Mets Ron Darling pitched a fine game as well, he allowed one run that was unearned. 

In the top of the 7th, he walked Jim Rice & threw a wild pitch advancing him.  Rich Gedman hit a ground ball that went thru the legs of Tim Teufel at second, scoring Jim Rice with the only run of the game.

Ron Darling gave up just three hits, striking out eight & walking three in seven innings of work.

1986 World Series Game #2: The Red Sox pounded the Mets 9-3 in Game #2, as they tagged Dwight Gooden for six runs (five earned) with HRs from Dwight Evans & Dave Henderson, with eight hits in five innings of work. 

Gary Carter went 1-4 with an RBI single in the 5th inning off Steve Crawford, scoring Wally Backman. In the home 1st, Carter had flown out to center field to end the inning, with two men on base. In the 7th, Bob Stanley struck him out with two men on base once again.

The Mets went to Boston shocked, down two games to nothing. Personally, for Carter, the teams cleanup hitter, he was 2-8 batting .171 with one RBI. 

1986 World Series Game #3: But the Mets woke up for Game #3 in Fenway Park. Lenny Dykstra led off the game with a HR. Wally Backman & Keith Hernandez both singled, then Carter delivered with a double to centerfield scoring Backman.

After flying out in his first two at bats, Gary Carter came to bat in the 7th inning with the bases loaded. Rafael Santana & Len Dykstra had both singled & Keith Hernandez drew a walk. Carter came through in the big spot, as he sailed a liner to short left field, Rafael Santana & Len Dykstra both scored. Carter tried to take second but was thrown out in a run downplay. The Mets took a 6-1 lead & would go onto a 7-1 win for their first victory of the Series.

1986 World Series Game #4: In Game #4 it was Gary Carter's biggest night. Cater would collect three hits, including two HRs. 

In the 4th inning, Wally Backman singled & attempted to steal second. Keith Hernandez saved the runner when he reached out & bounced a pitch out to short stop. Although he sacrificed himself, Backman was in scoring position. 

Gary Carter then connected off Al Nipper for a two run HR, over the Green Monster, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead. 

In the top of the 6th, Carter led off the inning with a double down the right field line. He was thrown out a home trying to score on Ray Knight's fly ball.

In the 8th, Carter completed his big night with a second HR, this one off Steve Crawford, a solo shot as he collected his third RBI of the night.

1986 World Series Game #5: The Red Sox took Game #5 behind the pitching of Bruce Hurst, as Carter went 0-4. It was back to Shea with the Mets down three games to two.

1986 World Series Game #6: Game #6 is now legendary & one of the all-time classic World Series Games. Carter would start the game out by going 0-3. In the bottom of the 2nd, he flew out to lead off the inning. 

In the 4th, he then grounded out to end the inning, as the Mets were still down 2-0.

In the 6th inning, with the score now tied at 2-2, Carter came up with Wally Backman on third & Keith Hernandez on first after consecutive base hits. But Red Sox pitcher, Roger Clemens got Carter looking at a third strike.

Out at the Plate: Defensively, Carter made a huge play in the 7th inning. Jim Rice reached in a Rafael Santana error. Marty Barrett was already on first after walking & he scored when Dwight Evans grounded to second base. That gave the Red Sox a 3-2 lead. 

Rich Gedman then hit a base hit to left field, Mookie Wilson fielded the ball & threw home to Carter. Carter held his ground & tagged Rice out at the plate to end the inning as well as the Red Sox threat.

In the 8th inning, the Mets were down 3-2 after Dwight Evan's 7th inning HR off Roger McDowell. Lee Mazzilli singled to lead off the inning. 

Len Dykstra then reached on a bunt base hit. Wally Backman then bunted moving the runners. With one out, The Red Sox & pitcher Calvin Schiraldi walked Keith Hernandez intentionally to load the bases & face Carter. 

Carter was insulted, the once feared hitter was now in a bit of a slump and getting into the later stages of his career, he had something to prove. "The Kid" came through, he hit a fly ball to left field, the sac fly scored Lee Mazzilli with the tying run.

In the 10th inning, the Mets were down 5-3 after Dave Henderson's HR & Marty Barrett RBI hit both off Rick Aguilera.

But the Mets were about to stage the greatest come back in team history, as well as one of the best come backs in World Series history. After Calvin Schiraldi retired the first two Mets, it looked like the dream was about to end. But Gary Carter had one of the best at bats of his career, taking a 2-1 pitch from Schiraldi to left field for a base hit.

 It was the start of a historic inning, as Carter would advance to second on Kevin Mitchell's single & then score on Ray Knight's single, getting the Mets to within a run.

It was Carter's base hit that brought life back into the Mets, the inning & the Shea Fans, (centerfieldmaz was in attendance that night).  

When Carter scored, the Mets & the fans believed that a comeback was inevitable. Mookie Wilson had an epic at bat & his little roller went under the legs of Bill Buckner, a play he probably would have beat out anyway. 

Mitchell scored the tying run as Shea Stadium was bedlam. Ray Knight then scored the winning run as the Series went to a deciding Game #7.

1986 World Series Game #7: In Game #7 Carter would go 0-4, but his ground out in the 6th inning scored Wally Backman with the game tying run, as Keith Hernandez was forced at second. 

In the 7th inning, the Mets took a 6-3 lead scoring three runs. Carter grounded out to end the inning, with two men on base. It was his final World Series at bat.

The Mets went on to an 8-5 win, winning the World Series for the teams second championship.

Carter's World Series Stats: For Gary Carter, in the World Series he would lead the team in RBIs (9) which was four more than the next Met hitter. He also led in at bats (29) doubles (2) & was tied with Len Dykstra for most HRs (2). He was tied with five other Mets for most runs scored (4). 

Carter's eight hits were second to Ray Knight (9) & he finished with a .276 batting average. He
struck out four times & did not draw a walk.

Defensively he caught every inning of every World Series Game & the Red Sox never stole a base off him.

In his 19-year Hall of Fame Career, it was just his second time in the post season. Carter & the Mets would also play in the 1988 NLCS. The 1986 World Series was the only Fall Classic & Championship Carter would get to enjoy.