Setting the Stage: The Miracle of Game 6
The night before Game 7 of Major League Baseball’s World Series, baseball history was made. In Game 6, the Mets pulled off one of the wildest comebacks ever witnessed. The Boston Red Sox held a 5–3 lead in the 10th inning, two outs, nobody on base, and the Red Sox appeared on the verge of breaking their championship drought. As Hall-of-Fame curator Matt Kelly recounts, the Mets rallied against all odds, Gary Carter hit a sacrifice fly to tie it in the 8th, and in extra innings Dave Henderson briefly silenced us Mets fans with a Boston homer. Then came the unforgettable finale: Mookie Wilson’s 11th-pitch grounder trickled through first baseman Bill Buckner’s legs, igniting pandemonium. We were alive that night, cheering in disbelief as Shea Stadium erupted. I went to bed that Sunday exhausted but pumped that we’d forced a decisive Game 7 (the “final out” would come 24 hours later at Shea).
Game 7 Drama at Shea
The next night, Pops and I settled in early with Grandpa and my uncle. Like any good Italian family, we feasted on spaghetti, meatballs, and garlic bread while nervously watching the game on TV. Our Mets started slowly. In the second inning, Boston’s powerhouse hitters struck again: Dwight Evans and Rich Gedman hit back-to-back home runs, and Wade Boggs followed with an RBI single. Suddenly it was 3–0 Red Sox, and even I could feel the tension tighten in the living room. Our neighborhood block fell silent, until the 6th inning.
With two outs and men on first and second, Keith Hernandez came through in clutch fashion. He laced a two-run single that scored two runs and cut the lead to 3–2. I jumped up, nearly toppling my chair, yelling “Go Mets!” as Pops pumped his fist. Grandpa smiled and nodded; even he knew Hernandez was a leader.
Then the magic truly began. In the seventh inning, Calvin Schiraldi tried to stop the rally, but Ray Knight had other ideas. Ray swung hard and drilled Schiraldi’s fastball over the left-field fence for a solo homer. The Mets took a 6–3 lead and Shea Stadium roared in our living room. I could feel the hair on my neck stand up. Unbelievable, we were ahead!
The excitement didn’t stop. In the top of the eighth, right fielder Darryl Strawberry launched another solo home run, pushing the Mets’ lead to 7–3. I spilled spaghetti on the carpet as I jumped up and down. The Red Sox scratched back two runs on a Dwight Evans double, making it 7–5, but by then Pops was already grabbing soda cans to pour into our paper cups. It was 8–5 Mets after Strawberry’s blast and a clever bunt–hit by reliever Jesse Orosco.
- Scoring summary: Boston led 3–0 (2nd inning); Mets answered 3–0 in the 6th (Hernandez 2-run single) and 7th (Knight solo HR); Mets added 2 runs in 8th (Strawberry HR + Orosco RBI). Final 8–5.
- Pitching: Mets starter Ron Darling allowed 3 runs (3.2 IP, 3 ER). Relievers Sid Fernandez and Roger McDowell held Boston scoreless afterward. Jesse Orosco closed out the final 2 innings, striking out 2 and earning the save.
- Key players: Keith Hernandez (1–4, 3 RBIs), Ray Knight (1 HR, 3 hits), Darryl Strawberry (1 HR). Knight was named World Series MVP, batting .391 with 5 RBI in 6 games.
The Final Out: Pure Euphoria
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Mets pitcher Jesse Orosco faced Marty Barrett. I stared at the TV, hands clenched around the arm of the couch. Barrett swung through Orosco’s fastball, and it was over. Orosco’s glove flew up in the air, the Mets were world champions! I screamed as hard as I ever have. Pops hugged me tight; Grandpa and Uncle were on their feet, tears in their eyes. It was chaos in our living room, but the best kind. My heart felt like it would burst. Even later, Gary Carter’s words rang true in my head: “Nothing will ever replace the feeling I got when Jesse Orosco struck out Marty Barrett to end the game… That was my biggest thrill.” We all felt that thrill together.
After the final out, our quiet block on Long Island turned into a celebration parade. We spilled out into the streets, hugging neighbors. Kids were running around barefoot, neighbors were blasting the Mets’ anthem on boomboxes, and traffic backed up from cheering fans. I remember hugging Pops, Grandpa, and my Uncle in the street under the streetlights as cars honked and people danced. We laughed, cried, and even sang “Meet the Mets” at the top of our lungs. We truly believed, for once, that the Mets could win it all.
Stats & Highlights
- Final Score: Mets 8, Red Sox 5 (Shea Stadium, 55,032 fans).
- Mets Win!! New York clinched the series 4–3 for their second World Championship (first since 1969).
- World Series MVP: Ray Knight, .391 avg (9–23) with 1 HR and 5 RBI.
- Game 7 Stars: Keith Hernandez (2B, 3B, SF; 3 RBI), Ray Knight (HR, 3 H), Darryl Strawberry (HR), Jesse Orosco (2.0 perfect IP, save).
- Historic context: The Mets overcame a 2–0 deficit, echoing their own Hall-of-Fame comeback from Game 6. Game 6’s Buckner error and Game 7’s heroics are legendary moments in baseball lore.
That night I cried tears of joy. Years later I can still taste the spaghetti and red sauce, remember the feel of Pop’s hug, and hear the cheers echoing in our block. The 1986 World Series Game 7 was more than a game, it was family, tradition, and pure baseball magic.
Sources: Historical accounts of the 1986 World Series, box scores, and player stats provide the facts and stats for this retelling.