ABC Sports: MLB 1986- NLCS Game 3- Houston Astros @ New York Mets: Full Game

Source:ABC Sports- New York Mets CF & leadoff hitter Lenny Dykstra.

Source:Real Life Journal

“Houston Astros 5 at New York Mets 6, F — Game 3 in a series tied 1-1 are always critical momentum changers. Mets’ starter Ron Darling was shaky early, allowing four runs in the first two innings, but settled down after that. The Mets got back into the game in the 6th, tying it on Darryl Strawberry’s three-run shot. Ray Knight committed the Mets’ only error of the series in the 7th, allowing the Astros to regain the lead, 5-4, and it stayed that way until the bottom of the 9th. With Astros’ closer Dave Smith on the mound, Wally Backman bunted his way on, benefiting from a controversial runner-out-of-the-baseline call. He advanced to second on a past ball, but it would not matter. One batter later, up stepped fan favorite, firebrand Lenny “Nails” Dykstra, who struck out in his first at-bat as a pinch-hitter in the 7th. Not known as a power hitter, Nails got ahold of one and enjoyed the two-run walk-off, as the Mets took the game 6-5, and lead in the series, 2-1.”

From MLB Vault

An interesting matchup in the 1986 NLCS, because it sort of looked like a miss-match on paper. The Mets clearly looked like the best all around team in MLB in 1986 and dominated the National League. One of the best teams since divisional play started in MLB in 1969. They had great pitching, starting and the bullpen. A very good defense and very good, deep and balanced lineup offensively, as well as a very good bench. They had both speed and power in their lineup and Davey Johnson was their manager. All of these qualities for one team tend to equal MLB World Series champion.

The 1986 Astros sort of reminds me of the 1969 Mets: very good pitching, very good defense and a lineup that only seemed to produce enough hits and runs for the team to win. This would’ve been a miss-match had the Astros not of gotten the pitching and defense that they did in this series. And they got a lot of timely hitting Kevin Bass in this series who had a career year and didn’t do much pre-86 or after 86. Which sounds like several New York Mets of 1969. The Astros did enough in 86 to make this series one of the best NLCS’s of all-time.