Reply #67: Now that you mention it...

[Emboldened Chimp]

Here's what happened, in case you forgot...

October 25, 1986: Two days earlier, Boston beat Dwight Gooden for the second time; they led the Series three games to two. The Red Sox young ace, Roger Clemens, was on the mound for game six. The bullpen was well rested after Bruce Hurst had gone the distance in game five. In the top of the first, Wade Boggs led off with a single and was driven in on a Dwight Evans double. In the second, three singles brought Spike Owen home; Boston led 2-0. Clemens did not allow a hit through four, and carried the 2-0 lead into the fifth inning. The Mets' Darryl Strawberry walked and stole second. Ray Knight's single brought him home. Knight took third when Dwight Evans misplayed a Mookie Wilson single. Danny Heep hit into a double play, but Knight scored to tie the game. Boston's Marty Barrett took back the lead on an Evans sacrifice in the seventh. Jim Rice was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. In the top of the eighth, Dave Henderson singled and Spike Owen bunted him to second. Mike Greenwell pinch-hit for Clemens (who had a blister), striking out. Wade Boggs and Marty Barrett both walked; Boston had two outs and the bases loaded (still up by one run). The Mets brought in lefty Jesse Orosco to face Bill Buckner. John McNamara decided to leave the left-handed Buckner in the game, instead of pinch-hitting Don Baylor. After flying out to end the inning, Buckner (who was often removed for defensive purposes late in the game) took his position at first. Lee Mazzilli tied it up on a Gary Carter sac fly off of Calvin Schiraldi. Knotted at three, the game went into extra innings. Henderson led off the tenth with a homerun for Boston. Later in the inning Boggs doubled, and Barrett drove him in. Boston had a 5-3 lead. Wally Backman hit a fly to left for the Mets first out in the bottom of the tenth. Keith Hernandez followed with a deep fly to center for the second out. With nobody on and two outs, the Shea Stadium scoreboard read "Congratulations Boston Red Sox, 1986 World Champions." Boston pitcher Bruce Hurst was selected as the World Series MVP. Gary Carter hit a single to left and pinch-hitter Kevin Mitchell lined to center; Carter was on second. Ray Knight faced Calvin Schiraldi. Schiraldi got ahead with a 0-2 count; Boston was one strike away from winning. On the next pitch, Knight blooped the ball into short center; Carter scored and Mitchell advanced to third. The Mets were down by one, 5-4. Bob Stanley replaced Calvin Schiraldi to face Mookie Wilson. The count went to 2-2; Boston was again one strike away. Wilson fouled off two balls; for the fourth time, the Red Sox were one strike away from breaking the curse. Stanley's next pitch bounced off of Catcher Rich Gedman, allowing Mitchell to score the tying run. Knight advanced to second base. Wilson hit a slow grounder towards first. The ball rolled under Bill Buckner's glove into short right as Knight rounded third to score the winning run. Boston stranded fourteen runners in the game. McNamara later said that he had left Buckner in the game so that he would be on the field when the team won the World Series.