Oct 4, 1988                   1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9      R  H  E
1988 Cincinnati 1-0           2 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0      2  8  1
1988 New York (N) 0-1         0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 1      1  9  2

GWRBI-Sabo
Game MVP:Danny Jackson

Shea Stadium    (03-14-2024 19:57:08)       Time 2:55, 60ø, Wind: 11 MPH In from LCF  Night Game

Good pitchers duel between the Mets Dwight Gooden and the Reds Danny Jackson, goes to the Reds as Jackson allows only 1 run over 8 innings before John Franco came on in the 9^th to snuff out a Mets rally and get the save. The Reds got all the runs they needed in the first on an RBI double by Chris Sabo and an RBI single by Kal Daniels.

Gooden pitched 8 solid innings, scattering 8 hits, walking none and fanning NINE.

Oct 5, 1988                   1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9      R  H  E
1988 Cincinnati 1-1           1 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0      1  6  0
1988 New York (N) 1-1         0 1 1   0 0 3   0 0 -      5 11  1

GWRBI-McReynolds
Game MVP:Ron Darling
Injury: Backman (today only)

Shea Stadium    (03-14-2024 20:16:22)       Time 3:21, 55ø, Wind: 10 MPH Out to RF  Night Game

Mets even the series as Ron Darling goes 8 /23 allowing only 1 run on 6 hits with NINE Ks. Lenny Dykstra 
hit a 2 run HR and Darryl Strawberry and Howard Johnson each hit solo HRs to lead the Mets to victory. 
Jose Rijo started for the Reds and pitched well before tiring and leaving the game in the 5th, trailing 2-1. 
The Reds bullpen gave up 3 on two Mets HRs in the 6th to break the game open

Oct 8, 1988                   1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9      R  H  E
1988 New York (N) 2-1         0 0 3   0 0 5   1 0 0      9 10  0
1988 Cincinnati 1-2           0 0 3   0 0 0   1 0 0      4  9  2

GWRBI-Strawberry
Game MVP:Keith Hernandez

Riverfront Stadium    (03-14-2024 20:33:46)       Time 3:25, 61ø, Wind: 6 MPH In from CF  Day Game

The series moves to Cincinnati for GAME 3. Keith Hernandez hit a 3 run HR in the third to put the Mets ahead, before Cincy got three of their own in the bottom of the frame to tie it. The Mets broke things open with a FIVE RUN 6th. Strawberry homered for the second straight day to put the Mets ahead 4-3. Kevin Elster singled in one, Mookie Wilson doubled in two and Tim Teufel singled in one as the Mets took an 8-3 lead after 5 1/2. Eric Davis hit a solo HR for Cincy in the 7th but it was too little too late.

Bobby Ojeda got the win, striking out TEN in 7.2 innnings. Tom Browning started and was the loser

Oct 9, 1988                   1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9      R  H  E
1988 New York (N) 3-1         1 1 0   1 0 0   0 0 0      3  4  0
1988 Cincinnati 1-3           0 0 0   0 0 0   2 0 0      2  7  0

GWRBI-Wilson,M
Game MVP:Mookie Wilson

Riverfront Stadium    (03-14-2024 20:55:02)       Time 3:18, 64ø, Wind: 5 MPH Right to Left  Night Game

The Mets take a 3-1 series lead winning a nail biter. Mookie Wilson led off the game with a HR to put the 
Mets ahead after one. In the second inning, Mookie walked with the bases loaded to make it 2-0. A squeeze 
bunt by Mets pitcher Sid Fernandez made it 3-0 in the 4th. El Sid was brilliant through 6 but then faltered 
in the 7th as the Reds sent 8 men to the plate scoring two on a double by Ron Oester. The Mets bullpen then 
took over and got out of the jam before David Cone pitched a shutout 9th for the save. Danny Jackson started 
for the Reds and was the hard luck loser. Eric Davis made 3 great plays in center for the Reds.

Oct 10, 1988                  1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9      R  H  E
1988 New York (N) 3-2         0 0 0   0 1 3   0 3 0      7 10  2
1988 Cincinnati 2-3           2 0 0   2 0 2   3 1 -     10 13  0

GWRBI-Esasky
Game MVP:Paul O'Neill

Riverfront Stadium (03-14-2024 21:19:08) Time 3:27, 67ø, Cloudy, Light Rain, Wind: 7 MPH Right to Left  Day Game

The Mets have a chance to eliminate the Reds and advance to the World Series but Cincy wasn’t going down easily. The Reds took a 4-0 lead after four against Ron Darling. Red hot Kal Daniels singled in the first run before Nick Esasky’s sac fly drove in the second. Ground out RBIs by Paul O Neill and Ron Oester made it 4-0. The Mets got one back in the 5th on an RBI single by Mookie Wilson. Then in the 6th Howard Johnson hit a dramatic 3 run HR to tie the game. MO-MENTUM had shifted to the Mets but not for long, as the Reds scored two in the bottom of the 6th to take the lead for good. Esasky got his second Sac Fly RBI to drive in what proved to be the winning run before O’Neill singled in another. Cincy added three insurance runs in the 7th with Esasky and O’Neill again each driving in a run, this time with singles. The Mets came back to make it 9-7 in the 8th but that was as close as they got as the Reds live to play another day, as the Series will return to Shea for Game 6 and a possible Game 7.

Eric Davis was 3-3 with 2 doubles and 3 runs scored. Barry Larkin also scored three,going 3-5.

Norm Charlton started for the Reds and got the win, going 6 innings. Franco got his second save of the Series. Terry Leach was the loser in relief, for the Mets.

Oct 11, 1988                  1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9      R  H  E
1988 Cincinnati 3-3           4 1 0   0 0 0   0 1 0      6 11  0
1988 New York (N) 3-3         0 1 0   0 2 0   0 0 0      3  7  1

GWRBI-Davis, E
Game MVP:Eric Davis

Shea Stadium    (03-18-2024 19:45:19)       Time 3:10, 57ø, Wind: 3 MPH Out to CF  Night Game

Dwight Gooden was slammed for 4 runs on 6 hits in the first inning and the Mets never recovered, losing 6-3 
to the Reds. Ron Robinson was the winner in relief after starter Jose Rijo failed to complete 5 innings. 
John Franco got the save. Darryl Strawberry hit his 3rd HR of the LCS in the losing cause.

Oct 12, 1988                  1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9      R  H  E
1988 Cincinnati 3-4           0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0      0  3  0
1988 New York (N) 4-3         0 0 0   0 0 1   0 1 -      2  7  0

Game MVP:David Cone

Shea Stadium    (03-18-2024 20:00:49)       Time 2:48, 65ø, Wind: 5 MPH Out to RCF  Night Game

Nothing like a Game 7 and this one did not disappoint. Terrific pitchers duel between Cone and Browning but Cone was just too much as he allowed only 3 hits with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts to send the Mets to the World Series.

The game was scoreless through five. The Mets got the only run they needed in the 6^th on a sac fly by Kevin McReynolds. New York got an insurance run in the 8^th as Howard Johnson singled with the bases loaded.

The Mets move on to play the Minnesota Twins in the World Series