Fish Fry Amazin's

1984 NEW YORK  METS v 1997 FLORIDA MARLINS

Game 1

FLA 5 NY 0  at Pro Player Park

Kevin Brown was dominant as he shutout the Mets on 5 hits, while striking out 10 and walking only 1. 19 year old Dwight Gooden made his MLB debut and was tagged for 3 runs over 6 innings of pitching and took the loss. Gooden struck out 5 but battled his control, walking 4.

The Marlins took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Gary Sheffield doubled in Moises Alou. Florida added two more in the 4^th on a 2 RBI double by catcher Charles Johnson. Two insurance runs came across in the 8^th against reliever Ed Lynch.

Mets SS Ron Gardenhire made 2 errors. Alou was 2-3 with 3 runs scored.

Game 2

NY 4 FLA 2  at Pro Player Park

The Mets even the series as Ron Darling took a shutout into the 8^th, before tiring, and got the win. Darling, in 7 1/3, allowed only 2 runs on 5 hits. He struck out 6 and walked 3. The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the 4^th on a sac fly by Hubie Brooks. Darryl Strawberry doubled to drive in the second run, in the 6^th. In the 8^th, the “Straw Man” blasted a 2 run HR to increase the Mets lead to 4-0.

The Strawberry HR proved the difference as the Fish rallied for 2 in the bottom of the 8^th on an RBI single by Sheffield and an RBI ground out by Bobby Bonilla.

Doug Sisk came on in the 8^th in relief of Darling and put out the threat. Jesse Orosco pitched a scoreless 9^th for his first save. For Florida, Alex Fernandez took the loss, allowing 4 runs in 8 innings.

Strawberry was 3-4 with a double, triple and HR as he fell one single short of the cycle.

Game 3 

FLA 11  NY 2 at Shea Stadium

Home cooking did not agree with the Mets as the Marlins routed Sid Fernandez and cruised to an easy win. Florida scored two in the first on 2 hits and 2 walks with Jeff Conine driving in both runs with an RBI single. The Marlins added FIVE more in the 3^rd, sending 10 men to the plate. Bonilla hit a HR to start the scoring in the frame. Conine walked to force in a run, Cangelosi singled in a run, Castillo drove in one with a ground out and Renteria singled for another run.

Renteria singled in 2 more in the 5^th as he went 2-5 with 3 RBIs. Conine was 1-2 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs.

Livan Hernandez started and got the win for Florida, pitching 6 shutout innings (3 hits, 7 Ks). Stanifer and Helling finshed up. “El Sid”, Sid Fernandez started for the Mets but did not have it today, as he walked SEVEN in 4 innings, allowed 6 hits and was charged with 9 runs, all of them earned. Ed Lynch and Craig Swan mopped up.

Game 4

FLA 14 NY 12   11 innings   at Shea Stadium

A wild and crazy game at Shea. The Marlins jump out to a 6-0 lead in the third inning, routing Mets starter Bruce Berenyi. Florida extends the lead to 10-2 in the 6^th before the Mets begin their comeback. New York gets 4 back in the bottom of the 6^th as Mookie Wilson drives in 2 with a double and Kelvin Chapman also drives in 2 with a single.

Leading 10-6, the Fish add two big insurance runs in the 7^th when Sheffield singles in 2. But the Mets were not dead yet. In the bottom of the 8^th, Mookie Wilson hit a 2 run HR to make it 12-8. And when Darryl Strawberry followed with a 416 foot 2 run HR of his own, the Mets were within 2 at 12-10!

Still trailing by 2 in the bottom of the 9^th, the Mets send 7 to the plate and tie the game! Keith Hernandez gets a huge 2 out 2 RBI single to send the game to extra innings.

With the Mets bullpen depleted, Jesse Orosco starts his second inning of relief in the 11^th. A tired Orosco gets into trouble and Keith Hernandez comes through with a single to score 2 and break the tie.

The Mets go down in order in the bottom of the 11^th as the Marlins salvage the win and take the series 3 games to 1.

Jay Powell, with 2 scoreless innings in relief, gets the win. Orosco (2 IP, 2 R, 3 H) takes the loss. Mets starter Berenyi gave up 7 runs (all earned) in 5 innings. He walked 5. Tim Leary relieved Berenyi and was tagged for 3 runs in just 1/3 of an inning. Tom Gorman, Brent Gaff and Doug Sisk followed and kept the Mets within reach, before Orosco came on in the 10^th.

For the Marlins, starter Tony Saunders pitched 5 solid innings (5 H, 2R, 1 ER). Felix Heredia let he Mets back in it, giving up 4 runs ihis 1 inning of pitching (the 6^th). Stanifer gave up 4 more in the 8^th. Robb Nen came on to close it out in the 9^th but instead got a blown save, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits.

The Marlins used 20 players, the Mets 19. For Florida, Bonilla was 4-5 with 3 doubles and 2 walks, with 4 runs scored. Conine was 2-6 with a 3 run HR and SIX RBIs.  For the Mets, Mookie was 2-6 with a double, 3 runs scored and 4 RBIs. Kelvin Chapman, playing in his first game of the season, was 5-6 with 3 RBIs.

Florida left 16 men on base. The Mets 11.

Next up: The 84 Mets play the 84 Cubs, while the 97 Marlins play the 93 Phillies.