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1986 Houston Astros season

Major League Baseball team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The 1986 Houston Astros season was the 25th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their 22nd as the Astros, 25th in the National League (NL), 18th in the NL West division, and 22nd at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season as having tied for third place in the NL West, with an 83–79 record and 12 games behind the division-champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

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The 1986 season was the first for Hal Lanier as manager, the tenth in Astros' franchise history, succeeding Bob Lillis. On April 8, pitcher Nolan Ryan made his third Opening Day start for the Astros, who hosted the San Francisco Giants but were defeated, 8–3. During the amateur draft, the Astros selected pitcher Ryan Bowen in the first round at 13th overall, outfielder Tuffy Rhodes in the third round, and outfielder Eric Anthony in the 34th round.

The Astros hosted the MLB All-Star Game at The Astrodome for the second time, and first time since 1968. Right fielder Kevin Bass, first baseman Glenn Davis, and pitchers Mike Scott and Dave Smith each represented the Astros at the All-Star Game and played for the National League.[Note 1]

On September 25, Scott hurled the eighth no-hitter in franchise history to lead a 2–0 win over the San Francisco Giants, which simultaneously clinched the NL West division title. This was the first no-hitter thrown that secured a playoff spot in the major leagues since 1951. Scott led the National League in numerous categories, including a 2.22 earned run average (ERA), 306 strikeouts, 5.9 hits per nine innings, and 275+13 innings pitched, among others, and posted an 18–10 win–loss record (W–L).

The Astros concluded their regular season with a 96–66 record. For the third time in franchise history, Houston won the NL West division, also their third playoff appearance, all over the past seven seasons. At the time, the 96 wins set a new franchise record, surpassing their 93–69 mark in 1980, and stood until their first 100-win season in 1998. This was their final division title as members of the National League West and final playoff appearance until 1997. The Astros played the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series (NLCS), only to be defeated 4 games to 2, while the Mets were the eventual World Series champions. Scott, who pitched two complete games and allowed just 1 run for an 0.50 ERA, became the first NLCS Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) winner of the losing team.

Following the season, Scott became the first-ever Cy Young Award winner for Houston, won the The Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year, Davis won his first career Silver Slugger Award, and Lanier was recognized as BBWAA's NL Manager of the Year and The Sporting News NL Manager of the Year.[a]

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Offseason

Regular season

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Summary

Opening Day

Starting lineup

On June 23, Glenn Davis hit a two-run, walk-off home run to complete a 7–6 comeback versus the Cincinncati Reds in the ninth inning. In the top of the ninth, Larry Andersen was the winner without a single batter faced; rather, on a wild pitch, the runner on third base sprinted home. Andersen tagged the runner out for the final out of the Reds' 9th inning at bat.[2]

All-Star Game

The 1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 57th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 1986, at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, the home of the Astros. The game resulted in the American League defeating the National League 3–2. AL starting pitcher and Boston Red Sox ace Roger Clemens, who later pitched for Houston from 2004 to 2006, was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award winner.[3]

Rest of season

From September 23–25, the Astros achieved one of the great three-day pitching masterpieces in major league history. On September 23, Jim Deshaies set a major league record by commencing the game with 8 consecutive strikeouts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.[4] The following day, Nolan Ryan hurled eight shutout innings with 12 strikeouts of the San Francisco Giants. Finally, on September 25, Mike Scott threw a no-hitter against the Giants to lead the Astros, which simultaneously clinched the National League West division title.[3] The final score was 2–0 and Scott struck out 13 Giants batters. He became the first pitcher in National League history and the second overall to throw a no-hitter which clinched a playoff berth. The first was by Allie Reynolds of the New York Yankees, who accomplished the feat on September 18, 1951.[5]

National League statistical leaders

Season standings

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Record vs. opponents

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Notable transactions

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Roster

1986 Houston Astros
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Game log

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Regular season

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Detailed records

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Postseason Game log

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Player stats

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Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

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Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

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Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

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Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

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Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

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National League Championship Series

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Game 1

October 8 (Astrodome, Houston, Texas)

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Game 2

October 9 (Astrodome, Houston, Texas)

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Game 3

October 11 (Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York)

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Game 4

October 12 (Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York)

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Game 5

October 14 (Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York)

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Game 6

October 15 (Astrodome, Houston, Texas)

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Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS still ranks as one of the most memorable baseball games of the 1980s, if not baseball (and certainly baseball postseason) history. Played at The Astrodome, the game went 16 innings with the Mets coming out on top 7–6. It was the highest scoring game of the series; in fact, the 16th inning alone featured more runs than three of the previous five games had in their entirety.

The big story of Game 6 was that it was most nearly a must-win for both teams. The Astros obviously had to have it because they were facing elimination. Even though they were up 3–2 in the series, the Mets regarded it as a must-win because they were scheduled to face Mike Scott again in Game 7. Scott had given up a grand total of 1 run in his first two starts of the series, and had dominated the Mets so completely that even the most optimistic Mets fans knew their chances of beating him in a potential Game 7 were small. The end result was one of the greatest games in baseball history.

The Astros broke through first, and for a low scoring series like this, they broke through big, scoring three runs off a possibly tired Bob Ojeda in the bottom of the first. Ojeda settled down after that, however, and the Astros wouldn't score again for the next 12 innings. Meanwhile, Astros starter Bob Knepper was brilliant from the very first pitch, and the game headed to the 9th with Houston still seemingly comfortably ahead 3–0.

Just when it looked like the Mets would have to face the mighty Scott, however, their bats suddenly came to life. After pitching almost perfectly for the first eight innings, Knepper clearly tired in the 9th. Starting with a Lenny Dykstra lead off triple that barely evaded the glove of Hatcher in right center field, Knepper allowed three hits and recorded only one out, and left with the Astros clinging to a 3–2 lead.

The decision by Lanier not to bring in Smith to start the inning was talked about for years to come. Smith was firmly established as one of the best closers in the National League, but he had blown a save earlier in the series, taking both the blown save and the loss in Game 3 thanks to Dykstra's walkoff homer.

When Smith finally did appear, he was ineffective, walking two batters to load the bases and then allowing the tying run to score on a sacrifice fly by Ray Knight. In a matter of minutes, the previously raucous crowd of 45,718 had been almost completely silenced and extra innings had soon begun.

In the 14th, the Mets made their first bid to win. After Gary Carter opened with a single, a walk to Darryl Strawberry put two runners on with nobody out. After Knight forced Carter at third, Wally Backman drove a single to right. When Kevin Bass' throw to the plate sailed high over Alan Ashby's head to the screen, Strawberry scored. It looked like the end for the Astros, as Orosco came in to close them down.

With one out in the bottom of the 14th and the Houston fans with their heads in their hands, Billy Hatcher shocked everyone with a line drive home run off the left field foul pole. It was the first earned run allowed by the Mets bullpen in the entire series. Hatcher went 3 for 7 in the game, and his homer meant the Astros would be kept alive for at least one more inning. Both teams failed to score in the 15th, and the game went to the 16th inning, the most innings in playoff history at that time.

The 16th inning would be the deciding factor, and it was not an easy 16th for either pitching staff. The Mets appeared to take control of the game once again, this time coming up with 3 runs in the top half of the inning. The rally began with Strawberry receiving a gift double when Billy Hatcher and Bill Doran misplayed his towering fly ball with one out. When Knight followed with a single to right, a poor throw to the plate by Kevin Bass allowed the tiebreaking run to score, just as it had in the 14th. A walk, two wild pitches, and a single by Lenny Dykstra brought in two more runs, putting the Mets up 7–4. This sent some of the Houston faithful for the exits; those who stayed, however, almost witnessed the unthinkable.

Orosco struck out Craig Reynolds to open the inning, but a walk and two singles later, Houston had a run in and the tying run on base. Orosco induced Denny Walling to hit into a force play at second for the second out, but Glenn Davis singled home another run, bringing the Astros within a run. People everywhere were quiet as they watched Orosco face right fielder Kevin Bass with two outs and the tying run on second, and the winning run on first.

It was all up to Bass to drive in a run and tie the game. Orosco threw Bass six straight sliders; when Bass swung and missed the last of them, the epic series was over. Orosco was awarded the victory, marking the first time in postseason history a reliever won three games in a series. It would be a long winter for the Astros, but for the Mets, an even bigger trial awaited them. After taking two days off to recover from the exhausting series against Houston, the Mets began a legendary World Series against the Boston Red Sox, a series in which they would pull off one of the greatest comebacks of all time.

The Mets had won the series with a .189 batting average, the lowest average recorded by a winning team in a postseason series. Their pitching had been the key.

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Awards and honors

All-Star Game

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Minor league system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Columbus

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See also

References

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