7,334, part 2 – Mets win 3-2 in 14 innings

You’ve got to love these crazy-ending extra-inning games.

Damion Easley scored on a wild pitch in an error-filled bottom of the 14th inning to give the Mets a 3-2 win and a series sweep of the Washington Nationals.

Nelson Figueroa had another brilliant start, throwing essentially just one bad pitch to give up a two-run homer in the fourth. He pitched 7 innings, yielding just those 2 earned runs, 3 hits (singles before and after the homer), 2 walks and tossing 7 strikeouts.

The bullpen was even more impressive, giving up no runs in game’s other 7 innings while allowing just two hits. Aaron Heilman, Billy Wagner, Duaner Sanchez, Pedro Feliciano and Joe Smith all were the setup men for Jorge Sosa, who got the win with two solid innings.

The game brings back fond memories of some of my favorite long-lasting Mets games. Of course who could forget the 16-inning ’86 NLCS Game 6 against the Astros, in which the Mets won 7-6 to advance to the World Series?

But perhaps the oddest contest was the 19-inning July 4, 1985 Mets-Braves matchup in Atlanta that ended with the Mets winning 16-13.

My dad and I watched every pitch of the game, which began late after an extended rain delay. We watched the first 10 innings on our main TV before retiring to watch the rest of the game separately on our bedroom TVs.

The Mets looked destined for a victory in the top of the 13th when Howard Johnson hit a two run homer, but the Braves scored two of their own in the bottom of the 13th to make it a 10-10 tie to extend the game.

It remained scoreless until the 18th, when the Mets took an 11-10 lead in the top of the 18th on a sacrifice by Lenny Dykstra that scored Johnson. Mets pitcher Tom Gorman got the first two outs in the bottom of the 14th and then Atlanta pitcher Rick Camp steps into the batter’s box, so the game’s essentially over, right?

No. Camp hits the only home run of his career and we go to the 19th.

The Mets have had enough at this point and score 5 in the top of the 19th, then bring in starter Ron Darling to close out the game. The Braves get back just two runs in the bottom half and at 3:55 a.m., it’s finally bedtime. Mets 16, Braves 13.

I can’t recall, but I think it was fireworks night at Fulton County Stadium. Can’t remember if they still put on the post-game show.