Strawberry Gets Ejected, Pete Rose Pinch hits himself and the Reds & Mets Brawl, a breakdown

Apr 17, 2020 856.7K views 5:30
MLB New York Mets 2020

What Happened

In a highly-charged matchup between the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds on July 22, 1986, tensions boil over in the fifth inning when Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry is ejected for arguing a called strikeout. Strawberry vehemently disagrees with the umpire's decision, drawing a line in the dirt with his bat and shouting "It wasn't even close!" before being tossed from the dugout. With the Mets trailing 1-0 in the ninth inning, first baseman Keith Hernandez hits a fly ball that is misplayed by Reds outfielder Dave Parker, allowing the tying run to score. Up next, Reds player-manager Pete Rose pinch-hits for himself, delivering a single to set the stage for a dramatic finish. Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson steals second and third base, bringing home the go-ahead run. But as Wilson slides into third, a confrontation breaks out with Reds third baseman Buddy Knight. The umpire rules that Wilson is safe, but Knight refuses to let him off the bag, leading to a heated exchange. Knight then punches Wilson in the face, sparking a full-scale brawl between the two teams. Reds catcher Gary Carter steps in, grabbing Wilson and slamming him to the ground. "Great assist, blue!" Carter tells the umpire. Fans start throwing objects onto the field and both Knight and Wilson are ejected from the game. In the aftermath, Mets pitcher Jesse Orosco and Reds pitcher Roger McDowell are forced to shuffle positions, with Orosco moving to the mound and McDowell to right field. The chaotic scene encapsulates the intensity of the Mets-Reds rivalry, with both sides refusing to back down in a game that sees a manager pinch-hit for himself and a bench-clearing brawl. Ultimately, the Mets emerge victorious, but the lasting image is of the two teams engaged in a wild melee, a testament to the passion and competitiveness that defined this era of National League baseball.

Full Transcript

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let's go back to July 22nd 1986 in

Cincinnati the Mets are in town and

everyone's pretty ornery Darryl

strawberry's up in the fifth inning

strike one is called strike twos called