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While there are many examples, this article will use one of the more famous games where the last mistake of the game and the player who committed it, Bill Buckner, was blamed for the loss. Game six of the 1986 World Series – Mets vs. Red Sox. Following is a synopsis of how the Red Sox mistakes actually lost the game before Buckner’s mistake. It wasn’t Buckner’s fault. It was team participation.
To keep it short, we will pick up the action with the Red Sox ahead 2-0 going into the bottom of the 5th inning.
Note: To this point, Boston had already left 7 on base and ended the game leaving a staggering 14 stranded. The Mets only left 8 stranded. The MLB average hovers around 6.8 to 7.3 per game.
Bottom of 5th Inning
• The bottom of the 5th starts with the Mets Darryl Strawberry walking on four
straight balls from Boston’s pitcher and ace starter Roger Clemons.
MISTAKE: A walk and to a very fast player who steals bases.
• Strawberry on first.
• Next batter: Ray Knight who is very susceptible to the high fast ball. In fact
striking out his last at-bat going after two of them. Clemons gets ahead of
Knight 0-2.
• Strawberry steals second on a 1-2 count to Knight.
MISTAKE: Catcher Rich Gedman’s throw was decent. A little over three feet
high and just to the right of second base. Second baseman Marty Barrett
moved his glove too quickly to try to make the tag and didn’t glove the ball.
If gloved, Strawberry would have been out.
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