On This Date in Sports April 4, 1988: Strawberry on the Roof
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
On opening day at Olympic Stadium, the New York Mets slam the Montreal Expos 10-6. The Mets set an opening day record by hitting six home runs. Kevin McReynolds and Darryl Strawberry hit two home runs, joined by Lenny Dykstra and Kevin Elster. Darryl Strawberry had everyone looking up as his seventh-inning home run off Randy St. Claire hit the roof in right field. Strawberry would hit 39 home runs to lead the National League as the Mets won the NL East with a record of 100-60.
The New York Mets were coming off a frustrating season when they started the 1988 season. After winning the World Series in 1986, the Mets suffering from injuries to the pitching staff, posted a record 92-70. Managed by Davey Johnson, the Mets were again the favorites in the National League as Dwight Gooden started on opening day, one year after he spent the first two months in drug rehab.
Managed by Buck Rodgers, the Montreal Expos exceeded expectations in 1987, finishing in third place with a record of 91-71. In their 20th season, it was the first time that the Expos had started the season at home, as their previous 19 years began on the road. Olympic Stadium was sold out as Dennis Martinez got the start for the Expos.
The Expos got on the board first as Mitch Webster tripled and scored on a hit by Hubbie Brooks. The Mets answered in the second as Darryl Strawberry led off the inning with a home run. The Mets took the lead in the third inning, as Lenny Dykstra scored on a single by Kevin McReynolds, as Strawberry was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs. In the fourth inning, the Mets extended the lead to 4-1 on a two-run home run by Kevin Elster.
The Expos would claw their way back into the game as Tim Raines had an RBI double in the fourth while Tom Foley and Jeff Reed drove in runs to tie the game 4-4 in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Dwight Gooden was lifted for a pinch hitter as Dave Magadan walked ahead of a three-run home run by Lenny Dykstra.
David Cone pitched around two walks in the sixth as Randy St. Claire came into pitch for Montreal. St. Claire retired Keith Hernandez to start the inning as Darryl Strawberry strolled to the plate. Strawberry launched a ball down the right-field line and hit the ring of Olympic Stadium just inches from the roof, the longest home run hit in Montreal as the Mets' lead was extended to 8-4. As fans were still admiring Strawberry's home run, Kevin McReynolds made it back-to-back to make it 9-4.
In the eighth, Montreal got a two-run home run by Hubie Brooks as Randy Myers came in the game with one out and the Mets holding a 9-6 lead. Myers retired all five batters he faced to earn the save, as Kevin McReynolds homered in the ninth to give the Mets a 10-6 win, setting a record for home runs by a team on opening day. Strawberry had a monster game, going 4-for-4, as McReynolds went 4-for-5, showing early the two stars would lead the Mets to a division title.
