National League Standings, June 22, 1990
METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE JUNE 22, 1990 GAME:
Dave VW
August 15, 2022
The Mets started a 3-game sweep of the Phillies with this win, in which Viola became the NL's first 10-game winner. After a rare dud his last time out at Pittsburgh, Viola was much more vintage here, allowing just a first-inning run and fanning 8. His biggest out came in the fourth inning facing Lenny Dykstra, who was leading the league in batting average at the time, with 2 outs and the bases loaded. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Lenny lined one just foul outside the first base line, which almost certainly would have made it a 5-4 game. On the next pitch, he lined out to right to end the threat, and the Phils did very little fighting after that.
This was Ken Howell's shortest start of his career, and he made just 4 more appearances in 1990 before his major league career was over. After scoring all 5 runs off him, the Mets offense went to sleep, managing just 2 hits against the Phils' bullpen over the remaining 6.1 innings.
Couple other things I noticed during this game:
1. After flying out in the 6th, Charlie Hayes jogged back to the dugout by crossing over the pitching mound and even kicking the rosin bag. No one seemed to notice or care, but isn't this bad baseball etiquette? I bet if someone more fiery than Viola were pitching, like Cone, Hayes would have gotten plunked his next AB.
2. It annoyed me to see Jefferies throw a mini temper tantrum by slamming his batting gloves and helmet to the ground in the dugout after flying out in the 7th. He had gone 3-for-3 in his first three ABs and the Mets were coasting to an easy win, and yet this guy's gotta make a scene like he just stranded the bases loaded in a tie game. Chill out bro!
3. I know I have my criticisms of McCarver and Kiner, but they are like listening to a symphony compared to the Phillies broadcast team. Harry Kalas was so dry and boring and Richie Ashburn, despite a Hall of Fame playing career, contributed absolutely nothing to the booth. I got the sense neither one was interested in being there and would have been perfectly content to not say a word and just let the game play out in silence.
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