Sponsored by Shea Stadium Remembered
Once long ago the Braves were like mere moths to the Mets. The NL West club flitted about in the back of the closet. They came to Shea a couple of times per year, sometimes annoying New York like an insect chewing holes in your favorite 1980s Cosby sweater, but most times you barely noticed they were there. Then came the day the moth flew in your face and you splatted the damned thing against the wall. That was July 11, 1986.
The Mets and Braves were playing at Shea, the second night of a four-game series preceding the All-Star break. The Mets won the night before and held a commanding 10-½ game lead in the NL East. The Braves were fourth in the NL West, a game under .500. Mets starter Sid Fernandez stranded Ken Griffey Sr. in scoring position in the top of the first. In the bottom of the inning Gary Carter came up with a base open and two on. David Palmer pitched to him. Carter took him deep, followed by the inevitable curtain call to appease the ecstatic 40,000 at Shea as millions more watched on the NBC prime-time special broadcast. David Palmer, former batterymate of the Kid in Montreal, kicked the ground as soon as Carter swung. He seethed on the mound as his former catcher pumped his fist to the crowd. Palmer drilled the following batter, Darryl Strawberry. Bad idea.
From One-Year Dynasty:
Strawberry threw his helmet and headed right for Palmer, the Brave suddenly not so brave as he threw his glove at the fast approaching slugger and then ducked away. Braves catcher Ozzie Virgil slowed Strawberry’s progress from behind, but Keith Hernandez was among those who did reach the pitcher. The fight ended soon, but the nightmare continued for Palmer. He was not ejected but suffered the indignity of facing Carter again in the second inning… and allowing a grand slam… and another curtain call.
“They act as though they won the seventh game of the World Series,” prescient Palmer said after the game. “I told Keith Hernandez when we were scuffling around: ‘I don’t mind if you hit 15 home runs, but don’t show me up.’ ”
Carter’s second home run—his 10th career grand slam—gave him 16 homers for the year. The seven RBI were a career high and gave him 65 to take the league lead from Mike Schmidt. Carter also caught Sid Fernandez’s first career complete-game shutout, which may have been the best overall start of the pitcher’s career—El Sid had three hits at the plate while allowing just two on the mound.
The Mets would sweep the four games from the Braves. The brawl was the first of three fights in 12 days—including off-duty police in Houston.