There were two themes to Mets’ regular season of 1986. One, clearly, was dominance. The National League East was all but secured by early summer. They held a vice-grip-like 13-game lead, and had the manager of the defending NL champs, the Cards’ Whitey Herzog, waving the white flag in surrender.

They didn’t just beat the opposition, they beat them down. Which gets us to the other theme.

“We enjoy a fight,” manager Davey Johnson said. “If that’s what it takes, we’ll fight every time.”

The Mets didn’t fight all the time, but it sure seemed like it. They engaged in multiple on-field skirmishes (and a notable one off-the-field in Houston). But none was wilder — and no regular-season game was more thrilling — than the one during a July night in Cincinnati.

Here’s the tale of the tape:

  • No Mets broadcast of this game could be found. So instead, you’ll hear the legendary Reds voices of Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuhxall.
  • Reds right fielder Dave Parker was a great hitter and sported a cannon for an arm. But without his costly miscue at 2:25:58, there would have been little drama to speak of. His error spoiled the save chance of future Met John Franco.
  • Reds manager Pete Rose sends up a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the tenth — himself. Rose tallies one of the final hits of his career at 2:51:55. Eric Davis comes in to pinch-run for Pete and is in for quite the adventure on the basepaths.
  • Now to the main event — which starts at 2:56:15 and goes on for about 16 minutes. Davis found out the hard way that messing with a former Golden Gloves boxer like Ray Knight was a bad strategy. Those engaging with Kevin Mitchell were in for a rude awakening, too.
  • The ejections of Knight, Mitchell and Darryl Strawberry (due to a disputed strike call in the sixth) left Davey Johnson with too few position players. Gary Carter moved from catcher to third base, Ed Hearn went in behind the plate, and relief pitchers Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco were shuttled between the mound and right field, depending on who was batting.
  • Keith Hernandez showed his defensive brilliance at 3:40:50. With runners on first and second, in a clear bunting situation, he charges toward the plate as an inexperienced pitcher attempts to lay down a sacrifice.
  • The tie is finally broken at 4:08:00 thanks to Howard Johnson in the top of the 14th.
  • McDowell is summoned from the outfield to get the save, which he does — putting a punctuation mark on this bizzare evening.