NEW YORK -- The victory, the 72nd of the 98 the Mets would amass that season, was all but secure. Seven additional outs were necessary to complete their engagement against the visiting Giants. To the 32,000 folks who had assembled at Shea Stadium, victory was a fait accompli because Dwight Gooden was pitching, and he was very much in charge.
The Doctor had struck out the first two batters in the seventh inning to increase the number of upper-case K's hanging from the upper deck in left field to 14. The K-aficionados wanted more, at least five more to equal the record, and preferably six more to make Gooden the King of the Hill.