1986 American League Championship Series
Gary Pettis's RBI single with two on extended their lead to 5–0, the run unearned due to shortstop Spike Owen's throwing error to first on Bob Boone's ground-ball.
The Red Sox struck first in the bottom of the first when Wade Boggs hit a leadoff triple off Kirk McCaskill and scored on Marty Barrett's double.
Barrett's bases-loaded RBI single next inning made it 2–0 Red Sox, but Bill Buckner hit into an inning-ending double play to limit the damage.
Dick Schofield's bases-loaded single in the fourth cut the Red Sox's lead to 2–1, but Bruce Hurst retired the next two batters to keep them in front.
Next inning, Wally Joyner's home run tied the game, but in the bottom half, Dwight Evans's RBI double with two on put the Red Sox ahead for good, 3–2.
Next inning, Buckner's sacrifice fly with runners on first and third off Gary Lucas made it 7–2 Red Sox before Jim Rice's home run off Doug Corbett capped the game's scoring at 9–2.
The Red Sox scored two runs in the eighth on Donnie Moore's balk with runners on second and third and Gedman's RBI single, but the Angels padded their lead in the bottom half on Ruppert Jones's sacrifice fly off Calvin Schiraldi.
During the game, scoring on Reggie Jackson's single, Wally Joyner suffered an opened staph infection, which would sideline him for the rest of the series.
Ruppert Jones was intentionally walked to load the bases, a fatal mistake, as two batters later, Brian Downing was hit by a pitch, bringing in the tying run.
The Angels added to their lead in the seventh inning off Bob Stanley on Rob Wilfong's RBI double with two on and Brian Downing's bases-loaded sacrifice fly.
The Angels closer brought his team within one strike of its first AL pennant, but Henderson caught hold of a Moore forkball and launched a home run into the left field stands, stunning the hometown crowd and greatly redeeming himself for his earlier miscue.
The teams settled down and the tenth inning was again scoreless, but the Red Sox loaded the bases in the top of the 11th off Donnie Moore on a hit-by-pitch and two singles for Henderson.
Calvin Schiraldi then retired the Halos in order in the bottom of the 11th, completing a shocking comeback and sending the series back to Boston.
Tuesday, October 14, 1986, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts Still reeling from their Game 5 loss, the Angels struck first in the top of the first off Oil Can Boyd on back-to-back two-out RBI doubles by Reggie Jackson and Doug DeCinces after a one-out walk, but the Red Sox tied the game in the bottom of the inning off Kirk McCaskill without a hit.
Brian Downing hit a home run in the top of the seventh off Boyd, but in the bottom of the inning, Spike Owen's two-run triple off Corbett after a single and walk made it 10–3 Red Sox.
The Angels got a run in the eighth off Bob Stanley on shortstop Owen's throwing error on Rob Wilfong with Dick Schofield at second, but could not score again as the Red Sox's 10–4 win forced a deciding Game 7.
Wednesday, October 15, 1986, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts In Game 7, the Red Sox loaded the bases in the second off John Candelaria with no outs on an error, single and walk.
Rich Gedman's groundout scored a run and after an intentional walk reloaded the bases, Wade Boggs's two-run single made it 3–0 Red Sox.
Taking a 5–3 lead into the bottom of the tenth inning of Game 6, the Red Sox gave up three runs, culminating in an infamous ground ball through the legs of Bill Buckner to hand the Mets a 6–5 victory.
As for the Angels, Donnie Moore was regarded the goat of the series for giving up Henderson's home run in Game 5, and then his game-winning sacrifice fly two innings later.
