On October 15 , 1986 —  In the one of the most thrilling and longest games ever played (4 hours and 42 minutes) in baseball history, the Houston Astros and New York Mets battle 16 innings at the Astrodome before the Mets prevail, 7-6, to win the National League pennant. Houston scores three in the first while Bob Knepper blanks New York for eight innings. The Mets rally to tie in the ninth when Lenny Dykstra and Ray Knight spark a rally and take the lead in the 14th. Billy Hatcher knots it again with a dramatic solo homer that hits the foul pole down the left field line . New York scores three more in the 16th but the Astros answer with two runs of their own. Finally, Jesse Orosco records the final strikeout. punching out Kevin Bass with a runner aboard for the final out of the season.

The record will be broken in the 2005 season, when Houston defeats the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the NLDS in 5 hours, 50 minutes in an 18-inning marathon, to win their Division Series.