Notebook : Letting Buckner Hit in the 8th Backfired Twice on McNamara

Although he had a chance to break the game open with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth inning Saturday night, Boston Manager John McNamara declined to play the percentages and send up right-handed pinch-hitter Don Baylor to bat against left-handed relief pitcher Jesse Orosco.

Instead, McNamara let left-handed Bill Buckner (.143 in the World Series) bat for himself, and Buckner flied out to end the inning.

The move would haunt Boston doubly, because had McNamara batted for Buckner, it would have meant bringing in sure-handed Dave Stapleton as a defensive replacement at first base. Buckner eventually made the error that cost the Red Sox Game 6 in the bottom of the 10th.

“Maybe they should have had Stapleton in there for defense,” the Mets’ Howard Johnson second-guessed. “The infield is pretty chewed up. The balls take funny hops.”

McNamara said: “Normally with Buckner, we pinch-run for him. We didn’t have to tonight, and he has very good hands.”

Baylor was asked about being bypassed for pinch-hit duty. He didn’t want to talk about it.

“It was never discussed,” Baylor said before rising from his seat and leaving the locker room.

More from the mouths of the Mets:

Keith Hernandez: “This is it right here. The ultimate. There is no momentum tomorrow. It comes down to nine innings.”

Kevin Mitchell: “Oil Can (Boyd) is pitching tomorrow. We hurt him pretty good up there (in Boston). We’re ready.”

Ray Knight: “I know some people say we haven’t had any tough games, but I don’t agree. . . . I’m really proud of this club. With my reputation as a fighter, if anybody questions this club, I may punch them.”

Mookie Wilson: “Whatever it is, mirrors, magic wands, whatever, we won the ballgame.”

Manager Davey Johnson: “Right now, I’m worn out.”

A Manhattan man who parachuted onto the field in the top of the first inning, landing between the pitcher’s mound and first base, was booked on criminal charges.

Michael Sergio, 37, was booked at the 110th precinct on charges of criminal trespassing and reckless endangerment. Sergio, who was carrying a “Go Mets” sign, received a standing ovation from the Shea Stadium crowd before he was escorted off the field through the Mets’ dugout by police officers.

New York City plans to deploy 700 police officers--80 of them on horseback--at Shea Stadium to protect players and fans during Game 7.

Weather forecast for Game 7: 80% chance of rain. . . . Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda praised Red Sox second baseman Marty Barrett, comparing him to former Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson. Barrett, who has at least one hit in the first six games of the Series, had 23 hits in 13 preseason games, breaking the record of 19 held by the late Thurman Munson. . . . By stranding seven runners in the first five innings, the Red Sox set a record for most men left on base in a six-game Series (56). The Yankees left 55 men on base in six games against the Dodgers in 1981.

Roger Clemens was attempting to clinch his fourth championship in the last four years. He was the winning pitcher in the 1983 College World Series, when the University of Texas defeated Alabama, 4-3, for the NCAA title. In the same year, pitching for the New Britain (Conn.) Red Sox, he defeated Lynn (Mass.), 6-0, for the Class AA Eastern League championship.

In the seventh game of the American League playoffs this month, Clemens was the winning pitcher as the Red Sox beat the Angels, 8-1, to advance to the World Series.

Turnabout: Met fans, responding to the serenading New York right-fielder Darryl Strawberry received from Boston fans in Fenway Park Thursday night (they sang “Darrr-yl, Darrr-yl”), did the same to Red Sox right-fielder Dwight Evans on his first at-bat Saturday.

They then started on Red Sox pitcher Clemens.

Strawberry, incidentally, said he thought the sing-a-long in Boston was all done in fun.

Taking no chances: On Boston’s flight to New York Friday, a flight attendant came on the intercom and requested that there be no smoking on the plane.

The request came from Red Sox physician Arthur Pappas on behalf of Roger Clemens, who became sick on the team’s flight from California two weeks ago.

No one lit up.