<P> The seventh and deciding game of the series was scheduled for Sunday night, October 26 . However, a drenching rainstorm left the field at Shea Stadium unplayable and the game was postponed to the following night . </P> <P> The scheduled pitching matchup was to pit Ron Darling against Oil Can Boyd . Darling had already made two starts, losing Game 1 and winning Game 4 . Boyd had started Game 3 and lost after struggling early by giving up four first inning runs . </P> <P> The postponement, however, gave Red Sox manager John McNamara another option . Unlike the Mets, who had been using a three - man rotation, the Red Sox had used four starters . Since the rainout extended the series by a day, Game 1 and 5 starter Bruce Hurst received an extra day of rest and would be available to start with three days having passed . Since Hurst had done so well to that point--after all, he was set to be named World Series MVP before the Mets rallied to win Game 6--McNamara chose him over Boyd to start Game 7 . </P> <P> After Boyd received word he was not starting the final game of the series, he went down into the visitors' clubhouse and remained in there alone for some time . McNamara dispatched pitching coach Bill Fischer to find Boyd, and when he located him Fischer discovered that Boyd had consumed a great deal of alcohol and was in no condition to function much less play . Fischer moved Boyd into the manager's office where he locked the door and left him for the entire game . </P>

Who started game 7 of the 1986 world series