Amazin' Date 4/11/1969: Carlton Out Duels Koosman; Cardinals Outlast Mets in Series Opener

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game Four: Friday, April 11, 1969 - BR
St. Louis Cardinals @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Mets Ninth Inning Rally Falls Sort; Steve Carlton and St. Louis Cardinals Best Jerry Koosman in Series Opener.

Time are a'changing, folks.  Baseball is no different.  The latest round of expansion effectually forced each league into adopting a two division format.  You might say the St. Louis Cardinals - in town for a weekend series - are the last of the traditional National League champions.  So too are last year's Detroit Tigers the last of the old American League champions.  Gone are the days whereby clinching the best record qualifies one for the World Series.  Each circuit must henceforth undertake a playoff for determining it's respective league champion.

In his second season managing the Mets, Gil Hodges believes if they can improve upon last year's 26-37 record in one-run games, that the Mets can and should contend for the N.L. East division flag.  The Mets have now played in two such games, and come up sort each time.

Jerry Koosman climbed the bump for his first start of the season, and was opposed by Steve Carlton.  While the Cardinals starter kept the Mets off the scoreboard through the first five innings of play, Vida Pinson, Joe Torre, and Dal Maxvill had each driven in a run apiece staking Carlton to a 3-0 lead.

Cleon Jones finally got the Mets on the board in the sixth when he singled home Rod Gasper.  A subsequent error by shortstop Dal Maxvill allowed a second run to score.  But the Cardinals snatched one right back on Joe Torre's home run in the seventh off Koosman.  In all, Koosman surrendered four earned runs on nine hits and two walks, with only a pair of strikeout en route to his first loss of the season.

FINAL

Cardinals  6

Mets          5

The Mets would touch Carlton for one more run in the eighth, closing the deficit to within one.  And back again came the Cardinals with some much needed insurance.  Third baseman Mike Shannon plated a pair with a double to center off Jim McAndrew pitching in relief of Koosman for a 6-3 Cardinals lead.  The Mets would rally in the bottom of the ninth.  With two outs and Ken Boswell on base, Cleon Jones connected on his first home run of the season to cut the Cardinals lead to just one.  But reliever Joe Hoerner would strike out Ed Charles looking to end the game.

• Rod Gaspar: 3 for 5; run scored.
• Cleon Jones: 3 for 5; home run; 3 RBI.
• Ken Boswell: 7 for 15 (.466) through first four games.

Mets Record:  2-2