Amazin' Date 4/21/1969: Mets Drop Extra-Inning Heart Breaker to Phillies

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS
50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #13: Monday, April 21, 1969 - BR
Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Home is Where the Heart Break Is; Woody Fryman Dominates Mets Yet Again.

To say Woody Fryman spoiled the Mets return home to Shea Stadium is wording it mildly.  In each of his two starts against the Mets, the Phillies veteran has offered them no quarter.  Last Monday, he tossed a complete game four-hitter, allowing just one run and striking out six.  On this day Fryman pitched another ten full innings, limiting the Mets to just one run on five hits and one walk, with eight strikeouts.

Early on the Mets appeared to have Fryman's number.  Cleon Jones and Ed Charles strung together consecutive hits leading off the bottom of the second.  Ron Swoboda then plated Jones with the Mets third straight hit.  But Fryman would regroup himself.  After issuing a two-out walk to Ed Kranepool, the crafty vet would retire twelve straight batters until Amos Otis snapped the string a two-out double in the sixth.

FINAL

Phillies  2

Mets      1

11-innings

Rookie Gary Gentry would incur a heartbreaking no decision.  Despite issuing eight base on balls, Gentry allowed just one run on Larry Hisle's fourth inning home run, and seven hits overall with eight strikeouts through nine innings of quality work.  With Ron Taylor pitching his second inning in relief of Gentry, Philadelphia third baseman Tony Taylor's base hit with two on and one out delivered the go-ahead run.

The game marks New York's first extra inning game of the season.  This also marks their fifth game decided by one run, which entering the season Gil Hodges made very clear would be his pet peeve.  Sorry to report the Mets are now 1-4 thus far in such games.

Cleon Jones accounted for one of the Mets five hits.  He has now hit safely in 11 of the Mets 13 games to date, and as reached base in all but one.  Cleon is 21 for 51 (.312), with three doubles, a home run, and seven RBI.

• Mets Record:  5-8
• N.L. East:  3rd; 6 GB