Amazin' Date 5/10/1969: Seaver Wins Battle Against Astros and Himself at Shea

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #28: Saturday, May 10, 1969 - BR
Houston Astros @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Well Rested Mets Cruise to Series Opening Victory Over Astros

After two days of rest, the Mets got their first look this season at the Houston Astros.

Making his eighth start of the season, Tom Seaver faced off against Houston's crafty southpaw Denny Lemaster.

Leading off the bottom of the fourth Amos Otis and Cleon Jones struck for consecutive singles off Lemaster.  Ed Charles followed with a double to center field scoring Otis.  Ron Swoboda was issued  an intentional walk to load the bases.  Denny Lemaster then caught Jerry Grote looking at strike three.  With one out, Al Weis lofted a sac-fly to center scoring Jones for a 2-0 Mets lead.  Cleon Jones later connected off Lemaster in the sixth for his fifth home run of the season.

Tom Seaver took care of the rest, but first needed to rectify control issues in the early going.  Seaver walked three batters in the first inning, another in the second, and issued six walks overall, not to mention unleashing two wild pitches.  Otherwise, he limited the Astros to one earned run on just four hits with four strikeouts en route to his third consecutive complete game victory.  He improves to 4-2 on the season with a fast plummeting 2.08 ERA.

With two hits in four at-bats, Cleon Jones (.402) lifted his average back above the .400 mark.  Saturday's game also marked Cleon's 13th multi-hit game of the season.

• Mets Record:  13-15
• N.L. East:  3rd; 5 GB