Amazin' Date 5/14/1969: Cleon's Grand Slam Lifts Mets Over Braves

From the desk of:  HEAD BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #32: Wednesday, May 14, 1969 - BR

Atlanta Braves @ New York Mets

Shea Stadium

Agee and Jones Win One For Seaver; Mets Knot Series

Wednesday evening's game two starters Tom Seaver and Phil Niekro dueled through five scoreless innings at Shea before Atlanta broke the deadlock with four hits and a pair of runs in the sixth.  The Braves extended their lead off Seaver in the seventh when Jesus Alou connected on his third home run of the season.  The Mets finally got on the board in the bottom half of the frame when Ken Boswell stroked a lead-off triple to the left/center gap then scored on a Cleon Jones bounce out short to first.

Niekro and the Braves would unravel in the eighth.  With the bases loaded, Tommie Agee doubled in a pair to knock Atlanta's knuckle-baller from the box.  Pitching in relief of Niekro, George Stone intentionally walked Ed Charles then hit Ken Boswell with a pitch to force another run.  With the bases reloaded, Cleon Jones connected on a bases clearing grand slam.  J.C. Martin would also triple and score giving the Mets an 9-3 lead and final margin of victory over National League West leading Atlanta.

The Mets salvage a victory for Tom Seaver, his fifth of the season against two losses.  He yielded three earned runs on ten hits and a walk with three strikeouts through eight innings.  Ron Taylor pitched a scoreless ninth.

Cleon Jones' five RBI in the game give him 23 for the season.  Tommie Agee was 1 for 3 with a double and two RBI, and is now 12 for 25 (.480) for the month of May with a double, five home runs, and ten RBI.

Thursday's rubber game will feature Don Cardwell pitching against the Braves Pat Jarvis.

• Mets Record:  15-17
• N.L. East:  3rd; 7 GB