Amazin' Date: 7/14/1969: Cubs Outlast Tom Seaver at Wrigley

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #86: Monday, July 14, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field

Look What the Cubs Did to Tom Seaver, Again

The surging Mets and first place Cubs meet again.  Just five days following the now famous Imperfect Game at Shea Stadium, Tom Seaver toes the rubber at Wrigley Field, and is opposed by Chicago's Bill Hands in Monday's series opener.

The two duel through five scoreless innings.  With two outs and Cubs shortstop Don Kessinger in scoring position at second, right fielder Billy Williams singles home the lone run of the game.  Seaver suffers the hard luck loss but not before yielding just the one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts through eight innings pitched.  It's only Seaver's fourth loss of the season versus 14 victories with a 2.39 ERA.

Bill Hands and Phil Regan join for a six-hit whitewashing of the Mets.  Hands yields no runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts through 8.2 innings.  When J.C. Martin singles off Hands with two outs in the home ninth, manager Leo Durocher summons Phil Regan from the bullpen.  Donn Clendenon then lines out sharply to second baseman Glen Beckert ending the game.  Ron Santo is seen running off the field, leaping and clicking his heels, and pumping up Wrigley Field fans.

After closing to within 3.5 games of the Cubs on July 9, the Mets have since slipped 2.5 games in the standings to fall six games back of the Cubs.

• Mets Record: 49-37
• N.L. East: 2nd; 6 GB