Amazin' Date 7/8/1969: First Place Cubs Bow to Mets in Series Opener at Shea

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #80: Tuesday, July 8, 1969 - BR
Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Mets Upend Fergie Jenkins in 9th Inning; N.L. East Leading Cubs Fall in First Visit to Shea Stadium.

Back home from a successful 6-2 road trip, the highly anticipated showdown against the first place Chicago Cubs is finally at hand.  The excitement leading up to this series is palpable.  The Mets and Cubs previously split four games at Wrigley Field back in May.  Just over two months later they meet again for game one of a three game series at sold out Shea Stadium on Tuesday. 

The game features a classic duel pitting Mets starter Jerry Koosman against Chicago's two time 20-game winner Fergie Jenkins.  They duel to a three all tie after eight innings of play.  Koosman yields three earned runs on eight hits and four walks with six strikeouts through eight.  He surrenders home runs to Ernie Banks in the sixth, and Jim Hickman in the eighth.  Second baseman Glenn Beckert's RBI single in the sixth accounts for the Cubs third run.  Jenkins on the other hand surrenders one run on just one hit - an Ed Kranepool home run in the fifth - with no walks and eight strikeouts through the first eight innings of play.

Koosman then pitches a scoreless ninth inning, retiring the side in order.  With Jenkins still in the game, Ken Boswell leads off the the home half of the ninth with a double to straightaway center.  With one out pinch hitter Donn Clendenon doubles but Boswell is held up at third.  Cleon Jones then drives them both home with yet another double to left.  Jenkins issues an intentional walk to Art Shamsky.  With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Ed Kranepool again comes through with a clutch single up the middle scoring Cleon Jones with the game winning run.

Koosman goes the distance winning his sixth game of the season against five losses with a stingy 1.78 ERA.  Fergie Jenkins sees his record fall to 11-6 with a 2.60 ERA.

Describing this game as a huge victory is clearly under stating the situation.  The Mets are now 12 games above .500 and only 4.5 games behind the division leading Cubs.  The Mets also now lead the Cubs 3-2 in head-to-head action.  Game two is scheduled for Wednesday evening at Shea Stadium where another huge summer crowd is expected.

• Mets Record: 46-34
• N.L. East: 2nd; 4.5 GB