Amazin' Date 8/17/1969: Mets Sweep Consecutive Twin Bills From Padres

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

San Diego Padres @ New York Mets
Double-Header
Shea Stadium

• GAME ONE; Sunday, Aug. 17, 1969 - BR

San Diego takes a 2-0 lead after four and a half on runs batted in from center fielder Ivan Murrell and second baseman Jose Arcia.  In the bottom half of the fifth Duffy Dyer connects off Padres starter Joe Niekro with two men on, and just like that the Mets give Jerry Koosman a 3-2 lead.  Koosman goes the distance allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts en route to his tenth victory of the season against eight losses with a stellar 2.23 ERA.

• GAME TWO; Sunday Aug. 17, 1969 - BR

How do you put a 4-7 road trip in the rear view mirror?  Answer: win four games in the span of two days at home.  The Mets do just that with back-to-back double-header sweeps this weekend against the expansion Padres.

Mets starter Don Cardwell and San Diego's Clay Kirby duel through six scoreless innings.  Ed Kranepool opens the bottom of the seventh with a single to right, and is replaced with pinch-runner Al Weis.  After Jerry Grote draws a base on balls, Bud Harrelson clears the bases with a triple to right/center.  Still with no outs J.C. Martin lofts a sac-fly to center scoring Harrelson.  Cardwell exits on the winning side of a three run game, having allowed no runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts through seven full.  However San Diego strikes for a pair in the eighth off Cal Koonce whom faces three batters and fails to record an out.  Manager Hodges summons Ron Taylor to put out the fire.  Taylor obliges with two scoreless innings of one-hit ball for his 12th save.  Cardwell earns his fifth victory.  The Mets gain one game on the first place Cubs.

• Mets Record:
• N.L. East: 2nd; 8 GB