Amazin' Date 8/24/1969: Mets Complete Sweep Over Dodgers at Shea

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS
50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #123: Sunday, August 24, 1969 - BR
Los Angeles Dodgers @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

What, you ask, could possibly top Jerry Grote's two out game-winning double in the ninth inning yesterday afternoon at Shea?  The amazin' Mets answer that question by completing a three game sweep of the reviled Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

Making his 26th start of the season Gary Gentry opposes Dodgers hurler Don Sutton.  First baseman Wes Parker homers in the third, and center fielder Willie Davis puts the finishing touches on Gentry's afternoon with a two out run scoring hit in the fifth.  The Mets rookie exits on the losing side of a 4-2 game.  Jack DiLauro enters in relief of Gentry and douses the fire.  Tommie Agee's RBI double off Sutton in the fifth makes it 4-3 in favor of the Dodgers.  When Sutton yields consecutive singles to Cleon Jones and Art Shamsky leading off the seventh Walter Alston summons Jim Brewer from the pen.  Ken Boswell's bunt single loads the bases.  Ron Swoboda then clears the bases with a double to left/center, and Jerry Grote's follow-up hit scores Swoboda giving the Mets a 7-4 lead and ultimate margin of victory.  Cal Koonce closes out the game with three scoreless innings of two-hit ball with two strikeouts in notching his sixth win of the season.

The Mets close out their ten game home stand with an outstanding 9-1 record, which includes sweeps of the Padres and the aforementioned Dodgers.  Their lone loss comes against the Giants in extra-innings on Thursday.  Otherwise the Mets are now winners of 16 of their last 24 games and since falling ten games back just two short weeks ago have clawed their way back to within 5.5 games of the Cubs.  Chicago (79-48) is 5-5 in over their last ten games.

• Mets Record: 71-52 (.577)
• N.L. East: 2nd; 5.5 GB