Amazin' Date 8/6/1969: Johnny Bench Home Run Sinks Mets

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS
50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #106: Wednesday, August 6, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Cincinnati Reds
Crosley Field

The Mets jump out to an early lead but fail to protect it.  Tommie Agee and Cleon Jones kick start a first inning rally with a pair of hits.  With two outs Ed Charles drives home Agee and Ron Swoboda drives in Jones.  Cincinnati gets one back in the bottom half of the frame.  Pete Rose leads-off with a triple and scores on Alex Johnson's sac-fly.  In the third Pete Rose doubles home Chico Ruiz knotting the game at two.  Leading off the bottom of the seventh, Johnny Bench connects on his 14th home run of the season putting the Reds ahead for good.  Cincinnati starter Jim Merritt goes the distance yielding two runs on ten hits and no walks with six strikeouts for his eleventh victory of the season.  Jim McAndrew allows three earned runs on seven hits and no walks with five strikeouts through eight innings pitched.  He falls to 3-4 on the season with a 4.85 ERA.  The Mets lose the series to the Reds three games to one and now find themselves nine games out of first place.

• Mets Record: 59-47 (.556)
• N.L. East: 2nd; 9 GB