Amazin' Date 9/26/1969: Koosman Whitewashes Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium

From the desk of: HEADBUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #158: Friday, September 26, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Philadelphia Phillies
Connie Mack Stadium

Jerry Koosman Hurls Seventh Shutout of Season

The National League East champs open their final road trip of the season at Philadelphia.  Making his 31st start of the season, Jerry Koosman wins his fifth straight decision, and tosses his third shutout in his last four starts.  He allows just four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in a complete game whitewashing of the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium.  Its his seventh shutout of the season.  Jerry    Koosman improves to 17-9 with a 2.21 RA.

The Mets inflict all their damage against Phillies starter Woodie Fryman who allows five runs, four earned, on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts through five innings pitched.  In the first inning Donn Clendenon hits his third home run in his last two games giving the Mets an instant 2-0 lead.  Duffy Dyer doubles and comes around to score in the second.  In the fifth Amos Otis and Bobby Pfeil each drive in a run apiece en route to a 5-0 Mets victory.

It's the Mets sixth straight win and their 97th of the season.  Four games remain on the schedule.

• Mets Record: 97-61
• N.L. East: 7 Games Up

Amazin' Date 9/19/1969: Bucs Sweep Twin Bill at Shea Stadium

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Pittsburgh Pirates @ New York Mets
Double-Header
Shea Stadium

The Pittsburgh Pirates refuse to go down quietly evidenced by their double-header sweep over the Mets at Shea Stadium on Friday.  Despite entering the day in fourth place and twelve games out of first, they appear no less determined to impact this season's first ever chase for a N.L. East division flag.  In town for a five game weekend set, next week they play the Chicago Cubs in the penultimate series of the regular season at Forbes Field.

• GAME ONE: Friday, September 19, 1969 - BR

Starter Nolan Ryan is knocked out of the box with haste as Pittsburgh takes a 3-0 lead in the second.  With the bases loaded in the seventh reliever Cal Koonce strikes Willie Stargell with a pitch with the bases loaded forcing in Pittsburgh's fourth run.  Amos Otis finally gets New York on the board in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI hit through the middle.  But the Pirates pile on with two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth against Mets reliever Les Rohr.  Ken Boswell drives in the Mets second and last run of the game in the bottom half of the ninth making it an 8-2 final in favor of Pittsburgh.

• GAME TWO: Friday, September 19, 1969 - BR

In a make-up game dating back to April Pirates starter Luke Walker allows no runs on just six scattered hits and four walks with three strikeouts in a complete game shutout performance.  Mets pitchers yield another eight runs, seven by starter Jim McAndrew.  Making his 15th start of the season, McAndrew allows seven earned runs on eleven hits and one walks with five strikeouts though five innings pitched.  He is tagged with his seventh loss of the season against six victories with a 3.66 RA.  This marks Cleon Jones ninth game missing from the line-up.

The Chicago Cubs split a twin bill with the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley.  They gain one game on the Mets cutting their deficit to four.  Chicago has nine games left in their season, but New York still has eleven games left to play.

Advantage Mets.

• Mets Record: 91-60
• N.L. East: 1st Place; 4 Games Up

Amazin' Date 9/13/1969: Tom Seaver Tops Bucs for 22nd Victory

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #145: Saturday, September 13, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Pittssburgh Pirates
Forbes Field

METS WIN TENTH IN A ROW

The Mets win their third straight against Pittsburgh, thereby extending their winning streak to ten.  It's New York's second such winning streak this season of ten games or more.  Meanwhile Chicago bows to the Cardinals at St. Louis marking their ninth loss over their last eleven games.  The Cubs now trail the Mets in the standings by 3.5 games.

Willie Stargell drives in the Pirates first run in the third with a single off Tom Seaver.  Pittsburgh maintains their one run lead through six.  But Ed Charles scores in the seventh inning when Al Weis bounces into a force play at second.  Ron Swoboda then gives the Mets 5-1 lead in the seventh with a grand slam home run off reliever Chuck Hartenstein.  Pittsburgh scores once more in the bottom of the eighth.  But Seaver locks down New York's 5-2 victory with a scoreless ninth.  Tom Terrific allows two earned runs on six hits and five walks with four strikeouts in a complete game effort for his 22nd win against seven losses with a 2.41 ERA.  Outfielder Amos Otis is recalled and starts in left with one hit in four at-bats.

• Mets Record: 88-57
• N.L. East: 1st Place; 3.5 Game Up

Amazin' Date 6/15/1969: Mets Acquire Donn Clendenon From Expos

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #56: Sunday, June 15, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodger Stadium

• NEWS: METS ACQUIRE FIRST BASEMAN DONN CLENDENON FROM MONTREAL EXPOS.  Clendenon has averaged 16 home runs over the last six seasons with a career high 28 home runs and 98 RBI in 1966 for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The 33-year old appeared in 38 games in his first with the Expos, hitting .240 with four home runs and 14 RBI through 129 at-bats.  Gil Hodges is likely to utilize him in a first base platoon with lefty Ed Kranepool.  Outfielder Amos Otis was sent down to (AAA) Tidewater after Sunday's game against the Dodgers to make room for on the roster for Clendenon.

Mets Lose Rubber Game at Dodger Stadium: Fall Nine Games Back of Cubs

Los Angeles starter Don Drysdale pitched just well enough to turn back the Mets and help lead the Dodgers to victory in the rubber game of their series at Chavez Ravine.  He limited the New Yorkers to a pair of runs on seven hits and no walks with three strikeouts through 5.2 innings pitched.  Jim Brewer arguably pitched better yielding but one hit through 3.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts in relief of Drysdale.  Brewers effort earned his seventh save of the season.

Mets starter Jack DiLauro sustained his first loss of the season after allowing three earned runs on seven hits and one walk with one strikeout over six innings pitched.  Cal Koonce and Ron Taylor contributed two innings of scoreless relief.

The Mets scored their only two runs in the third on a sac-fly by Wayne Garrett and a RBI hit from Cleon Jones.  Tommie Agee was 3 for 4 with a run scored.  Right fielder Andy Kasko homered for the Dodgers in the second.  Two more runs in the fourth gave Los Angeles their ultimate 3-2 margin of victory.

• Mets Record:  30-26 (.535)
• N.L. East:  2nd; 9 GB

Amazin' Dates 4/26/1969: Cubs Take Second Straight From Mets

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #16: Saturday, April 26, 1969 - BR
Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Mets Move Further Away From First Place After Second Straight Loss to Cubs.

In the second game of a four game series at Shea Stadium, the first place Cubs scored early and often off Mets starter Don Cardwell.  An RBI single by Ron Santo in the first; another RBI single by Don Kessinger in the second; and a two out RBI double off the bat of catcher Randy Hundley in the third staked Chicago starter Bill Hands to an early 3-0 lead.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth Cardwell walked his counterpart Bill Hands, then yielded another hit to Don Kessinger.  That's when manager Gil Hodges decided his pitcher had suffered enough.  Al Jackson was summoned from the bullpen, and was immediately greeted by right fielder Al Spangler's successful bunt down the third base line to load the bases.  Jackson then walked Ron Santo scoring Hands from third.  With two outs and the bases still jammed, Mr. Cub himself Ernie Banks singled home another pair of runs for a 6-0 Cubs lead.

Chicago didn't stop there.  They would score twice more in the sixth off Al Jackson, although one run was unearned on an error charged to Cleon Jones.  Their ninth and final run of the game came courtesy of Randy Hundley's RBI hit in the eighth off Tug McGraw.

New York did all their scoring off Bill Hands in the bottom of the sixth.  Ken Boswell, Amos Otis, and Ed Kranepool all drove in a run apiece.  However, Hands would press on for the complete game victory,  surrendering three runs (two earned) on eight hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.  He improves to 3-1 on the season.

Don Cardwell falls to 0-3 on the season.  Ron Taylor pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

Continuing to bat in the lead-off position while Tommie Agee remains out, Bud Harrelson went 2 for 3, with a double, and a run scored.

• Mets Record: 6-10
• N.L. East: 5th; 6 GB

Amazin' Date 4/15/1969: Ed Kranepool Comes Through in the Pinch

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game Eight: Tuesday, April 15, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Philadelphia Phillies
Connie Mack Stadium

Mets Salvage Split at Philadelphia: Snap Skid at Four.

Batting against New York's Gary Gentry, Philadelphia third baseman Deron Johnson staked his pitcher to an early 1-0 lead with an RBI hit in the first.  In turn, starter Chris Short limited the Mets to just one hit through his first four innings of work.  But New York would finally catch up to him in the fifth.  Buddy Harrelsson drove in a pair and Tommie Agee drove in another putting the Mets ahead by two.

Leading off the sixth, Don Money's home run brought the Phils to within one.  Gentry yielded three more hits in the seventh; right fielder Johnny Callison's base hit to left scored Dick Allen from third base tying the game at three.

Pitching in relief of Chris Sort, Gary Wagner surrendered consecutive hits opening the eighth inning to Ken Boswell and Cleon Jones.  The Mets then loaded the bases when Wagner mishandled a sacrifice attempt by Amos Otis.  Wagner twice escaped harm by inducing Ron Swoboda and Jerry Grote into ground ball force-outs at home.  But Buddy Harrelson finally made Wagner pay for his fielding error with a hit through the infield scoring Otis.  Pinch hitting for Gentry, Ed Kranepool doubled to left scoring Swoboda and Grote.  All three runs were unearned.

FINAL

Mets      6

Phillies  3

Cal Koonce earned a save for two innings of perfect relief.  Gary Gentry allowed three earned runs on eight hits and three walks, with four strikeouts in winning his second decision of the season.

The Mets gain a split of their abbreviated two game series against the Phillies, but moreover snap their losing streak at four.

Onward to Pittsburgh for another short two game set against the Pirates.

• Mets Record: 3-5
• N.L. East: 4th; 4 GB