Amazin' Date 9/8/1969: Mets Defeat Cubs; Close In On First Place

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

 AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #138: Monday, September 8, 1969 - BR
Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

METS NOW JUST 1.5 GAMES OUT OF FIRST PLACE!

With Joan Payson in attendance among an announced crowd exceeding 43,000 plus, the surging Metropolitans hold on for a tightly contested victory in Monday evening's game one showdown against the Cubs at Shea Stadium.  Jerry Koosman makes his 27th start of the season and is opposed by Chicago's Bill Hand.  Tommie Agee breaks the ice with a two run home run scoring Bud Harrelson in the fourth.  Undeterred, Chicago's Don Kessinger and Glenn Beckert open the sixth with consecutive singles.  Next up Billy Williams drives in Chicago's first run with a third straight hit to right.  Beckert scores on Ron Santo's sac fly to left tying the game at two.  But the Mets answer back on Tommie Agee's lead-off double and Wayne Garrett's run scoring single to right/center in the bottom half of the frame.  Jerry Koosman takes care of the rest.  The Mets southpaw allows two runs on seven hits and just two walks with 13 strikeouts en rout to his 13th victory of the season against nine losses with a 2.48 ERA.  Koosman achieves double-digit strikeouts for the third time this season.  Bill Hand surrenders three earned runs on just five Mets hits and two walks with five strikeouts through eight innings pitched.  Tommie Agee continues pounding opposing pitchers with another 2 for 3 day with a double, home run, and two runs batted in.

• Mets Record: 81-57
• N.L. East: 2nd; 1.5 GB

Amazin' Date 7/15/1969: Mets Tame Cubs For 50th Victory of the Season

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS
50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #87: Tuesday, July 15, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field

New York Mets Achieve 50th Victory in Record Time

Gary Gentry and the Mets knot up their series with the Cubs at one apiece.  After trading runs in the third, the Mets score three times in the fourth and one more time in the fifth.  Chicago rallies for one run in the sixth and two late runs in the eighth, but would score no more.

Gentry yields four runs, three earned, on eight hits and just one walk with four strikeouts through 7.2 innings for his ninth victory of the season against seven losses.  With two outs in the top of the eighth, the Mets rookie starter surrenders back to back home runs to Billy Williams and Ron Santo.  Manager Gil Hodges then calls upon Ron Taylor who pitches the final 1.1 innings with two strikeouts for his eighth save of the season.

Tommy Agee opens the scoring with a triple scoring Weis from second base in the third.  The Mets end up hamming Cubs starter Dick Selma for five earned runs on eight hits and a walk through 4.1 innings pitched.  Al Weis connects on his first home run of the season - a three run shot in the fourth - and Ken Boswell hits his third of the season an inning later.

For those who recall, the 1962 Mets failed to win 50 games all season.  In 1965 they gain their 50th victory with just five games remaining on the schedule.  Three season ago is the first time the Mets win their 50th prior to the month of September.  Last season - their first under manager Gil Hodges - the Mets rally for their 50th victory on Aug. 2, with a 3-2 win over the Dodgers at Los Angeles in their 109th game of the season.  Today's victory over the Cubs at Wrigley marks the Mets 50th victory in just their 87th game.

Oh, and they're within five games of first place, again.

Something special is brewing.

• Mets Record: 50-37 (.574)
• N.L. East: 2nd; 5 GB

Amazin' Date: 7/14/1969: Cubs Outlast Tom Seaver at Wrigley

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #86: Monday, July 14, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field

Look What the Cubs Did to Tom Seaver, Again

The surging Mets and first place Cubs meet again.  Just five days following the now famous Imperfect Game at Shea Stadium, Tom Seaver toes the rubber at Wrigley Field, and is opposed by Chicago's Bill Hands in Monday's series opener.

The two duel through five scoreless innings.  With two outs and Cubs shortstop Don Kessinger in scoring position at second, right fielder Billy Williams singles home the lone run of the game.  Seaver suffers the hard luck loss but not before yielding just the one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts through eight innings pitched.  It's only Seaver's fourth loss of the season versus 14 victories with a 2.39 ERA.

Bill Hands and Phil Regan join for a six-hit whitewashing of the Mets.  Hands yields no runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts through 8.2 innings.  When J.C. Martin singles off Hands with two outs in the home ninth, manager Leo Durocher summons Phil Regan from the bullpen.  Donn Clendenon then lines out sharply to second baseman Glen Beckert ending the game.  Ron Santo is seen running off the field, leaping and clicking his heels, and pumping up Wrigley Field fans.

After closing to within 3.5 games of the Cubs on July 9, the Mets have since slipped 2.5 games in the standings to fall six games back of the Cubs.

• Mets Record: 49-37
• N.L. East: 2nd; 6 GB