Amazin' Date 9/2/1969: Donn Clendenon Powers Mets to Victory Over Dodgers

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #132: Tuesday, September 2, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodger Stadium

New York bounces back with a 5-4 victory in game two at Los Angeles to even their series with the Dodgers at one.  Gary Gentry pitches a strong game until tiring in the ninth.  He allows three late runs on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts through 8.1 innings pitched.  Ron Taylor relieves Gentry with great difficulty until Gil Hodges summons Tug McGraw whom settles things down to earn his tenth save of the season.  Gentry earns his tenth win.  The Mets muster four earned runs on six hits and three walks against Dodgers starter Don Sutton.  Donn Clendenon is 3 for 4 with a home run off Sutton in the first, and another off Sutton in the fourth.  Ron Swoboda is 1 for 3 with a double and two runs batted in.

But the true difference maker is Ken Boswell's RBI single in the top of the eighth off reliever Joe Moeller.  Since returning to the line-up on Aug. 23 Boswell has hit safely in eight of nine games during which time he is batting .542 (13 for 24) to date.

Wednesday's rubber game at Dodger stadium concludes New York's ten game road trip.  Tuesday's win was their sixth of the trip against three loses.  However, Chicago defeats the Reds at Crosley Field and so the Mets gain no ground on the first place Cubs.  Upon their return home, the Mets first will host a four game series against the Phillies, then finally go head to head against the Leo Durocher's Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium.

• Mets Record: 77-55
• N.L. East: 2nd; 5 GB

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

Amazin' Date 6/14/1969: Tom Seaver Two RBI Lift Mets Over Dodgers

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #55: Saturday, June 14, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodger Stadium

Tom Seaver Earns His Tenth Victory of the Season

Behind another masterful performance from Tom Seaver the Mets snap their two game skid and knot up their series with the Dodgers.  Tom was terrific, yielding just one run on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts through eight innings pitched.  The Dodgers scored their lone run in the first on a one out triple by Willie Crawford and a base hit from Wes Parker.  After which, Seaver and Tug McGraw limited their hosts to just five hits the rest of the night.

Art Shamsky erased the Dodgers lead in the second when he connected off Don Sutton for his first home run of the season.  Tom Seaver then provided himself with a 3-1 lead when in the bottom of the fourth he singled with the bases loaded driving in two.

Tug McGraw pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save of the season.  Tom Seaver improves to 10-3 on the season with a 2.41 ERA.  After starting the season 1-2 with two no decisions, Seaver is 9-1 in his last ten starts.

• Mets Record: 30-25 (.545)
• N.L. East: 2nd; 8.5 GB