Amazin' Date 10/2/1969: Mets End Regular Season With Split at Wrigley Field

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

End Regular Season
New York Mets @ Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field

METS WIN 100th GAME OF SEASON

• GAME #161: Wednesday, October 1, 1969 -BR

The Mets rub salt into the wounds of 10,000 some odd Cubs fans in attendance Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field.  After Tommie Agee gives the Mets a 5-3 lead in the top of the ninth, Chicago scores two runs off Nolan Ryan in the bottom portion of the inning sending the game into extra innings.  Bud Harrelson doubles leading off the 12th inning, and comes around to score on Art Shamsky's one out hit to right.  In relief of Ron Taylor, Bob Johnson retires the Cubs in the bottom of the frame to secure the New York Mets National League leading 100th victory of the season.  Starter Jerry Koosman takes a no decision.  He yields three runs on six hits and one walk with a pair of strikeouts through five innings.  He ends the season with a 17-9 record and 2.28 ERA.  Ron Taylor earns his ninth victory against four losses with a 2.72 ERA.  Cleon Jones is 1 for 5 and falls to .339 in the batting race with a game left to play.  Bud Harrelson is 2 for 6 with two runs batted in.


NEXT STOP: ATLANTA

• GAME #162: Thursday, October 2, 1969 - BR

Chicago defeats the Mets on the final day of the regular season to gain a consolation series split with the post-season bound New York Mets.  Making his 35th and final start, Gary Gentry yields just one run on two hits and no walks with four strikeouts through five innings pitched.  He exits on the winning side of a 3-1 game but not before surrendering a home run to third baseman Ron Santo.  Chicago goes on to score four more times against Don Cardwell whom allows five hits including Ernie Banks 23rd home run of the season.  Cardwell finishes the season with an 8-10 record and a 3.01 ERA.  Cleon Jones goes 2 for 5 and drives in his 75th run of the season but his club record .340 average falls short of clinching the National League batting title.  The Mets will open the first ever National League Championship Series on Saturday at Atlanta.  The series shifts to Shea Stadium after game two.

• FINAL RECORD: 100-62 (.617)
• N.L. EAST: First Place; 8 Games Up
• NEXT GAME: Saturday, October 4, 1969 @ Atlanta Braves

Amazin' Date 7/8/1969: First Place Cubs Bow to Mets in Series Opener at Shea

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #80: Tuesday, July 8, 1969 - BR
Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Mets Upend Fergie Jenkins in 9th Inning; N.L. East Leading Cubs Fall in First Visit to Shea Stadium.

Back home from a successful 6-2 road trip, the highly anticipated showdown against the first place Chicago Cubs is finally at hand.  The excitement leading up to this series is palpable.  The Mets and Cubs previously split four games at Wrigley Field back in May.  Just over two months later they meet again for game one of a three game series at sold out Shea Stadium on Tuesday. 

The game features a classic duel pitting Mets starter Jerry Koosman against Chicago's two time 20-game winner Fergie Jenkins.  They duel to a three all tie after eight innings of play.  Koosman yields three earned runs on eight hits and four walks with six strikeouts through eight.  He surrenders home runs to Ernie Banks in the sixth, and Jim Hickman in the eighth.  Second baseman Glenn Beckert's RBI single in the sixth accounts for the Cubs third run.  Jenkins on the other hand surrenders one run on just one hit - an Ed Kranepool home run in the fifth - with no walks and eight strikeouts through the first eight innings of play.

Koosman then pitches a scoreless ninth inning, retiring the side in order.  With Jenkins still in the game, Ken Boswell leads off the the home half of the ninth with a double to straightaway center.  With one out pinch hitter Donn Clendenon doubles but Boswell is held up at third.  Cleon Jones then drives them both home with yet another double to left.  Jenkins issues an intentional walk to Art Shamsky.  With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Ed Kranepool again comes through with a clutch single up the middle scoring Cleon Jones with the game winning run.

Koosman goes the distance winning his sixth game of the season against five losses with a stingy 1.78 ERA.  Fergie Jenkins sees his record fall to 11-6 with a 2.60 ERA.

Describing this game as a huge victory is clearly under stating the situation.  The Mets are now 12 games above .500 and only 4.5 games behind the division leading Cubs.  The Mets also now lead the Cubs 3-2 in head-to-head action.  Game two is scheduled for Wednesday evening at Shea Stadium where another huge summer crowd is expected.

• Mets Record: 46-34
• N.L. East: 2nd; 4.5 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