Amazin' Date 8/30/1969: Mets Defeat Gaylord Perry in Ten Innings

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #128: Saturday, August 30, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ San Francisco Giants
Candlestick Park

The triumvirate of Don Cardwell, Ron Taylor, and Tug McGraw best Giants starter Gaylord Perry at Candlestick. 

The Mets put up the first run of the day on Bud Harrelson's RBI hit in the second.  In the third, however, Cardwell yields a lead off base hit to his counterpart then walks three straight forcing in a run.  New York retakes the lead on Jerry Grote's hit to right scoring Ken Boswell from second in the sixth.  But the Giants answer with haste in the seventh on Willie McCovey's double scoring former Mets all-star Ron Hunt.  The game remains tied at two through nine, and into extra-innings they go.  The Mets waste little time as Donn Clendenon with two outs in the tenth homers off Perry.  Tug McGraw then retires the Giants in order.

Don Cardwell surrenders just two earned runs on five hits, but walks seven batters and fans two.  He does not figure in the decision.  Ron Taylor finishes up the eighth inning in relief of Cardwell.  Tug McGraw earns his seventh victory of the season with two scoreless innings in relief of Taylor.  Gaylord Perry pitches all ten innings, yielding three runs, two earned, on nine hits and no walks with nine strikeouts en route to his 11th loss of the season against 16 wins and a 2.63 ERA.

Clendenon hits his fifth home run since joining the Mets.  Ken Boswell is 3 for 4 with a double and run scored.  He is 9 for 20 (.450) since his return to action on Aug. 23 and in the midst of a six game hitting streak.

With their 75th victory of the season, the Mets even the series at one with a double-header on tap for Sunday.  However they fail to gain ground on Chicago whom defeat the Braves at Atlanta.  Willie Mays who has only played 12 games this month has yet to make an appearance this series.

• Mets Record: 75-53 (.586)
• N.L. East: 2nd; 4 GB

Amazin' Date 8/20/1969: Jim McAndrew Whitewashes San Francisco Giants at Shea

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #119: Wednesday, August 20, 1969 - BR

San Francisco Giants @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

The Mets win their sixth in a row and record their second straight shutout over the San Francisco Giants.  Another packed house at Shea Stadium witness Jim McAndrew pitch his finest game of the season.  Making his 21st appearance, McAndrew allows just two hits and three walks with six strikeouts en route to a complete game shutout and his fifth victory of the season.  Giants starter Gaylord Perry fails to pitch out of the fifth.  Despite seven strikeouts, the Mets rough him up for six runs, five earned, on nine hits and a walk through 4.1 innings.  The Mets strike for six extra-base hits including a triple from Bud Harrelson and a fifth inning three run home run from Art Shamsky.  Bobby Pheil continues getting starts in place of the injured Ken Boswell.  He goes 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.  Art Shamsky is 2 for 4 with a double, his aforementioned tenth home run of the season, with four RBI.  The Mets improve to 13-7 in August.  The Mets gain a game in the standings as Atlanta defeats the Cubs.

• Mets Record: 68-51
• N.L. East: 2nd; 7 GB

Amazin' Date 6/11/1969: Giants Bring Soaring Mets to Screeching Halt

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #53: Wednesday, June 11, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ San Francisco Giants
Candlestick Park

Mets Bow to Giants 7-2 at Candlestick Park; Win Streak Halted at Eleven.

The Mets enter game two at Candlestick Park undefeated (4-0) against the Giants this season, and in the midst of a season altering eleven game winning streak.  By close of business Wednesday, starter Gaylord Perry and Willie Mays had put an end to all of it.

The Giants line-up waste little time getting after Mets rookie starter Gary Gentry.  With one out in the bottom of the first, former Mets all-star second baseman Ron Hunt triples into the left/center gap.  Willie Mays delivers Hunt with a single, and soon after would come around to score giving San Francisco an early 2-0 lead.  Mays is at it again in the fourth, doubling home two more runs and knocking Gentry out of the box.  With Tug McGraw pitching in relief of Ron Taylor in the sixth, Willie McCovey knocks in his 48th run of the season with a double as the Giants score three more times for a 7-0 lead.

Ed Kranepool finally put the Mets on the board with a lead-off home run in the seventh.  Cleon Jones makes it a 2-7 deficit with an RBI in the eighth.

Gaylord Perry completes the game, allowing the two runs on just four hits and four walks, with four strikeouts.  He improves to 9-5 on the season.  Gentry lasts 3.1 innings while yielding four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks with two strikeouts.  His record evens out at 5-5 for the season with a 3.79 ERA.

Willie Mays goes 3 for 5 with a double and two RBI and a run scored.  Ron Hunt is 3 for 5 with two runs scored against his former team.  Ed Kranepool's home run was his sixth of the season.

• Mets Record:  29-24 (.547)
• N.L. East:  2nd; 7 GB

Amazin' Date 5/31/1969: Ed Charles Stars in Mets Victory Over Giants

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #44: Saturday, May 31,1969 - BR
San Francisco Giants @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Gentry and The Glider Lead Mets in Game Two Victory at Shea

For a fourth time this season, the Mets are winners of three in a row.  On Saturday, they emerged victorious for a second straight game over the visiting San Francisco Giants.

The rookie Gary Gentry climbed the hill at Shea Stadium and was opposed by the wily Gaylord Perry.  All remained quiet through their first respective turns through the line-up.  In the fourth, Willie McCover broke the silence with a long two run home run off Gentry.  But the Mets promptly struck back in the bottom half of the frame.  With two outs, Ed Kranepool singled, and Ron Swoboda followed with a walk.  Ed Charles then connected off Perry on a three run home run.  Charles would provide the Mets with an insurance run in the eighth, plating Wayne Garrett with a one-out base hit to left/center for a 4-2 Mets lead, and ultimate margin of victory.

Gary Gentry evened his record at 4-4 on the season, allowing San Francisco two runs on five hits and three walks, with six strikeouts through seven innings of work.  Tug McGraw pitched two scoreless innings with four strikeouts en route to his first save of the season.

• Mets Record:  21-23
• N.L. East:  3rd; 9 GB