Amazin' Date 9/24/1969: New York Mets Clinch N.L. East Pennant

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #157: Wednesday, September 24, 1969 - BR
St. Louis Cardinals @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

NEW YORK METS 
CLINCH NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST PENNANT

GARY GENTRY HURLS SHUTOUT AGAINST ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

JUBILANT FANS UPROOT PLAYING FIELD IN SHEA STADIUM CELEBRATION

"Goodbye, Leo, we hate to see you go!"

... the anthem of New York's summer.

Despite Chicago's afternoon victory over Montreal at Wrigley Field, the Cubs no longer are a matter of concern to the Amazin' Mets whom defeat the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday evening to clinch the first ever National League East pennant before a raucous crowd at Shea Stadium.

Donn Clendenon gets the party started straightaway in the first inning with a long three run home run to right/center off Cardinals starter Steve Carlton.  After Ron Swoboda follows with a base on balls, Ed Charles connects on New York's second home run of the inning knocking Steve Carlton outta the box.  

Pandemonium ...

With one out in the fifth Donn Clendenon goes the other way for his second home run of the night giving the Mets a 6-0 lead and ultimate margin of victory.

Bedlam ...

Rookie Gary Gentry winds up with the great fortune of hurling the Mets division clincher.  Making his 33rd start of the season, Gentry allows the St. Louis Cardinals just four scattered hits and two walks with five strikeouts in a brilliant complete game shutout performance.  With one out and runners on first and second in the top of the ninth, Gil Hodges sticks with his man.  Gentry rewards his manager by inducing Joe Torre into a game ending 6-4-3 double play.

"... ground ball to short, this could be it.  There's one; there's two; the game is over.  At 9:07 on Sept. 24th the Mets have won the Eastern Division of the National League ... Look at that scene!"  -  Lindsey Nelson

Fans instantly pour on to the field in wild elation as New York's triumphant heroes scatter towards the safety of their locker room.

"I knew I got it all.  I didn't think there was any ball park in the world that would hold that one.  I knew it was gone."  -  Donn Clendenon on his first inning home run.   

The game marks New York's fifth straight win, and their 20th of the month against just seven losses.

• METS RECORD: 96-61 (.611)
• Clinch National League East Division Title
• Six Game Lead Over Chicago Cubs

YouTube: Game Highlights; Clubhouse Celebration

Amazin' Date 9/15/1969: Ron Swoboda Two Home Runs Power Mets Over Cardinals

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #147: Monday, September 15, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ St. Louis Cardinals
Busch Stadium

METS EXTEND LEAD OVER CUBS: JUST 15 GAMES REMAIN IN SEASON

In St. Louis for one game only, Gary Gentry and Tug Mcgraw join to outlast Cardinals left-hander Steve Carlton.

Vida Pinson drives in the first run of the game in the third.  But Ron Swoboda answers with a two run home run in the fourth.  However runs batted in from Curt Flood and Joe Torre give the Cardinals a 3-2 edge after five.  Gentry's duel with Carlton ends after six.  He exits on the losing side after surrendering three earned runs on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts.  Tug McGraw enters the game in relief of Gentry.  With Donn Clendenon on base in the top of the eighth Ron Swoboda connects on his second home run of the game off Steve Carlton giving the Mets a 4-3 final margin of victory.  Tug McGraw allows one hit over three scoreless innings with three strikeouts to pick up his eighth victory of the season against three losses with a 2.36 ERA.

The Expos roll over the Cubs at Jarry Park, and so the Mets gain another game in the standings.  Chicago has now lost 11 of their last 12 games.

• Mets Record: 89-58
• N.L. East: 1st Place; 4.5 Games Up

Amazin' Date 6/22/1969: Packed Shea Crowd Treated to Twin Bill Sweep Over Redbirds

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #63: Sunday, June 22, 1969 - BR
St. Louis Cardinals @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium/GAME ONE

Gary Gentry's strong performance on the front end of Sunday's double-header gets the Mets back in the win column.  Making his 14th start of the season the Mets impressive rookie limits the Cardinals to just one earned run on six scattered hits and four walks with six strikeouts through 8.1 innings pitched.

Ironically St. Louis opens the scoring in the first inning.  Lou Brock leads off the game with a base hit, and soon scores on Joe Torre's two out single to left.  After which Gentry would hold the Cardinals to just four hits the rest of the way.

The Mets on the other hand treat St. Louis starter Steve Carlton rather rudely, bullying him for five runs on eight hits in just 3.1 innings pitched.  Hits from Cleon Jones and Donn Clendenon in the third stake Gentry to a 2-1 lead.  In the fourth Bud Harrelson drives in the Mets third run, and Tommie Agee drives in two more giving the Mets a 5-1 lead and final margin of victory.  Donn Clendenon drives in his first run as a member of the Mets.  Meanwhile the top three hitter's in the line-up (Harrelson, Agee, Jones) join to go 8 for 12 with four runs batted in and three runs scored.

Gary Gentry improves his record to 7-5 and lowers his ERA back down to a 3.21 mark.


Game #64: Sunday, June 22, 1969 - BR
St. Louis Cardinals @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium/GAME TWO

The largest crowd in attendance at Shea Stadium this season is not only treated to a double-header sweep and series victory over the Cardinals.  Fan witness another near masterpiece authored by Jerry Koosman.  Game two fast evolves into a classic pitcher's duel.  Both Koosman and Cardinals starter Mike Torrez trade zeroes through the first six innings until the Amazins finally break through in the home seventh.  With two outs Buddy Harrelson triples into the right/center gap.  Next up, Tommie Agee's double into the opposite gap sends Harrelson trotting home with the game's only run.

Mike Torrez lasts seven innings allowing the one run on seven hits and four walks with five strikeouts.  He falls to 1-4 on the season.  Jerry Koosman improves to 5-4 and further shaves his ERA to a stingy 1.42 mark.

The second place Mets are now a franchise all-time best eight games above the .500 mark, and with Sunday's pair of victories close to within five games of the N.L. East leading Cubs whom sport a league best 43-25 record.

• Mets Record: 36-28 (.562)
• N.L. East:  2nd; 5 GB