Amazin' Date 9/21/1969: Mets Closer to Clinching with Twin Bill Sweep Against Bucs

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Pittsburgh Pirates @ New York Mets
Double-Header
Shea Stadium

New York Mets Snap Three Game Skid;
Sweep Double-Header From Pirates at Shea Stadium

MAGIC NUMBER

4

• GAME ONE: Sunday, September 21, 1969 - BR

Jerry Koosman improves to 16-9 with a 2.30 ERA after limiting the Pirates to three earned runs on six hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in a complete game performance.  Pirates third baseman Jose Pagan homers off Koosman in the fourth, whom also yields runs batted in by Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell.  Ron Swoboda is 2 for 4 with two runs batted in.  Duffy Dyer also drives in a pair.  Art Shamsky caps off the scoring in the seventh with his 14th home run of the season.

• GAME TWO: Sunday, September 21, 1969 - BR

Don Cardwell pitches a gem in game two.  He allows seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts through nine complete innings.  Willie Stargell's home run in the fourth accounts for Pittsburgh's only run.  The Mets score three in the first en route to a 6-1 victory and a Sunday sweep.  The Pirates commit four errors in the field and wind up surrendering four unearned runs.  Cleon Jones marks his return to action with a run batted in as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning.  Wayne Garrett and Art Shamsky drive in a run apiece.

New York extends their first place lead to 4.5 games over the Cubs who were victorious over the Cardinals at Wrigley for only their fifth win in their last 19 games.

• Mets Record: 93-61
• N.L. East: 1st Place; 4.5 Games Up
• Magic Number: 4

Amazin' Date 9/19/1969: Bucs Sweep Twin Bill at Shea Stadium

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Pittsburgh Pirates @ New York Mets
Double-Header
Shea Stadium

The Pittsburgh Pirates refuse to go down quietly evidenced by their double-header sweep over the Mets at Shea Stadium on Friday.  Despite entering the day in fourth place and twelve games out of first, they appear no less determined to impact this season's first ever chase for a N.L. East division flag.  In town for a five game weekend set, next week they play the Chicago Cubs in the penultimate series of the regular season at Forbes Field.

• GAME ONE: Friday, September 19, 1969 - BR

Starter Nolan Ryan is knocked out of the box with haste as Pittsburgh takes a 3-0 lead in the second.  With the bases loaded in the seventh reliever Cal Koonce strikes Willie Stargell with a pitch with the bases loaded forcing in Pittsburgh's fourth run.  Amos Otis finally gets New York on the board in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI hit through the middle.  But the Pirates pile on with two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth against Mets reliever Les Rohr.  Ken Boswell drives in the Mets second and last run of the game in the bottom half of the ninth making it an 8-2 final in favor of Pittsburgh.

• GAME TWO: Friday, September 19, 1969 - BR

In a make-up game dating back to April Pirates starter Luke Walker allows no runs on just six scattered hits and four walks with three strikeouts in a complete game shutout performance.  Mets pitchers yield another eight runs, seven by starter Jim McAndrew.  Making his 15th start of the season, McAndrew allows seven earned runs on eleven hits and one walks with five strikeouts though five innings pitched.  He is tagged with his seventh loss of the season against six victories with a 3.66 RA.  This marks Cleon Jones ninth game missing from the line-up.

The Chicago Cubs split a twin bill with the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley.  They gain one game on the Mets cutting their deficit to four.  Chicago has nine games left in their season, but New York still has eleven games left to play.

Advantage Mets.

• Mets Record: 91-60
• N.L. East: 1st Place; 4 Games Up

Amazin' Date 9/13/1969: Tom Seaver Tops Bucs for 22nd Victory

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #145: Saturday, September 13, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Pittssburgh Pirates
Forbes Field

METS WIN TENTH IN A ROW

The Mets win their third straight against Pittsburgh, thereby extending their winning streak to ten.  It's New York's second such winning streak this season of ten games or more.  Meanwhile Chicago bows to the Cardinals at St. Louis marking their ninth loss over their last eleven games.  The Cubs now trail the Mets in the standings by 3.5 games.

Willie Stargell drives in the Pirates first run in the third with a single off Tom Seaver.  Pittsburgh maintains their one run lead through six.  But Ed Charles scores in the seventh inning when Al Weis bounces into a force play at second.  Ron Swoboda then gives the Mets 5-1 lead in the seventh with a grand slam home run off reliever Chuck Hartenstein.  Pittsburgh scores once more in the bottom of the eighth.  But Seaver locks down New York's 5-2 victory with a scoreless ninth.  Tom Terrific allows two earned runs on six hits and five walks with four strikeouts in a complete game effort for his 22nd win against seven losses with a 2.41 ERA.  Outfielder Amos Otis is recalled and starts in left with one hit in four at-bats.

• Mets Record: 88-57
• N.L. East: 1st Place; 3.5 Game Up

Amazin' Date July 4, 1969: Met Sweep Twin Bill at Forbes Field

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Games 77 & 78 / Double-Header
New York Mets @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Forbes Field

A Happy Independence Day to all.  A happy day indeed for New Yorkers back home as the Mets open a holiday weekend series at Pittsburgh by sweeping a double-header from the Pirates on Friday.  The Amazins bring their own fireworks, outscoring the Bucs by a combined 20-8 margin, and out-hitting them by a 30-18 mark.

• GAME ONE: Friday, July 4, 1969 - BR

Mets     11

Pirates   6

Starting game one, Tom Seaver yields four runs, but only three earned on seven hits and four walks with seven strikeouts through 7.2 innings pitched.  He surrenders a home run to Willie Stargell in the fourth.  Seaver improves to 13-3 on the season with a 2.62 ERA.  Cal Koonce pitches 1.1 innings for his fifth save.  The Mets tally five extra base hits including Tommie Agee's 12th home run of the season.  Donn Clendenon drives in a pair while Cleon Jones reaches 50 RBI in the Mets 77th game of the season.  Roberto Clemente drives in two runs, Bill Mazeroski knocks in one.

• GAME TWO: Friday, July 4, 1969 - BR

Mets      9
Pirates  2

The Mets keep the heat on Pittsburgh, scoring early and often against Pirates starter Doc Ellis.  With two outs in the first the Mets get RBI from Ed Kranepool and J.C. Martin.  With the bases loaded, Al Weis triples giving the Mets a 5-1 lead after one.  Freddie Patek homers off Mets starter Don Cardwell in the second, but the Pirates would score no more.  The Mets go on to score four more times on a J.C. Martin home run, two RBI from Art Shamsky, and another from Wayne Garrett.
Don Cardwell happily wins his third game of the season versus eight losses and a 3.44 ERA  He limits Pittsburgh to two runs on six hits and two walks with a strikeout through seven innings of work.  Jack DiLauro tosses two scoreless in relief for his first save of the season.

• Mets Record: 44-34
• N.L. East: 2nd; 7.5 GB

Amazin' Date 6/28/1969: Bucs Extend Mets Skid to Four

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #70: Saturday, June 28, 1969 - BR
Pittsburgh Pirates @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Mets rookie Gary Gentry duels veteran and perhaps one day Hall of Famer Jim Bunning through seven innings during which each pitcher yields two runs.  Ed Kranepool opens the scoring with a home run in the second plating Cleon Jones for a 2-0 lead.  The visiting Pittsburgh Pirates strike back in the fourth.  With two outs, left fielder Jose Pagan doubles home Manny Sanguillen.  Then with Bill Mazeroski at the plate, Gentry unleashes a wild pitch permitting first baseman Al Oliver to score the tying run from third.

When Gentry walks Willie Stargell leading off the eighth manager Gil Hodges summons Tug McGraw from the bullpen.  After which Bunning becomes the beneficiary of a five run eighth, two of the unearned variety.  Ed Kranepool's error and another wild pitch unleashed by McGraw are contributing factors.

The Mets would rally for two runs in the ninth on a Cleon Jones home run and a run batted in from Al Weis, but ultimately fall short in a 7-4 final.  Gentry's sees his record fall to 7-6 with a 3.26 ERA.

The Pirates take their second straight at Shea and extend the Mets losing streak to four.  While still in second place the Mets have lost three games in the standings in their last four games.

• Mets Record:  38-32
• N.L. East:  2nd; 8 GB