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

L.I. Ducks: Look Who's Still Number One

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Ducks Win Series 2-1

I - LID 3; SOM 2

II - SOM 3; LID 1

III - LID 5; SOM 3

The Ducks score a huge victory over rival Somerset.  Easily the biggest game of the season to date, Long Island gets an immensely clutch performance out of starter Alec Asher, who yields just one earned run on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.  He faces 27 batters, throwing 101 pitches with 73 (70%) going for strikes.  

Catcher Hector Sanchez hit a two run home run in the second, and center fielder Rey Fuentes hit a two run home run in the fourth.  David Washington adds an RBI double in the fifth en route to Long Island's 5-3 margin of victory.

Josh Lueke pitches a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts to earn his third save.

Long Island improves to a league best 29-16 record.  They win the series and extend their first place lead over Somerset by 2.5 games.

Now it's off to North Carolina where the Ducks will face the third place High Point Rockers, whom presently trail the Ducks by 3.5 games in the Liberty Division standings.  High Point took two of three from the Ducks when they met last weekend at Bethpage Ballpark.  A four game weekend series at BB&T Point ballpark awaits.

Another Post Subway Series Metsian Podcast Production

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

2006 NLCS

Yadier Molina's Home Run Into The New York Night

Oh, The Pain!

Preview: Mets vs. Cardinals

A METSIAN PODCAST

with SAM, RICH, and MIKE

Subway Series Review

Zack Wheeler ~ Anthony Kay ~ Jason Vargas

Pete Alonso ~ Amed Rosario ~ Jeff McNeil

John Milner ~ Bobby Jones ~ Daniel Murphy

Endy Chavez, and so much more..!

73 minutes

L.I. Ducks: Patriots Counter for Game Two Victory

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LIBERTY DIVISION SHOWDOWN

Series Tied 1-1

I - LID 3; SOM 2

II - SOM 3; LID 1

THURSDAY

Somerset Patriots

vs.

Long Island Ducks

FROM

THE POND

Somerset evens the series at one apiece with a 3-1 victory over the Ducks at the Pond on Wednesday.  Patriots starter Thomas Dorminy limited Long Island to a lone run on seven hits and three walks with seven strikeouts to earn his first victory of the season.  The Ducks ruined his bid at a shut out in the seventh when Ramon Cabrera led-off with a double, advanced to third on Vladimir Frias' base hit through the middle, then scored on Ezequiel Carrera's sac-fly to left.

Jake Fisher climbed the bump for the Ducks yielding three runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts through six innings pitched.  His record falls to 3-5 for the season with an unsightly 5.04 ERA.

Long Island remains 1.5 games ahead of the second place Patriots.

Amazin' Date 6/13/1969: Mets Whitewashed at Dodger Stadium

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. METS

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #54:  Friday, June 13, 1969 - BR
New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodger Stadium

Mets Lose Second Straight; Dodgers Starter Alan Foster Pitches Complete Game Shutout

The Mets and Dodgers opened a three game weekend series on this Friday the 13th at Chavez Ravine.  Sure enough one unfortunate break later and the Mets are suddenly losers of two in a row.

With Jerry Koosman starting for the Mets, Manny Mota strikes a one out hit in the second, but advances to second when Art Shamsky mishandles the play in right.  After Koosman retires Ted Sizemore, third baseman Jim Lefebvre singles plating Mota for the only run (unearned) of the game.

Koosman otherwise limits the Dodgers to just the one run on six hits and no walks with four strikeouts through seven innings pitched.  Despite a stellar 1.81 ERA his record falls to 3-4 on the season.  Ron Taylor pitches a scoreless eighth.

Los Angeles starter Alan Foster whitewashes the Mets on seven hits and just one walk with four strikeouts over nine complete innings for his first victory of the season (against four losses).

• Mets Record:  29-25 (.537)
• N.L. East:  2nd; 8.5 GB

Subway Series: Battle at Bronx Ends in Draw

From the desks of:  

HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  BLAME CARLOS MAY

SUBWAY SERIES

Mets/Yanks Double-Header Draw

I - NYY 12; NYM 5

II - NYM 10; NYY 4

The Mets now sport a 14-23 record on the road.  They needed to sweep Tuesday's twin-bill in order to rise above the elusive .500 mark.  As such, they remain a game under par heading into their four game home series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

A season ago first baseman Pete Alonso was still a minor leaguer.  In game two on Tuesday Alonso his his 22nd home run of the season.  He is now four home runs shy of Darryl Strawberry's club record for most home runs to start a season by a rookie.  He just also happens to be second in all the National League in home runs.  Through 65 games played, he is slashing .254/.337/.596, with 49 RBI through 240 at-bats.

After 13 starts and 84 innings pitched through Tuesday's losing effort at Yankee Stadium Zack Wheeler's ERA sits at a 4.61 mark.  At no time this season has his ERA ever dipped below three.  And for only the second time this season he failed to pitch into the fifth inning.  Wheeler yielded 13 runs over 28.1 innings for a 4.16 ERA in his four starts previous to Tuesday.  Tasked with pitching game one at Yankee Stadium, Wheeler surrendered nine runs (five earned) on ten hits and one walk with six strikeouts.  He allowed two more home runs, making it 13 for the season.  It marks the fifth time this season he has allowed two home runs in a game.  It's also the third straight start, and fourth start in his last five in which he's allowed two home runs in a game.

*                *                  *

Coupled with Tampa's loss against the A's, at least the Yankees were able to reestablish a tie for first place along side the Tampa Rays.  Both teams now sport identical 41-25 records.  The Red Sox meanwhile are still floundering in third place a game above .500 with a 34-33 record.

A season ago catcher Gary Sanchez was getting ridden out out town.  In game one on Tuesday Gary Sanchez hit his 20th home run of the season.  He went 3 for 5 with three RBI.  Despite missing 18 games this season, he is slashing .268/.337/.628, with 40 RBI through 183 at-bats.  After leading the American League the last two seasons in passed balls, he has yielded but four to date.  That said, I've heard nary one complaint about his all season.

L.I. Ducks: Kirk Nieuwenhuis 8th Inning HR Turns Back Patriots

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LIBERTY DIVISION SHOWDOWN

Ducks Lead Series 1-0

I - LID 3; SOM 2

6/12 - SOM @ LID

6/13 - SOM @ LID

Flock Gain Some Elbow Room: Ducks open up 1.5 game lead over Somerset Patriots.

The Patriots lead the Ducks 2-1 after seven full innings of play.  Somerset starter Brett Oberholtzer limits the Ducks to just one run on seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts through seven solid innings pitched.  Long Island starter Joe Iorio likewise allows one earned run on seven hits and two walks over five innings pitched.  Both starters exit to no decisions.  In relief of Iorio, Cody Mincey yields one run on two hits (a home run by right fielder Michael Fransoso in the sixth) with four strikeouts through two innings.

Manager Wally Backman then turns to reliever Enrique Burgos who pitches a scoreless eighth.  With two outs in the bottom of the frame and Ezrquiel Carrera representing the tying run at third, Kirk Nieuwenhuis connects on his eighth home run of the season giving the Ducks a sudden 3-2 lead.

Josh Lueke in relief of Burgos then retires the Patriots in order in the ninth to earn his second save in only his fifth appearance since joining the Ducks.

• Lueke, a 34-year old right-hander with 72 games of MLB experience, came to the Ducks after posting a 4.64 ERA with 20 strikeouts though 21.1 innings over 20 relief appearances this season for Puebla of the Mexican league.

The Ducks improve to a league best 28-15 mark, with 26 games remaining before the break.  They also snap Somerset's six game winning streak.

Subway Series: Both Teams Seeking to Get Back on Track

From the desks of: 

HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  BLAME CARLOS MAY

SUBWAY SERIES

New York Mets

vs.

New York Yankees

FROM

161 Street and River Avenue

Desperation is the name of the game come Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, each team for their own respective reasons.

The Mets enter Wednesday's double-header one game under the .500 mark.  Therefore in order to leave Bronx County above par they would need to sweep both games.  Easier said than done.  While their season teeters on the brink of near collapse, the seat under their manager's posterior continues heating up.  They've responded of late with series victories over the Giants and most recently the Rockies.  But for all their perceived troubles, real or imagined, they only trail the first place Philadelphia Phillies in the standings by 4.5 games.  So there's that.

The Yankees on the other hand should be applauded for all that the B-Squad has accomplished.  Faced with injury upon ruinous injury, they Yankees have somehow excelled in the absence of many of their premiere performers.  But for all their efforts, they still can't seem to shake the Tampa Rays.  Due to Monday's game one rain-out of the Subway Series, the Rays were able to put a licking on the Oakland A's and assume first place of the American League East.  When the Yankees open for business on Tuesday, they'll do so in second place, one-half game behind the Rays.  They're also coming two disappointing series losses against the Toronto Blue Jays and to a greater extent the Cleveland Indians by whom they were nearly swept courtesy of a rare bullpen meltdown on Sunday.  So there's that.

SUBWAY SERIES SPECIAL

35 minutes

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

L.I. Ducks: Rival Somerset Patriots Invade The Pond

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LIBERTY DIVISION

SHOWDOWN

SOMERSET PATRIOTS

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

FROM

THE POND

The Long Island Ducks enter Tuesday's action with an Atlantic League best 27-15 (.643) record.

They presently hold a precarious 1.5 game lead over the Somerset Patriots, who on Sunday won their sixth straight.  The two rivals will be facing each other nine times over the next twenty days beginning with Tuesday's series opener at Bethpage Ballpark.  After taking two of three this past weekend from the Ducks, the High Point Rockers enter Tuesday's action just 2.5 behind the leaders.  After Long Island wraps up this coming series with Somerset, they'll be heading down to High Point for another four game weekend series against the Rockers.  With 27 games left before the break, it appears to me the first-half winner of the Liberty Division flag will very likely distinguish itself over the remaining weeks of June.


PITCHING PLUNDER CONTINUES:

As expected, starting pitcher Sean Nolin last week had his contract purchased by the Seattle Mariners organization.  At the time he was leading the circuit with six victories and ranked fifth with 45 strikeouts.  He made eight appearances this season for the Ducks posting a perfect 6-0 record with a stellar 1.10 ERA and 0.927 WHiP through 41 innings pitched.

• The departure of Sean Nolin makes him the eighth starting pitcher this season plucked from the Flock's fold.  Congratulations to Jon Niese; Tim Melville; Darin Downs; George Kontos; Bennett Parry; Tim Adleman; Jose Cuas.

Thus Alec Asher was pressed into making his sixth start of the season against the Rockers on Saturday.  He allowed three earned runs through five innings on six hits and four walks with five strikeouts in a losing effort.

Despite Sunday's 5-3 loss against the Rockers, Long Island's newly acquired right-hander Travis Banwart (signed as a free agent via the Mexican league) pitched seven strong innings allowing just one run on four hits and one walk with eleven strikeouts.  He threw 118 pitches to 27 batters with 73 (65%) going for strikes.  The now 33-year old is largely a product of the Oakland A's system, with time spent in the Cleveland Indians organization.  He's otherwise a 13 year professional of affiliated minor league, international, and independent baseball with a career 4.18 ERA over 996.2 innings pitched.

The Ducks also signed St. Louis Cardinals product, 24-year old free agent right-hander Mike O'Reilly.  He started the season making five relief appearances for the Cardinals AA affiliate where he posted a 7.94 ERA over just 11.1 innings pitched.  Otherwise he owns a 20-13 record and 3.44 ERA and 1.106 WHiP in 305.2 innings pitched over four full minor league seasons.  He appears to keep walks at a minimum and owns a 7.7 K/9 average.


Former Met Hangs Em Up:

Off-season acquisition Matt den Dekker decided to hang up his spikes and retire from the game.  In 29 games for the Ducks the 31-year old outfielder slashed .268/.336/.446, with 12 doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI, and four stolen bases.

• BaseballReference
• LIDucks

Amazin' Date 6/10/1969: Red Hot Mets Win Eleventh in a Row

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #52: Tuesday, June 10, 1969 - BR.
New York Mets @ San Francisco Giants
Candlestick Park

Tommie Agee and Cleon Jones Power Don Cardwell to Victory Over Giants

The Amazins did it again ... winning Tuesday's series opener at Candlestick Park against the San Francisco Giants, and thus extending their franchise record setting winning streak to eleven straight games.

Hard luck starter Don Cardwell this time was the beneficiary of 13 Mets hits and nine runs en route to only his second victory of the season.  However most know his 3.05 ERA is far more indicative of his performance than six losses on his record for he has pitched quite well through eleven starts to date.  On this day he allowed four earned runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts through 8.1 innings pitched.  After limiting the Giants to just one run through the first eight, Cardwell was chased from the box in the ninth by home runs from Willie McCovey and Jack Hiatt.

For the Giants however, it was too little too late.  The Mets bats had their way against starter Mike McCormick, and relievers Ron Herbel and Ray Sadecki.  In the bottom of the fourth, Tommie Agee's home run tied the game at one.  Agee batted 4 for 5 and would hit his second home run of the game leading off the ninth.  Cleon Jones hit his eighth home run in the seventh.  Jerry Grote was 3 for 4 with a double and a run batted in.

Ron Taylor earned his fifth save.

FINAL

Mets     9

Giants  4

The Mets are now six games above the .500 mark.  But despite an eleven game win streak, the first place Cubs since May 28 have yielded but two games in the standings to the second place Mets, whom remain seven games out of first.  The Cubs presently own a National League best 37-17 record.  On the same day the Mets embarked on their eleven game march, the Cubs likewise went on to win seven straight games.

• Mets Record: 29-23 (.557)
• N.L. East:  2nd; 7 GB

A Gal For All Seasons Joins Our Metsian Podcast

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

A METSIAN PODCAST

with SAM, RICH, and MIKE

With Guest

Gal For All Seasons 

Taryn the Coop

June 6, 2019

1 hour, 33 minutes

Oh boy, did we rant, all of us.  Sure we talked baseball, 

but we got an awful lot-o-things off ours chests, too.

Amazin' Date 6/4/1969: Mets Win in 15th; Complete Sweep of Dodgers

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #48: Wednesday, June 4, 1969 - BR
Los Angeles Dodgers @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Mets Extend Winning Streak to Seven With Marathon Victory Over Dodgers

Appearing in only his fourth game of the season and making his first start for the Mets, 26-year old southpaw Jack DiLauro held the Los Angeles Dodgers scoreless through nine full innings, allowing just two hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Starting for Los Angeles Bill Singer also pitched nine full innings yielding just two hits, no walks, and striking out ten.  In fact, he faced just two batters over the minimum, no-hitting the Mets through six innings until Buddy Harrelson's lead-off base hit in the seventh.

For all their respective work both pitchers walked off with no decisions.  And into extra innings went Wednesday night's game at Shea Stadium.

Tug McGraw kept the Dodgers quiet through the 14th inning.  Ron Taylor pitched a scoreless 15th inning in relief of McGraw.

Facing Dodgers reliever Pete Mikkelsen in the bottom half of the frame, Bud Harrelson drew a lead-off walk.  Cleon Jones replaced Harrelson on the bases upon grounding into a fielder's choice.  Wayne Garrett then followed with a single up the middle.  A misplay by center fielder Willie Davis allowed Cleon Jones to scamper all the way home with the winning run.

In playing their longest game of the season to date, the Mets improve to 25-23 on the season and extend their winning streak to seven games which ties the franchise record set two seasons ago.

• Mets Record:  25-23
• N.L. East:  2nd; 8.5 GB

L.I. Ducks: Trouble Ahead for First Place Flock

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

First Quarter Season Check Point

LIBERTY DIVISION STANDINGS (First Half)

Long Island  23-12  (*)

High Point    21-15  2.5 GB

Somerset     20-15   3.0 GB

New Britain  19-15   3.5 GB

Fresh off taking two of three from the York Revolution, Long Island arrives at the season's first-half check point a first place team.  They close out the weekend tied for most wins in the circuit with the Sugar Land Skeeters.  

With 33 games left till the break the race to capture a first half Liberty Division pennant begins now. But the road ahead is rife with danger as all four Liberty Division teams are presently playing above .500, with only 3.5 games separating fourth place from first.  That said, the Ducks open a four game series at New Britain against the Bees on Monday.  We all know how quickly things can go awry - especially if MLB teams continue plundering the Ducks of their pitching talent.  Suffice to say an intriguing series lay ahead at Connecticut and beyond.

Over the first quarter season the Ducks strength was clearly their pitching.  But where would the Ducks be without Sean Nolin?  He is tied for league lead with five wins (against no losses), his 1.29 ERA ranks second, and his 38 strikeouts rank third (tied with team mate Darin Downs).  He has yielded just 26 hits and six walks over 35 innings for a stellar 0.91 WHiP.  Will he be the next Ducks pitcher picked off by MLB?

Ducks Pitchers Contracts Selected by MLB Organizations:

• Jon Niese (Mariners)
• Tim Melville (Rockies)
• Tim Adleman (Tigers)
• Jose Cuas (D'Backs)
• Bennett Parry (Mexico)
• George Kontos (Nationals)

Lets just say David Washington is carrying the Ducks on his back.  He leads the league with a .612 slugging average and a .980 OPS.  He is also tied for the league lead with ten home runs, while his 27 RBI rank fifth, just two behind the leader.  Steve Lombardozzi is sixth in the league in hitting, slashing .318/.399/.434, with nine extra base hits and 19 RBI through 34 games 129 at-bats.  Kirk Nieuwehhuis has 14 extra base hits with a .791 OPS and is second on the team with 22 RBI through 31 games and 117 at-bats.

Otherwise the Ducks seem to getting the most of their middle of the pack offensive production.  Here is how they stack up against the circuit:

• Runs: #5
• Home Runs: #3
• Total Bases: #5
• Team Average: #6
• Team OBP: #6
• Team Slugging: #5

The second place High Point Rockers continue standing their ground with a 21-15 record.  Long Island dropped their first ever series at North Carolina back in May two games to one.  They host the Rockers for the first time next weekend at Bethpage Park, then return to High Point in mid June for a four game weekend series.  The Ducks also still have all nine first half games yet to play against rival Somerset.

Amazin' Date 6/3/1969: Tom Seaver Hurls Mets to Second Straight Win Over Dodgers

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

AMAZIN'

THE MIRACLE METS

50th ANNIVERSARY

Game #47:  Tuesday, June 3, 1969 - BR
Los Angeles Dodgers @ New York Mets
Shea Stadium

Mets Climb Above .500 and Into Second Place of National League East

The Amazins' hit the trifecta on Tuesday at Shea Stadium.  On the strength of Tom Seaver's right arm, the Mets not only take their second straight from the Los Angeles Dodgers, and extend their winning streak to six games, but the game marks the first time they've risen above .500 this deep into the regular season for the first time in their now eight year existence.

Seaver was staked to a 4-0 lead after six, with all runs coming off Dodgers starter Alan Foster whom yielded five hits and a walk with nine strikeouts over a seven inning losing effort.  Ed Kranepool connected on his fourth home run of the season in the fifth.  And with two outs in the sixth, Wayne Garrett singled, then scored when Cleon Jones tripled to right.  Next in, Ed Kranepool promptly followed with his second home run of the game off Foster.

Right fielder Andy Kosco cut the Dodgers deficit by half in the seventh with a two run home run off Seaver.  But the Mets recouped a run in the bottom half of the frame, when, with Ed Kranepool at the plate Wayne Garrett stole home for a 5-2 Mets lead an ultimate final margin of victory.

Tom Seaver improved his record to 8-3 on the season and lowered his ERA to a 2.51 mark, yielding two earned runs on a mere three hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.  Tug McGraw, fast emerging as manager Gil Hodges go-to-guy out of the bullpen, pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season.

Despite their win streak and resulting ascension into second place for the first time this season, the Mets still continue having trouble gaining ground on the division leading Cubs who presently are in the midst of their own five game winning streak, and thus still hold an 8.5 game lead over the Mets.  The Cubs posted a 16-9 record in May whereas the Mets at least played up to par with a 12-12 record.

• Mets Record:  24-23 (.510)
• N.L. East:  2nd; 8.5 GB