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Sunday, September 14, 1969

Steve Blass pitched his way around 11 hits and broke the Mets’ 10-game winning streak.

New York battled back to tie the game after trailing 3-0, but Blass himself singled in the go-ahead run for Pittsburgh and then made the lead hold up.  Starter Nolan Ryan took just his second loss of the season.

Bud Harrelson tallied three hits in the leadoff spot for the Mets, while Ed Charles and Jerry Grote had two hits apiece and all three men scored once.

Pirates 5, Mets 3.  W: Blass (15-9)  L: Ryan (6-2)

Chicago’s Ken Holtzman and St. Louis’s Bob Gibson both carried a pitcher’s duel into the 10th inning, when Lou Brock won it for the home team with a walk-off home run. Gibson held the Cubs to just seven hits, two by Holtzman and two by recently acquired centerfielder Jimmie Hall.

Despite pitching well, Holtzman fell to 0-3 in the month of September.

Cardinals 2, Cubs 1 (10 inn.).  W: Gibson (18-11)  L: Holtzman (16-11)

***

NL EAST                               W    L    T   PCT    GB 
New York Mets                   88   58    0  .603     -  
Chicago Cubs                     85   62    1  .578   3.5 

Wednesday, September 10, 1969.

The unthinkable has happened.  The New York Mets are in first place.

The Mets began play a half-game behind Chicago, which had been in first place in the National League East since the very first day of the season, and had as recently as August 13 led New York by 9 1/2 games in the standings.

The Shea Stadium crowd cheered the Amazins Wednesday evening as the home took the field for the first game of a doubleheader against the last-place Montreal Expos. New York’s Jim McAndrew worked through a rocky first and second innings, giving up a single run in each, before settling into a groove and turning in a heroic, 11-inning gem – allowing just one hit over his last nine frames. At the same time, Expos starter Mike Wegener was just as good, lasting 11 innings himself and allowing just two runs himself – one on a first-inning Art Shamsky single that scored Tommie Agee, and another when Wegener balked in Agee from third in the fifth inning.

From there, it was a nail-biting test of endurance, with neither team crossing the plate in the next six innings. Ron Taylor relieved McAndrew in the top of the 12th, and Agee threw out Remy Hermoso at the plate for the last out of the inning. In the bottom half of the 12th, the Expos’ Bill Stoneman came on for a rare relief appearance. Cleon Jones singled with two outs and moved to second on Rod Gaspar’s walk, and Ken Boswell proved the hero with a game-winning RBI single.

Mets 3, Expos 2 (1, 12 inn.).  W: Taylor (8-4)  L: Stoneman (9-17)

Meanwhile, the slumping Chicago Cubs were on their way to another loss. Starter Ken Holtzman left after seven innings with his team trailing 3-2, and reliever Phil Regan poured gasoline on the fire by allowing three more runs without recording a single out. After winning 10 of his first 11 decisions, Holtzman has now lost nine of his last 15.  Rick Wise tossed a complete game for the Phils, allowing just one unearned run.

Phillies 6, Cubs 2.  W: Wise (13-11)  L: Holtzman (16-10)

With the second game of the Mets-Expos doubleheader underway, the home fans took to watching the out-of-town scoreboard. When the electronic “F” flashed to signal the end of the Cubs game, the Mets fans began to dance in the aisles.  Regardless of the outcome of the nightcap, the Mets were now assured of waking up the next morning in first place. The scoreboard operator ran a celebratory message that seemed aimed just as much to the rest of the league as it was to the Shea faithful: LOOK WHO’S NO. 1.

In the third inning of game two, Jerry Grote’s leadoff double sparked a 6-run rally, and Nolan Ryan made the lead hold up en route to a 7-1 blowout. Ken Boswell recorded three hits, with Art Shamsky and Bud Harrelson each tallying two. When John Bateman flied out to Rod Gaspar for the final out, the Mets had moved into a full-game lead in the National League East.

Mets 7, Expos 1 (2).  W: Ryan (6-1)  L: Reed (6-6)

NL EAST STANDINGS

                                                 W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Mets                   84   57    0  .596     -   565  494
Chicago Cubs                     84   59    1  .587   1.0   656  532

Tuesday, September 9, 1969

A black cat visited the Chicago Cubs dugout, and now the Cubs are wondering if it’s an omen for their 1969.

As Don Kessinger stepped into the batter’s box, a stray black cat in circled Glenn Beckert in the visitor’s on-deck circle, hissed at manager Leo Durocher, and then scampered back under the stands of Shea Stadium.

Are the Cubs jinxed?  Some people might say so, as Chicago’s division lead has now shrunk to just one-half game with the Mets 7-1 victory on Tuesday night. 

Ken Boswell got the scoring started with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning. Two innings later, Art Shamsky was picked off by Fergie Jenkins but remained alive when Chicago’s Glenn Beckert botched the run down. Don Clendenon followed with a two-run shot to give the Mets a 4-0 lead.

New York starter Tom Seaver allowed the Cubs’s only run of the game on a Ron Santo single in the fourth. But the Mets added single runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh to pull away. Art Shamsky hit a solo homer, and both Tommie Agee and Jerry Grote went 2 for 4.  Seaver went the distance in a masterful effort, giving up just five hits while striking out five.  His counterpart tallied nine strikeouts but proved very hittable, allowing ten hits and seven runs (two unearned) in seven innings of work.

With New York’s two-game series sweep of the Cubs, Chicago leaves town with the slimmest of leads in the division and actually one more loss on the season than the (for the moment) second-place Mets. Next up, the last-place Expos come to Shea for a three-game series, while the Cubs remain on the road and head to Philadelphia.

Can the New York Mets, baseball’s loveable losers for the past seven seasons, move into first place?  Tune in tomorrow to find out…

Mets 7, Cubs 1.  W: Seaver (21-7)  L: Jenkins (19-13)

***

                                              W    L    T   PCT    GB  
Chicago Cubs                    84   58    1  .592     -  
New York Mets                  82   57    0  .590   0.5  

Saturday, September 6, 1969

The Pirates manhandled Fergie Jenkins en route to a 19-hit attack and a second straight rout of the Cubs at Wrigley. Jenkins lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing 8 hits and 6 runs. Don Nottebart fared even worse in relief, getting touched for 3 runs while retiring just one batter. Ted Abernathy also gave up 4 runs in 3 innings of work. Matty Alou, Gene Alley and Al Oliver each had 3 RBI, and Carl Taylor went 4 for 5 with 2 RBI for Pittsburgh. Bobby Veale, meanwhile, pitched a complete game and struck out 10 Cubs.

Pirates 13, Cubs 4.  W: Veale (17-11)  L: Jenkins (19-12) 

Don Cardwell and Tug McGraw combined on a shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies at Shea. Eighth-place hitter Bud Harrelson was  for 3 and scored twice and Jerry Grote homered for the Mets.

Mets 3, Phillies 0.  W: Cardwell (6-9)  L: Johnson (6-12)  SV: McGraw (11)

***

NL EAST STANDINGS

                                            W    L    T   PCT    GB   

Chicago Cubs                  84   55    1  .604     -  
New York Mets                79   57    0  .581   3.5  

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/pro_sports/baseball/national_league/Grote_pulled_a_Joe_Willie_in_1969.html

Friday, September 6, 1969

Billy Williams had a monster day for the Cubs, going 4 for 4 with two home runs. Unfortunately for Chicago, Pirates starter Steve Blass no-hit the rest of the lineup as his team routed the Cubs. Blass himself provided the biggest punch in the Pittsburgh lineup, as he went 4 for 5, homered, and drove in three runs. Don Kessinger was the only Cubs player beside Williams to reach base – twice on walks.

Pirates 9, Cubs 2.  W: Blass (14-8)  L: Holtzman (16-9)

Tom Seaver won his 20th game of the season and Jerry Grote hit a two-run home in Game One against the Phillies at Shea. Seaver and Al Weis also notched RBIs.

Rick Wise outpitched Jim McAndrew in Game Two, striking out 11 Mets in 9 innings.

Mets 5, Phillies 1 (1).  W: Seaver (20-7)  L: Jackson (12-14)

Phillies 4, Mets 2 (2).  W: Wise (12-11)  L: McAndrew (6-6)

***

NL EAST STANDINGS

                                               W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
Chicago Cubs                    84   54    1  .609     -   642  496
New York Mets                  78   57    0  .578   4.5   533  485

Saturday, August 23, 1969

Jerry Grote went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI on the day, including the game-winning double in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Dodgers. Don Cardwell pitched well (1 ER in 7 1/3 IP) as did Jim Bunning (2 ER in 7 IP) before they turned the game over to the bullpens.

Mets 3, Dodgers 2.  W: Taylor (7-4)  L: Brewer (4-6)

 Jim Hickman struck two home runs and five RBI, and Ron Santo and Ernie Banks combined for two HR and 5 RBI as the Cubs blasted the Astros.

Cubs 11, Astros 5.  W: Holtzman (15-7)  L: Gladding (2-4)

Team                             W    L    T   PCT    GB  
Chicago Cubs                    77   48    1  .616     -  
New York Mets                   70   52    0  .574   5.5 

Sunday, August 3, 1969

Trailing the Braves 5-0, the Mets rallied for five in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game.  The two bullpens keep the score notted into extra innings until Jerry Grote led off the eleventh with a game-winning homer off Atlanta’s Claude Raymond. Ron Taylor pitched three scoreless in relief for the win. The loss dropped the Braves into a three-way tie for first place with the Reds and Giants.

Mets 6, Braves 5.  W: Taylor (6-2)  L: Raymond (2-2)

Billy Williams’s struck a three-run blast in the eighth off Padres starter Joe Niekro to give Dick Selma, who was traded for Niekro back in April, and the Cubs a dramatic, come-from-behind victory. 

Cubs 4, Padres 3.  W: Selma (11-4)  L: J. Niekro (6-8)  SV: Regan (12)

NL EAST STANDINGS

Team Name                        W    L    T   PCT    GB   
Chicago Cubs                    67   41    1  .620     -  
New York Mets                   58   44    0  .569   6.0  

Saturday, August 2, 1969

Jim McAndrew and Ron Reed went head-to-head for seven innings at Shea, and Cleon Jones’s pinch-hit single to score Ron Swoboda in the seventh proved to be the only run of the game.

Mets 1, Braves 0.  W: McAndrew (3-3)  L: Reed (9-8)  SV: McGraw (6)

Ron Santo hit two solo home runs to lead the Cubs over the Padres at Wrigley. Ken Holtzman pitched a remarkable game, yielding a run on just two hits in nine full innings. Don Kessinger drove in two runs and Randy Hundley had two hits for Chicago.

Cubs 4, Padres 1.  W: Holtzman (13-5)  L: Santorini (4-10)

Sunday, July 5, 1969

Trailing 6-1 after just 2 innings, the New York Mets rallied back in Pittsburgh to win 8-7.  Don Clendenon’s 3-run homer capped a 4-run rally in the 6th inning.

After starter Jim McAndrew had lasted just 2/3 of an inning and Nolan Ryan went just as long, the combination of Danny Frisella, Ron Taylor, and Cal Koonce kept the Mets in the game. Jerry Grote had 2 hits and an RBI, as did Ron Swoboda off the bench.

With Chicago’s doubleheader loss, the Mets pulled back to within 5 games of the Cubs.

Mets 8, Pirates 7.  W: Taylor (4-2)  L: Hartenstein (2-4)  SV: Koonce (6)

***

The Cubs were scoreless in 16 of 18 innings of a doubleheader in St. Louis as they were swept by the Cardinals.

In the first game, Steve Carlton scattered 8 hits over 8-plus innings as the Cards carried a 4-0 lead into the 9th. Ernie Banks went 3-for-3, and Ron Santo and Randy Hundley had 2 hits apiece for the Cubs. Steve Huntz’s 2-run single in the 4th proved to be the difference.

In the second game, Rich Nye gave up 5 runs in just 3 innings. St. Louis starter Mike Torrez yielded 3 unearned runs in 2 2/3, but Chuck Taylor came out of the pen to throw 6 1/3 shutout innings. Mike Shannon’s 3-run homer and Joe Torre’s 2-run roundtripper powered the Cardinals’ attack in game 2. Jim Qualls was 2 for 4 with 2 ribbies for Chicago.

Cardinals 4, Cubs 2 (1).  W: Carlton (10-5)  L: Hands (9-7)  SV: Hoerner (9)

Cardinals 6, Cubs 5 (2). W: C. Taylor (1-0)  L: Nye (1-4)

Team Name                        W    L    T   PCT    GB
Chicago Cubs                    52   31    1  .627     -
New York Mets                   45   34    0  .570   5.0

Tuesday, July 1, 1969

A pair of 5-run rallies in the 2nd and 3rd powered the Expos over the Cubs at Jarry Park. Ken Holtzman took just his 3rd loss of the season after surrendering 9 hits and getting charged with 9 runs (2 unearned) in just 3 2/3 innings.  Bob Bailey doubled twice and had 3 RBI for Montreal, while Gary Sutherland scored three times and knocked in 2.  Don Kessinger and Willie Smith each went 3 for 5 in a losing effort.

Expos 11, Cubs 4.  W: Renko (1-1)  L: Holtzman (10-3)  SV: Face (4) 

The Mets dropped a doubleheader in St. Louis. Steve Carlton pitched the Cards to a 4-1 win in the opener, allowing just 3 hits while striking out 9. Nolan Ryan had trouble finding the plate, walking 7 and suffering his first loss of the year.

In the nightcap, the Mets scored 3 runs off starter Mike Torrez in the 1st inning, but St. Louis charged back with 8 runs off starter Jack DiLauro and reliever Don Cardwell. Cleon Jones, Art Shamsky, Wayne Garrett and Don Clendenon each recorded 2 hits in the second game.

Cardinals 3, Mets 1 (1).  W: Carlton (9-5)  L: Ryan (3-1)

Cardinals 8, Mets 5 (2).  W: Torrez (2-4)  L: DiLauro (0-3)  SV: Hoerner (8)

Team Name                        W    L    T   PCT    GB
Chicago Cubs                    49   28    1  .636     -
New York Mets                   40   34    0  .541   7.5

Monday, June 30, 1969

Dave Lemonds took the loss in his first start for Chicago after leaving with 2 outs in the 3rd.  The rookie gave up just 2 runs but allowed 4 hits and 3 walks to the host Expos before departing. Phil Regan and Ted Abernathy yielded another 3 runs over the next 3 innings, as Coco Laboy led the Montreal charge with 2 hits and 3 RBI.

Expos 5, Cubs 2.  W: H. Reed (3-1)  L: Lemonds (0-1)  SV: McGinn (3)

Jerry Grote’s 3-run blast highlighted a 6-run Mets rally in the opening innning in St. Louis. Rod Gaspar went 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI, and  Art Shamsky added a home run. Jim McAndrew started and finished the game for New York, allowing 2 runs on just 3 hits and while also singling in 2 runs in the 6th inning.

Mets 10, Cardinals 2.  W: McAndrew (2-2)  L: Briles (6-7)