Posts Tagged ‘Leo Durocher’
METS SCORE LUCKY 7 AS BLACK CAT JINXES CUBS, AMAZINS JUST 1/2 GAME OUT OF FIRST!
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)
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W L T PCT GB
Chicago Cubs 84 58 1 .592 -
New York Mets 82 57 0 .590 0.5
VETERAN JOHNSON WINS OUT OF PEN FOR CUBS, CLENDENON HOMERS IN 10TH AS METS KEEP PACE
Saturday, August 30, 1969
The Cubs held on to take a second game of a weekend series in Atlanta. Handed a 3-0 lead, Chicago starter Dick Selma got just two outs and gave up two runs before Leo Durocher pulled him in favor of Ken Johnson. The veteran Johnson earned his first win of the season by going 5 1/3 before handing things over to Phil Regan. Don Kessinger and Billy Williams had two hits, one run, and one RBI apiece, and Ernie Banks struck a two-run homer, his 21st of the season.
Cubs 5, Braves 4. W: Johnson (1-2) L: Reed (13-9) SV: Regan (15)
Don Clendenon hit a 10th-inning home run off Gaylord Perry and Tug McGraw finished off the game with two scoreless frames to put the Mets over the Giants. Ken Boswell had three hits and scored twice for New York, who got 7 1/3 strong innings from starter Don Cardwell.
Mets 3, Giants 2. W: McGraw (7-2) L: Perry (16-11)
NL EAST W L T PCT GB
Chicago Cubs 81 52 1 .609 -
New York Mets 75 53 0 .586 3.5
‘PORTENT OF DOOM?’ CUBS COLLAPSE IN 9TH AGAINST METS
Tuesday, July 8, 1969
The Chicago Cubs came to Shea Stadium for an afternoon game, bringing with them a 5-game lead over the surprising New York Mets in the National League Eastern Division.
With the Mets franchise unaccustomed to any sort of pennant race in their short history, anticipation ran high for the team’s first game back from its recent road trip – and one against its new division rival. The club distributed 16,000 free tickets to children, and one sportswriter observed that as the home team took the field, the young fans’ ”demonstrations of lung power even drowned out the blasts of low-flying jets from landing and taking off from nearby LaGuardia.”
All-Star pitchers Jerry Koosman and Fergie Jenkins squared off in a tightly fought contest. The Mets broke through with the first run of the game on Ed Kranepool’s home run in the 5th. Ernie Banks answered for the Cubs with a solo shot in the 6th. Chicago took the lead when Jenkins walked and later scored on Glenn Beckert’s single in the 7th, and Jim Hickman homered in the 8th to gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead.
The score stood that way going into the bottom of the 9th. With no outs, Don Young misjudged Ken Boswell’s shallow fly to centerfield, and Boswell pulled into second with a double. Two batters later, Don Clendenon sent a drive to the wall that Young tracked down but let bounce out of his glove. With the tying runs on base, the team’s best hitter, Cleon Jones, stepped up to the plate and doubled to score both men and tie the game.
Jenkins issued an intentional pass to Art Shamsky, and both runners moved up on Wayne Garrett’s groundout. Ed Kranepool stepped in and blooped a single over Don Kessinger to bring home Jones with the winning run.
The Shea crowd erupted. In the locker room, Mets manager Gil Hodges would admit, “Yes, you can call it one of the most important victories in Mets’ history….That’s what we’re here for, to make believers out of all you unbelievers.” A jubilant Jones declared, “Somebody said the Cubs aren’t taking us seriously! Maybe they’re taking us seriously now!”
Things erupted in the visitor’s locker room, as well, as the Cubs sounded more like a team that now trailed rather than led by 4 games in the standings. Manager Leo Durocher growled about Young’s two 9th-inning miscues. “It’s tough to win when your centerfielder can’t catch a fucking flyball. Jenkins pitched his heart out. But when one man can’t catch a flyball, it’s a disgrace.” He added: “My son could have caught those balls! My [bleep]ing thirteen-year-old son could have caught those balls!”
Ron Santo, the team’s outspoken third baseman, commented, “Don’s a major leager because of his glove. When he hits, he’s a divided, but when he fails on defense he’s lost–and today he took us down with him.”
The following day, the Chicago Tribune’s report on the game would carry the ominous headline: PORTENT OF DOOM?
Mets 4, Cubs 3. W: Koosman (6-5) L: Jenkins (11-6)
Team Name W L T PCT GB Chicago Cubs 52 32 1 .619 - New York Mets 46 34 0 .575 4.0
Parts of this game report were excerpted from 1969: The Year Everything Changed (Skyhorse Publishing, 2009), available now on Amazon and as part of a 40th anniversary promotion at Barnes and Noble.
CUBS AND METS LEAVE WITH SERIES WINS
Thursday, July 3, 1969
Seven was the lucky number as Chicago’s 7-run, 7th-inning outburst led them to victory in Montreal. Don Kessinger’s double, Billy Williams’s single, and Ron Santo’s home run each drove in two runs in the rally. Dick Selma gave up 3 runs, 1 earned, through 6 innings to record his 9th win of the season.
Cubs 8, Expos 4. W: Selma (9-3) L: Wegener (3-6)
***
Gary Gentry looked great in St. Louis, giving up just 1 run on 5 hits in 9 full innings against the Cardinals. Tommie Agee also kept up his hot hitting with a home run and 2 RBI. Cleon Jones was 2 for 3, and Don Clendenon went 2 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. Former Expos opening-day starter Mudcat Grant took the loss for St. Louis.
Mets 8, Cardinals 1. W: Gentry (8-6) L: Grant (4-9)
Wednesday, July 2, 1969
Jimmy Qualls had 2 doubles and triple and drove in 2 runs as Bill Hands went the distance in Montreal. Glenn Beckert went 3 for 5, giving him 5 hits in his first two games back after missing a month with a broken writst. Pete Reiser managed the Cubs bench in place of the ailing Leo Durocher.
Cubs 4, Expos 2. W: Hands (9-6) L: Stoneman (4-11)
A long one at Busch Stadium as the Mets prevailed over the Cardinals in 14 innings.
New York led 4-0 with two outs and no one on in the bottom of the 8th. But starter Jerry Koosman proceeded to walk the bases loaded and gave way to reliever Ron Taylor, who was greeted by pinch-hitter Vic Davaillo’s game-tying grand slam.
St. Louis loaded the bases in the 10th but couldn’t score. The game remaining scoreless until Tommie Agee collected his 4th hit of the game in the top of the 14th, stole second, and was singled in by Ken Boswell. Later, Wayne Garrett, the hitting star with 4 hits and 4 RBI, walked to force in Boswell with an insurance run. Tug McGraw more than earned the win, pitching 6 scoreless innings in relief.
Mets 6, Cards 4 (14 inn.). W: McGraw (5-1) L: Willis (1-2)
GENTRY CRUISES, JENKINS COMES APART
Saturday, May 17, 1969
Gary Gentry gave up 12 hits but was never really worried during Saturday’s game at Crosley Field.
That’s because the Mets knocked out 14 hits of their own and had staked Gentry to a 10-0 lead before he gave up any runs to the Reds, which he didn’t do until the 6th.
Cleon Jones hit a 3-run homer in a 4-run 1st inning for New York. J.C. Martin would add a 2-run shot in the 3rd inning to give the Mets a 6-run cushion. The Amazins piled on 4 more runs over the next two innings. Jones finished with 4 RBI, Tommie Agee scored 3 runs and knocked in another, and Wayne Garrett had two hits and produced 6 total runs on the day. New York has now crept to within one game of the .500 mark.
Mets 11, Reds 3 W: Gentry (3-3) L: Maloney (3-1)
***
Fergie Jenkins never made it out of the 5th inning in the Astrodome on Saturday.
The Chicago ace took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of that inning but fell into trouble after giving up a double to Jesus Alou. Johnny Edwards’s single scored Alou, and the Jenkins seemed to get rattled after the Cubs failed to convert an out on picther Don Wilson’s sacrifice bunt. Jenkins walked Joe Morgan to load the bases, Norm Miller singled in Edwards. Leo Durocher gave Jenkins the hook and brought in Phil Regan, but Jimmy Wynn’s sacrifice fly plated another run.
Pinch hitter Willie Smith tied the game with a single to score Don Young in the 6th, but Don Nottebart let the first two batters to face him in the home 6th to reach on singles, and Doug Rader scored on Joe Morgan’s sacrifice fly off Ted Abernathy with what proved to be the winning run. Houston’s Fred Gladding pitched 3 shutout innings to earn the save. Glenn Beckert had 3 hits and Billy Williams had 2 RBI in the loss.
Astros 5, Cubs 4 W: Nottebart (1-1) L: Wilson (3-4) SV: Gladding (3)
NL EAST STANDINGS
Team Name W L PCT GB Chicago Cubs 24 12 .667 - Pittsburgh Pirates 17 17 .500 6.0 New York Mets 17 18 .486 6.5 St. Louis Cardinals 15 19 .441 8.0 Philadelphia Phillies 14 18 .438 8.0 Montreal Expos 11 20 .355 10.5
“RECREATING THE MIRACLE SEASON” is a look back at the storied division race between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in 1969. Keep checking back throughout the 2009 season to get the game stories from 40 years ago to the day. This on-going feature is brought to you by the book 1969: The Year Everything Changed, available now from Skyhorse Publishing.
GIANTS TOO BIG FOR CUBS
Friday, May 9, 1969
The San Francisco Giants didn’t need their best hitter to beat up on the Chicago Cubs.
With slugging first baseman Willie McCovey sitting out with an injury, the Frisco lineup was still able to pound the Chicago staff for 11 runs in an ugly rout at Wrigley. Leadoff man Don Mason went 3 for 6 with 3 RBI, Ken Henderson also went 3 for 6 while knocking in 2, and Bob Burda had 4 RBI including a 3-run homer in a 5-run outburst in the 7th that broke the game open for the Giants.
Cubs starter Bill Hands gave up 10 hits and 4 runs through 5 innings and suffered the loss. Leo Durocher was a frequent visitor to the mound, as the Chicago manager summoned 5 pitchers from the bullpen. After Ted Abernathy allowed three runners without recording an out in the 6th, Rich Nye was touched for 4 runs in just 2/3 of an inning. Phil Regan only made things worse by giving up 2 runs over 2 innings pitched.
Ironically, the top three men in the Chicago lineup – Don Kessinger, Glenn Beckert, and Billy Williams, were on base all day with 7 hits between them. But the Cubs managed just one run, on Willie Smith’s solo shot in the 4th off winning pitcher Bobby Bolin.
Giants 11, Cubs 1 W: Bolin (2-2) L: Hands (3-4) SV: Gibbon (2)
***
The idle New York Mets picked up a half-game in the standings and remained in fourth place in the division.
NL EAST STANDINGS
Team Name W L PCT GB Chicago Cubs 19 11 .633 - Pittsburgh Pirates 16 12 .571 2.0 Philadelphia Phillies 12 13 .480 4.5 New York Mets 12 15 .444 5.5 St. Louis Cardinals 12 16 .429 6.0 Montreal Expos 10 17 .370 7.5
“RECREATING THE MIRACLE SEASON” is a look back at the storied division race between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in 1969. Keep checking back throughout the 2009 season to get the game stories from 40 years ago to the day. This on-going feature is brought to you by the book 1969: The Year Everything Changed, available now from Skyhorse Publishing.
DODGERS PICK OFF CUBS IN 12, REDS SHUTOUT METS
Wednesday, May 7, 1969
Fergie Jenkins gave everything he had on Wednesday at Wrigley. Maybe too much.
Manager Leo Durocher left the Cubs ace in for a full 12 innings yesterday as Chicago and Los Angeles took a 1-1 tie into overtime. Dodgers lefty Claude Osteen left after 9 innings in favor of reliever Jim Brewer, who sent the Cubs down in the 10th and 11th. In the top of the 12th, a tiring Jenkins yielded a leadoff single to Ted Sizemore, one of his 3 in the game. After Paul Popvich’s sacrifice, Willie Crawford singled Sizemore home. Willie Davis then followed with a two-run shot, his second home run of the game, to break things open.
The Cubs attempted a comeback in the bottom of the 12th. Willie Smith singled in Randy Hundley to make the score 4-2. But with Adolfo Phillips on third and pinch-runner Nate Oliver on first representing the tying runs, former Sporting News “Fireman of the Year” Al McBean wheeled and picked off Oliver for the final out of the game.
Dodgers 4, Cubs 2 (12 inn.) W: Brewer (1-1) L: Jenkins (4-2) SV: McBean (2)
***
The Cincinnati Reds scored as many runs as the Mets had hits on Wednesday night Shea.
Reds starter Jim Merritt and reliever Clay Carroll surrendered just 3 hits to New York. Gary Gentry pitched well, allowing only 6 baserunners total and 1 run through 8 innings. Tony Perez’s 4th-inning home run was all Cincinnati would need, but they added two more (one unearned) off Cal Koonce in the 9th.
Reds 3, Mets 0 W: Merritt (2-2) L: Gentry (2-2) SV: Carroll (3)
NL EAST STANDINGS
Team Name W L PCT GB Chicago Cubs 19 10 .655 - Pittsburgh Pirates 16 11 .593 2.0 Philadelphia Phillies 12 12 .500 4.5 New York Mets 12 15 .444 6.0 St. Louis Cardinals 11 16 .407 7.0 Montreal Expos 10 16 .385 7.5
“RECREATING THE MIRACLE SEASON” is a look back at the storied division race between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in 1969. Keep checking back throughout the 2009 season to get the game stories from 40 years ago to the day. This on-going feature is brought to you by the book 1969: The Year Everything Changed, available now from Skyhorse Publishing.
CUBS ESCAPE IN 10
Monday, April 28, 1969
Ted Abernathy did his best Harry Houdini act Monday night at Connie Mack Stadium.
With the Cubs having gone ahead in the top of the 10th on an unearned run against starter Rick Wise, who went the entire game for the Philadelphia, the Phillies promptly loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning. Deron Johnson singled to left off Abernathy, and Terry Harmon came on to pinch run. Don Money’s sacrifice bunt was so good that it went for a single, and catcher Randy Hundley’s error on the play allowed both runners to move up to second and third. Cubs manager Leo Durocher intentionally walked Cookie Rojas to load the bases.
The strategy worked to a tee. Three successive pinch hitters had a crack at the Cubs reliever to either tie or win the game. John Briggs grounded to first baseman Ernie Banks, who threw home to get the force out. Next, Ron Stone hit a grounder to second, and Glenn Beckert got the second out at home. Then, Rick Joseph hit a ground ball to Ron Santo at third, and Santo got the more conventional out at first base to preserve the win.
Abernathy had come in for starter Ken Holtzman with two on and one out in the 9th and induced slugger Dick Allen to ground into an inning-ending double play. With the score knotted 1-1, Don Kessinger reached on an error to lead off the 10th, and Santo later singled him in for the go-ahead run.
Kessinger had also doubled in the 6th inning to score Don Young, who went 2 for 3 in the game.
Cubs 2, Phillies 1 (in 10) W: Abernathy (2-0) L: Wise (2-2)
***
The Mets were off on Monday.
***
NL EAST STANDINGS AFTER APRIL 28
Team Name W L PCT GB Chicago Cubs 15 6 .714 - Pittsburgh Pirates 12 7 .632 2.0 St. Louis Cardinals 8 11 .421 6.0 Philadelphia Phillies 7 10 .412 6.0 Montreal Expos 7 11 .389 6.5 New York Mets 7 11 .389 6.5
RECREATING THE MIRACLE SEASON is a look back at the storied division race between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in 1969. Keep checking back throughout the 2009 season to get the game stories from 40 years ago to the day. This on-going feature is brought to you by the book 1969: The Year Everything Changed, available now from Skyhorse Publishing.
CLEON CLOUTS IN 6 IN SERIES SPLIT
Sunday, April 27, 1969
The Mets suffered a crushing loss in the first game of a doubleheader with the Cubs but rebounded with a dramatic win in the nightcap.
The often anemic New York lineup came out swinging and jumped on starter Dick Selma for 8 hits and 6 runs in 4+ innings. Leftfielder Cleon Jones led the charge with 3 hits, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored. The Mets carried a 6-4 lead into the 9th but quickly came apart. A leadoff walk issued by reliever Cal Koonce and successive errors by infielders Ken Boswell and Kevin Collins cut the lead to one and put the go-ahead runs in scoring position. Ernie Banks tied the game with an RBI single. Then Randy Hundley stepped to the plate and drove one over the Shea Stadium fence for a 2-run homer. A frustrated Gil Hodges had to summon staff ace Tom Seaver to get the final out of the inning. Phil Regan picked up his 4th win in relief.
But New York managed to avoid a sweep of the four-game series. In the back end of the doubleheader, Jim McAndrew and Tug McGraw combined to pitch 9 shutout innings while scattering just 6 hits. Chicago starter Rich Nye was almost as good, carrying a shutout into the bottom on the 9th. That’s when Rod Gaspar reached second courtesy of a two-base error by Cubs leftfielder Billy Williams. Leo Durocher elected to intentionally walk Ken Boswell to set up a possible double play. One batter later, Jones stepped to the plate, and the Mets’ hottest hitter sent the fans home happy with a 3-run, walk-off homer. For the doubleheader, Jones finished with 5 hits, 6 RBI, and 3 runs scored in 9 at-bats.
Cubs 8, Mets 6 (1) W: Regan (4-0) L: Koonce (0-2)
Mets 3, Cubs 0 (2) W: McGraw (1-0) L: Nye (0-2)
NL EAST STANDINGS AFTER APRIL 27
Team Name W L PCT GB Chicago Cubs 14 6 .700 - Pittsburgh Pirates 12 6 .667 1.0 Philadelphia Phillies 7 9 .438 5.0 Montreal Expos 7 11 .389 6.0 New York Mets 7 11 .389 6.0 St. Louis Cardinals 7 11 .389 6.0
RECREATING THE MIRACLE SEASON is a look back at the storied division race between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in 1969. Keep checking back throughout the 2009 season to get the game stories from 40 years ago to the day. This on-going feature is brought to you by the book 1969: The Year Everything Changed, available now from Skyhorse Publishing.