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Wednesday, July 23, 1969

The top players from the National and American Leagues squared off in the All-Star Game at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC.

Centerfielder Matty Alou got the National Leaguers started by leading off the game with a single and later scored on an error by leftfielder Frank Howard.

In the top of the second, the Senior Circuit increased its lead when Mets leftfielder Cleon Jones singled and Johnny Bench followed with a 2-run homer off AL starter Mel Stottlemyre.

Howard, the hometown hero, got the American League on the board with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, but the NL answered back with a 5-run outburst against A’s pitcher “Blue Moon” Odom. Hank Aaron singled with no outs and Willie McCovey sent one over the fence. Felix Millan doubled in 2 runs and then scored when starting pitcher Steve Carlton surprised everybody by smacking a double, chasing Odom from the game.

Bill Freehan smacked a home run for the American League in the home third, and Willie McCovey responded with his second home run in the two innings.

Freehan notched an RBI single in the 4th. The pitching staffs from both teams took over at that point, and the National League cruised to a 9-3 victory.

Cleon Jones had a 2-for-4 night, and Mets teammate Jerry Koosman pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Cubs third baseman Ron Santo went 0 for 3.

NL 9, AL 3.  W: Carlton  L: Stottlemyre  SV: P. Niekro

STARTING LINEUP

NL

CF Alou (PIT)

SS Kessinger (CHI)

RF Aaron (ATL)

1B McCovey (SF)

3B Santo (CHI)

LF Jones (NYM)

C  Bench (CIN)

2B Millan (ATL)

P  Carlton (STL)

AL

2B Carew (MIN)

CF Jackson (OAK)

RF F. Robinson (BAL)

1B Powell (BAL)

LF Howard (WAS)

3B Bando (OAK)

SS Petrocelli (BOS)

C  Freehan (DET)

P  Stottlemyre (NYY)

Sunday, June 1, 1969

Ken Holtzman had another rocky outing but again the Cubs still came away with the win.

Chicago scored 6 runs in the 3rd inning off Atlanta starter Pat Jarvis, the big blow coming on Randy Hundley’s 3-run shot. But Holtzman gave up two 2-run homers, one to a unusual suspect (catcher Bob Tillman) and one to a very usual one (Hank Aaron) and failed to make it out of the 5th inning.

Dick Selma came on to pitch 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, though, to earn the win as the Cubs pulled away from the Braves and completed a three-game sweep. Ron Santo had a monster day with 3 hits and 4 RBI.  Billy Williams (who also homered), Ernie Banks, and Willie Smith had 2 basehits apiece for the home town, and Jim Hickman added a home run of his own. The Braves’s Orlando Cepeda had 3 hits.

Cubs 13, Braves 4  W: Selma (5-3)  L: Jarvis (5-3)

***

Willie McCovey homered for the third consecutive game against the Mets but New York emerged with the win and the series sweep at Shea.

With the score tied 4-4 going into the bottom of the 9th, Giants reliever Joe Gibbon walked the bases loaded and then walked Ron Swoboda to force in Bud Harrelson with the winning run.

Neither starter had fared well. Bobby Bolin was fortunate to give up only 4 runs in surrendering 8 hits and 3 walks in just 4 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, the Mets’s Jim McAndrew was similarly lucky after giving up 3 hits and 4 walks that led to 2 runs (1 unearned) in 1 2/3 innings.  Manager Gil Hodges brought in Don Cardwell, who pitched a strong 6 1/3 innings while giving up 2 runs. Ron Taylor pitched the 9th and got the win in relief.

Both Harrelson and Swoboda went 2 for 4, and Jerry Grote was 2 for 3 with a triple. Ed Kranepool had an RBI single.

Mets 5, Giants 4  W: Taylor (1-0)  L: Gibbon (1-3)

NL EAST STANDINGS

Team Name                        W    L   PCT    GB
Chicago Cubs                    33   16  .673     -
Pittsburgh Pirates              25   23  .521   7.5
New York Mets                   22   23  .489   9.0
St. Louis Cardinals             22   25  .468  10.0
Philadelphia Phillies           18   25  .419  12.0
Montreal Expos                  11   33  .250  19.5