Game 13: May 1, 1964 (Mets at Cincinnati)

Red-Hot Hunt Leads Mets to Rare Win

Cincinnati-- Ron Hunt has been a good hitter on a bad team so far in 1964.

Friday night, he got to be a good hitter on a winning team.

Hunt, batting .346, slammed a two-run, two-out triple in the fifth inning, giving the New York Mets a 3-0 lead, and they survived a scary ninth to beat the Cincinnati Reds, 3-2 at Crosley Field to snap an 11-game losing streak.

Hunt is 18-for-52 this season, and leads the team with eight RBI.

"Just trying to get good wood on the ball," Hunt explained when asked about his triple off Reds starter Joey Jay. "We had two runners on with two outs. I had to get them in, because we haven't been scoring runs."

Indeed; the Mets (2-11) have scored just 34 runs in 13 games.

"Hallelujah," said Mets manager Casey Stengel. "The beer will finally taste cold again."

The win wasn't without drama.

In the ninth, after two men were out, Mets third baseman Rod Kanehl booted a grounder, which led to a Reds run and Galen Cisco needing to be summoned from the bullpen with runners on second and third. Cisco then induced Leo Cardenas to ground weakly to second to secure just the Mets' second win of 1964.

Mets starter Tracy Stallard (1-3) was brilliant yet again. He pitched eight innings, giving up just four hits and one run. In 29 innings in four starts this season, Stallard sports a nifty 2.48 ERA.

Stallard turned in another strong performance Friday, and finally got a win for his efforts

Charley Smith hit his first homer of the season in the third to open the scoring. After the Mets went ahead 3-0, the Reds tallied once in the sixth on two doubles, and then scared the New Yorkers in the ninth.

The Mets' Frank Thomas went 0-for-4, leaving him in a 1-for-16 slump.

*********************************

Mets record: 2-11, .154 (Last 10: 1-9; streak: W-1); Actual: 2-11

Home: 0-4; Away: 2-7

Runs scored: 34

Runs against: 82

Game 12: April 29, 1964 (Mets at St. Louis)

Mets Waste Chances Early, Fall Late, 10-2

St. Louis-- Through three innings of Wednesday's game, the Mets had Cardinals starter Bob Gibson on the ropes every inning, tallying seven hits.

But only two runs had scored, and pitchers like Gibson tend to get stronger as the game goes on.

And that's exactly what happened.

Gibson tamed the Mets the rest of the way, allowing just two more hits, and his Cardinals teammates got to Mets starter Jack Fisher and reliever Dennis Ribant late.

The result was a lopsided 10-2 Cards victory, which was also the Mets' 11th straight defeat.

The Mets couldn't touch Gibson enough early, and it cost them

Fisher (0-2) did his best to keep the Mets ahead, but he was done in by a three-run sixth and a three-run seventh.

Left fielder Doug Clemens, not known for his power, laced a three-run homer into the right field seats at Busch Stadium in the sixth, turning the Mets' 2-0 lead into 3-2, Cardinals.

Curt Flood, also not a power hitter, capped the scoring with a three-run bomb in the eighth inning as the Cards scored 10 runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.

"That's how fast things can change in this game," lamented Mets manager Casey Stengel. "(The Cardinals) weren't getting anything going and then BOOM---10 runs."

The Mets' road trip will now take them to Cincinnati for four games.

***************************************

Mets record: 1-11, .083 (Last 10: 0-10; streak: L-11); Actual: 2-10

Home: 0-4; Away: 1-7

Runs scored: 31

Runs against: 80

Game 11: April 28, 1964 (Mets at St. Louis)

A Win in Sight, Mets Collapse in 8th, Lose 7-3

St. Louis--The Mets' 10th straight loss came suddenly and swiftly. One moment, they led the Cardinals 3-2, and in a matter of moments, everything went sideways.

The Cards scored five runs in the eighth inning and beat the Mets 7-3 at Busch Stadium Tuesday night.

Mets starter Al Jackson, coming off two rugged starts, was taming the Cards through seven innings, surrendering just six hits and two runs. His offense had scratched out three runs, positioning the Mets for their first win since opening night.

But after a one-out single, Mets manager Casey Stengel lifted Jackson for Bill Wakefield, who has been more gas than anything as a reliever this season.

True to form, the first six hitters Wakefield faced reached base. It went single, double, single, walk, fielder's choice (safe at home), single. When the dust settled, the Cards had scored five runs and Wakefield was left with a 12.00 ERA in six relief innings in 1964.

The Mets went down relatively weakly in the ninth, and their 10th straight loss was in the books.

Curt Flood had three RBI for the Cardinals.

Wakefield was roughed up yet again out of the Mets' bullpen

The Mets went ahead, 2-1, in the fourth on Ron Hunt's second homer, a two-run shot. But Flood tied it in the bottom of the frame, tripling home pitcher Ernie Broglio.

Mets catcher Jesse Gonder doubled home George Altman in the seventh to put the Mets ahead, 3-2.

Then the eighth inning came, and any hopes the Mets would break through for a rare victory were dashed under a fusillade of Cardinals hits.

"What we needed was for the skies to break and the rain to come down," Stengel said. "Maybe God can give us a break here."

The Almighty One may be the Mets' only hope nowadays.

***************************************

Mets record: 1-10, .091 (Last 10: 0-10; streak: L-10); Actual: 2-9

Home: 0-4; Away: 1-6

Runs scored: 29

Runs against: 70

Game 10: April 26, 1964 (Mets at Pittsburgh; DH #2)

Mets Whitewashed Again; Drop Twin Bill, 2-0

Pittsburgh-- The Mets proved that which needed no proving in dropping a doubleheader to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field.

You can't win when you don't score any runs.

The Bucs shutout the Mets, 2-0, to sweep their Sunday doubleheader. In game one, the Pirates won 6-0.

Spot starter Don Schwall worked seven innings for Pittsburgh, giving up five hits.

Tracy Stallard, on two days' rest, kept the Mets in the game, throwing seven innings and giving up just the two runs.

But the offense was again non-existent.

The Pirates' Schwall was the latest opposing starter to confound the Mets

The Mets have been shutout four times in their first 10 games. The Pirates are already 7-0 against them in 1964.

"You boys might as well put me on a 45 and make the needle stick," Mets manager Casey Stengel said to reporters afterward. "Because I sound like a broken record, and we've only played 10 games."

The Mets got one runner as far as third base in the nightcap.

The Pirates scored both their runs in the seventh inning. Pinch-hitter Jerry Lynch doubled, and came home on a Dick Schofield single. After Schofield went to second on the throw home, Bill Virdon singled him home.

And that was still one run more than the Bucs would need in subduing the Mets, who have lost nine straight games.

*************************************

Mets record: 1-9, .100 (Last 10: 1-9; streak: L-9); Actual: 2-8

Home: 0-4; Away: 1-5

Runs scored: 26

Runs against: 63

Game 9: April 26, 1964 (Mets at Pittsburgh; DH #1)

Mets Bats Silent Again; Pirates Breeze to 6-0 Win

Pittsburgh--The Mets' hitting slumber continues.

The Pirates' Vern Law pitched a complete-game, four-hit shutout, and the Bucs won the first game of a Sunday doubleheader, 6-0 at Forbes Field.

The Pirates are now 6-0 vs. the Mets in this young season.

The Mets have lost eight in a row after an opening night win, and have scored just 26 runs in their nine games. They have already been shutout three times.

The Pirates scored four times in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 5-0. The damage was done off Mets starter Jay Hook, who lasted 4.2 innings, surrendering eight hits and five runs. Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski slugged a two-run homer to send Hook to the showers.

Law was the latest opposing pitcher to make the Mets' offense look moribund

The Mets' team batting average is .226 and their slugging percentage is .314.

"If anyone has the answers, then come talk to me," Mets manager Casey Stengel said. "If anyone knows how we can start scoring runs, I'm all ears."

The Mets will play the nightcap in Pittsburgh then head to St. Louis as their 12-game road trip drones on.

******************************

Mets record: 1-8, .111 (Last 10: 1-8; streak: L-8); Actual: 1-8

Home: 0-4; Away: 1-4

Runs scored: 26

Runs against: 61

Game 8: April 25, 1964 (Mets at Pittsburgh)

Too Much Veale: Mets Fall, 8-1

Pittsburgh-- You knew it would be another bad day for the Mets when they were trailing 6-0 before they registered their first hit.

And it was.

Pittsburgh's Bob Veale no-hit the Mets for 4.1 innings while his team built a six-run lead, and the Pirates beat the Mets for the fifth time in as many games, 8-1 at Forbes Field.

The Mets (1-7) have lost seven straight, and haven't been competitive in many of their losses.

Veale, a lefty, went 7.2 innings, surrendering just four hits (all singles) and one run. He struck out five and walked only one.

Veale no-hit the Mets until one out in the fifth; by that time, the Pirates were leading 6-0

"What can you say," lamented Mets manager Casey Stengel. "We're easy pickings right now. We're not even putting up a fight, and it makes me crazy. We need a fire."

Pirates catcher Jim Pagliaroni, who's killed the Mets this season, slugged a three-run homer in the fourth to put the Bucs up 6-0 while the Mets were still looking for their first hit.

Pagliaroni already has three homers against the Mets.

The Mets play a doubleheader against the Pirates on Sunday to wrap up seven games out of eight against the Bucs.

The way the Pirates have handled them so far, it's doubtful the Mets will be sad to say goodbye to the Bucs for awhile.

"We stink," Stengel said. "Right now we stink. We've played eight games and we stink to high heaven. That's all, gentlemen."

With that, Stengel walked away, leaving reporters to wonder how he'll handle the remaining 154 games.

************************************

Mets record: 1-7, .125 (Last 10: 1-7; streak: L-7); Actual: 1-7

Home: 0-4; Away: 1-3

Runs scored: 26

Runs against: 55

Game 7: April 24, 1964 (Mets at Pittsburgh)

Pirates Blast Jackson Early, Cruise to 11-7 Win

Pittsburgh-- The early-season struggles of Al Jackson continue, and so do those of the New York Mets.

Lefty starter Jackson was knocked out in the third inning for the second straight start, surrendering seven runs, and the Pirates built a big lead then cruised to an 11-7 win at Forbes Field Friday night.

Jackson (0-2) gave up two home runs in the third as part of a five-run frame before being lifted after just 2.1 innings of work.

Jackson, in three starts, has pitched just 11 innings, has given up an astounding 23 hits, and his ERA is 11.45.

"Nothing's working now," Jackson said after Friday's game. "Every mistake I make is being hit hard. That's how this game works sometimes."

The Bucs rapped out 16 hits as they built an 11-2 lead after five innings.


Pittsburgh's Bob Bailey slugged a three-run homer in the Bucs' five-run third inning Friday night


The Mets scored five times in the final two innings to make the score respectable.

The Mets have now lost six straight since winning on opening night, and the team ERA is an unsightly 6.82.

"We can't pitch worth a nickel now," Mets manager Casey Stengel said. "Usually the pitchers are ahead of the hitters early on. Leave it to us to be the opposite."

******************************************

Mets record: 1-6, .143 (Last 10: 1-6; streak: L-6); Actual: 1-6

Home: 0-4; Away: 1-2

Runs scored: 25

Runs against: 47

Game 6: April 23, 1964 (Chicago at Mets)

Ellsworth Handcuffs Mets, 1-0

New York-- The Mets can't get any baseball luck---especially Tracy Stallard.

For the second straight start, Stallard pitched well enough to win. And for the second straight start, Stallard went home with a tough loss.

Thursday, it was the Cubs' Dick Ellsworth who outdueled Stallard, tossing a complete-game, five-hit shutout at the Mets, who fell to the Cubs 1-0 at Shea Stadium.

It was the fifth straight loss for the Mets (1-5) and fourth straight in their new ballpark.

Ellsworth was masterful, squirming out of a first inning jam then pretty much having his way with the Mets the rest of the way.

The Cubs scored the game's only run in the very first inning, when Ernie Banks's sacrifice fly scored Jimmy Stewart, who singled to start the game, stole second, and went to third thanks to a throwing error by Mets catcher Hawk Taylor.

Stallard (0-2) was brilliant as well, throwing eight innings of four-hit ball before being lifted in the ninth after a leadoff double by Billy Williams.


Ellsworth struck out four, walked none in his complete game masterpiece


"There's not much you can say," Stallard said of his tough loss. "You just take a right turn and go home."

Mets manager Casey Stengel was more vocal.

"That kid (Stallard) pitched his heart out," Stengel said. "And we couldn't get a dadgum run for him. It just makes you sick.

"We must be leading the league in different ways to lose," Stengel added.

"Tracy was great," Taylor said. "But Ellsworth was a little better, I guess. Tracy couldn't do more than he did."

Yesterday's game was the only one of the three scheduled with the Cubs that was played, due to rainy weather in New York this week. Next up for the Mets are four games in Pittsburgh, meaning the Cubs will have played seven of eight games against the Pirates, who swept the Mets in New York last weekend.

***************************************

Mets record: 1-5, .167 (Last 10: 1-5; streak: L-5); Actual: 1-5

Home: 0-4; Away: 1-1

Runs scored: 18

Runs against: 36

Game 5: April 19, 1964 (Pittsburgh at Mets)

Bucs Chase Jackson Early, Stomp Mets 13-4, Sweep Series


New York-- There was little drama in this one.

After teasing their fans in new Shea Stadium for two days with near-victories, the Mets fell behind the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0, scraped to within 5-4, then collapsed into a 13-4 defeat before a crowd of 30,185.

The Pirates got after Mets starter Al Jackson early, scoring five runs in the third inning, chasing him after 2.2 innings pitched.

Pirates catcher Jim Pagliaroni hit two more home runs, giving him three for the weekend series, which the Bucs swept. The Pirates scored 29 runs in the three games.

Jackson surrendered six hits in the third after getting through the first two innings relatively quietly.

Jackson (0-1) had a nightmare third inning, which he didn't survive

The Mets put up a brief fight, scoring three runs in their half of the third inning and adding another in the fourth to get within 5-4, but the Pirates poured it on, scoring four runs in both the fifth and seventh innings.

Five Mets pitchers tried in vain to subdue the Pirates, who banged out 15 hits.

"We threw a bunch of beach balls up to the plate," lamented Mets manager Casey Stengel. "A lot of bad pitches today. (The Pirates) may as well have hit off a tee."

The Mets (1-4) have now lost four straight after an encouraging win on opening night.

The Chicago Cubs are scheduled into Shea next, though weather forecasts are ominous over the next couple of days.

************************************

Mets record: 1-4, .200 (Last 10: 1-4; streak: L-4); Actual: 1-4

Home: 0-3; Away: 1-1

Runs scored: 18

Runs against: 35

Game 4: April 18, 1964 (Pittsburgh at Mets)

Mets Blow Another 9th Inning Lead; Pirates Win in 10, 8-4


New York-- For the second straight day, the Mets had their fans thinking a win might be in the offing. For the second straight day, the ninth inning proved to contribute to their downfall.

The Pittsburgh Pirates scored two runs in the ninth to take a 4-3 lead, the Mets countered with a run in their half of the ninth on a Ron Hunt home run to tie it, but the Pirates enjoyed a four-run uprising in the 10th to finish off the Mets, 8-4 at Shea Stadium.

The Pirates had six hits in the 10th, all singles, including three run-scoring singles in a row after two were out.

The Pirates banged out eight hits over the last two innings of the game, after only mustering six prior to that.

The Mets (1-3) lost their third straight game.

Bill Mazeroski tripled in the ninth off Willard Hunter, scoring two runs, erasing a 3-2 deficit and putting the Bucs on top, 4-3.

But Hunt lasered a pitch from Al McBean into the left field seats in the Mets' half of the ninth to tie the contest.

Unfortunately, the Pirates countered that (and then some) with a four-run 10th inning with most of the damage done against Hunter, who gave up five runs in one and one-third inning of work.


Hunt's game-tying ninth inning homer wasn't enough to avoid another tough loss


The Mets went ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, thanks to a two-out, two-run double by Amado Samuel.

Willie Stargell's two-run homer in the fourth inning for the Pirates was the only scoring until the Mets scratched out a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth.

The Mets will wrap up the weekend series with the Bucs on Sunday afternoon.

"Two tough losses in a row," the Mets' Hunt said afterward. "We just have to shake them off. It's too early to get too down over a couple of losses."

Larry Bearnarth was an emergency starter for the Mets after Galen Cisco woke up with arm soreness. Bearnarth's third career start against 101 relief appearances lasted a surprising five innings. Bearnarth surrendered just three hits and two runs.

"He helped us out a lot," Mets manager Casey Stengel said of Bearnarth. "Cisco came to the park and said he couldn't pitch. That's a nice thing for a manager to hear, I tell you."

************************************

Mets record: 1-3, .250 (Last 10: 1-3; streak: L-3); Actual: 0-4

Home: 0-2; Away: 1-1

Runs scored: 14

Runs against: 22

Game 3: April 17, 1964 (Pittsburgh at Mets)

Wakefield Rocked in Ninth; Mets Lose Shea Opener, 8-5

New York-- The New York Mets were one out away from christening new Shea Stadium the right way. Then everything came apart.

Donn Clendenon muscled a single into right field with two outs in the ninth to tie the game, his third hit of the day, and the Pittsburgh Pirates added four more runs in a horrific six-run frame to overcome the Mets, 8-5, in the Mets' first game in brand new Shea Stadium.

Leading 4-2 going into the ninth, Mets manager Casey Stengel pulled starter Jack Fisher after two one-out singles and a stolen base produced a run.

Reliever Bill Wakefield retired Willie Stargell, leaving Roberto Clemente on second base and edging the Mets (1-2) closer to their second win of the young season.

But Clendenon, who also tripled and homered, came through with his single, and Wakefield surrendered two more singles and a three-run home run by Jim Pagliaroni to blow the game open for the Bucs.



Clendenon had a single, a triple, and a home run to lead the Bucs' attack


It looked like the Mets were going to send the sellout crowd of 50,312 home happy, thanks to a three-run uprising in the sixth that gave them a 4-2 lead. The rally's floodgates were opened after a two-out error by shortstop Dick Schofield was followed by a run-scoring single by Frank Thomas and a two-run single by Jim Hickman.

Hickman also hit a solo homer in the ninth to provide the final margin of victory for the Pirates.

"Well, we had a ninth inning rally in Philadelphia," Stengel said of his team's win on opening night. "I guess it was our turn to suffer one."

Stengel lamented the fact that the Mets couldn't deliver the win in such a historic game.

"We were close," he said. "We just couldn't close the deal. I hope the fans forgive us and come watch the 'Amazin' Mets' tomorrow."

************************************

Mets record: 1-2, .333 (Last 10: 1-2; streak: L-2); Actual: 0-3

Home: 0-1; Away: 1-1

Runs scored: 10

Runs against: 14

Game 2: April 15, 1964 (Mets at Philadelphia)

Bunning 'Brilliant' As Phils Subdue Mets, 4-0

Philadelphia-- There were no ninth inning tricks in the Mets' bag on this night. Jim Bunning saw to that.

Twenty-four hours after the New York Mets shocked the Philadelphia Phillies with a four-run ninth inning to steal a win on opening night, right-hander Bunning shut the Mets down with a complete game, six-hit shutout, leading the Phillies to a 4-0 win.

Wes Covington hit a two-run homer and Clay Dalrymple added a two-run double to provide the Phils' offense.

But the story was Bunning, who was, in the words of Phils catcher Dalrymple, "brilliant."

"That was vintage Bunning," Dalrymple said. "Great command, good mix of his fastball and off-speed stuff. (The Mets) didn't really hit a ball hard all night."

Bunning struck out three and walked none.

"Felt good, for sure," Bunning said afterward. "Everything clicked. It was a good first start for me."


Bunning: in control all night


The Mets got two runners as far as third base, but both times came with two outs, and Bunning was up to the task.

"We couldn't do nothin'," said Mets manager Casey Stengel. "Give that man (Bunning) over there credit. He sure hoodwinked us."

The Mets (1-1) will return home to host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game ever played at new Shea Stadium.

************************************

Mets record: 1-1, .500 (Last 10: 1-1; streak: L-1); Actual: 0-2

Home: 0-0; Away: 1-1

Runs scored: 5

Runs against: 6

Game 1: April 14, 1964 (Mets at Philadelphia)

Mets Use 4-Run Ninth to Stun Phillies on Opening Night

Philadelphia-- Phillies fans booed reliever Jack Baldschun off the mound in the ninth inning of last night's baseball opener at Connie Mack Stadium.

"I would have booed me too," Baldschun said afterward.

The third-year New York Mets went over .500 for the first time in their short history, scoring four runs in the ninth inning, turning a 2-1 deficit into a stunning 5-2 win.

Baldschun, who entered the ninth in relief of starter Dennis Bennett, was charged with all four runs before leaving under a rain of boos.

Leading off the ninth, the Mets' Hawk Taylor walked. Joe Christopher doubled Taylor to third. After a shallow fly ball by Rod Kanehl failed to score Taylor, Phillies manager Gene Mauch elected to intentionally walk 19-year-old pinch-hitter Ed Kranepool, loading the bases.

That's when Baldschun, already struggling, surrendered a double to Dick Smith, which plated Taylor and Christopher and sent Kranepool to third, nudging the Mets ahead, 3-2. The booing began in earnest at that point.

Baldschun struck out Amado Samuel, but Ron Hunt, hitless during the game, stroked a two-run single into right field, completing the Mets' stunning four-run rally.

At that point, Baldschun was lifted by Mauch and the pitcher was booed by the announced crowd of 21,016 from the moment he left the mound until he disappeared into the dugout.

Jack Baldschun was roughed up by Mets on Opening Night

The Phillies stirred in their half of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs against reliever Larry Bearnarth, but Tony Gonzalez grounded out to second to end the rally and the game.

"Well, I'll be a son of a gun," Mets manager Casey Stengel said after the game. "We looked dead. Give my boys some credit."

************************************

Mets record: 1-0, 1.000 (Last 10: 1-0; streak: W-1); Actual: 0-1

Home: 0-0; Away: 1-0

Runs scored: 5

Runs against: 2

Welcome!

Thanks for visiting!

Here you will find game-by-game results of my replay of the 1964 New York Mets season, using a tabletop simulation game called Replay Baseball.

All the results will be actual game results as I play them.

All game stories and quotes will be made up.

All the fun will be real!