Game 33: May 19, 1964 (Mets at Los Angeles)

Mets Tame Dodgers, 4-2


Chavez Ravine, CA-- Tracy Stallard has been, by far, the Mets' best starting pitcher this season. Monday night he showed why.

Stallard went eight innings, giving up just one run on six hits, and his effort led the Mets to a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium.

Stallard (2-4) lowered his ERA to 2.81.

The Mets led, 4-0 after seven innings before the Dodgers scored single runs in the eighth and ninth.

Ron Hunt had two hits and two RBI to lead the Mets attack.


Stallard was brilliant in notching his second win of the year


The Mets have now gone 4-5 since their horrific 2-22 start.

The win gave them a 2-4 record on their current 15-game road trip.

Stallard surrendered a two-out triple to Junior Gilliam in the third, then walked Tommy Davis, but he induced a come-backer by Ron Fairly to get out of trouble. Until the eighth, only three Dodgers made it to second base or beyond.

"That was some gosh darn good pitching," said Mets manager Casey Stengel. "Thank the Lord we were able to get that Stallard a win for his efforts."

Willard Hunter pitched a shaky ninth, but got his first save of the year despite a walk, a hit, and two wild pitches.

Charlie Smith had three singles and scored a run for the Mets.

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

Mets record: 6-27, .182 (Last 10: 4-6; streak: W-1); Actual: 10-23


Home: 2-11; Away: 4-16


Runs scored: 87


Runs against: 182

Game 32: May 18, 1964 (Mets at San Francisco)

Giants Strike Early, Take 4 of 5 From Mets


San Francisco, CA-- For the San Francisco Giants, forget two out of three---four out of five ain't bad, either.

The Giants scored early and coasted to a 6-3 victory over the Mets Monday afternoon, claiming four out of the games between the two teams in a wraparound series.

The Giants led, 4-0 after three innings and the Mets (5-27) didn't get their first base hit until the sixth inning.

Only a three-run ninth made the score respectable, as the Mets got homers from Jesse Gonder and Jim Hickman in the frame.

Jim Duffalo carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning for the Giants before Dick Smith broke it up with an infield single with one out.

Galen Cisco started and took the loss for the Mets, who were hoping to build on the momentum from their come-from-behind win in the nightcap of Sunday's doubleheader.


The Giants' Duffalo buffaloed the Mets thru 5.1 innings, holding them hitless


But that hope was squashed quickly as the Giants scored once in the first, once in the second, and tacked on two more runs in the third. Second baseman Chuck Hiller had three RBI for the Giants.

"Tony Bennett was right about this place," Mets manager Casey Stengel said about San Francisco and the singer's ballad about it. "We went one step further and left our bats in the hotel, to boot."

It's off to Los Angeles now for the Mets, who continue their grueling 15-game road trip today against the Dodgers.

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

Mets record: 5-27, .156 (Last 10: 3-7; streak: L-1); Actual: 10-22


Home: 2-11; Away: 3-16


Runs scored: 83


Runs against: 180

Games 30 & 31: May 17, 1964 (Mets at San Francisco, DH)

Mets Rally in Nightcap, Gain DH Split


San Francisco, CA-- When the San Francisco Giants scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 5-4 lead in Game 2 of their doubleheader with the Mets after winning Game 1, a sweep looked certain, given the Mets' 4-26 start.

But the Mets stunned the Giants with three runs in the top of the ninth and stole Game 2, 7-5.

The Giants won Game 1, 3-1.

In the nightcap, the Mets strung together four singles in the top of the ninth before anyone was out. Joe Christopher's single drove home Tim Harkness with the go-ahead run, and Charlie Smith added an RBI groundout.

The Mets scored four runs in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, but the Giants appeared to steal a victory with two runs in their half of the eighth inning, courtesy a two-run double by Tom Haller.


Christopher's single in the ninth inning of Game 2 drove in the go-ahead run

In Game 1, Giants pitcher Bob Hendley gave up 10 hits in 8.1 innings, but only one run---in the ninth inning.

The Giants scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth inning.

Harkness had four hits in Game 2 for the Mets (5-26), and Jesse Gonder chipped in with three hits and two RBI.

Larry Bearnarth pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.

The Mets have one more game in San Francisco to finish the big five-game series.

"We didn't quit," Mets manager Casey Stengel said about his team's rally in the nightcap. "I'll say that much. It was good to win a close one for a change."
*****************************************
Mets record: 5-26, .161 (Last 10: 3-7; streak: W-1); Actual: 9-22


Home: 2-11; Away: 3-15


Runs scored: 80


Runs against: 174

Game 29: May 16, 1964 (Mets at San Francisco)

Giants Bomb Mets, 14-0


San Francisco, CA-- If there was anything the Mets could hang their ballcaps on this season, it was their ability to stay in most of the games they played.

Not so on Saturday.

The San Francisco Giants scored 14 runs by the fourth inning, and mercifully didn't score again in blowing out the Mets, 14-0 at Candlestick Park.

After four innings, the Giants had 14 runs and 15 hits before their bats either went quiet or got tired, depending on how you look at it.

Abused on the mound were Mets starter Dennis Ribant (2+ innings, seven runs) and second man in Ron Locke (1+ inning, six runs).

"They kicked our (butts) from here to Bakersfield and back," said Mets manager Casey Stengel.

Indeed the Giants did.

Tom Haller's three-run homer in the first capped a four-run opening inning. Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda each slammed homers in the Giants' five-run third. And the Giants scored five more in the fourth, thanks largely to Jim Davenport's two-run double.

As for the Mets, they managed just four hits off Giants starter Juan Marichal, who pitched a complete game.

Cepeda, Haller and Davenport each had three RBI for the Giants.

The Mets are 4-25, and off on another losing streak, though this one sits at only two games.


Haller's three-run home run capped the Giants' four-run first inning


The worst part is, the Mets still have three more games here before they wrap up the five-game series.

"14-0? I didn't even play in any Little League games that had a score like that," lamented Mets right fielder Jim Hickman afterward.

*****************************************
Mets record: 4-25, .138 (Last 10: 2-8; streak: L-2); Actual: 9-20


Home: 2-11; Away: 2-14


Runs scored: 72


Runs against: 166

Game 28: May 15, 1964 (Mets at San Francisco)

O'Dell Flirts With No-Hitter; Mets Lose, 3-1


San Francisco, CA-- The Mets' 15-game road trip isn't off to a great start.

As for great starts, Billy O'Dell turned one in Friday night.

Left-hander O'Dell held the Mets hitless for 5.2 innings as the San Francisco Giants managed just enough offense for a 3-1 victory at Candlestick Park.

Dick Smith's two-out single in the sixth was the Mets' first of only two hits they managed, both off O'Dell, who went seven innings for the win.

Orlando Cepeda hit a solo home run, and Willie McCovey and Tom Haller added RBI singles for the Giants.

Victimized by his offense was Mets starter Tracy Stallard, who scattered nine hits over seven innings and who gave up just two runs.

O'Dell struck out three and walked two.


O'Dell no-hit the Mets until two out in the sixth


"Billy won't overpower you, but he can be crafty," said Giants manager Alvin Dark. "This was him at his best---changing speeds, keeping them off balance."

"We were lifeless," said Mets manager Casey Stengel. "I told (coach Wes) Westrum to check them for a pulse next time they came back to the dugout."

The Mets fell to 4-24. They play the next 14 on the road, where they are 2-13.
*****************************************
Mets record: 4-24, .143 (Last 10: 2-8; streak: L-1); Actual: 9-19


Home: 2-11; Away: 2-13


Runs scored: 72


Runs against: 152