Game 17: May 4, 1964 (Mets at Milwaukee)

Mets Come From Ahead Again and Lose, 4-3

Milwaukee-- The Mets haven't enjoyed very many leads this season, and the ones they've held have usually proven to be unsafe.

Such was the case last night in Milwaukee.

The Mets couldn't hold a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning as the Braves chipped away and eventually won in the bottom of the ninth, 4-3.

Catcher Ed Bailey singled home Hank Aaron from second base with one out in the ninth, giving the Braves the victory.

Bailey, who had four hits, was being pitched to thanks to an intentional walk to first baseman Joe Torre.

Mets manager Casey Stengel was playing for an inning-ending double play, but defied the odds, having right-handed reliever Larry Bearnarth skip facing the righty-batting Torre in order to pitch to the lefty-swinging Bailey.

"I'd do the same dadgum thing again," Stengel explained defiantly after the game. "Yes sir, I would."

The Mets (2-15) lost their fourth in a row.

Ron Hunt's solo home run in the fifth gave the Mets their 3-1 lead, behind the clutch pitching of starter Galen Cisco, who got out of one jam after another.

The Braves scored single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth to erase the deficit and win.

Cisco went one batter into the eighth before being lifted. He surrendered nine hits and struck out three, walking just one.

In the Braves' ninth, with one out, Aaron doubled to right center. That's when Stengel elected to walk Torre ("He's not chopped liver," Stengel said) in order to pitch to Bailey, despite the catcher's three straight hits.

Bailey made it four by dropping a flare into short right field. Aaron, displaying smart base running skills, easily beat Jim Hickman's throw home.

Bailey's fourth straight hit doomed the Mets

The Mets' seemingly interminable road trip (12 games) ends today in Milwaukee. So far, they're 1-10 on it.

Clay Carroll pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the victory for the Braves.

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Mets record: 2-15, .118 (Last 10: 1-9; streak: L-4); Actual: 3-14

Home: 0-4; Away: 2-11

Runs scored: 43

Runs against: 104