Remembering Mets History (1969) NLCS Game #1: Mets Five Run 8th Inning Seals First Playoff Win

Saturday October 4, 1969, NLCS Game #1- Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. At the start of the decade both the National & American league consisted of eight teams in each league making up 16 teams.

In 1969 MLB had expanded to 24 teams & for the first time the two leagues were broken down into Eastern / Western Divisions with six team in each division. A new playoff round, the League Championship Series would matchup the winners of each division in their respective league, with the winner of the best of five series going to the World Series to meet the other leagues champion.

In order to maintain balance while keeping things as fair as possible, some of the team's geographic placements didn't make sense, like NL Western Champion Atlanta Braves, from Georgia.

Lum Harris' Braves were 93-69 on the season, finishing three games ahead of the San Francisco Giants. The Braves featured three future Hall of Famers, the soon to be All-Time HR King, Hank Aaron (44 HRs /97 RBIs / .300 Ave / 1.003 OPS) Orlando Cepeda (22 HRs 88 RBIs) & twenty game winner Phil Niekro (23-13 / 2.56 ERA).

The Braves staff also featured Ron Reed (18-10) as well as a pair of 13 game winners Pat Jarvis (13-11) & George Stone (13-10) with Cecil Upshaw (27 saves / 2.91 ERA) in the bullpen.

The NL Eastern Division Champion were Gil Hodges' surprising New York Mets who won 100 games overtaking a mighty Cubs team in September winning the division by eight games. The Mets had surprised everyone with their young pitching staff led that years Cy Young Award winner Tom Seaver (25-7 / 2.21 ERA/ 208 Ks / 5 shut outs). 

Second to Seaver was lefthander Jerry Koosman (17-9 / 2.28 ERA/ six shutouts) as well as Gary Gentry (13-12 / 3.43 ERA & a young hard throwing Nolan Ryan (6-3 / 92 Ks in 89 innings). The bullpen had righty Ron Taylor (9-4 / 13 saves) & lefty Tug McGraw (9-3 / 2.24 ERA / 12 saves).

The Mets offense was led by Cleon Jones (.340 Ave / .422 on base % & .904 OPS) Tommie Agee (26 HRs / 76 RBIs) & a clever mix of platoon players Gil Hodges managed to maneuver perfectly for every situation. The Mets tight defense was anchored by short stop Bud Harrelson, one of the best in the game at his position. 

During the regular season the Mets had won eight of the twelve meetings between to the two
teams.

The series opened up at Atlanta' Fulton County Stadium as 50,122 came to see two future Hall of Famers, Tom Seaver take on Phil Niekro. The pitching matchup was not the low scoring contest as it was expected.

In the 1st inning, both pitchers retired their opponents in order.  

In the top of the 2nd inning, Art Shamsky led off with a base hit & Ken Boswell followed with a walk. Mets catcher, Jerry Grote singled scoring Shamsky with the first run in NLCS history. 

With Bud Harrelson at bat, Phil Niekro’s famous knuckleball got passed Braves' catcher Bob Didier allowing Ken Boswell to score the Mets second run making it 2-0.

In the home 2nd, Rico Carty doubled & advanced on a Ken Boswell error at second base. Clete Boyer hit a sac fly scoring Carty with Atlanta's first run. It was now a 2-1 Mets lead. 

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Braves took a 3-2 lead, after getting three consecutive doubles from Felix Millan, Tony Gonzales & Hank Aaron.

In the top of the 4th, after Art Shamsky & Ken Boswell both grounded out, Ed Kranepool singled, then Jerry Grote drew a walk. Then Bud Harrelson who had hit six triples on the season (second on the club to Ken Boswell) tripled to right field scoring both Jerry Grote & Ed Kranepool putting the Mets back in front 4-3.

In the top of the 5th, the Braves Tony Gonzales homered off Tom Seaver to tie the game up at four. 

In the top of the 6th, Art Shamsky collected his second hit of the day, but Phil Niekro then retired the Mets in order.

He set the Mets down again 1-2-3 in the 7th inning as well.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, Hank Aaron hit the first of his three NLCS HRs, putting the Braves ahead 5-4.

Henry Aaron Trivia: Aaron had last hit a post season HR in Game Six of the 1957 World Series in the Milwaukee Braves Championship season. The Braves returned to the World Series the following year, but Aaron did not hit a HR. 

In the top of the 8th inning, with Phil Niekro still pitching, Wayne Garrett led off the inning with a double to left field. Cleon Jones, who had hit .340 during the regular season, third best in the NL, delivered with a base hit to centerfield scoring Garrett to tie the game back up at five. 

Art Shamsky, followed with a base hit, then was replaced by pinch runner Al Weis. Cleon Jones advanced to second, then Cleon who had 16 steals during the season stole third base. 

Ed Kranepool's fielder’s choice to Rico Carry at first base scored Cleon Jones making it 6-5. 

Lum Harris kept Phil Niekro in the game as he got the next two outs. The Braves walked Bud Harrelson intentionally to get to the pitcher, Tom Seaver. 

Now with the bases loaded, Mets manager Gil Hodges sent up pinch hitter J.C. Martin. 

Once again, Gil Hodges pushed the right button. J.C. Martin singled to right field, Braves centerfielder Tony Gonzalez booted the ball allowing all three runners to score, as the Mets blew it open 9-5. J.C. Martin would get thrown out at third base, to end the inning.

Tom Seaver certainly wasn't in his Cy Young form, he exited the game after seven innings of work, allowing five runs, two HRs, eight hits, three walks while striking out just two. 

Ron Taylor would pitch the final two innings, keeping the Braves scoreless.

In the bottom of the 9th, (future Met) Felix Millan led off with a base hit. Ron Taylor then struck out Tony Gonzalez & got Hank Aaron to fly out for the second out.

Mike Lum then doubled to left field, but Millan was not able to score. Ron Taylor then got Orlando Cepeda to pop out to Ken Boswell at second base to end the game. 

The Mets were the winners of the first NLCS game played, taking a 1-0 lead in the best of five series.