Remembering Mets History (1973 NLCS) Game #2: Jon Matlack Tosses Two Hit Shut Out Against the Big Red Machine

Sunday October 7th, 1973: NLCS Game #2

New York Mets vs. Cincinnati Reds

With the Reds up one game after winning the series opener, a record crowd of 54,041 paid fans attended Game #2 of the 1973 NLCS at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. On this cloudy Sunday afternoon, game time was set at 4:05 Eastern time.

The starting pitcher for the Reds was Don Gullett (18-8 / 153 Ks / 3.51 ERA). That season Gullett was second on the Reds staff in wins & strike outs. Gullett would win 15 or more games four times from 1971 to 1975 for the Reds then go 4-3 in the post season thru 1976.

The Mets sent their reigning Rookie of the Year left hander, Jon Matlack (14-16 / 205 Ks / 3.20 ERA) to the mound. From August 1st on, Matlack had gone 7-2 with two shut outs & having two games where he allowed just one earned run, including a 1-0 loss on September 30th. Today's outing would possible be Matlack's best performance ever.

With the mighty Big Red Machine up one game to none, many thought the next home game for the Reds was to be in that year's World Series. But it was not to be the case.

In the top of the 1st, Don Gullet had an easy inning retiring the Mets in order. In the bottom frame, Jon Matlack had just as easy of an inning, starting out by striking out Pete Rose. Joe Morgan grounded out & Tony Perez flew out.

In the bottom of the 2nd, the Reds Andy Kosco singled to left field with one out. Dan Driessen grounded to first base & John Milner threw to second to get the force. 

Driessen then attempted to steal second, but Matlack threw to first base attempting a pick off. Driessen never looked back & was nailed at second when Jon Milner fired over to Bud Harrelson who put on the tag. Jon Matlack had one of the league's best pick off moves.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Matlack walked short stop Darrel Chaney. Pitcher Don Gullet then bunted him over to second. 

Then the NL batting champion Pete Rose, bounced one up the middle, but Mets short stop Bud Harrelson snatched it up & threw out Rose to end the inning. It was yet another example of how important Bud Harrelson's defense was to the Mets pitching staff.

For the Reds, Kentucky native Don Gullet pitched well himself, shutting down the Mets over the first three innings allowing just one walk. That walk was issued to the pitcher Jon Matlack in the 3rd inning. 

In the top of the 4th inning, Felix Millan led off flying out to Ken Griffey in right. Then the Mets Rusty Staub connected a solo HR putting New York up 1-0. Staub had told Matlack he picked something up in Gullett's delivery "You keep us close, I'm going to get him".

For Staub it was his first career post season HR as he was just getting to start to warm up. 

Rusty who wore a black batting glove on one hand & a white on the other hand, would go on to hit four post season HRs & drive in ten runs through the rest of the 1973 post season, all this while nursing a sore shoulder in the World Series.

In the bottom of the 5th, Matlack walked veteran Andy Kosco. Kosco had singled in the 1stinning & would single again in the 7th inning accounting for the only two Reds hits on the afternoon. 

Matlack then struck out Dan Driessen & Cesar Geronimo for the first two outs of the inning.  Next, Matlack walked short stop Darrel Chaney putting a runner in scoring position.

Red's manager Sparky Anderson wasted no time, seeing how tough Matlack had been so far, he knew he needed to get a run wherever a chance came up. Sparky sent up pinch hitter, Phil Gagliano, removing Gullett from the game.

Trivia: Sparky Anderson was famous for pulling his pitchers at the early signs of trouble. He was known for the quick hook, earning the nickname "Captain Hook".  Ahead of his time you could say, as he knew he had a solid bullpen & gave them regular work.

Matlack then struck out Phil Gagliano for his sixth strike out of the day, ending the threat & the most trouble he would be in, all afternoon. 

In the top of the 6th, The Reds reliever Clay Carroll known as "the Hawk" came on to pitch. Carroll had led the NL in saves in 1972 with 37 & was one of the games top relievers in the early seventies. Carroll was 8-8 on the year with 14 saves & a 3.69 ERA. 

He shut the Mets down over the next two innings, allowing just one walk, to get his team to the 8th inning.

In the bottom of the 7th, after Andy Kosco's base hit, Yogi Berra came to the mound to see Jon Matlack about an issue on his finger. Mets trainer Tom McKenna also came out to see what the problem was. 

The two went into the dugout where McKenna assisted with a blister forming on Matlack's pitching finger.  It was addressed & Matlack stayed in the game.

Matlack got Dan Driessen to fly out to Cleon Jones in left field. He then struck out Cesar Geronimo on a fastball to end the inning. It was the third tie Geronimo struck out on the day.

Quotes- Jon Matlack: "I didn't talk to Tom Seaver about the Reds except how to pitch to Cesar Geronimo their centerfielder. With my good stuff Tom felt I could throw the ball by him both inside & outside. Tom also told me not to throw off speed pitches in a row but that was all."

In the top of the 8th inning, Don Hahn led off with a walk. After Bud Harrelson flew out Jon Matlack bunted Hahn to second base. On a pitch to Wayne Garrett that Johnny Bench dropped, Hahn attempted to take third base. 

He was called out by umpire Bruce Froemming, Hahn third base coach Eddie Yost & manager Yogi Berra all argued the call, but the inning was over. Broadcaster Bob Murphy stated that Hahn did appear to be safe after looking at the replays.

In the top of the 9th, Sparky Anderson brought in the left hander, Tom Hall (8-5 / 8 saves / 3.37 ERA) known as "the Blade".

Wayne Garrett grounded out to first base for the first out. Felix Millan then collected his first hit of the post season as he singled to right field. Rusty Staub then drew a walk. 

Then Cleon Jones who had a great September at the plate, singled to centerfield with a liner past Joe Morgan. 

Felix Millan came racing around third base & Reds, Center fielder Cesar Geronimo, attempted to get him at home. 

Millan would have scored easily with almost any other centerfielder in the N.L. but Geronimo's strong arm made it a play as did Johnny Bench attempting to block the plate. 

Millan came in caught in between half standing up & sliding, beating the throw, reaching safely scoring the Mets second run. Also, on the throw both base runners advanced putting runners on second & third with one out.

Sparky came out of the dugout for another pitching change, this time Hall was relieved by Pedro Borbon the fourth Reds pitcher on the day. Borbon had had a spectacular year going 11-4 with 14 saves & a 2.16 ERA. 

Borbon was instructed to intentionally walk John Milner to load the bases to face Jerry Grote.  Grote came through with a big single into center field, bringing in Staub & Jones, making it 4-0 New York.

Center fielder Don Hahn followed with a base hit as well, but Milner was unable to score. 

The bases were now loaded once again for short stop Bud Harrelson. Harrelson singled up the middle, bringing in Milner this time giving the Mets a commanding 5-0 lead. 

In the inning New York sent ten men to the plate, scored four runs with five hits & two walks. 

In the bottom of the 9th, Jon Matlack first got Joe Morgan to fly out to Hahn in center field. Next, slugger Tony Perez flew out to Staub in right. 

Matlack then ended the game, striking out catcher Johnny Bench for his eighth strikeout of the afternoon.

Matlack put in one of the best pitching performances in Mets post season history, as he shut down the Big Red Machine, throwing a two-hit shutout. Matlack had three shutouts in the regular season as well.

Along the way, Matlack struck out nine Reds batters while walking three. Only two Reds base runners got as far as second base, the entire game. The Reds top four hitters Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez & Johnny Bench all went a combined 0-16 against Matlack.

Matlack's wife Dee congratulates him after game.

The Mets wrapped up the 5-0 victory & were headed back to Shea Stadium in New York, tied at one game each with the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS.

The two teams had a flight to catch to JFK airport as there was off day, Game #3 was scheduled at Shea Stadium for the next afternoon.

Jon Matlack's wife Dee joined him on the field in celebration after the game. In the visiting locker room, the joyous Mets also celebrated Matlack’s great performance.

Quotes- Jon Matlack: "It was probably the best game I ever pitched. I wasn't overly strong but that seemed to help me because they were off stride. It was one of those days you have once in a lifetime."

Trivia: After the game the Mets great defensive but light hitting short stop Bud Harrelson joked to the press that the Reds looked like him hitting out there today. Those words would not sit well with the Reds & were to be used as bulletin board material to fire up the team. 

It set the stage for one of the most famous brawls in baseball history coming up in the next game. On this evening the Mets happily boarded a flight back to New York for Game #3.

NFL Trivia: In Week 4 of the NFL, the Giants lost 16-14 to the Packers on a game ending field goal in the Yale Bowl & the Jets (playing without an injured Joe Namath) were routed by the Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins 31-3.