Remembering Mets History (1973): Tom Seaver Ks 13
Tuesday September 4th, 1973: Yogi Berra's New York Mets (65-73) were in fifth place at the time, just five 1/2 games out of first place. They were starting their re hot final month of the season, as they would catch the NL Eastern flag & the NL Pennant as well. At this point though, they only team behind the Mets in the East, were the Philadelphia Phillies (63-76).
On this night, the Phils came to Shea Stadium, as a small crowd of 13,674 came to see a fine pitching matchup of Jim Lonborg vs the Mets, Tom Seaver.
Tom Seaver was coming off two straight losing decisions, but tonight would be different.
Tom Terrific pitched a complete game, five hit, one run victory. He would strike out 13 batters on this night, the sixth time on the year he would have ten or more Ks in a game. Seaver did win the 1973 Cy Young Award.
The 13Ks were Seaver's second highest single game total on the season. (He had struck out 16 Giants at Candlestick Park on May 29th, 1973.) Seaver struckout Phillies slugger Mike Schmidt three times & fellow slugger "the Bull" Greg Luzinski down on strikes twice.
Starting Lineups
| 1 | Denny Doyle | 2B |
| 2 | Del Unser | CF |
| 3 | Willie Montanez | 1B |
| 4 | Greg Luzinski | LF |
| 5 | Bill Robinson | RF |
| 6 | Bob Boone | C |
| 7 | Mike Schmidt | 3B |
| 8 | Larry Bowa | SS |
| 9 | Jim Lonborg | P |
| 1 | Wayne Garrett | 3B |
| 2 | Felix Millan | 2B |
| 3 | Rusty Staub | RF |
| 4 | John Milner | LF |
| 5 | Ed Kranepool | 1B |
| 6 | Jerry Grote | C |
| 7 | Don Hahn | CF |
| 8 | Bud Harrelson | SS |
| 9 | Tom Seaver | P |
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The Mets started out in the 1st inning, with Wayne Garrett leading off with his 11th HR of the season, making it 1-0.
In the 3rd inning, Garrett doubled & scored when Felix Millan reached on an error by second baseman Denny Doyle.
Next, Rusty Staub walked & John Milner singled to left field bringing in Millan.
Ed Kranepool then followed with a triple to right field, driving in Staub & Milner, making it 5-0 Mets. Jerry Grote's single made it 6-0 as Kranepool scampered home.
The Mets never looked back, they added another run in the 7th, when Phillie reliever Mike Wallace, threw a wild pitch to Wayne Garrett at bat, that scored Bud Harrelson from third base.