Remembering Mets History: (1971) Mets Score Twenty Runs For First Time In Team History

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Saturday August 7th, 1971: Gil Hodges fourth place Mets (57-54) were    on the road in Atlanta, facing Lum Harris' third place Braves (59-58). It was a hot humid, Southern night in Georgia for the 20,827 fans, at Fulton County Stadium. It was on this night, the Mets would score twenty runs in a game, for the first time in franchise history. The Mets would collect twenty hits on the night, against four Braves pitchers. The starting pitchers in the game, were for the Mets Nolan Ryan & Ron Reed for Atlanta.

Starting Lineups

The Mets got to starter Ron Reed in the 1st inning. Mets lead off man Buddy Harrelson reached on an error. Tommie Agee then singled to center, sending Harrelson to third. Tommie Agee stole second base. Cleon Jones singled to left, bringing in Harrelson with for the first run. Ed Kranepool, followed with a sac fly to center, scoring Agee, making it 2-0. Ken Boswell then doubled to right making it 3-0 Mets.

In the top of the 2nd, Jerry Grote singled. Nolan Ryan bunted in an attempted sacrifice & reached safely. Harrelson, then reached on an infield single to load the bases. Wayne Garrett added a sac fly, making it 4-1. Cleon Jones then singled in another run, making 5-1. It knocked Reed out of the game & sent him to the showers.

 The Braves new pitcher was Mike McQueen. He walked his first batter, Donn Clendenon with the base loaded, bringing in another Mets run, making it 6-1.

Ken Boswell, stepped in with the bases still loaded. He connected for the biggest blow of the night, a grand slam HR making it 10-1 Mets. The HR was just Boswell's third of the season. 

 The Mets sent ten men to bat in th2 inning, scoring seven runs with four hits & two walks issued.

In the Mets 5th, with two outs, Jerry Grote & Nolan Ryan both singled. Short stop Bud Harrelson, drew a walk to load up the bases once again. Wayne Garrett & Tommie Agee both added base RBI base hits, clearing the bases & making it 13-1.

In the 6th, Ken Boswell walked & rookie Ken Singleton got himself an infield single. Jerry Grote singled as well, bringing in Boswell with another run. Rookie, Tim Foli also singled making it 16-6 Mets.

In the top of the 7th, Mets slugger, Donn Clendenon added a two run HR, his 9th of the year, giving the Mets an 18-6 lead. 

 In the 9th, the Mets got some more help from the Braves. Pitcher, Bob Priddy walked two batters & an infield error on Zoilo Versalles brought in two more runs to make it 20-6. It was the first time the team scored 20 runs in their ten year history.

 Nolan Ryan did not have his best night, giving up six runs on eight hits, with five walks. He struck out seven. But the run support got him the win, getting him to .500 (9-9).

Ken Boswell led the Mets attack with four hits & five RBIs. Jerry Grote & Tommie Agee had three hits & an RBI each. Wayne Garrett & Donn Clendennon each drove in three runs, as Tim Foli & Cleon Jones both drove in a pair of runs as well.