Remembering Mets History (1969) Mets Sweep Final Weekend Series As Their Pitchers Toss Three Shut Outs

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Friday September 26th 1969: The Mets closed out their last weekend series of the 1969 regular season with a three-game set at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. It was another incredible week for Gil Hodges Mets, this week he & pitching coach Rube Walker's starting pitchers would throw three consecutive shut outs.

A small crowd of 6,288 came to see George Myatt's Phillies (62-94) host Gil Hodges first place Mets (96-61).




In the opener, Jerry Koosman (16-9) went out & tossed a four-hit shutout, beating Woodie Fryman for his 17th win of the year. It was his seventh shutout of the year (4th best in the NL) & his 16th complete game (9th most in the NL).

Koosman struck out seven & walked just two, lowering his ERA to a season ending 2.28 (5th best in the NL).

Don Clendenon put the Mets on the board in the 1st with a two run HR, his 16th of the year. In the Mets 2nd, catcher Duffy Dyer doubled & got to third on a passed ball.  Al Weis reached on an error by Rick Joseph & Dyer scored.

In the top of the 5th, Bobby Heise doubled & with two outs, Don Clendenon was walked intentionally. Young Mets players: Amos Otis & Bobby Pfeil both hit back-to-back singles bringing in both runners, to give the Mets a 5-0 win.




Saturday September 27th, 1969: In this matinee at Connie Mach Stadium, Tom Seaver & Grant Jackson had a classic pitcher's duel. Seaver won the battle, winning his league leading 25th game of the year. He would toss a three hit, 1-0 complete game shutout.

 It was his fifth shutout of the year (6th best in the NL) & his 18th complete game (7th in the NL). This sealed his Cy Young Season (25-7) 208 strike outs (10th in the NL) & a 2.21 ERA (4th best in the NL).  

The only run of the game came in the 8th inning, when Bobby Pfeil, hit an RBI base hit off Grant Jackson, scoring Donn Clendenon.





Sunday September 28th, 1969: A small crowd of just 6,875 came to Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia, to see the first place Mets (98-61) face the Phillies (62-97).

This Mets victory would be their 99th win of the season. The Mets pitching staff, continued a week of blanking their opponents.

Gary Gentry (12-12) who had last pitched in the NL East clincher, on September 24th, four games ago, was on the mound tonight for New York. Gentry had shut out the St. Louis Cardinals that night & would combine on a shut out on this night as well. Gentry was going against the Phils hurler, Jerry Johnson (6-12).


Gentry would pitch five innings, allow just three hits, strike out five & walk no one. Nolan Ryan came in relief, the 6th inning. He would pitch three innings, allowing one hit, striking out four, while walking three. Ron Taylor closed it out with a scoreless 9th inning, for his 13th save.

As for the Mets scoring, in the 2nd inning, Ed Kranepool walked & Wayne Garrett connected for a base hit. Jim Gosger then doubled, bringing in Kranepool with the first run. 1-0 Mets.

After Bob Heise drew an intentional walk, Gary Gentry helped his own cause, with a sac fly scoring Garrett for the Mets second & final run on the 2-0 win. 

The Mets had now won 99 games & needed one more for that 100th victory. 

 Pitching Coach Rube Walker did a fine job with his young staff in 1969, they would finish first in the NL in wins (100) & shut outs (16) second in ERA (2.99) Innings (1468) runs (541) third in saves (35) & fourth in strike outs (1012). They would close out the season fittingly enough, in Chicago facing the second place Cubs.

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