July 30th
After Cincinnati departed the Mets wouldn’t play a major
league game again until mid-week. On the 28th New York played an
exhibition game against AAA Tidewater and rain washed away the first of a 3
game series against the Houston Astros. So they played two on the 30th.
The Mets (55-41) entered their series with Houston (51-49), in 2nd
place, still trailing the Cubs by 5. After this doubleheader at Shea their
deficit would be 5 ½ games. The Mets came back rusty after two days off as the
Astros blasted New York 16-3 and 11-5.
In the first game a 5-2 Astro lead ballooned to 16-2 after
the visitors crossed the plate 11 times against the ineffective relief tandem
of Cal Koonce and Ron Taylor. Twin Grand Slams in the 9th from Jimmy
Wynn and Dennis Menke accounted for most of the damage. Things didn’t go much
better in the nightcap as the Mets were done in yet again by the big inning courtesy
of a 10-run Astro 3rd that chased starter Gary Gentry.
While the Astros and Mets were putting up football-like
scores Chicago was getting beat 6-3 by the Giants at Wrigley Field.
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