D-Whit - It Was 45 Years Ago Today...Tuesday August 19th 1969

August 19^th

After disposing of the Padres over the weekend and an off day on Monday it was back to baseball for the Metropolitans as the Willies (Mays and McCovey), Juan Marichal and the rest of the Giants turn visited Shea for a three game series. Gary Gentry silenced the potent San Fran bats thru 9 complete innings but Marichal did the same to Met hitters through regulation frames. Gentry exited the scoreless contest after 10, replaced by Tug McGraw who continued the whitewash for another 4 frames. Marichal started the home half of the 14^th –imagine that happening today!-inducing a ground out from Rod Gaspar but the next hitter Tommie Agee ended the scoreless tie with his 21^st home run of the season. Final: Mets 1 Giants 0.

The extra inning win allowed New York to keep pace with the Cubs, 3-0 winners over Atlanta.  With 44 games to go, the Mets (67-51) trailed Chicago (77-45) by 8. Also with the victory the 1969 team passed the 1966 squad for the second-most wins in a season.  They won 66 in 1966. The 1968 team had won a then franchise record 73 contests in Gil Hodges first season as manager. .