D-Whit - It Was 45 Years Ago Today...Sunday October 5th 1969

October 5^th

 

It was Jerry Koosman against Ron Reed in Game #2. New York wasted no time getting on the board. Ed Kranepool’s RBI singled plated Tommie Agee in the top of the 1^st-Mets 1 Braves 0.

The Mets chased Reed in the 2^nd with an Agee 2-run HR and Art Shamsky’s two-run single to right. In the 3^rd Jerry Grote reached on 1B Orlando Cepeda’s error and the next hitter, Bud Harrelson doubled him home. Later in the inning Garrett singled home Harrelson. Up 8-0, Koosman allowed his first run in the 4^th when Cepeda atoned for his earlier miscue by driving in Rico Carty with a single. 

The offensive onslaught continued in the 5^th for the Mets as Cleon Jones continued his hot hitting in the series-driving in Wayne Garrett with visiting Mets’ 9^th run of the afternoon. Koosman started the 5^th with an eight run lead but he wouldn’t finish it. 

SS Gil Garrido flied out to Agee and pinch hitter Tommy Aaron bounced one back to Koosman but the ace southpaw couldn’t retire another Brave hitter. Felix Millan singled, Tony Gonzalez walked and the Hank Aaron brought both runners home with his second longball of the 1969 NLCS. Down 9-4, the Braves next hitter Carty walked and then went to 3^rd on Cepeda’s two bagger. Brave 3B Clete Boyer then chased Koosman with a two-RBI single, cutting the lead to three-9-6. Ron Taylor came on and snuffed the Braves rally by getting Bob Didier to line out to Boswell at 2B.

In the top of the  7^th Tommie Agee broke for 3^rd on a steal of home but as he streaked down the third base line toward the plate Jones swung away and the ball the sailed towards the head of the charging Agee. A potential tragedy was avoided though as the Met centefielder ducked just in time to avoid a serious injury. Two pitches later Jones Brave fireman Cecil Upshaw deep to ice the game, 11-6. 

Tug McGraw allowed just one hit through three innings of work. The suddenly hot-hitting Mets were now up 2-0 as they headed home looking for a sweep in the best of five 1969 NLCS. In the first two games New York amassed 20 runs on 23 hits while taking advantage of five Brave errors.