D-Whit - It Was 45 Years Ago Today...Wednesday October 1st 1969

October 1^st

Cleon Jones leaps to rob HR vs, Cubs in Mets 6-5 win in 12

After two off days the Mets wrapped up their 1969 season with a pair of games at Wrigley. The Cubs September collapse ended what at one time could’ve been a drama-filled end of year series. Instead New York had two cracks at a 100 win season. Ace lefty Jerry Koosman, going for his 18^th win, squared off against Cub southpaw Ken Holtzman. 

A Ron Santo sac fly and Ernie Banks double put the home team Cubs up 2 zip after one. Ron Swoboda and Jerry Grote singled to lead off the 2^nd.  Cub SS Don Kessinger’s misplay of an Ed Charles groundball brought Swoboda, who had advanced to 3^rd on Grote’s hit, home  with the Mets first run. Buddy Harrelson’s two RBI single put New York up 3-2 in the 4^th. Don Young put one over the ivy in the Cubs half of 4^th-knotting it up at 3 apiece.

 In the top of the 9^th, with two on and two out, Tommie Agee ripped a double to right, driving in Cleon Jones and Wayne Garrett. Nolan Ryan, pitching in relief of Koosman, walked two of the first three batters he faced in the Cubs ninth and Paul Popovich made Ryan pay for his wildness with an RBI single. Jack DiLaurio came on next. The good news is he got Billy Williams to ground out to first but unfortunately Kessinger scored from 3^rd on the play. 

Art Shamsky broke up the tie in the 12th with a run scoring hit off Cub reliever Hank Aguirre. Met rookie Bob Johnson picked up his first career save and Ron Taylor the win as the Mets reached 100 win milestone for the 1969 season.