The Houston Astros faced the New York Mets at Chase Stadium for a Monday night game on August 21st, 1972.
The Astros were having a good season entering the game with a 66-51 record, but eight games behind the Pirates.
The Mets were a few games behind Houston with a 59-53 record under first-year manager Yogi Vera.
This recording is from the New York radio broadcast featuring announcers Ralph Keiner, Lindsay Nelson, and Bob Murphy.
The Mets are facing first-place Jim Beecham batting eighth and playing short shots Ted Martinez and pitcher John Matlock batting ninth.
The ball-night game will see Tom Seaver in the mound. He has a record of 14-9. He'll be opposed by Dave Roberts.
And then the final game of the film stand Wednesday afternoon, it'll be Jerry Kuzmin pitching against Larry Dirkard.
The Mets do have one other ball game, and it's a big one.
The Mets and Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the annual Mayor's Clover game.
That will be Thursday night, game time, 730. The game can be purchased at the same season prices as any of the Mets or Yankee ticket outlets.
That's on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium.
The Mets then go on their own, returning home on Labor Day.
They'll be playing a doubleheader on Labor Day, September 4th, with the Chicago Cubs.
They'll play the Cubs-Monterey-Hall in St. Louis in the next home stand starting on September 4th.
All the Mets now with a record of 59-33. They are 12 games back at the Pittsburgh Pirates, or one percentage point ahead of the Chicago Cubs.
And all the Mets now battling the Cubs as they have moved up into contention.
All teams 12 games back at the Pittsburgh Pirates. They're right here now for the play-by-play Bob Murphy.
All right, Rob, Roger Metzger, the Houston shortstop, a switch hitter, will bat right-handed against John Matlack.
Matlack has started twice against the Astros this year, pitched well in both games, but lost in both games.
The tall left-hander winds, here's the pitch, and has taken low, ball one.
Defensively, the New York Mets have Jim Beecham at first, and Luke Barnes at second.
Ed Martinez is short and Wayne Garrett is playing third. John Milner in left field, Willie Mays in center.
Tommy Agee is around the right. The catcher is Duffy Dyer, and on the mound, John Matlack.
And the pitch is low, ball two, two balls and no strikes.
Of encouragement to the New York Mets today, Rusty Stobb was in the batting cage, had his first lengthy workout inside the cage.
That is for about 25 minutes. Naturally, it is tender, sore, and still hurts, but it's encouraging.
High ball three, three balls and no strikes.
Matlack getting behind on Roger Metzger, three and oh.
Matlack has won 10 and lost seven. John has lost his last two.
His VRA is excellent, one of the best in the National League, 2.2.
The three-oh delivery, Wayne's side ball four, and he walks Metzger on four pitches.
And this will bring up the young man who's just about the toast of the National League this season, Cesar Sabin.
He's only 21 years old.
He is leading the National League and the majors in batting, hitting three, a 45.
Leads the National League in doubles with 28.
He's second in the league in triples. He has seven.
He's third in the league in runs scored, 87.
And on top of that, he has stolen 45 bases.
He's 21 years old.
Inside and low, it gets away from Dyer and Metzger goes to second.
Matlack starting off without his control here this evening.
A wild pitch by John Matlack.
If Cesar Sabin wins the batting title, he will be the youngest player in Major League history to do so.
About two months younger than Al Kalan.
Al Kalan was born in December, and Sabino in February.
Matlack with the runner on second. Nobody else. Sabino, right-hand hitter, waiting.
And a high hop fly into shallow right center.
Coming hard is Willie Mays. A.G. coming in. A.G. drops the ball after he had it.
He's blocked. All hands are safe and moving to third is Metzger.
The ball gets loose and now Sabino goes to second base.
A.G. after a long run had the ball in his glove, but he dropped it.
Metzger raced to third and the throw at the third base was wagged and got loose.
And Sabino took an extra base throw, probably had two errors.
A.G. will be charged with an error and Martinez will be charged with an error for letting the ball get through.
And the Astros have runners on second and third and nobody else.
The Astros suffered through their worst inning defensively of the year yesterday in the seventh inning.
And they have gotten off to a shaky start here tonight.
The batter is Jimmy Wynn. And the pitch is over, Strachlan Goll.
And the pitch by Matlack. Breaking ball. That's one on in this strike two.
Runners on second and third and nobody else.
Jimmy Wynn batting 296. 20 home runs and 70 runs batted in.
The pitch to the right hand batter is inside one ball and two strikes.
The Houston Ball Club scores a lot of runs.
They have scored more runs than any team in the major leagues.
They are second in the national league to the Giants in home runs.
As a team their batting average is 260. Foul back, one ball, two strikes.
The Houston Astros have five men with 60 or more runs batted in.
Faze Arsodangelo has 61 RBIs and he's number five on the Houston team.
Lee May is the leader with 77. Doug Rader 73. Bob Watson and Jimmy Wynn each have 70.
Got a fly ball popped in the air to short right field. Barnes backpedaling out.
Makes the catch. Hanged up and hitting.
Here's Metzger. The throw they make at him. He's out at the plate.
Double play. Luke Barnes scooting into the outfield.
Made the catch of the pop fly as he was backpedaling.
Metzger was gambling on the fact that Barnes would be off balance and would not be able to throw.
But Luke Barnes made a perfect throw.
And the ball was in Duffy Dyer's mitt and waiting when Metzger arrived.
That was quite a play by rookie second baseman Luke Barnes.
Two outs to runner on second and the batter is Lee May.
Lee May hitting at 288.
Leading the Houston club in home runs with 26. He runs batted in with 77.
For a pitch by Matlack. Swing and a miss strike one.
Lee May swishing the bat around waiting on John Matlack.
Sadano leading off second. And the pitch inside and low. One ball and one strike.
The middle game of the series is tomorrow night on Sieber pitches against Dave Roberts.
The wrap up game of the homestand Wednesday afternoon with Jerry Kuzman tackling Larry Durker.
The one-one pitch. Swing and a miss. Good breaking ball by John Matlack.
One ball, two strikes to Lee May.
Doug Rader, the third baseman, waiting on Dyer.
Matlack looking in to Duffy Dyer for his information.
And Cesar Sadano leads away from second.
And now Matlack steps off. Sadano goes back.
Sadano at the age of 21 is in his third National League season.
The one-two delivery. Just got a piece of it. A foul ball coming back toward the backstop.
And the cat remains at one ball and two strikes.
That's playing the infield. It's dragged to left against Lee May who has an awful lot of power.
Now the pitch. Swing and a miss. He's struck him out.
Oh, what a job. Runners were on second and third. Nobody out. And Matlack works his way out of it.
Side retire. No runs. No hits. There were two errors and one left on.
In the middle of the first inning, the Astros nothing. The Mets are coming to back.
Luke Barnes will lead off against Jerry Royce. Luke turned in a outstanding play when he threw out Metzger at home plate.
To help bail out the New York Mets in the top half of the first inning.
The Astros have Lee May at first. Tommy Helms playing second. Roger Metzger is short and Doug Rader is playing third.
Asa Salou in left field. Cesar Sadano in center. And Jimmy Winn around the right.
The catcher is Larry Howard. The pitch by Jerry Royce. A fastball. Strike one goal.
Jerry Royce, the former Cardinal, has one eight and lost ten.
His lifetime against New York. Two wins and four losses.
And the pitch on the way. Inside and low to Luke Barnes. One ball. One strike.
This season Jerry Royce has beaten the Mets twice and lost once.
The Mets and the Astros have played six games to date. With Houston winning four of the six.
Fastball high is two and one. Royce is a six foot five inch left hander who really throws hard.
Just 23 years old. From St. Louis, Missouri.
He came to the Astros for Seveo Spinks and Lance Clemens.
And that's the inside corner, three and one.
Seveo Spinks was doing an excellent job for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Until he was injured and wiped out for the rest of the year.
Three balls, one strike to Luke Barnes.
Luke hitting a three thirty three on seven hits and twenty one at bats.
Right hand batter. The three one pitch.
And a line drive in the short left field. Coming in quickly.
Jesus, hello. And he makes the catch.
That line drive stayed up just long enough for Jesus.
One out and the base is clear. The hitter is Wayne Garrett.
Wayne hitting a two twelve with two home runs. Eighteen runs batted out.
Pitch by Jerry Royce. Breaking ball in the dirt. One ball, no strikes.
Eddie Hirst coaching a third and Sheriff Robinson coaching a third.
The undocked batter is Willie Mays. Breaking ball on the outside corner.
One ball and one strike.
They must need a win today because they have not lost four in a row all year long.
Nine times they've lost three in a row.
That is five, all two, two and one.
But if they lose here this evening it will be four straight.
Now to wind up in the two one pitch by Jerry Royce. He pops that fastball high and tank three and one.
Delivery. Two high, ball four. It brings up Willie Mays with Garrett on first.
For the New York Mets, Willie Mays is hitting two eighty-eight.
Jerry Royce has averaged about one walk every two innings this year. Fastball, strike one.
Tommy Agee is undocked.
Lee May holding against the baserunner Wayne Garrett.
As the pitch by the left hander is high, for the first it is not in time.
Garrett gets back with something to spare. One ball, one strike.
For the Astros this year their longest winning streak has been nine and their longest losing streak has been six.
One-one pitch to Willie.
Fly ball into straightaway center field. It's deep. Back to Sadenio to the warning track and he has it.
Right against the wall is straightaway center field.
Sadenio pulls in the long fly by Willie Mays.
That was anywhere else in the ballpark and that was after Willie.
But he hit it as straight as a string to center field.
Sadenio, who has marvelous speed, got back in time to be standing under the ball waiting.
Tommy Agee is the batter and to throw to first it is not in time.
Huggie Donatelli, applying the plate with Stan Landis at first.
Sass Davidson at second. Bruce Roaming at third.
Now the pitch to Tommy Agee on the inside corner for a call stretch.
Tommy hitting.248 with ten home runs, 38 runs batted in.
The pitch by Jerry Royce on the outside corner, strike two.
The Astros starting the night six and a half behind Cincinnati.
A fast ball over, strike three, call. Tommy Agee called out.
No runs, no hits, no errors in one left.
The end of one inning, the Astros nothing but mess stepping.
Last time Steve Carlton pitched in Philadelphia he was going for his 20th win.
A crowd of 53,000 that turned up and Carlton won his 20th and his 15th in a row.
Tonight Steve Carlton is trying to make his 16th straight and capture his 21st victory.
Atlanta nothing and Philadelphia nothing at the end of two innings.
Doug Rader faces John Matlack as we go now to the second and the pitch is outside, ball one.
Doug Rader is hitting.241 but it's a big.241.
18 home runs and 73 runs batted in.
Matlack in with the pitch, swing, and a miss. One ball, one strike.
Carlton's opponent tonight in Philadelphia is knuckle baller Phil Negros.
Cincinnati playing at Montreal, a home run in the first inning by Joe Morgan.
Reds lead one nothing after the top of the first.
And a fluke foul going over into the crowd, no play.
For Cincinnati, Jim McLaughlin is pitching and for Montreal, Big Mike Torres.
On the coast tonight the Cubs play the Padres in San Diego.
Chicago now just one percentage point behind the Mets.
And St. Louis will play the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
The Pirates and Giants are not scheduled.
Foul as he was jammed by Matlack, one ball and two strikes.
In the American League, the Yankees have the night off.
Baltimore leading California one nothing after three innings.
Andy Messersmith pitching against 13 game winner Pat Dobson.
Cleveland four at Minnesota one at the end of two, that's Jim Perry and Milt Wilkis.
Oakland will be at the choice, catfish runner against Woody Frack.
Pitching one and two, Rader hits a shot right up the middle for a clean baser.
First baser of the game, single to center by Doug Rader.
Second baseman Tommy Hilf.
Tommy hitting 266.
Five home runs and 45 runs batted in.
Wayne Garrett even with a bag wide at the line at third.
Each one will hold against the runner.
Pitch by John Matlack is low, ball one.
Very comfortable evening here at Shake.
Very little breeze, certainly not enough to have any bearing on the flight of the ball.
Had a throw to first in the dirt but Beecham scoops it out.
One ball, no strikes to count on the hitter, Tommy Hilf.
Hey Sue, Salud, the left fielder is the on deck batter.
Had a throw to first, it is in the dirt.
John Matlack working very carefully on Doug Rader the baserunner, now the pitch.
That is low to Tommy Hilf, two balls and no strikes.
Matlack had to work out of what appeared to be an almost impossible jam in the first.
The Astros as a result of a walk and two errors had runners on second and third nobody out.
Matlack behind on the count, here is the pitch. Now the back end of the crowd is two balls and one strike.
Tommy Homes with Cincinnati's regular second baseman for six years.
Before joining Houston last winter on that big blockbuster trade.
The infield looking for two.
The two one pitch, the runner goes, swing and a miss.
The throw to second hung up now and trying to get back is Rader, he is out.
Martinez to Beecher.
And again a strong throwing of Duffy Dyer.
When the hit and run play failed to Joe when hell was swung and missed.
Rader slammed on the brakes and decided his best shot was to get into a run down.
He was thrown out from Duffy Dyer to Teddy Martinez to Jim Beecher.
One out and nobody out.
And the two two pitch to Tommy Homes, hip foul off to the right, no play.
In the first inning the Astros had Roger Metzger thrown out at the plate.
Pushing two and two, had a foul, pop, no play, it will be over in the field box crowd behind the right field line.
Now the receiver faces Houston tomorrow night and Jerry Kuzmin pitches Wednesday afternoon.
Thursday night at Yankee Stadium, game time 730, the annual Mayor's Trophy game, the Mets and the Yankees.
Foul began off to the right.
Tommy Homes is giving John Matalak a lengthy workout.
Houston Astros have played day in and day out with a set lineup.
And a soft line drive base hit going into right field.
So Tommy Homes hangs in there and comes up with a base hit.
This will bring up Jesus Salud.
The Astros have not been used a great deal this year.
The Astros have gone with their set out field.
Bob Watson, Cesar Savino and Jimmy Webb.
You know you have to stay healthy to be a pinnacle contender.
The Astros have seven players who have played over a hundred games this year.
They just have not been hit by injuries.
Bob Watson is out for a couple of days with a muscle pull.
Watson has played 115 games.
Most by any Mets player this year has been 90 ball games.
Foul hit.
For the Mets, Rusty Stav has missed almost 60.
Leon Jones has missed 40.
Tommy Agee has missed over 30.
For the Astros, Mets here has played all 117.
Cedeno, Wynn, May, Rader, Helms and Watson have all played over a hundred.
And a little squibbler down the first base line.
Matlack hurries to it.
Turns and pulls and it's in time for the arc.
Low throw but Bicham got it.
Moving to second on the play, Tommy Helms.
Face through Salouz out on a little squibbler down the first base line.
And it brings up the catcher, Larry Howard.
Larry Howard hitting a 221.
Larry, a right hand batter out of Abilene, Texas.
He stands 6'3 and weighs 200.
Matlack pitching from the stretch.
Here's the pitch.
High outside, ball one.
Larry Howard is at one home run this year.
That was right here at Shea Stadium off John Matlack.
Tommy Helms leading off second base with two men down.
The pitch by Matlack is over.
A call strike gets one ball, one strike.
No score, top half of the second.
Now the pitcher on the way.
And a ground ball is slowly down the third.
Wayne Garrett up with it.
Guns it across to Bicham and the side is up.
No runs, two hits.
No errors and one left on.
At the end of an inning and a half, the Astros nothing but Mets nothing.
Before Debbie Dyer leads off, Will Farrs for station identification.
This is the New York Mets baseball network.
You're listening to the voices of Mets here in Sir Douglas Springs, New York.
WKJFM 102.3 on your FM dial.
25 and a half minutes before 9 o'clock.
Bob Murphy with Lindsay Nelson and Ralph Koehner.
The home second with no score and Duffy Dyer will be the hitter against Jerry Royce.
Duffy hitting it 242.
Duffy has already made two excellent defensive plays this ballgame.
In comes the pitch from Jerry Royce.
It's swung on and missed strike one.
John Milner is on deck and then Jim Bicham.
Curve on the inside corner, strike two.
Bud Harrelson, Jim Fregosi, Cleon Jones.
All still side-line with injuries.
Cleon tried to play yesterday.
His back stiffened up.
Off the outside corner, one ball to strike.
Mets are hoping that by the end of the week Bud Harrelson and Jim Fregosi can get back into action.
And it's over at the knees, strike three called.
Second strike out for Jerry Royce.
And John Milner takes his turn.
Milner hitting 254.
Ten home runs and 25 runs batted in.
Fastball outside, one ball to strike.
And a blazing fastball by Jerry Royce, one ball, one strike.
On the year the Mets are three games over 500 at home and three games over on the road.
And a let-up by Royce that is high two and one.
When things were going well in the earlier part of the year at one point the Mets were 19 over 500.
The 2-1 pitch, high pop fly on the left side of the infield.
Roger Metzger trailing back into shallow left makes the catch.
Two outs and nobody on, now Jim Beecham.
Today is Jim Beecham's 33rd birthday.
So happy birthday to Jim Beecham.
Jerry Royce winding, the pitch to Beecham, he starts him off with a curve and it's inside and over, ball one.
On the next road trip the Mets will visit the same three teams that have been coming to Shea on this homestand.
And a high fly ball at the left center, it's deep but playable.
Sadano is right at the wall, reaches up and makes the catch.
Sadano is back against the fence, reached high and made the catch.
And that is the second long drive to the fence in two innings that Sadano has hauled out.
He got one on Willie Mays in the first inning.
He had his back right against the wall and stretched as high as he could.
No runs, no hits, no errors and none left.
At the end of two the Astros nothing but messed up.
Third inning and here's Al Keiner.
Alright Bob Murphy and the first pitch to Jerry Royce by John Matlack has swung on and missed his strike one.
Jim Beacham on his birthday had a birthday present taken away on that catch by Sadano.
And a pitch back, a curve ball that's in for a call strike two.
Jerry Royce on the left hand batter has run up 49 times, he's had six hits this year.
Chokes up in the bat, Matlack with his two strike delivery, it's going on a miss, a curve ball.
And Matlack gets his second strike out of the ballgame.
That'll bring up Roger Metzger who walked on four pitches his first time up.
He got as far as third base and then on a shallow fly ball to right field caught by the second baseman, Luke Barnes.
He tried to score from third and was thrown out of the plate.
Very unusual play, he came with one man out.
Now a pitch that's inside, it's ball one.
Salty Parker, the third base coach, sending him in and taking a chance scoring a run from third with Lee May up on a fly ball.
Here's a pitch for a ball ball two and Matlack again having trouble getting the ball over to Metzger.
And the left hander's two-oh pitch, this time he gets his strike.
So after six out of the strike zone he gets his strike.
Ralph, I remember Salty when he coached a third for the New York Mets, he was pretty conservative.
Very conservative coach, that's right.
So maybe you might have to say that the runner, Metzger, made that play and went on his own.
Could be.
Here's a pitch for a ball, it's ball three, three balls, one strike.
Salty was an extremely conservative third base coach.
And the next pitch is fouled down the right field line.
The guy goes to three balls and two strikes.
The most daring third base coach that the Mets have had was Wadi Herzog.
And a good one.
Wadi would be a perfect third base coach on a team that doesn't score many runs because he really liked to gamble.
Wadi now is in charge of the farm system for the Mets, developing player talent.
Again a foul ball as Matlack gets his strike in.
That stays at three balls and two strikes.
Wadi ran the bases as a ball player the same way he coached, he was a daring baserunner.
Ball players' philosophy is that he stays the same when he turns to coaching or managing.
Again a foul ball off the fast ball, and again Metzger keeps a guy at three balls and two strikes.
Metzger is batting two 14s for the year. He's had one home run, driven in 25 runs.
And a three-two pitch, fouled out once again.
So a foul ball due.
Metzger against Matlack.
One man out, we're on the top of the third, no score in the game.
And Matlack tries again.
It is a hash swing strike three.
This might have been high.
Metzger started for it, tried to hold up and went too far.
So Matlack gets his third strike out, his second in this inning, and it brings up Cesar Cedeno.
Cedeno popped up the shallow right field his first time up and AG dropped the ball.
So he's 0-1, batting a 3.45 for the year.
And the first pitch.
It is taken low, ball one.
Daniel with 18 home runs, 61 runs batted in.
He has 28 doubles, that leads the National League.
He's second in dribbles with seven.
Has 143 hits, fourth in the National League or the Major.
Ground ball to third base, dug out by Garrett on a good play to his left.
And the total first base retires to the Major League Lady matter.
And a 1-2-3 inning for John Matlack, and the score after two and a half innings.
The Astros nothing, the Metz nothing.
We're going to the bottom half of the third.
The Metz coming up and Ted Martinez to lead off.
Ted batting for the first time, has a 2-17 average, a right hand batter.
He'll be followed by John Matlack and then Luke Barnes.
First three batters for Jerry Royce.
And the first pitch is a fastball on outside, ball one.
Martinez decoying the bun.
The end of three and a half innings, Atlanta one for the lefty nothing.
Next pitch is in for a call, Strikitz one and one.
Again Martinez in bunning position.
Steve Carlton going for his 16th consecutive victory.
And there's a swing and a foul ball.
Ball fouled back against the backstop back of home plate.
One and two.
Carlton has a record of 20 wins and six losses.
A record for consecutive victories in one season is 19, set by Rube Marquardt.
The Hubbell won 26 games over a two-year period.
There's a foul ball.
Foul down in the dirt, it's one and two.
One season, 19 in a row.
Carl Royce, face one, 17 in a row.
There's a little looper in the center field.
It'll be a face hit.
Sedaniel takes it at one hop and the Mets have their first hit of the ball game.
As Martinez hits a single to center.
Now with a runner on first base and no one out, the batter will be John Metbeck and he's in a bunning situation.
Metbeck has been up 55 times.
He's had nine hits.
He had the two and a half innings in 1991.
McLaughlin going for the reds.
So is going for Montreal.
Morgan Hovland, the first with no one on his 15th year.
First pitch to Matlak is in for a call strike as he moves into bunning position.
Doug Rader, the third baseman, applying a lot of pressure.
He's charging very strongly.
He's an excellent fielder.
Again, he's about 60 feet away before the pitch and he moves on up.
Matlak squares, takes outside.
One ball, one strike.
Lee May coming in for first, not coming in as strongly.
About the only choice Matlak has is to punt the ball toward first base.
Third base side taken away by Rader.
One-one pitch.
Matlak punch it, but it's foul and it's a one-two count.
No score, no one out, bottom of the third.
Rader again in, so they're expecting Matlak to punt again.
He squares out.
Here's the pitch.
Runner goes.
The ball's taken high and the throw down to second base is late.
And Martinez steals second.
Ed Martinez.
And Lee May made the early break from first base, got a big jump,
and moved in down to second base ahead of the throw, his sixth stolen base of the year.
And again by the shortstop Metzger with the high throw and he had no chance at all.
That's Martinez, cop second base.
Two ball, two strike count.
And again, Houston looking for a punt.
This time Lee May is in about 60 feet away from his first base position.
Rader has to guard at third.
Here's the pitch.
He's in for a call, strike three, and Matlak has called out on strike.
Down in bunting position and taking a pitch.
Now with one out, the batter will be Luke Barnes.
Barnes lying to left field on a 3-1 pitch, his first time up.
Average at 318, he's been up 22 times.
Barnes came to the play without his batting helmet, so he was sent back to get one.
It's illegal to bat without the helmet.
You can wear the helmet on the field defensively if you wish.
You don't have to wear it, but it's mandatory.
You have to wear it at the plate.
Luke Barnes, the right hand batter.
Martinez at second base, a big lead.
And Royce whirls around and takes the throw at second,
no one covering Martinez back to the back.
Jerry Royce, 8-10, great tall left-hander.
He throws hard.
He sets up.
And the pitch.
Barnes takes high, a breaking ball, it's ball one.
Royce does not have a good curve ball, but he has a very excellent fastball.
Has a record of 31-32 losses in his major league career,
which started with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Again, the left-hander sets, here's the pitch.
It is hit back to the middle, a base hit in the center field.
Martinez will score.
And the Mets will take the lead 1-0,
as Martinez scores from second base on the single by Luke Barnes.
Barnes, the second run, batted in. This is his ninth ballgame.
That'll bring up Wayne Garrett. Wayne walked his first time up.
Garrett, a left-hand batter, one of three in the lineup for the Mets.
The first pitch, a curve ball, it's over, a goal strike.
Garrett, Milner, and Matlock, the three left-handed batters in the lineup against the left-hand pitcher.
Royce sets up Barnes, a fair lead, and he dives back to the back,
and the throw to first base gets back easily.
Luke Barnes makes good contact.
Coming up from the minor leagues, first,
a pitch back to the plate, a fastball swung on a miss,
a lob throw to first base by the catcher Larry Howard,
and again, Barnes back with no trouble.
Since coming to the major leagues, Barnes has not struck out.
He has been up 23 times without striking out.
Here's the pitch, and it's fouled back. So the cat holds and strike two.
In his eighth previous ballgame, Barnes has had four wants, seven hits.
And the two-strike pitch, round it slowly in the hole, out towards second fielder by Helms.
He has to go to first base for the play there, and Barnes moves down to second.
Will the Mets have a runner in scoring position for Willie Mays?
Willie's right out in the deep center field, his first time up.
Average at 263.
Mays has hit eight home runs this year, and here's the first pitch at five, fastball, ball one.
That's leading one to nothing with two men out in the bottom half of the third.
Next pitch to Mays, a curveball that's looked at,
all the strike by a home plate umpire, Augie Donatelli, and the county wins out at one ball and one strike.
And the 1-1 pitch, rounded out to third, and Raider charges,
moves the ball, picks it up, and has no play.
And coming around, third base, and scrambling back to the back as the play goes there,
with Bescher covering his bars, and he gets back safely.
Barnes made the turn around third as Raider faked throwing the first base.
He then slipped back to Metzger, or Metzger took the throw,
but Barnes, who had come to a sudden halt, scrambled back in his hands and knees to get back to the bag in time.
It's being scored in there against Raider, and runners now at first and third,
and the batter coming up is Tommy Agee.
He was struck out on his first appearance on three pitches.
And the first pitch to Agee, swung on and missed, and strike one.
Agee hitting 2-48.
Ten home runs, 38 runs batted in.
Pitch back to Agee in the dirt, dug out by Howard, a good play there in the runners' hole.
Cleveland has had another deuce. They lead Minnesota by a score of 8-3, getting two runs in the first, two runs in the second, two runs in the third, and two runs in the fourth.
One and one, the count to Tommy Agee, Royce back.
The pitch is sliced out, stands on the first face side.
Another count goes to one ball and two strikes.
At the end of four and a half innings, California one, Baltimore one.
Pressure Smith against Pat Thompson, in the home run.
And the fourth with no one on, and seventh of the year for the Angels.
At the end of one and a half, Oakland three, Detroit nothing.
Hunter against Breiman.
The one-two pitch to Agee, a curve ball that breaks down.
And Agee goes to second base and draws no throw.
On that pitch, Larry Howard was completely crossed up.
He was looking for a fast ball. It was a curve ball. He barely got his glove in the ball and knocked it down.
So Howard goes out to the mound. He wants to get the signal straight.
When you throw as hard as Royce, you can be in trouble if those signals are mixed up.
That is being scored a fast ball, although Howard crossed up on the pitch.
Fast ball allowing Mays to go down to second. He was running with the pitch.
Could have given him a stolen base. Here's the pitch to Agee.
It's down in the right field corner. If it's there, it'll be extra bases. It's foul.
So foul ball in the right field corner.
A few feet and Agee back to the plate.
Agee slowly back to the plate, walking back.
Let's have runners at second and third, a run in.
There are two out in the bottom half of the third.
Move foul is homeward for Baltimore. A man on, so they lead now by a score of 3-1.
There's a swing of the pitch way low in the dirt.
Agee is struck out for the second time in the ball game.
That retires inside.
Sledding one to nothing and Houston with Jim Wynn coming up.
Wynn popped up to second base in actually shallow right field his first time up.
And Roger Metzger tried to score from third and was thrown out the plate, so he hit into a double play.
There's a high pop-up this time on the first base side.
Leachum is under it. He makes the call and the catch.
So John Matlack gets Jim Wynn out on the first pitch.
It brings up Lee May. We pause for station identification.
This is the New York Mets baseball network.
You're listening to WKJFM 102.3 on your FM dial in Saratoga Springs, New York.
The time, two minutes before 9 o'clock.
Ralph Kiner here with Bob Murphy and Lindsay Nelson.
The first pitch to Lee May hit down in the left field corner.
Over to field of ball is John Milner in foul territory.
He comes up with the ball and throws it in the third base as May goes in with a double.
Well, Lee May coming up with a two-base hit after striking out his first time up.
May hitting a 2.87. That puts the runner in scoring position.
The Mets lead 1-0.
Second on the club in RBIs to Lee May who has 77.
Rader batting a 2.42, but a strong 2.42 with 18 home runs, 4 triples, 19 doubles.
73 RBIs.
Pitch back. It is inside and low. One ball, one strike.
One ball, one strike. Matlack's next delivery.
It is hit in the air in a shallow right field. Going back is Barnes.
Also coming in is A.G. A.G. runs him off and makes the catch.
He gets a big hand for the catch which is a routine fly ball because he dropped one earlier in the ball game.
So now two men away. Lee May stays at second base and the batter is Tommy Helms who is single to right field his first time up.
Helms batting 2.68.
Mets leading 1-0. Houston with a runner at second base. Two men away. We're in the top of the fourth inning.
And Matlack's first pitch to Helms. Hit in the air to center. May is back. He has a lot of room.
Turns and makes the catch and decides to retire.
In the inning, no runs, one hit. No errors and the man left at second in the score.
The end of three and a half innings. The Mets won. The Astros nothing.
The Mets have had a strong bullpen all year featuring Tug McGraw and also along with Tug Danny Brosella.
They will join me and a number of other big league stars aboard the Long Island Railroad's Bullpen Special on Thursday, August 24th.
The 40 minute stopover parties at Huntington, Hicksville, Mineola and Jamaica. Check arrival times at those stations.
The parties will feature baseball instruction, discussion and prizes at each stop.
With instant winners, you will be welcomed aboard the train and will travel with the players to Yankee Stadium for the Mayor's Trophy game that evening.
Don't miss the fun. That's Thursday, August 24th.
We're going now to the bottom of the fourth inning.
And for the Mets it will be Duffy Dyer to lead off against Jerry Royce.
The Mets have one run on two hits. The Astros have no runs in three off John Matlack.
Duffy struck out his first time. Duffy got caught looking at a fastball. Average at 2.41 for the year.
And the first pitch a curveball. Highest ball won.
Dyer now has caught four ball games in Jerry Grote. This is his 62nd. Grote was in 58.
He's got an old pitch. Get in the air to the shortstop.
On the dirt part of the infield and that's your backpedals at the last minute it makes the catch.
Grote was up there. But one pitch and one away. And it brings up John Milner. He popped up the short his first time up.
Milner hitting 253. He has 10 home runs, 25 RBI. Left hand batter.
And he's in his rookie year. And the first pitch is grounded out to second. Helms comes in, gets a good hop.
Throws the first two pitches two men away.
That'll bring up Jim Beecham. Jim was out on a fantastic catch by the center fielder. So Daniel is first time up.
Daniel going high to the top of the wall at the 396 mark to take an extra base hit away.
And this is Jim Beecham's 33rd birthday today and that's no way to treat a fellow on his birthday.
Royce and Beecham were teammates last year with the Cardinals. First pitch a curve. It's ball one.
And the next delivery swung on and missed. A fastball actually fouled. That's one ball and one strike.
Houston has drawn well at home this year with their ball club and attention for the Western Division.
They have drawn 1,227,377 in 55 dates. There's a change up top down in front of the plate.
Picked up by the catcher, Larry Howard. He tosses the first base to May and the side is retired.
Jerry Royce retiring the Mets on five pitches. And the score at the end of four innings of play, the Mets won the Astros nothing.
In the first inning here at Shea Stadium, Jesus Alou. The left fielder will be leading off.
Jesus bounced back to Matalack his first time at bat. The bottom third of the order to hit against Matalack in the top of the fifth inning.
The Mets in front, one nothing. And the pitch by Matalack is inside at low ball one.
This is the opening game of a three game series. The 1-0 delivery fouled straight back against the backstop.
One ball and one strike to Jesus Alou. Last year Jesus hit 279.
Two young left handers hooked up here tonight at Shea Stadium. The 1-1 pitch by Matalack foul ball in the dirty one after a curve ball.
It's one ball, a few strikes. Mets playing the infield and the outfield straight away against the right hand batter.
On deck Larry Howard and then Jerry Royce. Down against the pitch, Crowder hit hard and a foul ball.
Foul ball just outside third base. Wines up down in the left field corner.
Jesus Alou coming back looking down toward third where he just missed an extra base hit.
The Houston Astros with a team batting average of 260. And they have scored more runs than any team in the major leagues this season.
Matalack getting his sign from Dyer. The 1-2 pitch. Change up is popped up foul down the right field line. No play for Jim Beecham.
The foul ball goes into the crowd. On their road swing the Mets will start out with a weekend series in Atlanta.
Then go into Cincinnati for three night games and on to Houston for a weekend series.
Returning to New York for the September 4th Labor Day doubleheader against Chicago.
1-2 pitch and a soft line drive into short left field for a base hit. Alou lunged at the pitch, got the bat on it and dropped it into short left.
Third time in five innings the Astros have had their leadoff batter on base. So the game certainly has not been easy to this point for John Matalack.
Larry Howard was thrown out by Wayne Garrett his previous time at bat. With a pitcher Jerry Royce due up next. The Mets are not looking for any but.
The pitch by Matalack on the outside corner calls strike one.
Luke Barnes and Teddy Martinez a double plate up and a foul ball back to count strike two on Larry Howard.
Larry Howard a right hand batter. Caught at Oklahoma City last year in the American Association.
The Astros carry three catchers. The veteran John Edwards and his backup men Bob Stinson and Larry Howard.
Here's the pitch on the way. Swing and a miss. He got him. Good fastball by Matalack. For John Matalack strikeout number four.
This would be a tough way to lose a winning streak if you lost it one nothing.
Well in Philadelphia the Atlanta Braves lead the Phillies one nothing at the end of six.
Steve Carle done trying for his sixteenth straight win. He's up against Phil Negron.
Jerry Royce up in the Mets look for a but. He squares around and takes high and tight. One ball no strikes.
The Lattie leading Montreal one nothing after four innings on a home run by Joe Morgan.
The Cubs play San Diego the Cardinals in Los Angeles. The Pirates and Giants get a day off.
Look now hit a two run homer to get the Orioles back in front of California. It's three to one at the end of five and a half.
Cleveland leading Minnesota eight to three after four and a half innings.
Oakland three Detroit nothing at the end of two. He punched the ball pops it foul no play.
Back over the screen into the crowd. Oakland three Detroit nothing at the end of two.
The Tigers won a wild win yesterday. California had a nine running and did not win.
Detroit fell behind nine to four rallied and pulled the ball game out. And a throw to first. Not in time.
Asus Salou on first base with one out.
Huston pitcher Jerry Royce is up trying to sacrifice. Garrett coming in close at third.
He doesn't offer and the pitch is over a call strike. It's one ball and two strikes to Jerry Royce.
So now Royce has a good hard look at Salty Parker to see if the fun is still on.
Knowing that if he bunt foul he'll strike out.
Left hander against left hander.
And the pitch on the way he turns to bunt strike three. Didn't get the bat on it.
Good strike out for John Matlock and it brings up lead off batter Roger Metzger.
Metzger has played in every Astro ball game this year. He's been playing on a bad leg recently.
He drew a walk in the first inning and he struck out in the third. Metzger is the switch hitter so he's batting right.
Ground ball toward the middle Martinez to his left grabs it. Steps on second forcing out Asus Salou.
The left side is retired. No runs one hit no errors one left.
So we've come halfway at the end of four and a half innings.
The New York Mets won the Houston Astros nothing.
Martinez has scored the only run of the game. He's singled to center in the third and he stole second.
And he came home on a base hit by Luke Barnes. He takes strike one call on the inside corner.
And the Lack will bat next to Luke Barnes. The Astros have out hit the Mets four to two.
And a curve is fouled against the shin guard of Larry Howard.
We have a two strike count on Ted Martinez.
Teddy batting 220.
Thirteen runs batted in.
Six foot five inch Jerry Royce from St. Louis Missouri on the mound for Houston.
His two strike pitch fastball inside one ball a few strikes.
Royce has had good control tonight he's walked only one struck out four.
Pitching one and two. Inside it's two and two.
Royce has had a number of games this year that have been difficult for him because he did not have his control.
Nobody on nobody out last half of the fifth.
And a swing and a miss he got him with a fastball.
Both left handers among a five strikeouts. Now John Matlock comes to bat.
Matlock getting a nice hand from the Shea Stadium crowd.
John was struck out his first time at bat.
And the pitch to him is inside ball one.
Luke Barnes who leads off is out on deck.
The 1-0 delivery is on the outside corner.
The Nets have had two long drives caught up this game both by Sardegna the fleet putted center fielder to raise the defense.
And a fastball is swung and missed at one and two.
One-two delivery by Jerry Royce a little bit high two balls and two strikes.
Now Royce has his sign and the pitch on the way is swung on and missed strike three.
Strikeout number six for the left hander who throws hard.
Two outs and nobody on now the top of the batting order for Luke Barnes.
He's had a busy hand in this ball game.
In addition to driving in the only run of the game he helped the Mets tremendously in the first inning when he went into right field.
Caught a pop fly and made a good throw home to get Mesker for a double play.
He runs up tries to bunny his way on but bumps the ball foul.
Now Luke Barnes getting out of the batter's box for a moment.
Doug Rader the third baseman playing him even with the bag and wide at the line.
At a curve ball over strike two.
Rader is an outstanding defensive ball player as well as an excellent long ball hitter.
He has won the goal of love five times.
The two strike pitch fly ball into the other right field.
Should be easy for Jimmy Wynn who eases over and makes the catch.
The Nets go one-two-three and they're half of the fifth inning.
No runs, no hits, no errors and none left.
From the five innings the New York Mets won the Houston Astros nothing.
He was pitched to Cesar Cedeno, Jimmy Wynn and Lee May in the sixth.
Cedeno leads the circuit in batting hitting a three forty-four.
He has reached safely on an error and bounced to third nothing for two.
And a long fly ball hit deep to left center field way back and there it goes a home run.
Cedeno's 19th home run of the year.
He ties the game one to one.
Cesar Cedeno with a home run to deep left center field to tie it up.
Jimmy Wynn has been up twice and both times popped the ball up.
Matalak's pitch on the way on the outside corner strike one.
Now Matalak into his wind up.
Here's the pitch on the way.
This one is low that evens the count at one ball one strike.
One-one pitch high inside two and one.
Now today's baseball head scratcher is up on the message board to entertain the fans.
He's getting the last American League player to win back-to-back RBI titles.
A little bit high.
Matalak behind on Jimmy Wynn three and one.
The home run by Cedeno, the fifth hit of the game for the Astros.
The three-one pitch at a bloop into shallow center field coming up under it is Willie Mays and he has it one down.
Fly ball to short center easily taken by Willie Mays.
Lee May aligned a double down the left field line in the fourth inning.
He was less stranded.
His first time up he was struck out by Matalak.
Lee May hitting 289.
26 home runs, 77 RBIs and a swing down on the strike one.
Next pitch on the way, a swing and a miss by Lee May.
He gave that one a big cut.
Matalak challenged him with a fastball up in his eyes.
Third baseman Doug Rader is out on deck.
The game is tied one-one.
We're in the sixth inning and the pitch.
Swing and a miss.
He struck him out.
And Matalak takes Lee May on three pitches.
They were all fastballs.
That is the sixth strikeout for John Matalak.
And it brings up third baseman Doug Rader.
Rader single to center and fly to right one for two.
His batting average is only 242 but he has 18 home runs, 73 RBIs.
Swing and a miss, strike one.
Like many real good power hitters, Lee May will strike out a great deal.
But when he hits the ball, he punishes the opposition.
And a fly ball into short center, Willie May is coming on, slows up, makes the cut, and the side is up.
So Matalak settled right down after the home run by Savagio.
And retired three good hitters in a row.
One run, one hit, no errors, done left.
At the end of five and a half innings, the Houston Astros won, the New York Mets won.
At the end of the sixth inning, the game tied 1-1.
Two, three, and four in the New York batting order to come up now against left-hander Jerry Royce.
Wayne Garrett, Willie Mays, and Tommy Agee.
The pitch to Garrett, hit on the air to left center, hustling over his Jesus salute, and he makes the cut.
Garrett retired on the first pitch by Jerry Royce, and now Willie Mays.
Willie had a fly ball to the center field fence, 410 feet out of the first inning, caught by Savagio.
And he reached safely on an error in the third inning when the Mets scored their run.
Wind up by Royce, here's the pitch, and a foul ball going out of play behind first base.
Here's the answer to the baseball quiz.
The last American League player to win back-to-back RBI titles was Roger Maras with the Yankees with 112 in 1960, 142 in 1961.
Curve is low to Willie Mays, one ball, one strike.
That old fly ball well hit the right field, back goes the right fielder Jimmy Winn at the fence, he makes the catch.
Maybe a step in front of the fence, Winn pulls in the drive by Willie Mays.
We pause for station identification. This is the New York Mets baseball network.
You're listening to the voice of the Mets here in Serdoga Springs, New York, WKJFM 102.3, and your FM dial.
The correct time now, 29 minutes past the hour of 9 o'clock Eastern Daylight Saving Time.
Tommy Agee facing Jerry Royce, and the pitch is high, ball one.
They're in the last of the eighth inning in Philadelphia.
Atlanta leading Philadelphia 1-0.
And a foul ball off. Bill Negros pitching against Steve Carleton.
Carleton has not lost a game since the 30th of May when Tommy Agee and Willie Mays had two run homers to beat him.
He has won 15 in a row.
He's bidding for his 21st win. Hit hard, but foul. Off to the right, no play.
One ball, two strikes.
Cincinnati leading Montreal 4-0 at the end of six.
Baltimore 3, California 1 after six and a half innings.
Cleveland 9, Minnesota 3 after five and a half.
Too high to Tommy Agee, two balls and two strikes.
And it's Oakland 3, Detroit nothing after three and a half.
Two outs, nobody on. The pitch to Agee.
Line drive into the other right field.
Wynn cutting over, jumps up and makes the catch.
Wynn had the ball slightly misjudged, corrected the mistake by leaping into the air and snagging the line drive.
Let's hit the ball hard, but they go out in order. No runs, no hits, no errors in that left.
At the end of six innings, the Astros 1-0, and that's one.
Here at Chase Stadium in New York, through six innings of play, the Houston Astros 1-1, five hits and one error.
The New York Mets 1-1, two hits and two errors.
Jane Jarvis at the organ with the eyes of Texas as we prepare to go to the seventh inning.
The paid attendance here tonight is 24,242 and the total attendance, 25,080.
So the New York Mets have now reached the total paid attendance for the season of 1,800,721.
Tommy Helms is up to lead off here. Here at Mad Likes pitch.
And it's low for a ball. Helms moving back on the pitch.
Helms single and he flied to center, one for two.
Hitting 267 for the year. Right hand batter. Mad Likes to the lefty and the pitch is hung on foulback. It's out of play.
So it's one and one.
Asoos Salo is on deck for the Houston Astros. Here's the 1-1 delivery.
A little low, two and one. Augie Donatelli is the umpire behind the plate.
Here's the 2-1. Come on, get on the ground. Cut off at third by Garrett and across the beach.
And in time, one away.
Asoos Salo grounded out and single. He had a lead off single in the fifth inning but died at first base.
A little loosening up the neck muscles now as he moves up toward the plate.
And here's the pitch. A little low for a ball. It's one and one.
Mad Likes has struck out six and he has walked one here tonight. Here's the 1-0 pitch.
So on hand but on the ground he shorted. A big hop to Martinez. Across to Picham in time and he's out.
Larry Howard has grounded out and struck out. He's 0 for two.
Story side here, 1-1 with the Astros batting in the top of the seventh inning.
The Mets got a run in the third. The Astros got one in the sixth. Here's a pitch high and away and it's ball one.
The Astros and Mets will be here again tomorrow night and again on Wednesday afternoon.
The biggest trophy game is at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. The Mets and the Yankees.
Bow back and out of play. 1-1.
James Rodney Richard is up and throwing now in the bullpen for the Houston Astros.
Here's a 1-1 pitch. It's a little low. It goes two and one.
James Rodney Richard is up and throwing. Jerry Roy is scheduled to bat next.
There are two men out. There's nobody on base.
This pitch is bowed back off the screen and out of play. The count is even now at two and two.
Pittsburgh Pirates are not scheduled. Chicago Couch play the San Diego Padres later tonight on the west coast.
The Astros are down.
Radlack with a 2-2 pitch now.
Swung on and hit deep to right. Moving on back is Agee.
It's a step or two. Waiting now to make the catch.
And the side is out in order. Nothing is caught.
And in the middle of the seventh inning the score is tied.
The Astros won. The Mets won.
The Cleveland Indians have scored in every inning as they go to the seventh against the Minnesota Twins.
It is Cleveland 10, Minnesota 3. John Brohama, Glenn Borgman, Buddy Bell, Alex Johnson, Greg Nettles are at home runs.
Jim Perry started.
One minute ago, Jim Strickland in the third. LaRoche in the sixth.
Milt Wilcox started for Cleveland. Ray Lamb in the sixth inning.
And at the end of the fourth, it's Oakland 3, Detroit nothing. Catfish Hunter against Woody Primon.
Right here, Duffy Dyer is up to lead off to the Mets in the bottom of the seventh inning.
He struck out and popped out so far.
Jerry Royce has been in all the way.
That pitch is in for a Carl Strutt.
James Rodney Richards still throwing in the bullpen for the Houston Astros.
Dyer, Milder, and Beacham scheduled a bat in this inning for the Mets.
Here's a swing and a drive deep to left. It's way back toward the track.
And going back to the wall is Alou and he makes the catch.
Houston in front of the 371 side.
Hey, Sue Sallow went across the warning track and one handed the ball just in front of the 371 side in left field.
John Milder has popped out and grounded out.
Due to the night, the New York Mets have had warning track power.
They've hit them long, but it's not long enough.
Here's the pitch to Milder and it is in there for a Carl Strutt at the knees.
The Phillies did not score in the eighth.
Or rather they did score, I beg your pardon.
They just went in and fouled off and out of play.
The Phillies did score in the eighth.
And so, going to the ninth inning now.
It's the Atlanta Braves one and the Philadelphia Phillies one.
Bill Negros against Steve Carleton.
Carleton going for his sixteenth consecutive win.
Nice.
Fouled off and out of play.
Here's the strike to John Milder.
The Mets fans are trying to get something started here.
Here's a play and a fly ball in the center field.
There's Arcedano is there and he makes the catch.
Two Mets are out in the seventh with the score tied 1-1.
It's Jim Beacham coming to bat.
He's in the center and grounded out.
This is Beacham's 33rd birthday.
That's done for a Carl strike to Beacham.
Here's a right-hand batter.
Facing left-hand pitcher Jerry Royce.
He pitches on the way and it's swung on.
He's hit to the left.
A little goes to the wall.
Going, going.
It's a home run for Jim Beacham.
Over the wall and left.
And the New York Mets are out in front by a score of two to one.
Beacham with a birthday blast.
It was an all-one pitch.
Jim Beacham in over the wall and left into a Houston goal pitch.
His first home run at the New York Mets.
That is high for a ball out of Martinez at the plate.
Martinez is one for two.
Here is the pitch.
Swung on and missed.
The fans are applauding.
The big gym that has been flashed up on the scoreboard.
Here's the one-one pitch.
Swung on and hammered on the ground a second.
The big hop to hell.
He's underhamped the first ten times.
The side is odd.
But the New York Mets got a run on a hip to Homer by Beacham.
No error is not left.
The end of seven innings to play.
The score is the Mets two and the Astros one.
Bob Watson is coming up now.
Too bad for Jerry Royce.
As manager Harry Walker goes to his pitch.
Watson batting for Royce.
He has a season's batting average of 3.07.
He has 11 home runs and 70 runs batted in.
Bob Watson, the right-hand batter being put up here.
And James Rodney-Richards still throwing down there in the bullpen.
The Mets have had only three hits.
The Astros have had five.
But the Mets are leading by a score of two to one.
With Houston coming up in the top of the eighth inning.
Swing and a miss is strike one.
Matt Lack has struck out six and walked one here tonight.
The Atlanta Braves did not score in the top of the ninth.
The Phillies are coming up in the bottom of the ninth inning.
With the score tied, Atlanta won the Phillies one.
That's in for a call strike.
0-2.
Cincinnati Reds are leading Montreal 4-0 in the top of the eighth.
There's a swing and a miss.
Struck him out on three pitches. Matt Lack got the pitch hitter.
Bob Watson for the seventh strikeout victim.
Now it's Roger Metzger. Walked, struck out, bounded into a fourth clean.
Jim Ray has joined James Rodney-Richards in the bullpen now.
For the Astros, Jim Ray is also up and throwing.
It's Jim Metzger, a little high for a ball.
The pitching line-up is set in for a three-hit from London.
One man, six strikeouts.
That pitch is low for a ball. It's two and oh.
One man out, nobody on base.
Duffy Dyer turns out to sign, and here is the two-oh delivery.
He's taking low. He was taking that pitch regardless. It's three and oh.
Three-oh delivery.
Taking right down to five. It's three and one.
That's Guterres to look at sign man Salty Parker, the coach's third now.
He's turned loose on the three-one. Cesar Cedeno is on deck.
Three-one pitch. He's taking it. He walks.
That's the second walk issued by Madlack. He walked Metzger in the first inning.
So the tying run is on its first with one man out, and Cesar Cedeno is coming up.
He homers for Houston in the sixth inning. He's one for three here tonight.
Doug McGraw is up and throwing in the mid-ball pen. Doug McGraw is throwing.
John Madlack sets up. Checks Metzger for his face.
Pitch is swung on and hit in the air deep to the left. Going way back to the wall.
Now his middle. He leaps up. Ball is off his glove. He's on the ground.
Mayes has the ball. Metzger's getting a green light at third.
He comes out and he scores. And now holding at second, it's Cesar Cedeno.
Milder meanwhile gets up. He is limping back across the track in left field.
It is a two-base hit and a run batted in. The score is tied 2-2.
Willie Mayes seeing about Milder now. Milder apparently tells him he's okay.
Mayes goes back to retrieve his own cap.
The score is tied 2-2. Cedeno belted that ball back near the wall.
Milder went back, gave it a leap up into the air. The ball was off his glove.
He crumpled in the track and Mayes retrieved the ball.
But Salty Parker at third gave a green light to Metzger.
Thinking that he could beat Mayes armed to the plate and he did.
Cedeno held at second and it'll be Jim Wynn coming up.
The Mets two and Houston two. Dyers out there talking to Madlack.
Doug McGrath still throwing the ball back. One man out.
Wynn is the number three man in the order coming up. He's followed by Lee Mayes.
Houston batting on the top of the eighth inning.
Dyer comes back behind the plate. Madlack standing there on the line with his arms folded.
Steps up on the rubber now to take the side.
Cesar Cedeno is leading and it's going to be an intentional walk.
Daniel Blufster starts on the pitch outside.
An intentional pass to Wynn to set up the force and the double play possibility and then they'll work to Lee Mayes.
Outside it's ball three now.
Madlack with ball four outside so the intentional walk is a complete.
The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are going to the tenth inning now.
Still tied 1-1. Phil Nicrow against Steve Carlton making the bid to keep his winning streak alive.
He's won 15 in a row.
Up in Montreal, Cincinnati four. Montreal nothing going down to the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Astros have runners at first and second. There's one man out and Lee Mayes at the plate.
Madlack pitches the right hand batter, swung it in on the ground and it's taken by Garrett at third and on over to Barnes and on over to
double play.
A five-four-three double play on the side is retired.
So it is one run on one hit.
A walk and one man left and in the middle of the eighth inning the score is tied.
Houston two and the Mets two.
New York Metro turned up John Madlack. He'll bat for himself leading off here in the bottom of the eighth inning.
That's been a slice. He's struck out both times.
Mayes pitches foul back at strike one.
The Astros have two runs, six hits. The Mets have two runs, three hits.
Strike one delivery.
Cranks a little high and it's one and one.
Luke Barnes is on deck.
That's a sale tie and it goes two and one.
Two and one delivery.
Low three and one now to John Madlack.
The Mets look for a base runner here in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Score tied two-two.
Here's a three-one delivery.
Takes it in there for a call strike to it so the count is full at three and two.
Three-two pitch. Foul off and out of play.
The count continues full to John Madlack, a left-hand batter.
That's tied at the walk. A walk for John Madlack.
So the Mets have a runner on and Luke Barnes coming up with nobody out.
A good baseman, Doug Brady, comes over now with a word for Jim Ray.
They expect Barnes to be sacrificing here.
Tom Griffin is up and throwing now in the bullpen.
Tom Griffin is warming for the Houston Astros as the chant of Let's Go Mets swells.
Barnes is around the front. Must have all up into the end of the first place.
That may have been foul territory for the outs.
Madlack retreats to first.
Tom Barnes trying to sacrifice instead.
Popped it up in foul territory up the first place line where Lee May grabbed it for the outs.
So there's one man out now and Wayne Jarrett's coming up.
Jarrett has walked around and outflied out.
Tom Griffin is up and throwing now in the bullpen.
Tom Griffin is warming for the Houston Astros as the chant of Let's Go Mets swells.
Barnes is around the front. Must have all up into the end of the first place.
That may have been foul territory for the outs.
Madlack retreats to first.
Luke Barnes trying to sacrifice instead.
Popped it up in foul territory up the first place line where Lee May grabbed it for the outs.
So there's one man out now and Wayne Jarrett's coming up.
Jarrett has walked around and outflied out.
Left hand batter facing right hand pitcher Jim Ray.
So to first, Madlack's back.
The Atlanta Braves didn't score in the top of the tenth.
The Phillies are batting the bottom of the tenth. Score is still tied.
That's a breaking pitch high at ball one.
Willie May is in contact now for the Mets.
Score tied here, 2-2.
Bottom of the eighth inning.
It's staled high and away. It's 2-0 to Wayne Jarrett.
Here comes Jim Owens, the pitching coach out of the dugouts.
Jim Owens, the pitching coach of the Astros, is on his way to the mound.
He wants to know about this control problem that Jim Ray seems to be having here at the outset.
Owens is at the mound, not talking it over with Jim Ray.
Tomorrow night, Tom Steber will be the Mets pitcher.
Dave Roberts will go for the Astros.
Wednesday afternoon, Jerry Kruseman for the Mets and Larry Durker for the Astros.
Astros started tonight, six and one-half games back of Cincinnati in the Western Division.
They figure they're still very much in the race.
That is the first time since they were formed in 1962 that they have been in the race this close, this time of year.
This will be a 2-0 pitch down to Wayne Jarrett.
Swung on, hit on the ground, and it is smothered by Helms.
He picks it up, throws, and in time, moving on to second is Madlack.
Helms was in a sitting position when he threw that ball onto Lee May.
He had to smother it to keep it from going through, but now it's Madlack at second,
and Willie Mays is coming up.
Mays fly deep to center.
He's gone on an arrow and fly deep to right.
0 for 3.
Got you, Larry. Howard's gone out for a word with Jim Ray.
The Mets look now for the bases.
Madlack in from second with the go-ahead run.
The score is tied 2-2.
Ray is pitched to Mays.
Swung on, hit with a breaking bit, hit strike one.
Willie wring his right hand a little bit there after having taken a vicious cut.
Madlack leads off the bag at second. Ray sets up.
Pitched to Mays.
Ball in there for a golf strike, too. 0-2 to Willie Mays.
Ray takes the sign from Larry Howard.
Strike pitch is high for a ball. It's 1-2.
This is a 1-2 delivery.
The curve ball is high and tight, so it's 2-2. Tommy Agee is kneeling on deck.
Here's the 2-2 pitch.
Swung on and mistook him out with a curve ball, and the side is retired.
No runs, no hits, no errors. A walk in one love.
At the end of eight full innings, the score is the Mets 2 and Houston 2.
The correct time in 40 seconds, 10 o'clock Eastern Daylight Saving Time.
Castro is tied 2-2, and it's Doug Rader up to lead off Madlack's pitch.
Swung on and missed, hit strike one.
Rader is 1-3 here tonight.
Right-hand batting third baseman is hitting 2-41.
There's a swing and a miss. It's two strikes.
Tommy Helms is on deck.
Doug McGraw up and throwing again on the Met Bowl pen.
The two-strike delivery. Swung on and missed.
He strikes Rader out. Three pitches.
Strikeout number eight for Madlack.
Tommy Helms is 1-3. Single fly to center, grounded out third to first.
Right-hand batting second baseman hitting 2-66.
Madlack takes the side from Duffy Dye.
Dips into the fluid, wind up, and here's the pitch.
Swung on, fouled back out of play at strike one.
The Mets got a run in the third inning tonight.
To go ahead, they held that one-run lead until the sixth when Sylvania Homard tied at 1-1.
Outside for a ball, then beat him, Homard, in the bottom of the seventh for the Mets.
But they may hit again at 2-1, but Houston scored in the eighth inning with Sedeno knocking in the tying run.
Swing and a ground ball drilled through the hole in the left for a base hit.
Picked up by John Milder and played back, and Tommy Helms is on it first with a sous salaud coming up.
Salaud is 1-3, grounded out single and grounded out short to first.
The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are going to the eleventh inning, still tied 1-1.
And it's still Phil Negron, it's still Steve Garland.
Cincinnati leading Montreal 4-0 with the Expos batting down the bottom of the ninth inning.
And Mike Jorgensen has just hit a home run for Montreal to make that a 4-1 ball game.
Nobody on base.
Swing and a foul ball off and out of play, strike one to Alou.
That is the ninth homer of this year for Mike Jorgensen.
Joe Morgan hit one for Cincinnati in the first inning.
It comes in San Diego later, the Cards and the Dodgers later, the Pirates and the Giants are not scheduled.
That like checks the runner at first, and here's the pitch to Jesus.
Alou pops up to the right side and fouls territory.
Jim Beecham is waiting, and he makes the catch.
Alou has fouled out to first, Tommy Helms holds it first, and Larry Howard will be the batter.
Down and out, strikeout line to right.
If you want to look ahead now to the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mets will be scheduled to send up Tommy Agee, Duffy Dyer, and John Milner.
That like goes to first, and Helms is back.
The Astros two runs six hits, the Mets two runs three hits.
Howard asked for the Rossenbag, he got it, tossed it right back over to the on-deck circle, where Jim Ray is kneeling.
That like again works off the stretch, and here's the pitch.
Going on and in the air to center, Willie Mays is there, he's waiting, and Mays makes the catch.
Side is out, it's no runs are hit, no errors and one left.
In the middle of the ninth inning, the score is still tied, Houston two and the Mets two.
The New York Mets will try to pull it out now on the bottom of the ninth inning,
with Agee, Dyer, and Milner coming up to face right hand pitcher Jim Ray.
Tommy Agee struck out, struck out, and lined out to right.
Here's Ray with the pitch, and it is inside low for a ball.
Any one of the three batters coming up this inning is capable of hitting the ball out of the ballpark.
Here's the one open.
Going on, hit on the ground, and third, taken by Ray there, across the first to Lee May in time, and Agee is out.
Duffy Dyer is down 0 for 3 tonight, called out on strikes, popped his short, fly to left.
That's 7 homers, he's hitting 2.39.
That pitch is in for a called strike.
The Cincinnati Reds have defeated the Montreal Expos by a final score of 4-1. Jim McLaughlin gets the win, he is 7-5.
Mike Torres takes the loss, he's 13-10.
Stolmar finished up in the ninth. Joe Morgan, Mike Jorgensen had the homers.
It's a breaking pitch, right in for a called strike. Duffy Dyer, still pending the outcome of this game.
The Cincinnati Reds have picked up yet another half game on the second place, Houston Astros, to make it seven games now.
The 0-2 pitch to Dyer is high and away, it's 1-2.
Miller waiting on deck with one man out.
Here's the 1-2 delivery. Brakes a little low and away, so it's 2-2.
Braves thought he might get a call on that curve off and down a telly, the umpire behind the plate.
Brakes a little breather now, turning it back to the plate, takes off his cap.
There's nobody on base.
2-2 delivery. Get on the ground, a shortstop. Metzger over, up with it. Rossellino and two men are out.
Duffy Dyer, grounding out short to first. Now John Mills, he's gone over three.
He popped the short, he grounded out second to first, and he's lied to center.
And there's that ten home runs, he's hitting 2-51.
Ready to deliver, swung on, and missed. He took a roundhouse cut at that one.
Delivery, fastball, missed, tied away, it's 1-1.
Two men out, nobody on base, score tied, 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth.
Tied away, it's 2-1.
This is a 2-1 pitch. 3-1 now to John Miller.
Ray had a little control trouble when he first came in, he walked mad like, but he settled on first set.
3-1 pitch. Tied, he walked him.
In the 3-1 curveball. So to the left, pick up a baserunner, Jim Beacham comes up again.
Beacham hit his home run, the 7-10, not off Ray, but off starter Jerry Roy for left-handed.
In the base now, May comes over to hold against the runner, there's a toss over there, not in time.
Right-hand batter, Jim Beacham facing right-hand pitcher, Jim Ray.
Here's a curveball, it's in for a cause strike.
Veteran Stadium in Philadelphia, Steve Carlton's 15-game winning streak is in jeopardy now.
Now he's 15-game streak because that is established, but he is good to keep it going.
Because Atlanta has scored a run in the 11th inning, he has a third of first not in time.
So going to the bottom of the 11th, it's Atlanta 2 and the Phillies 1.
Strike one pitch to Beacham, hit way back in left field, back toward the wall, it is going, going.
And it's now the home run for Jim Beacham.
And the New York Nets win the ball again as Beacham hits his second home run of the night on his 33rd birthday.
The fans are up and yelling all around this ballpark.
And that's right there, it's a dash to Leigh Beacham who hit it over the left field fence, a two-run homer.
To win it for the New York Nets by a score of 4-2.
Although the Nets got only four hits in the ball game, Jim Beacham hit his second consecutive home run.
And this one also into the bullpen in left field as the New York Nets won it.
Two men were out when the winning runs were scored.
So we'll be back in a moment with a final summary in totals.
Right now the final score of the game is the Nets 4 and the Astros 2.
Well there is no doubt about who is the hero of the night.
And there is also no doubt that Jim Beacham will never forget his 33rd birthday.
The evening of which was Spinachay Stadium in New York and during which he hit his first two home runs as a New York Mets.
Starting out in this ball game, the New York Mets took the lead from Jerry Royce by getting a run in the bottom of the third inning.
Eddie Martinez single, he stole second and Luke Barnes single him home.
So the Mets had a run.
John Madlack was holding Houston pretty well at bay after a hectic first inning.
That's worth recounting because the Mets who had been in a horrendous performance here yesterday started out on about the same tone tonight.
Rod Genuska would walk on four pitches and he would wild pitch the second base.
Faze Arseneuil popped the ball up into short right and Tommy Agee dropped it and threw it away as it got by Martinez.
He didn't throw it away, he got it to Martinez but Martinez didn't handle it and he was charged with an error.
Double errors charged on the ball and quickly Houston had runners in second and third and nobody out.
But Jim Williams popped up into short right, Luke Barnes went back and caught the ball.
Mets got tagged and tried to score and Barnes threw him out of the play so it was a double play and Lee May struck out.
So the Mets were out of the inning.
The Mets did have that 1-0 lead all the way up to the sixth when Faze Arseneuil let off with a home run.
It was then a 1-1 ball game.
The New York Mets recaptured the lead and in the bottom of the seventh win with two men out, Jim Beacham hit a home run into the bullpen.
Houston came right back and they got a run in the eighth inning when Rod Genuska threw a walk.
Faze Arseneuil double way back to the wall and left.
John Milner went up and was off his glove but the double was enough to score Mets here and it was a 2-2 ball game.
It went that way to the bottom of the ninth win with two men out, Milner drew a walk and Jim Beacham hit his second consecutive homer and the New York Mets won it by a score of 4-2.
John Matlack hosted his 11th victory.
He has lost seven and Jim Ray took the loss.
We'll be back with more in just one minute.
This is George Burns introducing the Navy three-year guarantee.
It's for guys 17 or 18 years old who would like a choice in deciding what kind of work they do and where they do it.
Here's how the Navy three-year guarantee works.
You can come in the Navy for three years and they'll guarantee you at least two things.
The first, your choice of either the East Coast or the West Coast as a place to work on it.
And second, your choice of sea duty which means you'll be seeing a lot of the oceans of this world.
Or work as an airman recruit which means you'll be seeing a lot of airplanes.
Maybe even be on an aircraft carrier.
Now where else could a guy your age get a deal like this?
For only a three-year commitment, certainly not in private industry.
You know you should see your Navy man soon.
He'll tell you if you qualify for the Navy three-year guarantee.
You see today's Navy helps you be what you want to be right now.
To enlarge on the feet of 33-year-old Jim Beecham, let us say that he first came to the Major Leagues with the Cardinals in 1963.
Coming into tonight's game in 480 times at bat.
Starting this year in the Major Leagues he had only nine home runs.
Jim Beecham has never hit over two home runs in any one Major League season.
He hit two here tonight in a space of less than an hour.
So the New York Mets have won their 60th game of this season.
They have picked up a half game on the Pittsburgh Pirates who are not scheduled until they trail the Pittsburgh Pirates by 11 and one half game.
In the season series the Mets have won three, Houston have won four, paid trial of 24,242.
Here are the final totals for the Mets, four runs on four hits and two errors for Houston.
Two runs on seven hits in one error. That likes the winner, raised the loser.
Again the final score of the Mets, four and Houston, two.