Remembering Mets History (1977) Jon Matlack Tosses Back to Back Shut Outs

In 1977, there wasn't too much for Mets fans to get excited about. Things just seemed to be getting worse & worse.  It was the start of one of the darkest periods in team history, the start of seven straight losing seasons.

Tom Seaver was on the verge of being traded & in the new era of free agency, management had no intentions of signing any high-priced players.

When Jon Matlack took the mound in this night game, the Mets were in the midst of a long streak that would go 12 of 14 games, with Matlack breaking a five-game losing streak.

Friday May 13th,1977: A crowd of 19,448 mostly coming to see Tommy Lasorda's high flying NL Champion Los Angeles Dodgers (24-7) take on Joe Frazier's Mets (11-19). 

Joe Frazier led the Mets to an 86-76 third place finish in 1976. In 1977 after 45 games going 15-30, he would be fired & be replaced by Joe Torre who would be the Mets only Player/Manager in team history.

At this point in time, Shea Stadium was buzzing with rumors & talk, about the possibility, that their beloved Tom Seaver might get traded. It would be another month before it would actually did happen.

Tonight's starting pitchers were Jon Matlack (1-3) & Rick Rhoden (5-0) for the Dodgers. Matlack was coming off one of the worst starts of his career, after having given up ten runs (seven earned) in 5.2 innings of work in San Francisco five days earlier.

In the top of the 1st, Jon Matlack got the first two outs, then Reggie Smith singled but was thrown out by John Stearns trying to steal second.

In the bottom of the 1st, the Mets got all the offense they would need. After Lee Mazzilli struck out, the number two hitter, Lenny Randle, hit his first HR of the year. 

Randle one of the Mets better offensive players, was batting .321 & would finish the year at .304.

Next, Veteran Ed Kranepool,  singled to right field. Then Mets slugger Dave Kingman- aka "Kong" followed with a two run HR off Rick Rhoden, making it 3-0 Mets. 

Kingman Trivia: At this point in time, Kingman's already had eight HRs in the early season. Kingman would hit just one more with the Mets that season, as he was traded to San Diego on the June 15th trade deadline, on the Midnight Massacre, the same night Seaver was traded.

Kingman was well traveled that year going to San Diego (56 games) then to the American League California Angels (10 games) & AL New York team (8 games). He finished the year with 26 HRs.

 

In the top of the 4th, the NL's top base stealer, Davey Lopes singled, then swiped both second & third bases, not making Mets catcher John Stearns to happy. Ron Cey then drew a walk, but Matlack got All Star Steve Garvey to ground out to Lenny Randle at second to end the inning.

In the top of the 6th, the Dodgers threatened again, as Davey Lopes then Bill Russell both singled, putting two runners on with one out. Matlack got slugger Reggie Smith to pop up & Ron Cey to ground out to end the inning.

In the top of the 7th, Steve Garvey led off with a single, just the Dodgers fifth hit of the game. Matlack then struck out Rick Monday for the first out. He then took a comebacker to the mound off the bat of Dusty Baker & turned a double play throwing to second to Lenny Randle who threw to Ed Kranepool at first ending the inning.

In the top of the 9th, Matlack got Bill Russell to fly out for the first out. Reggie Smith then singled. Matlack struck out Cey, for his fourth K of the night. Steve Garvey then singled, bringing the tying run to the plate, in Rick Monday. Monday then grounded out to second to end the game. Matlack went to 2-4 on the season.

Jon Matlack was outstanding against the mighty Dodger line up that would have four players hit over 30 HRs that season.  He pitched a complete game shutout, scattering seven hits along the way, striking out four & walking one.

Wednesday May 18th, 1977:  Five nights later, the Mets hosted the Joe Altobelli's San Francisco Giants (14-21). A small crowd of just 7,131 filed into Shea Stadium for this weeknight game.

In 1977 the Giants would finish fourth going 75-87. As the veteran Hall of Famer, Willie McCovey's career was winding down Jack Clark was emerging as the teams' new young star.

 The Mets came into this game losing 12 of their last 15, with Matlack & Jerry Koosman getting the team's only wins in that stretch.

Tonight, Jon Matlack (2-4) went up against veteran Giants pitcher, Jim Barr (5-3). Barr had won eleven or more games for five straight years with the Giants, including a 15-win season the previous year, in 1976.

Jon Matlack was once again in top form. In the 1st inning he gave up a leadoff single to the Giants Tim Foli, but Foli was caught stealing for the first out. 

Derrell Thomas reached on an error by Jerry Grote who was playing third base, but then a young Jack Clark hit a liner to third that Grote caught & doubled up Thomas on.

In the top of the 2nd, former NL batting champ Bill Madlock singled to lead off but the inning but was thrown out trying to steal second on a strike out / caught stealing double play. Matlack then struck out catcher Marc Hill to end the inning. He then retired the next 15 batters in a row getting to the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Mets put up a run when Len Randle doubled with two outs & advanced to third on Jack Clarks misplayed error in right field. Jim Barr threw a wild pitch allowing Randle to score the first run. 

At this point Lenny Randle was hot, batting .413 with a .435 on base %.

In the top of the 8th, Hall of Famer, Willie McCovey led off with a base hit. Marc Hill sacrificed with a bunt that Mets catcher Ron Hodges booted as both runners reached safely. Matlack then struck out slugger Darrel Evans. He then retired Rob Andrews on a fielder's choice & then got pinch hitter, Randy Elliot to ground out to second. 

For the Giants, Jim Barr pitched well allowing one run on four hits, walking no one. He struck out two through seven innings of work. 

In the bottom of the 8th inning, the Giants new pitcher was Gary Lavalle. The Mets third
baseman, Roy Staiger singled but was forced on Bud Harrelson's ground out. Lenny Randle then collected his third hit of the night, as he singled to left field.

Veteran Jerry Grote also singled to left field, bringing in Harrelson with the Mets second run making it 2-0. 

Mets Trivia: This was also to be Jerry Grote & Bud Harrelson's final year with the Mets. At the end of August Grote would get traded to the NL Champion Dodgers, making it to back-to-back World Series. The next season Harrelson would go to the Phillies

In the top of the 9th, Matlack retired the leadoff hitter, the former Met Tim Foli. He then gave up a base hit to Darrel Thomas. Jack Clark then popped up to second base as Lenny Randle made the grab. Two-time NL batting champion Bill Madlock grounded out to Roy Staiger who had been placed at third base to end the game.

Matlack went to a 3-4 record lowering his ERA to 3.43. 

Trivia: Up to that point in time, it was the tenth time in Mets history that a Mets pitcher had thrown back-to-back shut outs but only four Mets pitchers had done it before. 

Tom Seaver & Jerry Koosman accomplishing the feat four times each & Jim McAndrew did it once.