Remembering Mets History: (1980) Pete Falcone Ties MLB Record Striking Out the First Six Batters of a Game

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Thursday May 1st, 1980: A small crowd of just 5,928 came out to Shea Stadium, to see Joe Torre's Mets (6-11) already in 5th place, take on the eventual 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies (7-9) led by manager Dallas Green.

Tonight an old Mets nemesis, "Lefty" Steve Carlton took on Brooklyn's own Pete Falcone.

Starting Lineups

Philadelphia Phillies       New York Mets
1Lonnie SmithRF1Frank TaverasSS
2Pete Rose1B2Elliott Maddox3B
3Garry MaddoxCF3Lee Mazzilli1B
4Mike Schmidt3B4Jerry MoralesCF
5Greg LuzinskiLF5John StearnsC
6Bob BooneC6Joel YoungbloodRF
7Larry BowaSS7Dan NormanLF
8Luis Aguayo2B8Doug Flynn2B
9Steve CarltonP9Pete FalconeP

The game would start out with Mets pitcher, Pete Falcone striking out the first six batters he faced. This set a Mets franchise record that stood for 34 years until 2014, when Jacob DeGrom struck out 8 Marlins to start a game, tying the MLB record.

For Pete Falcone, at the time, he tied an MLB record by striking out the first six. Up to that point, the feat it had only been done four times before in baseball history.

In the 1st inning, Falcone struck out Lonnie Smith & Pete Rose swinging. He then got Gary Maddox looking at a called third strike. In the 2nd inning, Falcone struck out sluggers Mike Schmidt & Greg Luzinski for K's #4 & 5. He then got catcher Bob Boone to down swinging, setting his mark.

Falcone was rolling along, until the weak hitting, reserve second baseman Luis Aguayo hit a two run homer in the 5th inning. The two runs would be all the Phillies needed in the 2-1 win. 

Hall of Famer, Steve Carlton walked Eliot Maddox with the bases loaded for the Mets only run. Former Mets legend Tug McGraw came on for the save against his old team.

The Italian American Falcone, was a Brooklyn kid & a cousin of Mets coach, Joe Pignatano. In 1980, he went 7-11 for the Mets, tied for second most wins on the staff.

Falcone spent four years with the Mets, going 26-37 with a 3.91 ERA in 145 games 86 starts.

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