Remembering Mets History (1969) Tommie Agee's 14th Inning Walk Off HR - Beats Juan Marichal 1-0
On this night 48,968 paid came to Shea Stadium, as the former New York Giants (64-56) now the San Francisco Giants came to town.
The Giants, led by Clyde King, were 2.5 games behind the first place Dodgers & Reds. They were in a three-way tie with the Houston Astros & Atlanta Braves in second place in a tight NL West. The Giants would finish three games behind the Braves at the end of the season.
The Mets sent young Gary Gentry to the mound; Gentry had not had credit for a win in over a month (July 15th). In that time, he was 0-3 with three no decisions. He faced off against Hall of Famer, Juan Marichal, a Mets nemesis.
In the top of the 1st, Gary Gentry retired the side in order striking out Willie Mays to end the inning.
In the 2nd inning, with two outs Gentry walked Bobby Etheridge. He then gave up a base hit to Bob Barton but then struck out Hal Lanier to end the inning.
In the 2nd inning, with two outs Gentry walked Bobby Etheridge. He then gave up a base hit to Bob Barton but then struck out Hal Lanier to end the inning.
In the top of the 4th, Gentry issued a two out walk to Bob Burda but got Bobby Etheridge to ground out to end the inning.
Gary Gentry retired 13 of the next 14 batters keeping the Giants off the board. In the top of the 7th, Hal Lanier got his second hit & just the Giants third hit of the game, but he was left stranded at third when Marichal popped up.
Juan Marichal shut the Mets out thru the first nine innings as well, giving up just two hits & having retired 16 in a row getting thru nine innings.
Tug McGraw rolled through the next three innings, retiring nine straight batters. In four innings of shutout work, Tug allowed just one hit & one walk.
Juan Marichal had always been tough on the Mets throughout the sixties. Tonight, he shut them
out for 13 innings, allowing just five hits, with one walk while striking out 13 batters getting to the bottom of the 14th inning.
In the bottom of the 14th Rod Gaspar led off the inning & grounded out to Marichal for the first out.
Agee Trivia: For Agee it was his team leading 21st HR of the year. It was Agee's first Mets Walk off HR & the second walk off hit in his Mets career.
Tug McGraw earned his sixth win of the year to get to 6-2 with a 2.69 ERA.
In the top of the 5th, Hal Lanier singled for the Giants second hit. He then advanced on Juan Marichal's sac bunt. With two men on with two outs, Gentry got former Met, Ron Hunt to ground out to end the threat.
Gary Gentry retired 13 of the next 14 batters keeping the Giants off the board. In the top of the 7th, Hal Lanier got his second hit & just the Giants third hit of the game, but he was left stranded at third when Marichal popped up.
In the top of the 9th inning, Willie McCovey led off with a walk. With two outs (future Met) Dave Marshall came in to pinch hit & was intentionally walked. Another pinch hitter, Jim Davenport was sent up to hit for Hal Lanier & grounded out back to Gentry to end the inning. The fans gave Gentry a big ovation on his way to the dugout.
Juan Marichal shut the Mets out thru the first nine innings as well, giving up just two hits & having retired 16 in a row getting thru nine innings.In the top of the 10th inning, Gil Hodges sent Gentry back to the mound. Juan Marichal, led off with a single to center field but Gentry retired the next three batters.
On the evening Gentry pitched ten shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out five & walking four.
In the top of the 11th inning Tug McGraw came on to pitch. He got Willie McCovey to ground out to Ed Kranepool to start the inning out. Bob Burba drove a single to left field, but he was thrown out at second base by Cleon Jones, trying to stretch it into a double. Tug McGraw then walked Jack Hiatt but retired Don Mason on a pop fly to end the 11th inning.
out for 13 innings, allowing just five hits, with one walk while striking out 13 batters getting to the bottom of the 14th inning.
In the bottom of the 14th Rod Gaspar led off the inning & grounded out to Marichal for the first out.
Next, the Mets leading HR hitter Tommie Agee with a walk off HR ending the scoreless 14 inning game.
Tug McGraw earned his sixth win of the year to get to 6-2 with a 2.69 ERA.
Juan Marichal Trivia: Marichal took his ninth loss of the year (14-9) still posting a 2.30 ERA. Marichal would win twenty games for the second straight year, the sixth time in seven years he had done so. It was the 34-year old's last twenty-win season.