Remembering Mets History (1973 NLCS) Game #1: Johnny Bench's Walk Off HR Spoils Tom Seaver's Good Outing

Saturday October 6th, 1973: NLCS Game #1

New York Mets vs. Cincinnati Reds

1973 Post Season- NLCS: The Mets went on to play the heavily favored Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS. The Big Red Machine (99-63) had taken over first place from the Dodgers on September 4th & finished 3.5 games ahead at the end of the season. 

The Reds had been to two of the last three World Series, winning the NL Pennant in 1970 losing to the Baltimore Orioles & 1972 losing to the Oakland A's. The team featured three future Hall of Famers, in Johnny Bench, Tony Perez & Joe Morgan as well as the 1973 NL MVP & Batting leader, Pete Rose.

In the 1973 NLCS opener Tom Seaver got the ball on just four days' rest. Seaver went up against the Reds top pitcher, Jack Billingham. Billingham also won 19 games on the season (19-10) he led the league with seven shut outs, 292 innings pitched & 40 starts.

Trivia: Earlier in the season, A tom Seaver Jack Billingham matchup lasted just one hour & thirty-seven minutes to play.

The 1973 National League Championship Series opened up on a cloudy rainy Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati, Ohio. Luckily the weather did cooperate as the rain stopped & the sun broke thru a few times during the game.

A standing room crowd only of 53,431 paid fans attended Riverfront Stadium, that afternoon.

The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by Louis Crosley, the son of Powell Crosley 

The game was aired locally on WOR Chanel 9 in New York with legendary Mets broadcasters Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy & Ralph Kiner. The national broadcast was on NBC Sports with legendary sportscasters, Curt Gowdy & Tony Kubek calling the play by play. The game took just two hours to play. 

In the top of the 1st, the Mets threatened as Wayne Garrett led off with a base hit bouncing off the first base bag. He was quickly sacrificed over to second by Felix Millan.

Rusty Staub then drew a walk putting two men on.

John Milner ripped a single to centerfield. The ball flew off the turf quickly into center & with the arm of Cesar Geronimo, Garrett was held up at third base by coach Eddie Yost. 

Next with the bases loaded & one out, Cleon Jones grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, ending the Mets threat.

In the bottom of the 1st, Tom Seaver put the Reds down in order 

In the top of the 2nd, Bud Harrelson drew a two out walk. Then Mets pitcher, Tom Seaver drilled a line drive double into left center field, scoring Harrelson with the first run of the Series. 

It was the only run Jack Billingham was to give up on the day & Seaver was the only Mets base runner to get as far as second base.

Tom Seaver drives in the Mets only run.

In the bottom of the 2nd, Johnny Bench collected a one out double. Seaver then hit Ken Griffey with a pitch putting two on. He then struck out Cesar Geronimo & Darrel Chaney to get out of the inning. 

In the top of the 3rd Billingham issued a two out walk to John Milner, but he then retired the next 14 Mets batters in a row, getting his team to the 8th inning. 

In the bottom of the 2nd, Johnny Bench doubled & Seaver hit Ken Griffey with a pitch, but he then struck out Cesar Geronimo & Darrel Chaney to end the inning.

Over the next four innings, Seaver was on fire striking out two Reds in each of those innings racking up 11 strike outs thru seven innings.

In the bottom of the 4th, Dan Driessen led off with a bloop double into short left field. But Seaver got Tony Perez to fly out then struck out Johnny Bench & Ken Griffey to end the inning. 

In the bottom of the 5th Cesar Geronimo started the inning with a base hit but Seaver fanned Darrell Chaney, got Jack Billingham on a sacrifice attempt & then struck out Pete Rose to end the inning. 

In the bottom of the 7th, Johnny Bench led off with an infield base hit off to the left side of Seaver that he slowed down but couldn't stop. 

Bud Harrelson made it a close play at first, but Bench was safe. Then Ken Griffey was robbed of a base hit as Bud Harrelson snagged a liner to the left of short for the second out.

Tom Seaver struck out Cesar Geronimo & pinch hitter Larry Stahl ending the inning with his 11th strike out of the day.

In the top of the 8th, Billingham retired the Mets in order. On the afternoon, Jack Billingham pitched eight innings, allowing one run on just three hits while striking out six & walking three.

In the bottom of the 8th, Seaver started the inning by striking out Hal King. But then Pete Rose tied up the game with a HR. Next Joe Morgan struck out & Dan Driesen flew out to Cleon Jones in left field.

In the top of the 9th, Red's reliever Tom Hall (8-5 / 8 saves / 3.47 ERA) started the inning walking Rusty Staub. Captain Hook, manager Sparky Anderon saw enough. He brought in the Dominican right hander; Pedro Borbon. 

Borbon had a spectacular regular season, going 11-4 with 14 saves & a 2.16 ERA. Borbon retired John Milner & Cleon Jones on fly balls, then got Jerry Grote to ground out to short for the third out.

In the bottom of the 9th inning, Tony Perez started the inning grounding out to short stop Bud Harrelson. Then catcher Johnny Bench hit the game winning walk off HR spoiling Seaver's fine outing.

Seaver made two costly mistakes that cost him the 2-1 loss. Overall, he gave up two runs on six hits & walked no one setting an NLCS record by striking out 13 batters.

It was a devastating blow to the Mets as they fell behind in the series, one game to non, due to the lack of offense.

Tug McGraw Trivia: Prior to the game Tug McGraw's father-in-law passed away. Tug's wife left Cincinnati, but Tug stayed with the team.