Remembering Mets History (1970) Nolan Ryan Tosses His First Career One Hit Shut Out

Saturday April 18th, 1970: On this afternoon matinee at Shea Stadium, Gil Hodges' reigning World Champion New York Mets were still flying high, nine games into the 1970 season. 

The previous night Tom Seaver had thrown an eight hit shut out victory over the Phillies in the series opener. 

The Phil's were on a six game losing streak & playing so bad that manager Frank Lucchesi called a team meeting before this series began calling the team out to play better.

The Mets were 5-4 at this point playing their first weekend home stand of the season. 23,500 fans came to Shea as young flame thrower Nolan Ryan made his first start of the season taking on Jim Bunning.

Trivia: Back on Fathers Day 1964, Jim Bunning threw a perfect game over the Mets at Shea Stadium.

The Young Nolan Ryan was one of the hardest throwers in the game but was still having control issues at this point of his career. This drove manager Gil Hodges crazy & with the abundance of young pitching talent the Mets had, the pressure was on Nolan to perform. 

During Spring Training he struggled thru minor injures & blistering on his pitching finger which led him to soaking his finger in pickle brine. 

In the top of the 1st inning, the Phillies Denny Doyle led off with a single to left field. No one had any idea at the time, that this would be the only hit the Phillies would manage the rest of the afternoon. 

Quotes- Nolan Ryan: "I was trying to keep it outside but it had part of the plate & he just reached out & stroked it".

Ryan walked the second hitter Don Money, one of six walks he would issue on the day. He then struck out Johnny Briggs & Deron Johnson. After walking catcher Tim McCarver to load the bases, he got out of the jam by striking out slugger Larry Hisle to end the threat.

In the bottom of the 1st, the Mets gave him some support with a help from some Phillies errors. Tommie Agee & Bud Harrelson started the game with base hits. Joe Foy then singled to right, with right fielder Ron Stone making a throwing error on the play, which allowed both Agee & Harrelson to score the Mets first two runs. 

After Cleon Jones made out, Art Shamsky reached on a fielder's choice which had Joe Foy caught in a rundown.But catcher Tim McCarver then threw over third baseman Don Money's glove allowing Foy to score giving Nolan Ryan a 3-0 lead.

In the 2nd inning, Ryan started out by striking out Ron Stone for his 4th K of the day. He then walked Larry Bowa & the pitcher Jim Bunning. Ryan got Denny Doyle to ground out & Don Money to fly out to Tommie Agee in center.

In the top of the 3rd inning, Ryan struck out the side, fanning Johnny Briggs, Deron Johnson & Tim McCarver to total seven strike outs. 

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Mets tacked on a run as Foy & Cleon Jones led off with base hits. Art Shamsky then just missed a HR with a shot off the right field wall, collecting a double & bringing in Joe Foy with the Mets fourth run.

In the top of the 4th, Larry Hisle reached on a Joe Foy error at third. Ron Stone then popped out & Ryan struck out Larry Bowa as well as the newest Phillies pitcher Barry Lersch to end the inning. Ryan now had nine K's on the day.

In the top of the 5th, Nolan walked the first two Phillies for his fifth & sixth walks of the game. But then struck out Johnny Briggs for his tenth strike out. After Deron Johnson flew out, Tim McCarver went down son strikes as well for Nolan's 11th strike out to end the inning.

Quotes- Nolan Ryan: "I got my rhythm about the 5th inning & everything fit into place after that". 

Even though he had already reached over 100 pitches, Gil Hodges stuck with him.

Quotes- Gil Hodges:  The later it got the better pitcher Ryan was getting to be, he didn't have to rely  on his fastball. There was never any serious thought of taking him out even though we realized he had pitched more than the normal amount".'

In the top of the 6th, Ryan struck out the side for the second time, sending down Larry Hisle, Ron Stone & Larry Bowa as he reached 14 strikeouts tying a Mets team record for a nine inning game. 

In the bottom of the inning, Mets second baseman Ken Boswell led off with a HR off Phillies pitcher, Barry Lersch for a 5-0 Mets lead. The Mets were given two more walks in the inning but the runners were left stranded.

Ryan entered the 7th inning with a chance not only to set a new team record but to set an MLB
strike out record, that Steve Carlton had held with 19 Ks set in 1969. 

Pinch hitter Jim Hutto reached on an error in center by Tommie Agee. But after Denny Doyle grounded out, Don Money hit into an inning ending double play to second Ken Boswell to Bud Harrelson to Art Shamsky at first.

This was the only inning the Ryan had not notched a strike outs for the first time in the game.

In the top of the 8th, Johnny Briggs grounded to Shamsky for the first out. Then Ryan struck out Deron Johnson, for the third time on the day for his 15th strike out.

Mets Single Game Strike Out Record: With his 15th strike out he set a new franchise record
for a nine inning game, Jerry Koosman had struck out ten batters in 1969 but over ten innings. Nolan's record lasted just four days, as Tom Seaver set a new team record & tied Carlton's MLB mark with 19 strike outs.

In the bottom of the 8th, with one out, Nolan Ryan added to his big day with a base hit to left field, getting him a nice ovation from the Shea crowd. Tommie Agee then followed with a two run HR off pitcher Lowell Palmer, icing the Mets scoring in the 7-0 win.

In the top of the 9th, Ryan got Larry Hisle to ground out to Harrelson at short. He then got Ron Stone on a fly ball to Cleon Jones in left & lastly Larry Bowa grounded out to Shamsky at first base to end the game. Nolan Ryan completed a one hit shut out for his first win of the year.

Nolan Ryan Trivia: This was the first of 61 career career shut for Nolan Ryan, seventh most all-time. It was also the first of 12 career one hitters he would throw, an MLB record he shares with Bob Feller.

The 15 Ks were the most he had in a single game up to that point in his career & would be his season high. Ryan would have 26 career games where he struck out 15 or more batters.

Mets One Hitters: This was the fourth complete game one hitter thrown by Mets pitchers in team history up to that point in time. It was the first since Tom Seaver's imperfect game on July 9th the previous year. Gary Gentry & Tom Seaver would both throw one hitter in 1970 as well.

Quotes- Nolan Ryan: "I've never thrown so many changeup & with such great success. They were particularly good against lefthanders & my curve was working well. When you consider how little I've worked & how long I've gone since pitching, I'm awfully proud of this shut out".

When asked about his fastball, Phillies catcher Tim McCarver who had just been traded from St. Louis where he caught Bob Gibson & Steve Carlton  said Ryan's was number one.