Remembering Mets History (1970) Donn Clendenon Sets a Club Record Driving In Seven Runs

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Tuesday July 28, 1970: Tonight, Gil Hodges second place Mets (53-45) were just a game out of first place & tonight they were hosting Charlie Fox's fourth place San Francisco Giants (46-51).

A big crowd of 50,174 came out to Shea to see the reigning World Champs take on the Giants who still had a big following from their New York days just a dozen years after they had left New York for the West Coast. 

These Giants were a good team as well, they would finish third in the NL West (86-76) & win the Divisional title the next year. The club featured three future Hall of Famers in Willie Mays, Willie McCovey & Gaylord Perry.

In tonight's game the Mets Jim McAndrew (5-8) went up against the Giants Rick Robertson (6-6).




Mets Starter, Jim McAndrew (5-8) had an easy time with all the run support the Mets gave him,
as he pitched a complete game allowing two runs, on five hits, while striking out five Giants. 

In the Mets' 1st inning, Tommie Agee singled & was brought in on Bud Harrelson's triple, making it 1-0 New York. 

Donn Clendenon’s sac fly scored Harrelson with the second run of the game. It was the first RBI of Clendenon's record setting day. 

In the 3rd, Harrelson doubled to right & Ken Singleton drew a walk. Clendenon followed with his 11th HR of the year, the two-run shot gave the Mets a 5-0 lead. 

In the 4th inning, Jerry Grote singled & the pitcher Jim McAndrew drew a walk. Charlie Fox removed Robertson bringing in reliever Mike Davison. Bud Harrelson then singled to left scoring McAndrew for a 6-0 Mets lead. 

Don Clendenon then blasted a HR way over the left field wall, making it a 9-0 game. It was his 12th HR of the season. The three run HR gave Clendenon seven RBI's on the night, setting a Mets single game record at the time. His season total was now 45.

Trivia: The big seven RBI Day would be a Mets record until Dave Kingman broke it in 1976 with eight. His mark was then broken by Carlos Delgado in 2008, as he collected nine RBI's in a game.

Also in the game, in the 7th inning Jerry Grote singled then scored on Jim McAndrew's single which resulted in an error by Willie Mays. Next Tommie Agee singled & Al Weis singled bringing home McAndrew. In the 8th Ron Swoboda homered to make it 12-2.

Clendenon finished 1970 with leading the Mets in RBI's (97) & was second with 22 HRs, batting .288.

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