Remembering Mets History (1970) Donn Clendenon Sets a Club Record Driving In Seven Runs
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).
In the bottom of the 1st inning, Tommie Agee led off with a base hit. Bud Harrelson then hit a triple to right field scoring Agee making it 1-0 New York. That season Harrelson hit a career high eight triples. In his career he hit 45 triples, third on the Mets all-time list.
Donn Clendenon’s sac fly scored Harrelson with the second run of the game & the first of his big game.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Bud Harrelson doubled to right field. Ken Singleton then drew a walk putting two men on for Clendenon. Clendenon blasted a HR over the right field fence for his 11th HR of the year, the three-run shot gave the Mets a 5-0 lead. Donn had his second hit & fourth RBI of the game.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, Jerry Grote singled & the pitcher Jim McAndrew drew a walk. Giants' manager Charlie Fox removed Rich Robertson bringing in reliever Mike Davison.
Bud Harrelson then singled to left with his third hit of the game, scoring McAndrew for a 6-0 Mets lead. After Ken Singleton flew out, there were two outs & two one for Clendenon. Once again, Don Clendenon blasted a HR this one over the left field wall, making it a 9-0 Mets lead. It was his 12th HR & 45th RBIs of the season.
Donn Clendenon Trivia: The three run HR gave Clendenon seven RBIs in the game setting a new Mets franchise record. The record would last until 1976 when Dave Kingman drove in eight runs in a win over the Dodgers. Since then, Brandon Nimmo (2025) & Carlos Delgado have driven in nine runs in a game.
In the top of the 6th, former Met Ron Hunt hit a two run HR to put the Giants on the board.
In the bottom of the 7th inning, with two outs Jerry Grote singled to left field. Jim McAndrew then singled to center field & an outfield error helped Grote to score the tenth run while McAndrew reached second base.
Next, Tommie Agee singled getting Jim McAndrew to third base. Al Weis then singled, bringing home Jim McAndrew with the Mets eleventh run. In the top of the 8th, Ron Swoboda homered to make it 12-2 with his eighth HR of the season. Swoboda would hit just one more HR as a Mets player as he was traded to the Expos in March 1971.
The Mets won the game 12-2, with Jim McAndrew (6-8) going the distance pitching a complete game, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out five walking three.
Donn Clendenon finished the season leading the Mets in RBIs with 97 setting a Mets record at that time. He was second on the club with 22 HRs& hit .288.