Remembering Mets History (1990): "Sweet Music" Frank Viola Sets Franchise Record With Nine Straight Wins

-
Saturday May 12th, 1990: In this Matinee at Shea, Davey Johnson's Mets (16-14) hosted Tommy Lasorda's L.A. Dodgers (14-17) in front of 41,935.

Things were slowly going sour for the Mets, since the '86 Championship Season, the Mets only made the post season one more time in 1988. They would fire Davey Johnson during the 1990 season & give Bud Harrelson the position. But things would get even worse for Bud into the nineties. 

But on this day, Mets pitcher Frank Viloa, known as "Sweet Music" would set a franchise record, by winning his ninth start in a row, dating back to last season. For Viola, he started out 1990 at 6-0 entering this game, with a 1.05 ERA. He had 45 strike outs with just five walks in 44 innings of work.

Two starts earlier, on May 2nd, Viola shut out the Cincinnati Reds on a six hitter at Shea, striking out a season high eleven. 

In the top of the 1st, Juan Samuel flew out to start the game. Then Frank Viola struck out Willie
Randolph & Kal Daniels to end the inning. Viola cruised through the game, the Dodgers did get two base runners in the 2nd, but Viola got Alfredo Griffin to ground out to end a threat.

He retired seven in a row, before a Mike Sharperson single started the 5th inning. With two outs, John Shelby singled but Viola got Sauel to ground out to end the inning. Over the next four innings, the Dodgers managed just one hit off Viola as he went on to his seventh straight victory of the season. 

In this four-hit shutout, Viola struck out seven, while walking just one, lowering his ERA to 0.87. 

Franchise Record: The win was his ninth straight dating back to last season, setting a Mets franchise record. 

Viola won twenty games for the Mets that year, going 20-12 (2nd most wins in the NL) with a 2.67 ERA (4th best in the NL), leading the league in innings pitched (249.2) & starts (35) striking out 182 & walking 60. He pitched seven complete games (5th most in the NL) 

In the 2nd, the Mets Mike Marshall doubled with two outs. Daryl Boston then singled to left giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. In the 3rd, Barry Lyons singled & was sacrificed over by Viola. Dodger pitcher, John Wetteland then walked Greg Jefferies & Kevin Elster. Howard Johnsons ground out brought in Lyons & Darryl Strawberry's single scored Jeffries to make it 3-0.

In the 4th, with two outs, Lyons singled & Viola reached on an error. With two on, Greg Jefferies doubled scoring Lyons. Next, Kevin Elster singled to left bring home Viola & Jefferies, capping off the 6-0 Mets win.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Bobby Ojeda's Tragic Boating Accident (1993)

-
Image
Steve Olin, Tim Crews & Bob Ojeda March 22 nd 1993: was an off day from Spring Training, for three Cleveland Indians pitchers; Former Mets 1986 World Champion pitcher; Bobby Ojeda, Tim Crews & Steve Olin. The three friends, took out an 18-foot open-air bass boat & went out fishing & gator hunting in the darkness of the evening on Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida. Tragedy struck, when the boat rammed into a private dock that jutted out some 250 feet into the still waters. Two other Cleveland Indians personnel had arrived to meet the fishing party just as the horror took place. They heard Bob Ojeda saying they needed help. The two men jumped into the water and called out for someone to call 911. 27 year old pitcher; Steve Olin was killed instantly. 31 year old pitcher; Tim Crews was alive but was struggling to breathe suffering from massive head wounds. Bobby Ojeda was in & out of shock, he was suffering from head lacerations but was coherent. The
Read more

Fictional Mets Infielder Chico Escuela ( of SNL) Visits Mets Spring Training (1979)

-
Image
Bill Murray interviews (Garrett Morris) Chico Escuela In March 1979, original Saturday Night Live cast member; Garrett Morris joined the Mets at Miller Huggins Field for Spring Training. At the time the Mets were still holding Spring Training in St. Petersburg Florida.  Morris was filmed being interviewed by his SNL cast mate, Bill Murray as the fictional Mets player: Chico Escuela who wore uniform #5 (cinque).  Escuela was famous for his spoof of the Latin players of the time, who did not speak much English. His famous quote "baseball been berry- berry good to me" began the previous year on SNL's weekend update. Bill Murray & Ed Kranepool It was said during the mock 1979 Spring Training interview, that Chico who was a nine time All Star second baseman, had given up his job at the Weekend Update Sports desk to make a comeback with the Mets at age 41.  Chico had fictionally written a tell all baseball book; "Bad Stuff About the Mets" which tick
Read more

Remembering Mets History (1979) SNL's Chico Escuela Visits Mets Spring Training & Attempts a Career Comeback

-
Image
Bill Murray interviews (Garrett Morris) Chico Escuela In March 1979, original Saturday Night Live cast member; Garrett Morris joined the Mets at Miller Huggins Field for Spring Training. At the time the Mets were still holding Spring Training in St. Petersburg Florida.  Garrett Morris was posing as  the fictional Mets player, Chico Escuela who wore uniform #5 (cinque).  Escuela was doing his famous spoof of the Latin players of the time, posing as a popular infielder from the Dominican Republic that didn't speak much English. His legendary catch phrase was "baseball been berry- berry good to me". "baseball been berry-berry good... to me" The Chico Escuela character appeared nine times during on SNL's fourth & fifth seasons. He debuted on December 9th, 1978, in a Knight of Columbus sketch as a guest speaker. He then became the Weekend Update Sports reporter, where after being introduced by Jane Curtain, he would reply "tank you Hane". Chico woul
Read more

Remembering Vixen Founder / Guitarist; Jan Kuehnemund (1961-2013)

-
Image
centerfieldmaz was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Jan Kuehnemund, the founding member of the all female metal band Vixen. Jan was a fantastic guitarist, song writer & women pioneer in Heavy Metal. I am a huge fan of hard rock all girl bands & Vixen were one my long time favorites. Janice Lynn Kuehnemund was born November 18th, 1961 in St. Paul Minnesota. The female guitarist formed one of the first all female Metal bands in Minnesota with singer Janet Gardner while in high school in 1980. By 1985 they moved the band to Los Angles California, to be part of the Heavy Metal scene. In 1987 the classic Vixen line up of Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar) Janet Gardner (vocals/ guitar) Share Pederson (bass) & Roxy Petrucci (drums) formed & released their debut album the following year. Vixen 1988 In a world of all male Heavy Metal bands during its heyday, Vixen were groundbreaking in being an all female metal band. The Runaways, with Joan Jett & Lita Ford
Read more

Remembering Mets History: (1977) The Felix Millan / Ed Ott Brawl In Pittsburgh

-
Image
Friday August 12th, 1977: Joe Torre's last place Mets (47-66) traveled to Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh for a double header with Chuck Tanner's second place Pirates (66-49). The bad times were underway for the late seventies Mets and tonight marked the end of another key player's career from the 1973 NL Champion team. In the first game of a double header, Jerry Koosman (8-13) took a 3-1 loss to Jim Rooker (10-6) & the Pirates. Both pitchers went the distance, with Koosman giving up three runs on six hits & Rooker giving up the lone Met run on nine hits. In the night cap Mets started Bob Myrick against Pittsburgh's  Bruce Kison.  In the 2nd inning Myrick himself added an RBI base hit making it 1-0 Mets. Lee Mazzilli added a two run HR in the 4th putting the Mets up 3-2. The Mets were battling, but the Pirates tied it up at 3-3 in the sixth inning.  Met Manager; Joe Torre made a double switch bringing in Felix Millan to play second base, as Do
Read more