Remembering Mets History (1973) Tom Seaver Throws a Two Hit Shutout
Saturday May 12, 1973: 
Yogi Berra's Mets had started out May with a five-game losing streak at home, taking losses to the Reds & Astros. They then took two of three from the Atlanta Braves before heading on the road.
Trivia: The Pirates Bob Moose threw a no hitter against the Mets on September 20th, 1969, at Shea Stadium. That year he was 14-3 with the leagues best winning % (.824%). Moose won a World Series with the Pirates in 1971 appearing in three games of that series.
In the top of the 1st inning, the Mets Wayne Garrett led off with a base hit. Felix Millan followed with another base hit advancing Garrett to third. As Cleon Jones hit into a double play Garrett scored from third giving New York a 1-0 Mets lead.
In the bottom of the 1st, Tom Seaver retired the side in order. Seaver would retire the first eight Pirates in a row. In the bottom of the 3rd, with two outs the pitcher Bob Moose singled up the middle.
Seaver then retired Vic Davalillo for the third out & retired the next nine batters in a row before issuing a two out walk to Davalillo in the bottom of the 6th inning. Seaver got Manny Sanguillen to fly out, holding on to a 1-0 lead as well as a one hitter.
Trivia: Willie Stargell not known for his speed would hit three tiples in 1973 & 55 in his career. In 1973 Stargell would have a tremendous year leading the NL in HRs (44) RBIs (119) & doubles (43) coming in second to Pete Rose in the MVP voting.
For Kranepool it was his third hit of the game. Kranepool would have 15 multi-hit games on the season, with three multi-three hit games. Felix Millan also had three hits in the game.
Next Felix Millan reached base safely on Gene Alley's error at short. Cleon Jones then doubled bringing Millan home from first base to give the Mets a 5-0 lead. Pirates first baseman Vic Davalillo then booted Jim Gosger's grounder, for the second Pirate error of the inning allowing Cleon Jones to score making it a 6-0 Mets lead.
In the 1973 Mets pennant season Seaver was the NL Cy Young Award winner. He won 19 games (19-10) leading the league in strike outs (251) ERA (2.08) & complete games (18). This game was one of his three shut outs on the year.
Yogi Berra's Mets had started out May with a five-game losing streak at home, taking losses to the Reds & Astros. They then took two of three from the Atlanta Braves before heading on the road. In the first game of a short five game road trip, they beat the Pirates 4-3. On this Saturday afternoon the Mets (16-13) took on Bill Virdon's Pirates (12-14) at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.
The starting pitchers were the Pirates' Bob Moose (2-2) going up against the Mets Cy Young Winner of that year, Tom Seaver (3-3).
In 1972 he threw a wild pitch in the bottom of the 9th inning of the final Game #5 of the NLCS allowing George Foster to score the game's walk off winning run. Sadly in 1976 he was killed in a car crash on his 29th birthday.
In the bottom of the 1st, Tom Seaver retired the side in order. Seaver would retire the first eight Pirates in a row. In the bottom of the 3rd, with two outs the pitcher Bob Moose singled up the middle.
In the bottom of the 7th, Al Oliver flew out for the first out. Next, future Hall of Famer Willie Stargell drilled a triple to centerfield, for the Pirates second hit of the day.
Seaver then got Richie Hebner & Milt May to pop out to end the inning, securing the 1-0 lead.
The Pirates Bob Moose held the Mets to one run on seven hits thru seven innings. In the top of the 8th, Cleon Jones & Rusty Staub started the inning with back-to-back singles. Ed Kranepool then dropped a base hit to right field bringing home Jones with the Mets second run, 2-0.
Short time Met, Jim Gosger then doubled scoring Rusty Staub for the Mets third run making it 3-0. Ed Kranepool was unable to score on the play. With still nobody out, Bob Moose taken out of the game & Jim Rooker brought into pitch. Rooker retired the next three Mets batters to end the 7th inning.
In the bottom of the 8th Seaver struck out Rennie Stennett, just his fourth strike out of the day. Then got Gene Alley & Gene Clines to pop up to end the inning.
In the top of the 9th Pirates reliever Dave Giusti was greeted by Wayne Garrett's lead off HR. It was Garrett's first HR of the year, making it a 4-0 Mets lead.
In the bottom of the 9th Seaver retired the Pirates in order, earning his fourth win (4-3) & completing his second shutout of the year. He lowered his ERA to 1.38 while pitching the first of the two, two- hit games he would throw on the season.
Seaver Trivia: The previous September, Seaver had thrown a two hit shutout in Pittsburgh, beating Nelson Briles in a 1-0 pitcher's classic. Up to that point in his career, Seaver had thrown three two hitters & four one hitters.
In the 1973 Mets pennant season Seaver was the NL Cy Young Award winner. He won 19 games (19-10) leading the league in strike outs (251) ERA (2.08) & complete games (18). This game was one of his three shut outs on the year.