Remembering Mets History (1971) Duffy Dyer's Walk Off Single
Tuesday July 27th, 1971: On this warm summer evening, the Mets (52-47) hosted Red Schoendienst's St. Louis Cardinals (55-48) in front of 35,597 fans at Shea Stadium.
Tonight, Tom Seaver (4-2) took the mound against Chris Zachary (3-6).
In 1971 Seaver would win twenty games (20-10) lead the NL in ERA 1.76 & strike outs with a career high 289. Chris Zachary would go 3-10 with a 5.32 ERA spending time between AAA & St. Louis.
Trivia: Red Schoendienst would manage the Cardinals for 14 years going 1041 -955, winning two pennants. In 1971 his Cardinals won 90 games finishing second to the eventual World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL East by seven games.
In the 4th, Seaver struck out the 1971 NL MVP Joe Torre. The St. Louis catcher Ted Simmons then doubled to left field. Seaver stuck out Luis Melendez but then Ted Sizemore doubled scoring Simmons making it 2-0 Cardinals.
The Mets answered in the home 4th, as Cleon Jones hit a two out double. Ed Kranepool then singled bringing in Jones making it a 2-1 game.
Seaver retired 13 of the next 14 batters. He would pitch eight innings, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out seven. Reliever Danny Frisella pitched a scoreless 9th inning, holding it to a 2-1 score.
St. Louis' Chris Zachary held his own, pitching into the 9th inning holding the 2-1 lead. After Wayne Garrett popped up, Tommie Agee & Cleon Jones both singled. Don Hahn was brought in to run for an ailing Tommie Agee. The Cards manager Red Schoendienst went to the bullpen bringing in reliever Frank Linzy.Ed Kranepool then delivered a base hit to left field, bringing in Hahn with the tying run. It was Kranepool's second RBI of the game.
Mets outfielder, Dave Marshall then flew out for the second out.
Duffy Dyer who was 0-2 with a walk came to bat. The catcher delivered with a single into right field, scoring Cleon Jones with the walk off winning run as the Mets won it 3-2. It was Dyer's second walk off hit of the season & the third of his career.
Duffy Dyer who was 0-2 with a walk came to bat. The catcher delivered with a single into right field, scoring Cleon Jones with the walk off winning run as the Mets won it 3-2. It was Dyer's second walk off hit of the season & the third of his career.
Danny Frisella got the victory to get to 5-2.
Trivia: That year the Mets had one of the league's best bullpens with Tug McGraw & Danny Frisella both closing out games. Frisella would go 8-5 with 12 saves posting a 1.99 ERA in 53 appearances. He struck out 93 batters in 90.2 innings.