Here’s what happened on this day in New York Mets history:
1969: The New York Mets drop their fourth consecutive game, a 7-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Shea Stadium. With the scored tied at two heading to the eighth inning, the Pirates hammered Mets reliever Tug McGraw. Matty Alou led off with a single. Richie Hebner followed by reaching on an error. McGraw fired a wild pitch, then intentionally walked Manny Sanguillen to set up a potential double play. Instead, McGraw surrended a single and double before Gil Hodges removed him. The loss dropped the Mets eight games back in the National League East.
1973: A modest crowd of 9,965 are in the stands at Shea Stadium as the Philadelphia Phillies blast the New York Mets 11-4. The Phillies use the long ball, hitting three home runs (two by Tommy Hutton), and knock out Mets starter Jim McAndrew after four innings. Yogi Berra’s Mets stagger to the clubhouse with a 31-38 record, 11 games out of first place in the National League East.
1986: The New York Mets broke a 2-2 tie, scoring three runs in the ninth inning to beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 at Wrigley Field. The Mets rattled off four straight singles by Gary Carter, Darryl Strawberry, George Foster and Ray Knight to take the lead in the final inning. Ron Darling pitched seven innings, allowing one run, but did not get the win.
2008: Andy Pettitte bested Johan Santana in a pitchers duel at Shea Stadium, 3-2, as the New York Yankees claimed bragging rights over the New York Mets for another day.
2009: The New York Mets dropped a 4-2 decision to the crosstown rival New York Yankees, 4-2, at Citi Field. The Yankees produced three first-inning runs off Livan Hernandez and never looked back. The loss dropped the Mets to 37-37, they would never get above the .500 mark again the rest of the season.
2010: The New York Mets travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico to play a three-game series against the Florida Marlins. The trip opened on a sour note with a 10-3 loss. Jason Bay accounted for all the Mets runs with a pair of home runs.
