D-Whit - It Was 45 Years Ago Today...August 9th 1969

August 9^th

The Mets sent Tom Seaver to the hill seeking win 16. He found it but not in his usual dominating fashion. The 25 year-old ace allowed 2 HR’s, walking 5 with just 3 K’s but bested the Braves, 5-3. 

New York struck first. Tommie Agee led off the third by taking Brave starter Pat Jarvis deep. A Bobby Pfiel single and Cleon Jones two bagger put runners on 2^nd and 3^rd for Wayne Garrett-who stroked a two-run single to right putting the Mets up 3-0. With two down in the bottom of the 3^rd Hank Aaron and Orlando Cepeda smacked back to back homers of Seaver. Atlanta tied it up in the 5^th when a Seaver error allowed Aaron-who walked-to score all the way from 1^st base. T

The Met starter atoned for his mistake leading off the 7^th with a single and later scoring the go-ahead run on Jones’ RBI single. A bases loaded walk to Ron Swoboda in the 9^th made it 5-3. Cal Koonce went 1 2/3 to notch is 7^th save.

Despite the W the Mets gained no ground because in Los Angeles, Cub pitchers continued throwing donuts as Bill Hands blanked the Dodgers 4-0.