9/21-9/22 - Riverfront Stadium
GAME 1 - Mets 4, Reds 2
Heading into the 6th the game was tied at 2. Credit Gary Gentry (3-3, 5.79), who has been nothing short of horrible this season, for finally putting it together in a meaningful game. Holding the Big Red Machine to less than 3 runs is downright spectacular. With that said, you need to have some runs too and Jack Billingham was victimized by his defense when Art Shamsky attempted to score from second on Ed Kranepools medium ranged single. Ken Griffey charged it and came up throwing, but the throw was way up the line and wound up in the Met dugout. Two batters later backup catcher J.C. Martin would single home "Steady Eddie" to make it 4-2 Mets. Cal Koonce & Jack DiLauro would bridge the gap to Tug McGraw who would get the final 2 outs for his 3rd save.
GAME 2 - Mets 7, Reds 1
What a shocker ! The Mets usually score 7 runs in a series, let
alone 7 in one game ! New York jumped all over Gary Nolan when Art Shamsky doubled home Wayne Garrett and Cleon Jones in the top of the 1st. Shamsky would go to third on the throw to the plate, which narrowly missed nipping Jones as he slid. In the 4th the Mets would add 2 more on a 2 RBI single by Tommie Agee. Met starter Don Cardwell would bring a 3 hit shutout into the 9th, but lose his bid when George Foster hit a 2 out solo shots.
9/23-9/24 - Shea Stadium
GAME 3 - Mets 1, Reds 0 (10 inn)
When the score is this low the outcome favors the Mets, who have a plethora of pitching and pitching styles. Tom Seaver fanned 9 and allowed only 4 hits for 9 shutout innings of work. On most nights you could put that in the books as a win, but tonight it would be easier to "made in the USA" label on a garment as it would to see a run scored. Red starter Don Gullet went 7 scoreless innings and was long gone when Manny Sarmiento took the mound in the bottom of the 10th. Catcher Jerry Grote greeted Sarmiento with a double off the 396 sign in right center, then moved to third on a perfectly executed bunt by Bud Harrelson. Pinch hitter Ed Kranepool walked and the the sublime occurred. Power hitter Art Shamsky was called upon to pinch hit for reliever Nolan Ryan. The infield was playing back looking to turn 2, when Shamsky dropped down a pefect bunt to score Grote for a walk off win.
GAME 4 - Mets 5, Reds 4
Hard luck Jerry Koosman had a 4-2 lead heading into the 7th, but
gave up solo runs to the Reds who tied the game up. George Foster hit his second homer of the series to tie it. After 8 innings of work Kooz was replaced by Nolan Ryan who looked good until his defense abandoned him. The weakest link in NY's defense is usually Kenny Boswell at second. As is the custom with baseball, the ball usually finds the bad fielders. That is just what it did as Dave Concepcion's on hop bullet clanked off of Boswell's glove. Met fans were now worried that they were going to be victims of poor fielding. This was not to be the case when backup catcher Duffy Dyer pegged Concepcion out at second as he attempted to steal. Jack DiLauro would come on to face lefty pinch hitter Mike Lum, who gave the ball a nice ride to the warning track for out number 3. With runners on 1st and 3rd and 1 out Jerry Grote was called on to pinch hit and for the second consecutive days in a row the Amazin's won on a squeeze play. New York incredibly stole this series from Cincy and moved to within 1 game of the division lead. By virtue of being swept Cincy was not tied atop the division with the 1946 Cardinals.
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