Amazin’ Look Back – June 18, 1973: Streak Over as Mets Lose to Phillies, 9-6, at the Vet

The New York Mets, after winning 5 in a row to get within a game of .500, opened a 7-game road trip by dropping to 28-30 with a 9-6 loss to the Phillies at Veterans Stadium on Monday, June 18, 1973. Jim McAndrew, who spot-started for an ailing Tom Seaver (back) was awful, going 1 1/3 inning, giving up 5 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk. Phillies southpaw Ken Brett went the full 9, giving up 6 runs on 9 hits and 3 walks with 6 strikeouts.

The Mets gave Jim McAndrew a 3-run lead in the 1st on a home run by Rusty Staub. Two of the 1st 3 batters in the bottom half singled, though, setting up runners on the corners before a wild pitch brought home the runner at 3rd for the 1st Phillies run, sending Willie Montanez to 2nd. McAndrew was able to strikeout Greg Luzinski before intentionally walking the veteran Tom Hutton to get to sophomore Mike Schmidt. The move backfired, with the Phillies 3rd baseman doubling in 2 to tie the game before Schmidt was thrown out at 3rd for the last out of the inning.

After a quiet top half for the Metsies, Bob Boone and Larry Bowa each singled, putting plenty of speed on the bases. The Mets were daunted by it as a double-steal was set in place, leading 3B Ted Martinez to make an error on receiving the throw. Bob Boone scored, and Bowa headed to 3rd. A sac fly and single later, McAndrew made way for reliever Ray Sadecki, leaving the game with the Mets in a 5-3 deficit.

The Mets closed to within 5-4 in the top of the 4th on a Ted Martinez single, but the dagger was twisted in when the pitcher, Ken Brett, hit a 380-foot blast in the bottom half.

The Mets closed it to within 6-5 in the top of the 5th, but it was just a last gasp as Mike Schmidt homered as well to make it 7-5 in the bottom half.

The Phils tacked on 2 more in the 8th before the Mets got one more in the 9th.

"‘I know exactly how it happened,’ Seaver said after he had thrown a few balls. ‘I picked up some storage boxes in the basement of my home last night and I felt a twinge. I thought it might cause a little trouble.'”–Tom Seaver via Michael Strauss, New York Times, June 19, 1973"

Starting Lineups

Thanks for reading! Be sure to Like Rising Apple’s Facebook page and follow @RisingAppleBlog on Twitter to keep up with the latest news, rumors, and opinion. 

Also, you can visit Sam Maxwell’s personal Mets Blog here. And for the latest on a Brooklyn Baseball TV Series Sam is developing, Like the Bedford & Sullivan Facebook page, and follow on twitter here.