Amazin’ Look Back: July 3, 1973 – Expos Rout Mets 19-8; Former Mets Shine In Montreal

After dropping a ten-inning 2-1 heartbreaker to Les Expos in yesterday’s series opener, the visiting Mets had the bejeezus beat out of them for good measure today in game two.  Four former New York players joined forces as Montreal brutalized Mets pitching to the tune of nineteen runs and twenty-one hits.

July 30, 2011; Washington, D.C., USA; During a game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets a fan holds a sign in support of the Montreal Expos team at Nationals Park. The Nationals defeated the Mets 3 – 0. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Expos lead-off batter and one time Mets all-star second baseman, Ron Hunt set the table going 2 for 3 at the plate, with a walk, two runs scored and a run batted-in.  The day however belonged to the three players involved in the trade that brought Rusty Staub to Shea Stadium.  In front of a Jarry Parc crowd of 12,200 and against the team that originally drafted them, first baseman Mike Jorgensen, shortstop Tim Foli and slugging outfielder Ken Singleton put their young skills on display.  Batting second for Montreal, Jorgensen was 2 for 5 with a walk, and managed four runs scored with a run batted-in.  Number seven batter Tim Foli was 3 for 5, with two runs scored and an rbi.  Clean-up hitter, big Ken Singleton provided the power, going 3 for 6 at the plate, with two runs scored, a home run, and five runs batted-in.

Jim McAndrew climbed the hill for New York, but only lasted 4.1 innings, in which he allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits.  He walked two and struck out two, before giving way to Tug McGraw, who got pounded for another seven earned runs in four innings of work.  Phil Hennigan then suffered through the tail end of today’s fiasco, surrendering six more earned runs on nine hits over the final two innings. 

In losing by a 19-8 final score, John Milner hit his twelfth home run of the season with two on, and Felix Millan was 4 for 5 at the plate, with a triple, two runs scored and a run batted-in.

Starting Lineups

After leading this game 5-3 through three innings, the Mets went on to post their third consecutive loss, and forty-second of the season, against thirty-three wins.  Now eight games below the .500 mark, the Mets will spend a fifth consecutive day in the N.L. East basement, 11.5 games behind the first place Chicago Cubs.

On Independence Day, Tom Seaver is scheduled to take the mound in game three of this four game series against Montreal’s Balor Moore.

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