69 Mets v 69 Cubs

Game 1 at Shea Stadium

69 Cubs 11 69 Mets 5

A close 2-0 game, with Cubs leading, after 6 turns into a wild affair as
Cubs win 11-5. Mets bullpen collapses as first Nolan Ryan and then Koonce,
Taylor and McGraw are all hit hard. Starter and loser Jim McAndrew (2-2)
pitched will before getting into trouble in the 7th when the Cubs scored
four runs against him and reliever Ryan. Trailing 6-0, the Mets bats came
alive against starter and winner Dick Selma (2-4), scoring four in the
bottom of the 7th to make it a 2 run game once again at 6-4. The Cubs then
scored 1 in the 8th against Koonce and added four more in the 9th against
Taylor and McGraw to go on for the easy win.

Ron Santo was 3 for 5 for the Cubs with 4 RBIs. CF Don Young was 2 for 3
with a HR, 2 runs scored and 2 walks. Ken Boswell made 2 errors for the
Mets. Ted Abernathy picked up his second save of the season.

Game 2 at Shea Stadium

69 Mets 3 69 Cubs 1

Tom Seaver (2-4) had his finest outing of the season, pitching a solid
complete game, allowing only 6 hits and 1 walk, while striking out 3.
Ferguson Jenkins (2-3) also pitched a complete game, walking none and
fanning 7.

Cleon Jones doubled in Tommie Agee in the 6th to break a scoreless tie. In
the 8th, trailing 1-0, the Cubs tied it when ex-Met Jim Hickman hit a solo
HR (4). In the bottom of the 8th the Mets took the lead when Tommie Agee
(2-4) hit a solo HR (6). Wayne Garrett's RBI single provided an insurance
run. Agee made a sensational play in CF for the second day in a row to help
preserve the win.

Game 3 at Shea Stadium

69 Cubs 7 69 Mets 5

Jerry Koosman (2-3) did not have it on 3 days rest as he gave up 3 runs in
the fourth to allow the Cubs to take a 4-2 lead that they never
relinquished. Glenn Beckert was 2 for 5 including a solo HR, his first of
the year. Santo continued his hot hitting, going 3 for 3 with a triple and 3
runs scored. For the Mets, Wayne Garrett was 2 for 3 with a triple. Art
Shamsky was 2 for 4 with a HR and 2 RBIs.

The Mets trailed 5-2 going to the 6th when Shamsky's solo HR and an RBI
single by Kranepool brought them to within one, at 5-4. But the Cubs came
back with 2 in the 8th as Cal Koonce failed once again in relief. The extra
two runs were critical as the Mets rallied in the bottom of the 9th, scoring
on an RBI single by Shamsky, but falling short.

Bill Hands (3-3) pitched 6 2/3 to get the win, allowing 4 runs. Phil Regain
pitched the final two innings and got his 5th save of the year.

69 Cubs are now 13-15. 69 Mets are 11-17, last in the Federal Division. No
team in the Division is over .500 as the season goes into its final three
weeks. Next: 69 Mets play the 62 Dodgers (14-11). 69 Cubs play a divisional
series against 74 Dodgers (12-13).