1969: Koosman Dominates Padres Again
Thu, Jun 7, 2007
by Geoff Young
June 7, 1969, San Diego: Mets 4, Padres 1 (box score)
As he had 10 days earlier at Shea Stadium, New York Mets left-hander Jerry Koosman dominated the Padres. This time, however, Koosman’s offense decided to participate.
Johnny Podres made the start for San Diego. After working in and out of jams for much of the first third of the game, Podres yielded in the fourth. The Mets parlayed a hit batsman, stolen base, wild pitch, and fly ball into their first run.
The next inning, New York had a chance to break the game wide open. With the bases loaded and one out, though, Podres fanned Ron Swoboda and Ed Charles to keep the score 1-0.
Still clinging to the narrowest of margins in the seventh, Podres served up a two-out triple to Swoboda that brought home Cleon Jones. Right-hander Jack Baldschun then replaced Podres and promptly surrendered a double to center off the bat of Charles that pushed the Mets’ lead to 3-0.
New York added a final run the following inning. The score remained 4-0 until the bottom of the ninth, when the Padres finally got to Koosman. With two out and Ollie Brown at first, Ed Spiezio doubled to left to break the shutout. Cito Gaston then grounded back to the box to end the game.
Trivia: Mets right fielder Rod Gaspar went 3-for-3, driving in a run. Gaspar’s son, Cade, was a first-round pick of the Detroit Tigers in 1994. Cade Gaspar later came to the Padres as part of a deal that sent Melvin Nieves to the Motor City.
Elsewhere in the world: The Johnny Cash Show premiered on American television. Guests for the inaugural episode included Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell.
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
