Mets’ Zachry Stymies Padres With 1-Hit Gem

A Senior Citizens Day crowd was on hand at Shea Stadium on Wednesday afternoon to witness Pat Zachry pitch the 13th one-hitter in Mets history, a sparkling 4-0 shutout win over the Padres at a windswept Shea Stadium in New York. The victory improved Zachry’s season record to 14-9, and it was the first one-hit gem thrown by a Mets pitcher since former staff ace Tom Seaver blanked the Cubs 6-0 on April 17th of last year.

The only hit allowed by Zachry was a solid single by Gene Richards with two out in the sixth; Richards then stole second, but was left stranded when Ozzie Smith popped out to Zachry to end the frame. Beyond that, only two other Padres batters were able to reach base: lead-off hitter Richards opened the game with a walk, and pinch-hitter Derrel Thomas coaxed another walk from Zachry to lead off the eighth.

To read more about the game, and to find out why I included a photo of Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman on the recap page, click here.

Clark Scores Only Run As Giants Clip Expos 1-0

Roger Metzger’s two-out single to center in the top of the seventh sent Jack Clark home from second with the tie-breaking run, and John Montefusco shut down the Expos the rest of the way to collect his third shutout of the season, as the visiting Giants captured a close 1-0 game from the Expos at Montreal.

To read more about the game, and to check out some cool photos and make some cool comments, click here.

Reds Celebrate 40th Anniversary, Top Bucs 5-1

The Reds opened the August 14th slate of games with a 5-1 victory over the Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, in a game played on the 40th anniversary of their Game 4 win over the Yankees in the 1976 World Series. A George Foster home run and a 2-run double from Johnny Bench paved the way offensively for Reds starter Paul Moskau, who allowed just five hits in winning his tenth game of the season.

The game was played at a new SP78 site, SD9 in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego, where my friend Durand recently moved, and where I’m staying while I’m out there to attend his wedding. The game was also part of another first: the first ever played on a bed! To avoid any trouble from Durand’s pair of inquisitive cats, I played the game in the guest bedroom, with the doors closed, and the bed seemed the most logical location for placement of the board.

Later today I’ll watch a condensed replay I have of that Series-winning Game 4, that I’d recorded off ESPN Classic several years ago. And tonight I’ll celebrate the Reds win with a post-rehearsal dinner at Miguel’s Cocina in Old Town.

A’s, Twins Split ‘Cat Mask’ Twinbill

The A’s and Twins met at Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, August 13th for the final time this season, a ‘Morris the Cat Mask Day’ doubleheader that saw the teams split their pair of games; Minnesota took the first contest by a 3-2 count, while Oakland nabbed the nightcap 5-3. Eighteen-year-old rookie pitcher Tim Conroy made his first major league appearance for the A’s in Game 2. To see a recap of Game 1, click here; to see one for Game 2, click here.

McCovey Belts #499 as Giants Down Dodgers 4-2

With the bats of Giants regulars suddenly going silent this month (Bill Madlock is hitting just .143, Jack Clark .122, and Mike Ivie .102), the team’s run production for their game last night at Dodger Stadium fell into the hands of utility players Hector Cruz, Jim Dwyer, and Willie McCovey, who all powered home runs in a 4-2 win over LA.

For 20-year veteran McCovey, it was the 499th HR of his career, an eighth inning solo shot off Dodgers reliever Rick Sutcliffe that gave the Giants a late two-run lead, and prompted cheers—as well as some confusion—among fans and players alike. “I knew I had two more to go,” said McCovey, “and when I looked up and saw the scoreboard flashing a big 500, I thought maybe I’d forgotten one.”

To read a more in-depth recap of the game and to make comments, click here.