August 23, 1964: Kranepool's Single Wins DH Opener
From The Met Wiki
| Date: August 23, 1964 |
| Mets starter: Galen Cisco |
| Mets: 2 |
| Cubs: 1 |
| Winning pitcher: Willard Hunter |
| Key player(s): Ed Kranepool, George Altman |
| Key play: Kranepool’s single in 10th |
The Mets faced the Cubs in a doubleheader on a Sunday afternoon. The teams went into extra innings in the opener at Shea Stadium. The Mets came away with a 2-1 win on Ed Kranepool’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the tenth.
Galen Cisco and Chicago’s Bob Buhl each pitched two scoreless innings to start the game. In the top of the third, the Cubs were set down in order by Cisco. Bobby Klaus got a one-out single and went to third base on an ensuing single by Ron Hunt in the bottom half. Joe Christopher hit a sacrifice fly to score Klaus and give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Kranepool then popped out to second baseman Joe Amalfitano to end the inning.
Following a scoreless fourth inning, the Mets made three errors that put Cubs runners on second and third with none out in the top of the fifth. Buhl grounded out to third baseman Klaus and a foul pop-up by Amalfitano was caught by first baseman Kranepool. Cisco pitched out of the jam without a run by getting Doug Clemens for an inning-ending pop-up to shortstop Roy McMillan. In the bottom half, the Mets had runners on first and third with one out. The chance to score was thwarted when Hunt grounded into a double play. Cisco shut down Chicago in the top of the sixth. Buhl then retired the Mets 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Pinch-hitter Len Gabrielson doubled to lead off the top of the seventh. Gabrielson advanced to third on pinch-hitter Vic Roznovsky’s ground out to second baseman Hunt. A sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Jimmy Stewart scored Gabrielson to tie the game for Chicago. Cisco threw a called third strike past Buhl for the third out of the inning. Buhl then pitched a perfect bottom half.
After a scoreless eighth, Mets’ reliever Larry Bearnarth shut down the Cubs in the top of the ninth inning. Jim Hickman singled to begin the bottom half and went to second on Charley Smith’s sacrifice bunt. Chris Cannizzaro followed with a line out to right fielder Clemens. Pinch-hitter Jesse Gonder hit a ground ball to Amalfitano for the third out. Against reliever Bill Wakefield in the top of the 10th, Buhl singled with one out and Amalfitano drew a walk. Willard Hunter came in to pitch for the Mets and got pinch-hitter Leo Burke to foul out to Klaus. Hunter then retired Billy Williams on a grounder to Hunt for the final out of the inning.
George Altman led off the bottom of the 10th with a double to right field. Klaus grounded out to Amalfitano to move Altman to third. Lee Gregory came in to relieve Buhl and issued intentional walks to Hunt and Christopher. Batting with the bases loaded, Kranepool singled to left field to score Altman and end the game. The Mets had an extra-inning victory to begin the doubleheader.
