July 12, 1964: Lary Stifles Reds for Sweep
From The Met Wiki
| Date: July 12, 1964 |
| Mets starter: Frank Lary |
| Mets: 5 |
| Reds: 1 |
| Winning pitcher: Frank Lary |
| Key player(s): Frank Lary, Ron Hunt, Larry Elliot |
| Key play: Hunt’s home run in 1st, Elliott’s single in 2nd, Hunt’s single in 4th |
The Mets and Reds squared off in a doubleheader at Shea Stadium on a Sunday afternoon. After winning the opener, the Mets aimed for a sweep in the second game of the twinbill. Frank Lary pitched all nine innings to record his first win as a Met in the team’s 5-1 victory over Cincinnati.
Lary set down the Reds in order in the top of the first inning. With one out in the bottom half, Ron Hunt homered for a 1-0 Mets lead. Cincinnati starter Bob Purkey retired Frank Thomas on a fly ball to center fielder Vada Pinson and threw out George Altman on a bunt attempt to end the inning. Lary pitched a scoreless top of the second and the Mets loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom half. Larry Elliot singled to drive home Joe Christopher and Jesse Gonder, increasing the Mets’ lead to three runs. Purkey then got Hunt on an inning-ending force play grounder to shortstop Leo Cardenas.
Following a scoreless third inning, Pete Rose and Marty Keough got back-to-back singles to begin the top of the fourth. Lary struck out Pinson and retired Frank Robinson on a line drive to shortstop Roy McMillan. Lary fanned Deron Johnson for the third out and Charley Smith got a one-out single in the bottom of the inning. McMillan singled and Lary’s sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third base. Elliot was given an intentional walk to load the bases. Hunt hit a single to center field to score Smith and McMillan with the Mets’ fourth and fifth runs. On Hunt’s hit, Elliot was caught at third on a throw from Pinson to third baseman Steve Boros for the final out of the inning.
Lary and Purkey each pitched a scoreless fifth inning. In the top of the sixth, the Reds were held to a two-out single by Keough in being shut down. Jesse Gonder opened the bottom half with a double off Cincinnati reliever Ryne Duren. Smith singled to send Gonder to third base and moved to second on McMillan’s ground out to Boros. Duren struck out Lary and retired Elliot on a line drive to left fielder Robinson to end the inning. Johnson hit a home run with one out in the top of the seventh. Johnny Edwards got an infield single and Cardenas flied out to left fielder Altman. Lary threw out Boros on a bunt attempt to finish off the inning. Duren then limited the Mets to a leadoff single by Hunt in a scoreless bottom half.
Lary pitched a scoreless top of the eighth. Gonder and Smith got back-to-back singles off Reds’ reliever Bill Henry to start the bottom of the inning. McMillan hit a ground ball to Boros for a double play and Henry retired Lary on another grounder to Boros for the third out. Robinson flied out to right fielder Christopher to lead off the top of the ninth. Johnson followed with a fly out to center fielder Elliot. Lary then got Edwards on a line drive to Christopher that ended the game. The Mets had a sweep of the doubleheader.
