July 12, 1972: Matlack Shuts Out Giants
From The Met Wiki
| Date: July 12, 1972 |
| Mets starter: Jon Matlack |
| Mets: 4 |
| Giants: 0 |
| Winning pitcher: Jon Matlack |
| Key player(s): Jon Matlack, Bud Harrelson |
| Key play: Harrelson's two-run triple |
The Mets and Giants faced each other on a Wednesday afternoon at Shea Stadium. Hoping to avoid a sweep of the three-game series, the Mets had Jon Matlack on the mound. Matlack came through with a four-hit shutout as the Mets defeated San Francisco, 4-0.
In the first two innings, the Mets got three runs against Giants' starter Sam McDowell. Three consecutive walks were followed by Jim Fregosi's double play grounder on which Bud Harrelson scored in the bottom of the first. In the second, Wayne Garrett drew a two-out walk and Matlack singled before Harrelson hit a triple to make it a 3-0 Mets lead.
Matlack got Bobby Bonds on an inning-ending double play in the third inning and struck out Willie McCovey and Dave Kingman to end the fourth. In the fifth, the Giants had runners at second and third base with one out before Jon struck out pinch-hitter Chris Arnold and got Bonds to ground out. Matlack then retired all six San Francisco batters in the sixth and seventh innings.
In the bottom of the seventh, Willie Mays got a one-out single off Giants' reliever Frank Reberger. After the second out, Duffy Dyer was hit by a pitch. Bill Sudakis singled to score Mays with the Mets' fourth run of the game. Reberger then struck out Jerry Grote to end the inning.
Matlack struck out Bonds to finish off a perfect top of the eighth. In the ninth, he retired the first two batters and got McCovey on a called third strike to end the game. The Mets had a win on Jon's second shutout of the season.
