July 25, 1964: Stallard Pitches 3-Hit Shutout
From The Met Wiki
| Date: July 25, 1964 |
| Mets starter: Tracy Stallard |
| Mets: 10 |
| Braves: 0 |
| Winning pitcher: Tracy Stallard |
| Key player(s): Tracy Stallard, Joe Christopher, George Altman |
| Key play: Christopher's home run, Mets' 6-run 5th |
The Mets played the Braves on the first ever Old Timer's Day at Shea Stadium. Following the pre-game festivities, the Mets gave the Milwaukee team an old-fashioned beating. Tracy Stallard pitched a three-hitter as the Mets came away with a 10-0 win.
Stallard held the Braves hitless through the first three innings of the game. Tracy walked two batters, but recorded a double play ground ball after each one. Meanwhile, the Mets took a 2-0 lead on Joe Christopher's homer after a single by Tim Harkness in the bottom of the first.
Stallard shut down Milwaukee on one hit in the fourth and fifth innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Tracy got a bunt single with two out off Milwaukee starter Tony Cloninger. Harkness followed with a double that brought home Stallard for the Mets' third run of the game. Christopher walked and George Altman singled to score Harkness. Cloninger was then relieved by Chi-Chi Olivo.
Larry Elliot drew a walk from Olivo to load the bases for the Mets. Jesse Gonder hit a single that scored Christopher and Altman. After a walk to Charley Smith reloaded the bases, Roy McMillan singled to bring home Elliot and Gonder for an 8-0 Met lead. Milwaukee reliever Bob Sadowski then got Rod Kanehl on an infield pop-up to end the inning.
Stallard retired the Braves in order in the top of the sixth inning. In the bottom half, Harkness singled and Altman homered off the Braves' Cecil Butler for two more Met runs. Milwaukee got two bunt singles off Stallard in the top of the seventh, but Tracy got Ed Bailey for an inning-ending double play to keep them scoreless. Stallard then pitched a perfect top of the eighth.
The Braves went down in order again in the top of the ninth inning. The Mets had a victory on Stallard's complete game shutout. The crowd at Shea went home happy after seeing the players of the past and the Mets win in a rout.
