June 22, 1962: Al Jackson's One-Hitter

From The Met Wiki

Date: June 22, 1962

Mets starter: Al Jackson

Mets: 2

Colt .45s: 0

Winning pitcher: Al Jackson

Key player(s): Al Jackson, Richie Ashburn

Key play: Jackson’s strikeout of Warwick in 1st, Ashburn’s home run

In the first game of a twi-night doubleheader, the Mets had Al Jackson on the mound to face the Houston Colt .45s at the Polo Grounds. Jackson turned in the Mets’ best pitched game of their inaugural season with a one-hit shutout. The Mets won, 2-0.

The Colt .45s started the game with a first inning scoring chance. Joey Amalfitano singled and Norm Larker walked to bring up Carl Warwick. Jackson struck out Warwick for the third out and then retired Houston 1-2-3 in each of the next seven innings.

The Mets got off to a 1-0 lead on Richie Ashburn’s home run off the Colts’ Turk Farrell to start the bottom of the first. Farrell also gave up a fifth inning single to Sammy Taylor and a single to Felix Mantilla in the sixth for the only other Mets’ hits of the game. Mantilla’s hit brought home Ashburn from second base for the Mets’ second run.

Pidge Brown pinch-hit for Farrell to begin the ninth for Houston. Brown walked to end Jackson’s string of 22 consecutive batters retired. Al then got Bob Lillis to fly out and struck out Amalfitano and Roman Mejias to end the ball game. The Mets had a victory and the first one-hitter in their history.