September 1, 1964: Jackson Six-Hits Giants
From The Met Wiki
| Date: September 1, 1964 |
| Mets starter: Al Jackson |
| Mets: 4 |
| Giants: 1 |
| Winning pitcher: Al Jackson |
| Key player(s): Al Jackson, Ron Hunt, Bobby Klaus, Joe Christopher |
| Key play: Hunt’s home run, Klaus’s RBI single, Christopher’s double |
The Mets faced the Giants on a Tuesday night at Shea Stadium. The game was played in front of 39,379 fans on hand. Al Jackson pitched a complete game as the Mets defeated San Francisco, 4-1.
Jackson retired the Giants in order in the top of the first inning. In the bottom half, Ron Hunt homered off San Francisco starter Bob Hendley for the first run of the game. Joe Christopher struck out and Jim Hickman drew a walk. Hendley fanned Charley Smith for the third out of the inning. Jackson set down the Giants 1-2-3 in the top of the second. Hendley then pitched a perfect bottom half.
From the third inning to the sixth, Jackson and Hendley each hurled scoreless ball. Al yielded singles to Del Crandall and Matty Alou and recorded outs on all other San Francisco batters. The Mets were limited to four singles and a walk in being shut down by Hendley. The Giants’ lefthander also recorded three strikeouts over the four-inning stint.
Jackson pitched a perfect top of the seventh inning. Ed Kranepool and Roy McMillan began the bottom half with back-to-back singles. Jackson struck out and a single by Bobby Klaus drove home Kranepool to increase the Mets’ lead to 2-0. San Francisco reliever John Pregenzer walked Hunt intentionally to load the bases. Christopher doubled to score McMillan and Klaus for two more New York runs. Hickman hit into a double play to end the inning. Jackson then pitched a scoreless top of the eighth despite singles by Jose Pagan and Crandall.
History was made in the bottom of the eighth inning. For the Giants, reliever Masanori Murakami entered to become the first Japanese-born player ever in a major league game. The Asian lefty threw a called third strike past Smith to start the inning. Chris Cannizzaro followed with a single to center field. Murakami fanned Kranepool for the second out. He then completed the inning by retiring McMillan on a ground ball to shortstop Pagan.
Hal Lanier opened the top of the ninth with a single to left field. Willie Mays drew a walk and Jim Ray Hart hit a grounder to shortstop McMillan for a double play. Orlando Cepeda singled to drive in Lanier from third base and end Jackson’s bid for a shutout. Al then got Jesus Alou to hit into a game-ending force play. The Mets had a victory on a six-hitter by Jackson.
