September 11, 1974: The 25-inning Marathon

From The Met Wiki

Date: September 11, 1974

Mets starter: Jerry Koosman

Mets: 3

Cardinals: 4

Winning pitcher: Sonny Siebert

Key player(s): Ken Reitz

Key play: Ken Reitz's two-run homer in the 9th, Hank Webb's error in the 25th

The Mets faced the Cardinals in a Wednesday night game late in a dismal season. Only 13,460 fans showed up at Shea Stadium to see Jerry Koosman face Bob Forsch in a matchup of Eastern Division teams. Very few of them would be around to see the end of the game, which lasted 7 hours and 4 minutes. On an unearned run in the 25th inning, the Cardinals came up with a 4-3 win.

Each team scored in the first inning. Joe Torre's single off Koosman scored Ted Sizemore for a 1-0 St. Louis lead. The Mets answered in the bottom half of the inning on John Milner's two-out double to score Cleon Jones and tie the game.

In the fifth inning, the Mets took a 3-1 lead. Felix Millan led off with a single off Forsch and Jones followed with a two-run homer to put the Mets in front.

In the top of the ninth, Koosman was one out away from a complete game win. Ken Reitz stepped up to the plate and hit a two-run homer to tie the game, sending it to extra innings.

Neither the Mets nor the Cardinals were able to break the tie. A total of nine relief pichers kept each team scoreless for the next 15 innings. Jerry Cram contributed eight innings of shutout pitching for the Mets while Claude Osteen chipped in nine and one-third innings for the Cards without allowing a run.

Finally, in the 25th, Hank Webb was called in to pitch for the Mets. With Bake McBride on first and Reitz at bat, Webb made a pick off throw that got by Milner. McBride came all the way around to score, giving St. Louis the lead. The Mets failed to score in the bottom of the inning and the Cardinals had the win.

Notes

• The length of the game enabled the Mets to set team records for runners left on base (25), at-bats in a game (89) and plate appearances in a game (103). Dave Schneck set an individual record with 11 at-bats.
• Bruce Boisclair made his Major League debut in this game, pinch-running for Duffy Dyer in the 23rd.
• Jones' home run in the fifth inning was the last one of his career.