The Mets scored two runs in the first inning with the aid of an error by Bob Gibson and defeated the Cardinals, 2-1. Bud Harrelson led off with a pop double and when Felix Millan bunted, Gibson bobbled the ball. John Milner singled to score Harrelson. After Rusty Staub rolled out, Cleon Jones hit a sacrifice fly to produce what proved to be the winning run.

Jose Cruz homered in the seventh for the Cardinals' run off Tom Seaver, who needed help from Phil Hennigan to preserve his victory. Hennigan retired Cruz on a pop fly after taking over with two men on base in the eighth. [The Sporting News]



New York Mets 2, St. Louis Cardinals 1
Game Played on Thursday, April     12, 1973 (Day game) at Busch Stadium II
Mets         2  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  6  1
Cardinals    0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  5  2


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Harrelson ss          5   1   2   0     0   0   .313      Brock lf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .318
Millan 2b             3   1   0   0     0   1   .267      Sizemore 2b           3   0   1   0     1   1   .250
Milner 1b             4   0   1   1     0   1   .385      J. Cruz cf            4   1   1   1     0   0   .333
Staub rf              3   0   0   0     1   0   .154      Torre 1b              4   0   1   0     0   1   .444
Jones lf              2   0   0   1     1   0   .308      Simmons c             3   0   1   0     1   0   .118
Garrett 3b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Reitz 3b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .111
Chiles cf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .125      Carbo rf              3   0   0   0     0   2   .143
Dyer c                4   0   0   0     0   3   .071      Busse ss              2   0   0   0     0   1   .059
Seaver p              3   0   1   0     0   2   .250        McCarver ph         1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000
  Hennigan p          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Tyson ss            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                          Gibson p              3   0   0   0     0   2   .000

Totals               33   2   6   2     2   7             Totals               31   1   5   1     2   7

Time of Game: 1:51   Attendance:  6,356
Left on Base: Mets 8, Cardinals 5
DP: Mets 1, Cardinals 0
Errors: Garrett, Busse, Gibson
Doubles: Harrelson (1), Chiles (1), Sizemore (1), Simmons (1)
Home Runs: J. Cruz (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Millan (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Jones (1)
GIDP: Simmons (2)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Seaver W(2-0)           7.2   4   1   1   2   7   1  29   0.59
Hennigan SV(2)          1.1   1   0   0   0   0   0   4   0.00
Totals                  9     5   1   1   2   7   1  33

Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Gibson L(0-1)           9     6   2   1   2   7   0  37   2.76
Totals                  9     6   2   1   2   7   0  37

Passed Balls: Simmons (4)

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - Satch Davidson, 2B - Harry Wendelstedt, 3B - Augie Donatelli


METS 1ST: Harrelson doubled; Millan reached on an error by
Gibson on a sacrifice bunt [Harrelson to third]; Milner singled
[Harrelson scored, Millan to third]; Staub grounded out (first
unassisted) [Milner to second]; Jones hit a sacrifice fly to
left [Millan scored (unearned), Milner to third]; Garrett flied
out to left; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 1ST: Brock grounded out (shortstop to first); Sizemore
struck out; J. Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

METS 2ND: Chiles grounded out (second to first); Dyer struck
out; Seaver singled; Simmons allowed a passed ball [Seaver to
second]; Harrelson flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Torre grounded out (second to first); Simmons
walked; Garrett dropped a foul fly hit by Reitz for an error;
Reitz flied out to right; Carbo struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

METS 3RD: Millan grounded out (second to first); Milner was
called out on strikes; Staub walked; Jones forced Staub (second
to shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 3RD: Busse was called out on strikes; Gibson popped to
first in foul territory; Brock grounded out (pitcher to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

METS 4TH: Garrett grounded out (second to first); Chiles
doubled; Dyer was called out on strikes; Seaver struck out; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 4TH: Sizemore doubled; J. Cruz flied out to center
[Sizemore to third]; Torre lined to second; Simmons flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

METS 5TH: Harrelson singled; Millan forced Harrelson (shortstop
unassisted); Milner popped to third; Staub flied out to center;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 5TH: Reitz grounded out (third to first); Carbo struck
out; Busse grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

METS 6TH: Jones grounded out (catcher to first); Garrett
singled; Chiles popped to third in foul territory; Dyer popped
to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2,
Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 6TH: Gibson was called out on strikes; Brock grounded
out (shortstop to first); Sizemore grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 0.

METS 7TH: Seaver struck out; Harrelson flied out to center;
Millan was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2,
Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 7TH: J. Cruz homered; Torre struck out; Simmons
doubled; Reitz grounded out (third to first) [Simmons to third];
Carbo flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2,
Cardinals 1.

METS 8TH: Milner grounded out (second to first); Staub reached
on an error by Busse; Jones walked [Staub to second]; Garrett
flied out to center; Chiles grounded out (second to pitcher); 0
R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 1.

CARDINALS 8TH: MCCARVER BATTED FOR BUSSE; McCarver singled; On a
bunt Gibson struck out; Brock flied out to center; Sizemore
walked [McCarver to second]; HENNIGAN REPLACED SEAVER
(PITCHING); J. Cruz popped to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Mets 2, Cardinals 1.

METS 9TH: TYSON REPLACED MCCARVER (PLAYING SS); Dyer struck out;
Hennigan grounded out (pitcher to first); Harrelson grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 1.

CARDINALS 9TH: Torre singled; Simmons grounded into a double
play (shortstop to first) [Torre out at second]; Reitz flied out
to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Cardinals 1.