On the verge of what could have been a damaging defeat, the Pirates rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to beat the Mets, 4-3. The Mets counted twice in the first when Don Hahn was safe on an error by Richie Hebner, Felix Millan doubled and Cleon Jones singled. Consecutive singles by Millan, Rusty Staub and Jones made it 3-0 in the seventh. The Pirates came back with a run in their half on a single by Art Howe, forceout by Gene Clines and double by Ken Macha.

In the ninth, Howe walked, leading to the exit of Ray Sadecki. Tug McGraw, relieving, uncorked a wild pitch before striking out Dave Parker. Paul Popovich, pinch-hitting for Ramon Hernandez, singled, Howe stopping at third. Rennie Stennett singled, scoring Howe, sending Popovich to third and knocking out McGraw. After Harry Parker took over, Stennett took second on a passed ball. Manny Sanguillen grounded to Ted Martinez, who threw to third, but Stennett was safe on the fielder's choice as Popovich scored.

The Mets then walked Al Oliver intentionally to load the bases. Willie Stargell followed with a grounder to John Milner, who made an error in judgment, stepping on first before throwing home. As a result of that brief delay, the throw home was too late to catch Stennett, who scored the winning run. [The Sporting News]



Pittsburgh Pirates 4, New York Mets 3
Game Played on Friday, September 20, 1974 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium
Mets         2  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   3  9  1
Pirates      0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  3  -   4  7  1


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Hahn cf               5   1   0   0     0   0   .252      Stennett 2b           5   1   1   1     0   0   .285
Millan 2b             5   2   3   1     0   0   .264      Sanguillen c          5   0   0   1     0   1   .277
Staub rf              3   0   1   0     2   1   .265      Oliver cf             3   0   0   0     1   0   .316
Jones lf              4   0   2   2     0   0   .283      Stargell lf           5   0   0   1     0   2   .310
Milner 1b             3   0   1   0     1   0   .255      Zisk rf               3   0   2   0     1   0   .319
Dyer c                4   0   0   0     0   1   .224      Robertson 1b          4   0   0   0     0   1   .234
Martinez ss           4   0   0   0     0   1   .212      Hebner 3b             0   0   0   0     0   0   .301
Garrett 3b            4   0   1   0     0   1   .215        Howe 3b             2   1   1   0     2   0   .262
Sadecki p             4   0   1   0     0   0   .259      Taveras ss            2   0   1   0     0   0   .250
  McGraw p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .077        Clines ph           1   1   0   0     0   0   .221
  Parker p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Mendoza ss          0   0   0   0     0   0   .231
                                                            Parker ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .297
                                                          Brett p               2   0   0   0     0   0   .302
                                                            Macha ph            1   0   1   1     0   0   .667
                                                            Dilone pr           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Hernandez p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .333
                                                            Popovich ph         1   1   1   0     0   0   .211

Totals               36   3   9   3     3   4             Totals               35   4   7   4     4   5

Time of Game: 2:29   Attendance: 11,683
Left on Base: Mets 9, Pirates 10
DP: Mets 0, Pirates 1
Errors: Sadecki, Hebner
Doubles: Millan (13), Zisk (30), Macha (1)
GIDP: Hahn (9)
Hit by Pitch: Oliver (5,by Sadecki)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Sadecki                 8     5   2   2   3   4   0  34   3.41
McGraw L(6-10)          0.1   2   2   1   0   1   0   3   3.83
Parker                  0.1   0   0   0   1   0   0   3   3.69
Totals                  8.2   7   4   3   4   5   0  40

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Brett                   7     8   3   2   3   3   0  32   2.93
Hernandez W(4-2)        2     1   0   0   0   1   0   7   2.77
Totals                  9     9   3   2   3   4   0  39

Passed Balls: Dyer (3)
Hit by Pitch: Sadecki (2)
Wild Pitches: McGraw (4)

Umpires: HP - Paul Runge, 1B - Ed Vargo, 2B - Andy Olsen, 3B - Bruce Froemming


METS 1ST: Hahn reached on an error by Hebner; Millan doubled to
left [Hahn scored (unearned)]; Staub flied to right [Millan to
third]; Jones singled to center [Millan scored]; Milner singled
to right [Jones to second]; Dyer struck out; Martinez struck
out; 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 2, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Stennett lined to left; Sanguillen flied to left;
Oliver flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Pirates 0.

METS 2ND: HOWE REPLACED HEBNER (PLAYING 3B); Garrett grounded
out (first unassisted); Sadecki popped to pitcher; Hahn popped
to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Stargell struck out; Zisk walked; Robertson flied
to left; Howe flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2,
Pirates 0.

METS 3RD: Millan popped to shortstop; Staub walked; Jones forced
Staub (shortstop to second); Milner popped to second in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Taveras singled to center; Brett forced Taveras
(second to shortstop); Stennett flied to right; Sanguillen
popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets
2, Pirates 0.

METS 4TH: Dyer grounded out (shortstop to first); Martinez
grounded out (second to first); Garrett struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 4TH: Oliver lined to shortstop; Stargell struck out;
Zisk singled to center; Robertson was called out on strikes; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Pirates 0.

METS 5TH: Sadecki singled to right; Hahn grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Sadecki out at second];
Millan singled to shortstop; Staub walked [Millan to second];
Jones flied to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 2, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 5TH: Howe walked; Taveras popped to second; Brett flied
to right; Stennett flied to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets
2, Pirates 0.

METS 6TH: Milner walked; Dyer grounded out (second to first)
[Milner to second]; Martinez popped to shortstop; Garrett
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets
2, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 6TH: Sanguillen struck out; Oliver was hit by a pitch;
Stargell flied to center; Zisk doubled to left [Oliver to
third]; Robertson popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets
2, Pirates 0.

METS 7TH: Sadecki popped to first in foul territory; Hahn
grounded out (pitcher to first); Millan singled to center; Staub
singled to right [Millan to second]; Jones singled to center
[Millan scored, Staub to second]; Milner lined to second; 1 R, 3
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 3, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 7TH: Howe singled to left; CLINES BATTED FOR TAVERAS;
Clines forced Howe (shortstop to second); MACHA BATTED FOR
BRETT; Macha doubled to left [Clines scored]; DILONE RAN FOR
MACHA; Stennett popped to first in foul territory; Sanguillen
flied to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 3, Pirates 1.

METS 8TH: MENDOZA REPLACED CLINES (PLAYING SS); HERNANDEZ
REPLACED DILONE (PITCHING); Dyer grounded out (shortstop to
first); Martinez grounded out (first unassisted); Garrett
singled to center; Sadecki grounded out (second to first); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 3, Pirates 1.

PIRATES 8TH: Oliver grounded out (first to pitcher); Stargell
grounded out (second to first); Zisk reached on an error by
Sadecki; Robertson grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E,
1 LOB.  Mets 3, Pirates 1.

METS 9TH: Hahn grounded out (second to first); Millan grounded
out (second to first); Staub struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Mets 3, Pirates 1.

PIRATES 9TH: Howe walked; PARKER BATTED FOR MENDOZA; MCGRAW
REPLACED SADECKI (PITCHING); McGraw threw a wild pitch [Howe to
second]; Parker struck out; POPOVICH BATTED FOR HERNANDEZ;
Popovich singled to left [Howe to third]; Stennett singled to
center [Howe scored, Popovich to third]; PARKER REPLACED MCGRAW
(PITCHING); Dyer allowed a passed ball [Stennett to second];
Sanguillen reached on a fielder's choice [Popovich scored,
Stennett to third]; Oliver was walked intentionally [Sanguillen
to second]; Stargell grounded out (first unassisted) [Stennett
scored (unearned), Sanguillen to third, Oliver to second]; 3 R
(2 ER), 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 3, Pirates 4.