Dave Kingman and Joe Torre, both making their first appearances in a Mets' uniform, batted Tom Seaver to a 2-1 victory over the Phillies in a duel with Steve Carlton before a crowd of 18,527 fans, who turned out for the Shea Stadium opener in chilly, 45-degree weather. Seaver, starting his comeback from a disappointing 11-11 record last season, yielded six hits in triumphing over Carlton for the sixth time in six career meetings. Carlton gave up only four hits.

Kingman, playing right field, was guilty of a poor defensive play that enabled the Phillies to score their run in the third inning. Bob Boone walked and was on second with two out when Dave Cash lined to right-center. Kingman let the ball bounce off his glove, Cash getting credit for a double as Boone scored. Kingman made up for his faux pas by smashing a homer to tie the score in the fourth. The pitching duel then continued until the ninth when Felix Millan singled, John Milner walked and Joe Torre singled to drive in the winning run. [The Sporting News]



New York Mets 2, Philadelphia Phillies 1
Game Played on Tuesday, April     8, 1975 (Day game) at Shea Stadium
Phillies     0  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  6  1
Mets         0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  1  -   2  4  1


Phillies             AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Cash 2b               3   0   2   1     1   0   .667      Clines lf             3   0   0   0     1   0   .000
Bowa ss               4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Millan 2b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .250
Montanez 1b           4   0   0   0     0   2   .000      Milner 1b             3   0   0   0     1   2   .000
Luzinski lf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Torre 3b              4   0   1   1     0   1   .250
Schmidt 3b            4   0   0   0     0   3   .000      Kingman rf            3   1   1   1     0   1   .333
Anderson rf           3   0   0   0     0   2   .000      Grote c               3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Johnstone ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Unser cf              3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Hahn rf             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Harrelson ss          3   0   1   0     0   1   .333
Boone c               2   1   2   0     1   0  1.000      Seaver p              3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Harmon pr           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Cox c               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Bannister cf          2   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Carlton p             2   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               29   1   6   1     2   9             Totals               29   2   4   2     2   6

Time of Game: 2:02   Attendance: 18,527
Left on Base: Phillies 5, Mets 5
DP: Phillies 0, Mets 2
Errors: Bowa, Millan
Doubles: Cash (1), Boone (1), Luzinski (1), Harrelson (1)
Home Runs: Kingman (1)
Caught Stealing: Luzinski (1), Bowa (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Carlton (1), Bannister (1)


Phillies               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Carlton L(0-1)          8     4   2   2   2   6   1  31   2.25
Totals                  8     4   2   2   2   6   1  31

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Seaver W(1-0)           9     6   1   1   2   9   0  33   1.00
Totals                  9     6   1   1   2   9   0  33

Balks: Carlton (1)

Umpires: HP - Ed Sudol, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Andy Olsen, 3B - Terry Tata


PHILLIES 1ST: Cash singled to center; Bowa lined into a double
play (shortstop unassisted) [Cash out at second]; Montanez flied
out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: Clines walked; Carlton balked [Clines to second];
Millan grounded out (second to first) [Clines to third]; Milner
flied out to center; Torre grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 0, Mets 0.

PHILLIES 2ND: Luzinski flied out to center; Schmidt was called
out on strikes; Anderson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Phillies 0, Mets 0.

METS 2ND: Kingman struck out; Grote grounded out (shortstop to
first); Unser grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Phillies 0, Mets 0.

PHILLIES 3RD: Boone walked; Bannister was called out on strikes;
Carlton out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Boone to
second]; Cash doubled to right [Boone scored]; Bowa grounded out
(pitcher to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 0.

METS 3RD: Harrelson doubled to left; Seaver struck out; Clines
grounded out (pitcher to first); Millan flied out to center; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 0.

PHILLIES 4TH: Montanez struck out; Luzinski reached on an error
by Millan [Luzinski to first]; Schmidt struck out while Luzinski
was caught stealing second (catcher to second); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0
LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 0.

METS 4TH: Milner struck out; Torre was called out on strikes;
Kingman homered; Grote grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 1.

PHILLIES 5TH: Anderson flied out to center; Boone doubled to
right; Bannister struck out; Carlton flied out to center; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 1.

METS 5TH: Unser grounded out (catcher to first); Harrelson flied
out to center; Seaver flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Phillies 1, Mets 1.

PHILLIES 6TH: Cash lined to third; Bowa singled to center; Bowa
was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Montanez
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 1.

METS 6TH: Clines grounded out (pitcher to first); Millan
grounded out (shortstop to first); Milner struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 1.

PHILLIES 7TH: Luzinski popped to shortstop; Schmidt struck out;
Anderson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 1.

METS 7TH: Torre flied out to right; Kingman lined to left; Grote
reached on an error by Bowa [Grote to first]; Unser grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 1.

PHILLIES 8TH: Boone singled to center; HARMON RAN FOR BOONE;
Bannister out on a sacrifice bunt (first unassisted) [Harmon to
second]; Carlton flied out to center; Cash was walked
intentionally; Bowa flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Phillies 1, Mets 1.

METS 8TH: COX REPLACED HARMON (PLAYING C ); Harrelson struck
out; Seaver grounded out (third to first); Clines flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 1.

PHILLIES 9TH: Montanez grounded out (first to pitcher); Luzinski
doubled to center; Schmidt popped to shortstop; JOHNSTONE BATTED
FOR ANDERSON; Johnstone grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Mets 1.

METS 9TH: HAHN REPLACED JOHNSTONE (PLAYING RF); Millan singled
to right; Milner walked [Millan to second]; Torre singled to
left [Millan scored, Milner to third]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Phillies 1, Mets 2.