Bud Harrelson's two-run fourth-inning double carried the Mets to a 3-2 opening day triumph over the Expos. The decisive blow followed an error by third baseman Larry Parrish on Del Unser's grounder and a walk to Jerry Grote. Tom Seaver, pitching his ninth consecutive season opener, was credited with the victory, his fifth against four no-decisions in season-opening assignments. [The Sporting News]



New York Mets 3, Montreal Expos 2
Game Played on Friday, April     9, 1976 (Day game) at Shea Stadium
Expos        0  0  1    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   2  8  2
Mets         0  1  0    2  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  4  1


Expos                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Mangual cf            4   1   1   0     1   3   .250      Garrett 3b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Biittner lf           4   1   1   0     0   1   .250      Millan 2b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Jorgensen 1b          4   0   3   1     0   1   .750      Kranepool 1b          3   0   0   0     1   1   .000
Parrish 3b            4   0   2   1     0   1   .500      Kingman rf            4   0   0   0     0   3   .000
Foote c               4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Milner lf             4   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Carter rf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .250        Boisclair lf        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Mackanin 2b           3   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Unser cf              4   2   2   0     0   0   .500
Foli ss               4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Grote c               2   1   1   1     1   0   .500
Rogers p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Harrelson ss          3   0   1   2     0   0   .333
  Dwyer ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Seaver p              2   0   0   0     1   1   .000
  Scherman p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Lockwood p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Morales ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               35   2   8   2     1  11             Totals               29   3   4   3     3   8

Time of Game: 2:35   Attendance: 17,013
Left on Base: Expos 8, Mets 6
DP: Expos 1, Mets 1
Errors: Biittner, Parrish, Kingman
Doubles: Jorgensen (1), Mangual (1), Harrelson (1)
Triples: Unser (1)
Stolen Bases: Kingman (1), Unser (1)
GIDP: Mackanin (1)
Hit by Pitch: Mackanin (1,by Seaver), Millan (1,by Rogers)


Expos                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Rogers L(0-1)           6     4   3   2   3   6   0  27   3.00
Scherman                2     0   0   0   0   2   0   6   0.00
Totals                  8     4   3   2   3   8   0  33

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Seaver W(1-0)           7     5   1   1   1   8   0  28   1.29
Lockwood SV(1)          2     3   1   1   0   3   0   9   4.50
Totals                  9     8   2   2   1  11   0  37

Hit by Pitch: Rogers (1), Seaver (1)
Wild Pitches: Seaver (1)

Umpires: HP - Doug Harvey, 1B - John Kibler, 2B - Frank Pulli, 3B - Terry Tata


EXPOS 1ST: Mangual was called out on strikes; Biittner was
called out on strikes; Jorgensen doubled to left; Seaver threw a
wild pitch [Jorgensen to third]; Parrish struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Expos 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: Garrett was called out on strikes; Millan was hit by a
pitch; Kranepool walked [Millan to second]; Kingman forced
Kranepool (third to second) [Millan to third]; Kingman stole
second; Milner flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Expos
0, Mets 0.

EXPOS 2ND: Foote flied out to right; Carter singled to left;
Mackanin was hit by a pitch [Carter to second]; Foli made an out
to shortstop; Rogers was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Expos 0, Mets 0.

METS 2ND: Unser tripled to right; Grote singled to third [Unser
scored]; Harrelson grounded out (shortstop to first) [Grote to
second]; Seaver walked; Garrett reached on an error by Biittner
[Grote to third, Seaver to second]; Millan hit into a double
play (right to catcher) [Grote out at home]; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2
LOB.  Expos 0, Mets 1.

EXPOS 3RD: Mangual doubled to left; Biittner flied out to left;
Jorgensen singled to right [Mangual scored]; Parrish flied out
to center; Foote flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Expos 1, Mets 1.

METS 3RD: Kranepool grounded out (second to first); Kingman
struck out; Milner was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Expos 1, Mets 1.

EXPOS 4TH: Carter struck out; Mackanin lined to right; Foli
popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Expos 1, Mets 1.

METS 4TH: Unser reached on an error by Parrish; Unser stole
second; Grote walked; Harrelson doubled to left [Unser scored
(unearned), Grote scored]; Seaver popped to catcher in foul
territory; Garrett flied out to center; Millan made an out to
second; 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1, Mets 3.

EXPOS 5TH: Rogers grounded out (first unassisted); Mangual
walked; Biittner lined to right; Jorgensen was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1, Mets 3.

METS 5TH: Kranepool struck out; Kingman struck out; Milner lined
to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 1, Mets 3.

EXPOS 6TH: Parrish singled to center; Foote reached on an error
by Kingman [Parrish to second]; Carter flied out to right;
Mackanin grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Foote out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1,
Mets 3.

METS 6TH: Unser singled to center; Grote flied out to left;
Harrelson lined to left; Seaver was called out on strikes; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1, Mets 3.

EXPOS 7TH: Foli made an out to second; DWYER BATTED FOR ROGERS;
Dwyer struck out; Mangual struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Expos 1, Mets 3.

METS 7TH: SCHERMAN REPLACED DWYER (PITCHING); Garrett made an
out to third; Millan grounded out (third to first); Kranepool
lined to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 1, Mets 3.

EXPOS 8TH: LOCKWOOD REPLACED SEAVER (PITCHING); Biittner singled
to left; Jorgensen singled to left [Biittner to second]; Parrish
singled to left [Biittner scored, Jorgensen to second]; Foote
struck out; Carter made an out to second; Mackanin flied to left
in foul territory; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Expos 2, Mets 3.

METS 8TH: Kingman was called out on strikes; Milner struck out;
Unser lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 2, Mets 3.

EXPOS 9TH: BOISCLAIR REPLACED MILNER (PLAYING LF); Foli struck
out; MORALES BATTED FOR SCHERMAN; Morales flied out to right;
Mangual was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos
2, Mets 3.