Willie Montanez rapped three hits, each time driving in Steve Henderson, to bat the Mets to a 3-2 victory over the Pirates. In the first inning, after Elliott Maddox singled and took second on a balk, Henderson hit a grounder that resulted in a rundown of Maddox. Henderson was able to reach second on the play and scored on a single by Montanez.

That pair clicked for another run in the third when Henderson tripled and Montanez singled. Then with the score tied, 2-2, Henderson and Montanez hit successive doubles in the eighth to produce the Mets' winning run. [The Sporting News]



New York Mets 3, Pittsburgh Pirates 2
Game Played on Friday, September 8, 1978 (Night game) at Shea Stadium
Pirates      0  1  1    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  8  0
Mets         1  0  1    0  0  0    0  1  x  -   3  9  0


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Taveras ss            5   0   2   0     0   0   .277      Mazzilli cf           4   0   0   0     0   0   .265
Moreno cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .234      Maddox 3b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .265
Parker rf             3   1   0   0     1   1   .315        Murray p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Stargell 1b           4   0   1   0     0   0   .292      S. Henderson lf       4   3   2   0     0   1   .277
  Alexander pr        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Montanez 1b           4   0   3   3     0   0   .259
  Berra 3b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .187      Stearns c             4   0   1   0     0   1   .265
Ott c                 4   0   1   1     0   0   .277      Boisclair rf          3   0   0   0     1   2   .225
B. Robinson 3b,lf     4   0   0   0     0   1   .242      Youngblood 2b         4   0   2   0     0   0   .248
Milner lf,1b          4   1   1   0     0   0   .272        Ferrer 2b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .100
Garner 2b             4   0   2   0     0   0   .270      Flynn ss              2   0   0   0     1   0   .235
Blyleven p            2   0   1   1     0   0   .137      Hausman p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .176
  Sanguillen ph       0   0   0   0     1   0   .264        Randle ph,3b        1   0   0   0     0   0   .240
  Lois pr             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               34   2   8   2     2   3             Totals               32   3   9   3     2   5

Time of Game: 2:13   Attendance:  4,749
Left on Base: Pirates 8, Mets 7
DP: Pirates 1, Mets 0
Doubles: Taveras (30), Youngblood (12), S. Henderson (27), Montanez (27)
Triples: S. Henderson (9)
Stolen Bases: Taveras (37), Youngblood (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Blyleven (7)
GIDP: Youngblood (3)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blyleven L(12-9)        8     9   3   3   2   5   0  34   3.09
Totals                  8     9   3   3   2   5   0  34

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hausman                 7     7   2   2   1   3   0  29   4.70
Murray W(8-5)           2     1   0   0   1   0   0   8   3.83
Totals                  9     8   2   2   2   3   0  37

Balks: Blyleven (2)

Umpires: HP - Jim Quick, 1B - Jerry Crawford, 2B - Doug Harvey, 3B - Andy Olsen


PIRATES 1ST: Taveras singled to center; Taveras stole second;
Moreno was called out on strikes; Parker struck out; Stargell
flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: Mazzilli grounded out (shortstop to first); Maddox
singled to center; Blyleven balked [Maddox to second]; S.
Henderson reached on a fielder's choice [Maddox out at third
(pitcher to shortstop to third), S. Henderson to second];
Montanez singled to left [S. Henderson scored]; Stearns was
called out on strikes; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Mets 1.

PIRATES 2ND: Ott flied out to center; B. Robinson grounded out
(second to first); Milner singled to right; Garner singled to
left [Milner to second]; Blyleven singled to left [Milner
scored, Garner to second]; Taveras grounded out (pitcher to
first); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 1, Mets 1.

METS 2ND: Boisclair was called out on strikes; Youngblood
doubled to left; Flynn walked; Hausman forced Youngblood
(pitcher to third) [Flynn to second]; Mazzilli forced Hausman
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 1, Mets 1.

PIRATES 3RD: Moreno grounded out (first unassisted); Parker
walked; Stargell grounded out (shortstop to first) [Parker to
second]; Ott singled to center [Parker scored]; B. Robinson
struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 1.

METS 3RD: Maddox flied out to center; S. Henderson tripled to
right; Montanez singled to right [S. Henderson scored]; Stearns
singled to right [Montanez to third]; Boisclair struck out;
Youngblood flied out to left; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 2,
Mets 2.

PIRATES 4TH: Milner grounded out (first unassisted); Garner
singled to left; Blyleven out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to
second) [Garner to second]; Taveras grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 2.

METS 4TH: Flynn lined to second; Hausman was called out on
strikes; Mazzilli flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 2, Mets 2.

PIRATES 5TH: Moreno flied out to center; Parker popped to
catcher in foul territory; Stargell flied out to right; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 2.

METS 5TH: Maddox flied out to left; S. Henderson struck out;
Montanez grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 2, Mets 2.

PIRATES 6TH: Ott grounded out (first to pitcher); B. Robinson
grounded out (second to first); Milner flied out to right; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 2.

METS 6TH: Stearns grounded out (shortstop to first); Boisclair
grounded out (second to first); Youngblood singled to left;
Youngblood stole second; Flynn grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 2.

PIRATES 7TH: Garner flied out to right; Blyleven grounded out
(shortstop to first); Taveras doubled to left; Moreno grounded
out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 2.

METS 7TH: RANDLE BATTED FOR HAUSMAN; Randle made an out to
shortstop; Mazzilli grounded out (pitcher to first); Maddox
lined to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 2.

PIRATES 8TH: RANDLE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); MURRAY REPLACED
MADDOX (PITCHING); Parker grounded out (catcher to first);
Stargell singled to shortstop; ALEXANDER RAN FOR STARGELL; Ott
forced Alexander (shortstop unassisted); B. Robinson forced Ott
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 2.

METS 8TH: BERRA REPLACED ALEXANDER (PLAYING 3B); B. ROBINSON
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); MILNER CHANGED POSITIONS
(PLAYING 1B); S. Henderson doubled to right; Montanez doubled to
left [S. Henderson scored]; Stearns grounded out (shortstop to
first); Boisclair was walked intentionally; Youngblood grounded
into a double play (pitcher to second to first) [Boisclair out
at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 3.

PIRATES 9TH: FERRER REPLACED YOUNGBLOOD (PLAYING 2B); Milner
flied out to left; Garner flied out to left; SANGUILLEN BATTED
FOR BLYLEVEN; Sanguillen walked; LOIS RAN FOR SANGUILLEN;
Taveras grounded out (shortstop to first); Debut game for
Alberto Lois; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 2, Mets 3.