Homers by Lee Mazzilli and Rusty Staub accounted for all the scoring as the Mets began the 1981 campaign with a 2-0 whitewashing of the Cubs. Mazzilli's clout led off the fourth inning and, one out later, Staub followed with a four ply swat.

Mets starter Pat Zachry pitched the first 5 2/2 innings and was credited with the victory. Tom Hausman relieved Zachry but did not face a batter as he picked Ken Reitz off second base. Neil Allen then tossed the final three frames to record the save. [The Sporting News]



New York Mets 2, Chicago Cubs 0
Game Played on Thursday, April     9, 1981 (Day game) at Wrigley Field
Mets         0  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  5  0
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  7  0


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wilson rf,lf          4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      De Jesus ss           4   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Taveras ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Strain 2b             3   0   2   0     1   0   .667
Mazzilli cf           4   1   1   1     0   1   .250      Buckner 1b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Kingman lf            3   0   0   0     1   2   .000      Henderson lf          3   0   0   0     1   1   .000
  Youngblood rf       0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Durham rf             3   0   1   0     1   0   .333
Staub 1b              3   1   1   1     1   0   .333      Reitz 3b              3   0   3   0     1   0  1.000
  Jorgensen 1b        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Thompson cf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .250
Trevino c             3   0   0   0     1   0   .000      Blackwell c           4   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Brooks 3b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Reuschel p            2   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Flynn 2b              3   0   2   0     0   0   .667        Tracy ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Zachry p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Tidrow p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Hausman p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Cubbage ph          0   0   0   0     1   0   .000
  Allen p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               28   2   5   2     4   4             Totals               31   0   7   0     4   4

Time of Game: 2:22   Attendance: 37,030
Left on Base: Mets 6, Cubs 8
DP: Mets 1, Cubs 1
Doubles: Flynn 2 (2), Reitz 2 (2)
Triples: Reitz (1)
Home Runs: Mazzilli (1), Staub (1)
Caught Stealing: Durham (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Zachry 2 (2), Flynn (1)
GIDP: Trevino (1), Durham (1)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Zachry W(1-0)           5.2   6   0   0   4   1   0  25   0.00
Hausman                 0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00
Allen SV(1)             3     1   0   0   0   3   0  10   0.00
Totals                  9     7   0   0   4   4   0  35

Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuschel L(0-1)         7     5   2   2   4   3   2  29   2.57
Tidrow                  2     0   0   0   0   1   0   6   0.00
Totals                  9     5   2   2   4   4   2  35

Umpires: HP - John Kibler, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - Bruce Froemming, 3B - Joe West


METS 1ST: Wilson grounded out (pitcher to first); Taveras
grounded out (pitcher to first); Mazzilli grounded out (first to
pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: De Jesus was called out on strikes; Strain singled to
right; Buckner flied out to center; Henderson grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Cubs 0.

METS 2ND: Kingman struck out; Staub lined to shortstop; Trevino
walked; Brooks grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Mets 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 2ND: Durham walked; Durham was caught stealing second
(catcher to second); Reitz tripled to left; Thompson grounded
out (second to first); Blackwell flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Cubs 0.

METS 3RD: Flynn doubled to right; Zachry out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Flynn to third]; Wilson reached on a
fielder's choice [Flynn out at home (second to catcher)];
Taveras grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Mets 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 3RD: Reuschel flied out to center; De Jesus flied out to
center; Strain walked; Buckner forced Strain (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Cubs 0.

METS 4TH: Mazzilli homered; Kingman struck out; Staub homered;
Trevino flied out to center; Brooks grounded out (second to
first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 4TH: Henderson grounded out (third to first); Durham
singled to right; Reitz doubled to left [Durham to third];
Thompson popped to shortstop; Blackwell grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

METS 5TH: Flynn doubled to left; Zachry out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Flynn to third]; Wilson was called out on
strikes; Taveras grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 5TH: Reuschel grounded out (third to first); De Jesus flied
out to right; Strain singled to left; Buckner grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

METS 6TH: Mazzilli popped to shortstop; Kingman walked; Staub
walked [Kingman to second]; Trevino grounded into a double play
(pitcher to shortstop to first) [Staub out at second]; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 6TH: Henderson walked; Durham grounded into a double play
(pitcher to shortstop to first) [Henderson out at second]; Reitz
walked; Thompson singled to right [Reitz to second]; HAUSMAN
REPLACED ZACHRY (PITCHING); Reitz was picked off second (pitcher
to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

METS 7TH: Brooks singled to third; Flynn out on a sacrifice bunt
(catcher to second) [Brooks to second]; CUBBAGE BATTED FOR
HAUSMAN; Cubbage was walked intentionally; Wilson forced Cubbage
(second to shortstop) [Brooks to third]; Taveras grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 7TH: ALLEN REPLACED CUBBAGE (PITCHING); Blackwell was
called out on strikes; TRACY BATTED FOR REUSCHEL; Tracy lined to
left; De Jesus grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

METS 8TH: TIDROW REPLACED TRACY (PITCHING); Mazzilli was called
out on strikes; Kingman popped to second; Staub grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 8TH: YOUNGBLOOD REPLACED KINGMAN (PLAYING RF); JORGENSEN
REPLACED STAUB (PLAYING 1B); WILSON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING
LF); Strain grounded out (third to first); Buckner flied out to
center; Henderson was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

METS 9TH: Trevino grounded out (second to first); Brooks lined
to center; Flynn grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 9TH: Durham grounded out (pitcher to first); Reitz doubled
to left; Thompson flied out to center [Reitz to third];
Blackwell struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Cubs 0.