April 19, 1963: Hunt's Game-Winning Double
From The Met Wiki
| Date: April 19, 1963 |
| Mets starter: Roger Craig |
| Mets: 5 |
| Braves: 4 |
| Winning pitcher: Ken MacKenzie |
| Key player(s): Ron Hunt, Jim Hickman |
| Key play: Hunt's double in 9th |
The Mets and Braves played on a Friday afternoon at the Polo Grounds. Twice during the game, Jim Hickman and Ron Hunt combined for back-to-back extra base hits. These connections enabled the Mets to come up with a 5-4 win.
Roger Craig pitched shutout ball for the first seven innings. Craig allowed two Milwaukee hits in both the first and the third, but held the Braves hitless in the other five innings. Meanwhile, Ed Kranepool's second inning home run off Bob Shaw gave the Mets a run. In the fourth, Hickman tripled to score Choo Choo Coleman and came home on Hunt's triple to make it a 3-0 lead for the Mets.
Pinch-hitter Len Gabrielson singled off Craig to start the top of the eighth inning. After an out, Hank Aaron hit a home run for the Braves' first two runs of the game. Eddie Mathews followed with a double and shortstop Al Moran's error allowed Norm Larker to reach first base. Mathews moved to third on a force play grounder and scored on a pinch-hit single by Don Dillard. The game was tied, 3-3.
Milwaukee loaded the bases with one out in the top of the ninth. For the Mets, Ken MacKenzie relieved Tracy Stallard and walked Mathews to force home Mack Jones with the go-ahead run. MacKenzie then struck out Amado Samuel and got Tommie Aaron on a fly ball to end the inning.
Coleman began the last of the ninth with a single off the Braves' Frank Funk. Tim Harkness flied out and Hickman hit a double to left field on which Coleman moved to third base. Hunt followed with another double off reliever Claude Raymond to score Choo Choo and Hickman with the winning runs. After eight losses, the Mets had their first victory of the season in dramatic fashion.
