Nothing is more frustrating for a Major League team than to be shutout by its opponent. On July 24, 1966, the New York Mets experienced frustration times two as they were blanked by the Dodgers in both games of a doubleheader at Dodger Stadium.
The shutouts were two of the 20 (13 of them and one in the twinbill of the complete game variety) the Dodgers would have in their 95 win, National League championship season. For the Mets, the games were symbolic of the struggles they'd experience en route to 95 loss, ninth place season.
Doing the honors for the Dodgers in game one was Don Drysdale, who fanned ten and allowed only six hits in the first of three complete game shutouts he'd have on the season. Drysdale's day didn't start out that smoothly as he faced a no out, runners on second and third situation to start the game. The big righty worked out of that situation by fanning the next two batters and getting Cleon Jones to groundout to end the threat. The Dodgers didn't score until the third when Drysdale helped his cause by slamming a solo homer. Later in the inning, Jim Gilliam's RBI hit made the score 2-0. Drysdale's battery mate John Roseboro and infielder John Kennedy also homered, as the Dodgers won 5-0. Drysdale's dominance was typical of a career where he'd go 24-6 with 18 complete games and seven shutouts over the Metropolitans.
In the nightcap, young Joe Moeller earned his first win of the year as he threw seven innings of four hit ball. Phil Regan threw the final two for his 12th save, and the Dodgers scored four unearned runs in the seventh to break things open en route to a 6-0 win. Maury Wills and Ron Fairly drove in one run each for the Dodgers, while Sweet Lou Johnson and Tommy Davis both had two run singles in the seventh.
The Dodgers would win 12 of 18 contests against the Mets on the year, and go 48-31 over the second half of the year to get to the World Series for the third time in four years. For the Mets, it would be three more seasons before they made it to the post-season when they'd shock the Baltimore Orioles and win the 1969 World Series.
Esti Ginzberg
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