September 12, 1969
The New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates played a double header at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The Miracle Mets came into the first game with an eight game lead over the third place Pirates and a seven game winning streak overall.
Game one featured Jerry Koosman (13-9) of the Mets going up against Bob Moose (10-2) of the Pirates. Koosman worked out of a one-out, bases loaded jam in the bottom of the second by inducing a force-out at home and getting a strikeout to end the inning.
Then, in the top of the fifth, a pair of one-out singles and a runner advancing on a throw put runners on second and third with Koosman coming to bat. Koosman came through with an RBI single to put the Mets up 1-0. Moose managed to get out of the inning with a couple of force-outs.
Only one other runner made it past first base for the rest of the game, and he was stranded at second in the top of the ninth inning. Koosman pitched a complete game shutout, allowing three hits and striking out 4 while going 1-4 with an RBI.
Game two looked like it would be a higher scoring game, with Don Cardwell (6-9) going up against Dock Ellis (9-15). Both teams got a pair of runners on in the first inning, but neither team could drive them in.
The Mets broke through in the top of the second inning when Cardwell drove in a run with an RBI single. The Pirates threatened in the bottom of the eighth by getting a runner on third with only one out, but Cardwell struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning. Tug McGraw came in and worked around a leadoff single to earn the save.
So, on September 12, 1969, the Mets won both games of a double header by the score of 1-0, with the only run in each game being driven in by the pitcher.
