Amazin's and Bucs split 2 @ Forbes Field

GAME 3 - 8/18 - Forbes Field
David Cone vs Vern Law
Mets 9, Pirates 3

David Cone bent, but he did not break.  New York's slender right hander gave up 3 runs in 7 innings while fanning 6 and not walking any.  In the process the Bucs had his back up against the wall many times, but he did not give up the "big inning".  All the while the Met offense was chipping away at "the Deacon" (Vern Law), who gave up 5 runs (4 earned) in 6 innings.  Jeff Innis pitched 2 scoreless innings of relief for the save.  Daryl Boston, who Ralph Kiner says "solidified New York's outfield woes" went 3 for 4 withe 3 runs scored and 4 RBI's.  Boston's 3 run homer in the 9th sent what remained from an opening day sell out crowd scurrying for the exits.  Dave Magadan and Mackey Saser also had 3 hits as the Mets spoiled the Bucs home opener.



GAME 4 - 8/19
Sid Fernandez vs Steve Blass
Pirates 3, Mets 2

The Bucs took advantage of El Sid's wildness and his lack of fielding prowess to score 3 big runs in the bottom of the second.  Matty Alou's 2 run single made it 3-0, but El Sid evaded further damaging by getting Gene Alley to pop out to third, Clemente to pop out to center and Stargell on strikes.  That allowed the Mets to get right back in it with 2 runs off of Steve Blass in the top of the 6th.  Mackey Sasser led off the inning with a double, then scored easily on Jefferies' double to make it 3-1.  Blass got the next 2 batters out then served up an RBI single to his opposing number to make it a 1 run game.  Blass had 1 more inning left in him, then he gave way to lefty Bill O'Dell who spent two innings getting out of more jams than Jerry Matthers did as the "Beaver".  In the 8th O'Dell allowed a lead off single to Jefferies then two batters later almost gave up a homer to shortstop Kevin Elster.  Matty Alou tracked Elster's fly down along the ivy covered wall in left center for the second out of the inning.  O'Dell started the 9th getting the first two outs easily, then for some unknown reason he ran a fastball inside to Strawberry that wound up hitting the "Straw-man" on the wrist.  Kevin McReynolds walked to push the tying run into scoring position.  Sasser was given an intentional pass due to the fact that he was a double's machine vs Buc pitching.  That brought up the "boy wonder" (Jefferies), who went down swinging at O'Dell's 1-2 offering.