New York Mets vs Los Angeles Dodgers - August 16, 1971

Today in 1971, the New York Mets visited the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. 

The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when the Mets scored four runs, with RBI’s by Ken Boswell, Ken Singleton, and Don Hahn.  The Dodgers couldn’t score and the Mets put up two more runs in the eighth with RBI’s by Jerry Grote and Don Hahn.  The Mets easily beat the Dodgers 6-0.

Tom Seaver pitched a complete game, striking out ten batters.  He hit 2-4 and hit a double.  He went to 13-8 for the season.

The Mets went to 59-60; fourth place in the NL East.  The Dodgers went to 65-57; second place in the NL West.

With the loss, Dodger starting pitch Doyle Alexander went to 4-4 for the season.  He hit 0-2 and struck out two batters.  He was relieved in the sixth inning by Jose Pena.  Pena was relieved in the eighth inning by Hoyt Wilhelm.

Notables

• Two Hall of Famers played in this game: Tom Seaver of the Mets and Hoyt Wilhelm of the Dodgers.
  
• Hall of Famer Walter Alston was manager of the Dodgers.  He managed the team from 1954 until 1976.  He won four World Series championships with the team; 1955, 1959, 1963, and 1965.
  
• Future Mets managers Bobby Valentine and Bud Harrelson played in this game.  Harrelson played for the Mets and Valentine played for the Dodgers.
  
• Maury Wills of the Dodgers went on to manage the Seattle Mariners for two seasons.
  
• Former Dodger great Gil Hodges managed the Mets.  This was his last season as a manager in the major leagues.  He was also the manager of the 1969 Miracle Mets.
  
• Ed Kranepool was a member of the 1962 Mets.  He started his career with the worst team in modern times and ended up winning a World Series title in 1969.  His last season was 1979.
  
• The Dodgers’ Jim Lefebvre went on to manage the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Brewers.

Game stats and other data can be found on Baseball-Reference.com at New York Mets vs Los Angeles Dodgers - August 16, 1971