Our friends over at Centerfield Maz are kind enough to let us borrow entire articles when we choose. Here’s a cool one to educate the youngsters. This is before even my time…my first season follow them but I don’t remember this.
May 1977: Jon Matlack Throws Back to Back Shut Outs
The 1977 Mets didn’t give us fans much to cheer about. It was the beginning of one of the worst periods in Met history. During the middle of May left hander Jon Matlack gave us something to cheer about, he pitched back to back shut outs. On May 13, 1977 he threw a seven hit complete game shutout against the 1st place Dodgers. Matlack only walked one batter while striking out four. The Mets provided all their offense in the 1st inning as Lenny Randle & Dave Kingman 
both homered. Randle lead off with a solo shot & Kong hit a two run bomb. Matlack earned his second win of the season in front of a Shea crowd just under 20,000.
In his next start he went up against Jim Barr & the San Francisco Giants to tiny crowd of 7000 on a Wednesday at Shea. Barr was good only allowing 1 run through seven innings. M
atlack was better, he didn’t allow any runs, didn’t walk any body struck out 7 and only allowed 5 hits.
atlack was better, he didn’t allow any runs, didn’t walk any body struck out 7 and only allowed 5 hits.It was the 10th time Mets pitchers had thrown back to back shut outs. Tom Seaver & Jerry Koosman had done it four times each & Jim McAndrew once.
Lenny Randle came up big for Matlack again getting 3 hits and scoring both Mets runs. In the 3rd inning he doubled and reached 3rd on an error, then scored on a wild pitch. In the 8th he singled and later scored on Jerry Grotes base hit offf Gary Lavelle.
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