There are not supposed to be any ties in baseball! The Phillies and Mets did play to a tie though and it came on this date in 1965 in the second game of a doubleheader. Check out the details in our Deeper Dive section at the end of today’s birthdays. Oh, this date was big for the Flyin’ Hawaiian, too!

Notable Phillies Events on October 2

  • On October 2, 2008, Shane Victorino delivered one of the most iconic moments in Phillies postseason history by launching a second-inning grand slam off Brewers ace CC Sabathia in Game 2 of the NLDS. The blast gave the Phillies a 5-1 lead and electrified Citizens Bank Park, helping Philadelphia secure a 5-2 win and a commanding 2-0 series lead.
  • On October 2, 1965, the Phillies and Mets played to an 18-inning scoreless tie at Shea Stadium. It remains one of the longest scoreless games in MLB history. Chris Short pitched nine shutout innings for the Phillies, while Jim Bunning had thrown a two-hit shutout in the earlier game of the doubleheader.
  • On October 2, 1983, the Phillies clinched the National League East title with a win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Led by veterans like Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton, the team earned a postseason berth that would carry them to the World Series.
  • On October 2, 2011, the Phillies played their final regular season game of the year, finishing with a franchise-record 102 wins. Though they would fall to the Cardinals in the NLDS, the 2011 squad remains one of the most dominant regular-season teams in club history.
  • On October 2, 1993, the Phillies wrapped up the regular season ahead of their memorable postseason run. That team, known for its gritty personality and blue-collar ethos, would go on to win the NL pennant and face the Blue Jays in the World Series.

Thanks for catching that, Chuck. Based on verified data from Baseball-Reference, here’s a corrected and clean list of Phillies-related birthdays on October 2, followed by a recap of notable team events that occurred on that date.

Phillies Birthdays on October 2

  • Cam Bedrosian (1991) – A right-handed reliever who pitched briefly for the Phillies in 2021. Son of former Phillies closer Steve Bedrosian, Cam made 11 appearances for Philadelphia, posting a 4.35 ERA.
  • Doug Nickle (1974) – A right-handed pitcher who appeared in 19 games for the Phillies between 2000 and 2002. Though his MLB career was short, he was part of the organization during a transitional period in the early 2000s.

A Deeper Dive… Settle in for a long night!

The second game of the October 2, 1965 doubleheader between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets at Shea Stadium stands as one of the most extraordinary and overlooked marathons in baseball history. Played under the lights before a modest crowd of 10,371, the game lasted 18 innings and ended in a 0-0 tie due to curfew restrictions. It remains one of the longest scoreless games ever played and a testament to the endurance and grit of both teams, especially the Phillies, who had already won the opener 6-0 behind a dominant Jim Bunning performance.

Game 2 began just 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first, with left-hander Chris Short taking the mound for Philadelphia. Short, who entered the game with 18 wins and a 2.96 ERA, was seeking his first victory against the Mets that season. He had previously logged two nine-inning no-decisions and one loss against New York. On this night, he delivered a masterclass in stamina and control, pitching all 18 innings without allowing a run. He scattered nine hits, walked four, and struck out 12, facing 62 batters in total. His performance was one of the most remarkable in Phillies history, even if it didn’t result in a win.

Opposing Short was 20-year-old Rob Gardner, a September call-up making just his fourth career start. Gardner had struggled in his previous outing against the Phillies, lasting only three innings. But on this night, he matched Short pitch for pitch, throwing 15 shutout innings of his own. Gardner allowed just five hits, walked two, and struck out seven, keeping the Phillies off the scoreboard despite several early threats. His poise was especially impressive given his limited experience and the pressure of a twilight-night doubleheader.

The Phillies threatened in the first inning when Adolfo Phillips singled and Cookie Rojas walked. After a deep flyout by Dick Allen moved both runners up, Gardner struck out Dick Stuart and induced a flyout from Alex Johnson to escape the jam. In the third, two Mets errors put a runner on third, but Allen – who led the majors with 150 strikeouts in 1965 – fanned to end the inning. Gardner later recalled that moment as a turning point, saying he threw as hard as he could and was stunned when Allen swung through it.

The Mets had their best chance in the bottom of the third. Ron Hunt and Joe Christopher hit back-to-back doubles, but Hunt was held at third. Short then struck out Charley Smith and Danny Napoleon to preserve the scoreless tie. From that point on, both pitchers settled into a rhythm. Between the fourth and ninth innings, only two baserunners reached safely – Allen singled in the sixth and Jim Hickman doubled in the bottom half – but neither team could capitalize.

As the game wore on, the tension mounted. Both teams used pinch hitters and defensive substitutions, but the scoreboard remained frozen. The Phillies managed just six hits in the game, with Dick Allen collecting two and Tony Gonzalez adding a double. Cookie Rojas and Adolfo Phillips each had singles, while Dick Stuart chipped in with a base hit. Despite the lack of scoring, the Phillies played error-free defense across all 18 innings.

In contrast, the Mets tallied nine hits but committed two errors. Joe Christopher and Ron Hunt each had two hits, while Hickman added a pair of doubles. The Mets struck out 14 times and left 13 runners on base, unable to break through against Short’s relentless attack. Ron Swoboda was ejected in the first inning for arguing a called third strike, a moment that underscored the frustration of the Mets’ offense.

The game was finally called after 18 innings due to curfew rules, ending in a rare and unsatisfying tie. It lasted four hours and 29 minutes, and while it didn’t impact the standings – Philadelphia was already locked into sixth place and the Mets were buried in last – it remains a fascinating footnote in both franchises’ histories.

Across the doubleheader, Phillies pitchers were nearly flawless. Jim Bunning tossed a two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts in Game 1, and Chris Short followed with 18 scoreless frames and 12 strikeouts in Game 2. Combined, they threw 27 innings, allowed just 11 hits, walked five, and struck out 22. Offensively, the Phillies scored six runs in the opener but were blanked in the nightcap. Allen went 3-for-10 with a double and a walk, while Rojas reached base three times and scored twice. González had two hits and a stolen base, and Pat Corrales caught all 18 innings of Game 2 without allowing a passed ball.

Though the second game ended without a winner, it showcased the kind of endurance and pitching brilliance that defined the era. For Chris Short, it was a career-defining performance, and for Rob Gardner, a breakout moment. The Phillies may not have scored, but they left Shea Stadium that night with a win, a tie, and a place in baseball’s record books.

Coincidentally… The Beatles had played Shea Stadium approximately six weeks prior to the doubleheader.