Tuesday, January 20, 2015

'65 Jints rally from 0-2 to defeat '73 Dodgers to reach Final 4

GAME 1 - Candlestick
Messersmith vs Marichal
Dodgers 1, Giants 0


Classic pitcher's duel between the HOF Domenican Dandy and ace Andy Messersmith.  Both guys went 8 stellar innings with the Dandy giving up a lone run in the 2nd when Bill Russell tripled and scoed on Von Joshua's ground out.  The rest of the game belonged to the arms.  Both starters fanned 7.  Messersmith needed a bit of help from Richert and Hough who combined for a perfect 9th to preserve the 1-0 lead.
Dodgers lead series 1-0

GAME 2
Sutton vs Shaw
Dodgers 2, Giants 1


Pretty much a carbon copy of game 1 with Don Sutton giving a 10 inning 1 run HOF performance to notch the win.  Both teams exchanged solo runs in the 7th to break a scoreless deadlock.  LA grabbed the lead in the top of the 10th with a Ron Cey moon shot.  Stretch McCovey's solo blast in the 7th tied the game, which was how we got to extra innings.
Dodgers lead series 2-0
GAME 3 - Dodger Stadium
Bolin vs John
Giants 8, Dodgers 2


Before the game Giants manager Larry Reeves was heard saying, "C'mon lets get this series over already".  What he didn't realize was that his charges had a lot of fight left.  The Giants big bats awakened with the Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays (2-3) going yard and knocking in 2.  Stretch McCovey knocked in 2 himself.  Bobby Bolin (2 runs, 5 IP) was good enough to get the win.  Tommy John was less than stellar and was hit with the loss.
Dodgers lead series 2-1

GAME 4
Herbel vs Downing
Giants 2, Dodgers 1

Unheralded Ron Herbel (7IP/1R) pitched like he was a front line starter as the series reverted back to being a pitcher's duel.  That gave Willie Mays the chance to shine like the star of stars that he is.  The Say Hey kid was 2-3 and hit another homer, while knocking in both of San Fran's runs.  Still the game came down to the bottom of the 9th when Willie Crawford singled with one out off of Jack Sanford.  Ken McMullen doubled down the the left field line.  Crawford, a fine baserunner, was flying around the bases.  Giants left fielder Len Gabrielson recovered the ball and hit replacement SS Ducky Schofield with a perfect cutoff throw.  Schofield threw a perfect one hopper to catcher Tom Haller who dove to tag Crawford at about the same time the Dodger runner was touching the plate.  The ump signaled out and manager Weiss was livid to the point that he was almost tossed from the game.  Von Joshua grounded weakly to third for the final out as the series headed back to Candlestick for a decisive game 5.
Series Tied 2-2

GAME 5 - Candlestick
Messersmith vs Marichal
Giants 5, Dodgers 2

The Dodgers, who are quite used to monumental collapses to the Giants (refer to 1951, 1962 and 1980) were all set to blow another one.  Andy Messersmith, who had been a perfect 3-0 in the tournament so far, was tasked with beating Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for the second time in this 5 game series.  The game remained scoreless for 4 1/2 innings when Len Gabrielson broke the ice by tripling home Dick Schofield to make it 1-0 Jints.  LA would tie it up with a series of singles and errors in the top of the 7, but the Jints would answer back with 2 runs courtesy of a Jack Hiatt pinch hit homer.  LA got a pinch hit homer from Tom Paciorek to make it a 1 run game once again, but a carnival of errors and timely hits in the bottom of the 8th put the Giants up 5-2.  LA didn't put up much of a fight in the 9th as Priddy, Henry and Jack Sanford combined for the save in the absence of the injured Frank Linzy.  San Fran finishes off the improbable comeback from 2 down to once again help author another chapter in the book on great Dodger collapses.
Giants Win Series 3-2

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