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Game 7: Thursday, October 14, 1965 at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota
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| Box Score Info. - (read me) | |
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A series that held many would-be pitching duels featured one final one in Game 7. Dodger manager Walt Alston was torn between starting Drysdale on normal rest or Koufax with only two days' rest. He decided on the left-handed Koufax, figuring if needed he would bring the right-handed Drysdale on in relief, and then go back to his left-handed relief ace Ron Perranoski. Koufax told announcer Vin Scully in a post-game interview that he and Drysdale had come to the ballpark that day not knowing which of them would be on the mound and that Manager Alston announced his decision at a team meeting. According to Koufax, the manager announced the decision purely in strategic terms regarding lefty vs. righty, saying he worded his announcement without even using the pitchers' names, saying only that he thought he'd "like to start the left hander." The Twins went with Jim Kaat, also starting on two days' rest. Both managers had relief pitchers warming up as their respective starters began the game. Koufax had trouble throwing his curveball for strikes but escaped a couple of early jams, including one in the third inning when Zoilo Versailles had stolen second base with one out, but was called back after batter Joe Nossek was ruled out for interference. After the early innings, Koufax effectively gave up on his curveball and pitched the rest of the game almost exclusively with fastballs, yet still baffling the hard-hitting Twins. In the fourth inning, Dodger left fielder Lou Johnson told Koufax that he would get him the only run he would need. Johnson promptly stepped to the plate and hit one off the left field foul pole to give the Dodgers a 1–0 lead. Ron Fairly followed with a double and scored on a Wes Parker single. The two runs were scored on three consecutive pitches. Knowing Kaat was pitching on two days rest, manager Mele had pulled him quickly and brought in reliever Al Worthington. Relievers Worthington, Johnny Klippstein, Jim Merritt, and Jim Perry combined to shut out the Dodgers for the rest of the game. The Twins threatened again in the fifth inning when they had runners on first and second with only one out. Versailles then hit a hard ground ball down the third base line that appeared to be going for a double. This may have ended Koufax's day as Don Drysdale was warming up in the bull pen. But Dodger third baseman Jim Gilliam (who ironically was often replaced that season late in games for defensive reasons) made a diving backhanded stop and stepped on third for a force, then Koufax bore down and got the third out of the inning. He ended up tossing a three hit shutout, striking out ten in one of the greatest World Series Game 7 pitching performances ever. Sweet Lou Johnson hit two home runs, including the game winner in the clinching Game 7. No relief pitchers were used by the winning team in any game of this series; the winning starting pitcher went the distance in all seven games. This had not happened since 1940, and has never been repeated since. The Twins' loss in Game 7 remains the only World Series game the Twins have lost at home, having later won all their home games in 1987 and 1991. Through 2014, the Twins have never won a road World Series Game (not including when the franchise was the original Washington Senators). The National League won its third consecutive World Series (Dodgers in 1963, St. Louis Cardinals in 1964). The Senior Circuit would not claim back-to-back titles again until 1975 and 1976, when the Cincinnati Reds did so. |