Koufax simply did it all in 1965. He dominated on the mound with a 26-8 record. Another ERA title, his fourth straight, 2.04. 8 shutouts and 382 K's. He was unhittable. And on September 9th of that year, the Chicago Cubs could not get a man to first safely against him. But for a while, neither could Sandy's own team. Sandly looked to Lou Johnson to get some offence in two important games that year.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, were giving Koufax the usual support. As in one or two runs. Actually, in this game at home, the Dodgers were going down fast at the dish. While Sandy was humming along, his mound opponent, Bob Hendley, was getting 'em out. The Dodgers were going down so quick Sandy wasn't getting the proper rest between innings.
Hendley needed just ten pitches to get 'em 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first, matching Koufax's own ten-pitch inning. In the second, Koufax needed thirteen, but Hendley needed just seven. Bottom of the third, Hendley needs just six. Bottom of the fourth, seven again. Someone should have told the Dodgers to be patient.
In the bottom of the fifth, Bob got ahead of Lou Johnson 1-2, but could not find the plate on the next three pitches. A baserunner! Ron Fairly bunted him to second, first pitch. Johnson then stole third on the first pitch to Jim Lefebvre. The throw to nail him at third was for not, and it also ended up a miss fire. Johnson scored. There had not been an at-bat on that entire sequence. When Lefebvre fanned and Wes Parker grounded back to Hendley, the inning was over. Hendley had the no-hitter intact. Koufax, though, had the perfect game.
The next inning was the easiest of the night for Hendley as it took him just five pitches to retire the side in order. Now he was through six, had a no-hitter, and was losing 1-0. Koufax looked like he was about to walk Billy Williams in the top of the seventh with two down. He was behind in the count 3-0. Koufax threw a strike. Williams fouled one off. The count was full. Billy flied to left.
Hendley got the first two batters out in the bottom of the frame to keep pace. But back at the dish was Johnson, who then doubled on an 1-0 pitch. The inning ended, however, as Ron Fairly grounded out. It was too bad for the Dodgers, as Fairly himself had gotten ahead in the count 3-1. A walk here might have knocked the red-hot Hendley out of the game.
But Koufax did not care. He had his one run lead. Top of the eight, K, K, K. Three pinch hitters came to the dish in the top of the ninth to try and stop him from perfection. No chance. They all went down, including pinch hitter Harvey Kuenn, who was batting for Hendley as the games' last batter. 1-0 Dodgers on a 113 pitches. 79 for strikes. Perfect game! Thank you Lou!
It seemed more of the same for Sandy as the Dodgers took on the Minnesota Twins in the World Series that year. The home team won the first six games, but guess where game seven was? In Minny. Koufax was up against Jim Kaat, who'd been good enough to beat Sandy 5-1 in game two.
Kaat and Koufax looked shaky early. Koufax walked a pair in the bottom of the first. In the top of the third, it was Johnny Roseboro with a double and Koufax himself with a walk to start things. But Los Angeles could not score.
Koufax himself gave up a single in the bottom of the frame, but in the top of the fourth, he was primed for some support. Up came Lou Johnson. On a 1-1 from Kaat, he took him deep to left for a solo home run. It was just fair. As it turns out, that's all Sandy needed.
Unlike the perfect game, the Dodgers added a run as Ron Fairly followed the home run with a double and Wes Parker hit a single. Each of that on the first pitch. The Dodgers were up 2-0 in the sequence of three pitches.
And Sandy held it up, of course. He gave up a one-out single to Harmon Killebrew in the bottom of the ninth, but then fanned Earl Battey and Bob Allison to complete the shutout (His second, as he'd gotten one in game five, too), give him ten K's and be the hero.
Koufax didn't get much offence from the Dodgers, even when he really needed it. But Lou sure helped Sandy win two (games) in '65, eh?
References
Retrosheet (Retrosheet) http://www.retrosheet.org/
Baseball Reference (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/
(YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/
(ESPN)
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/108965/stats-to-remember-sandy-koufaxs-perfect-game
The Los Angeles Dodgers, were giving Koufax the usual support. As in one or two runs. Actually, in this game at home, the Dodgers were going down fast at the dish. While Sandy was humming along, his mound opponent, Bob Hendley, was getting 'em out. The Dodgers were going down so quick Sandy wasn't getting the proper rest between innings.
Hendley needed just ten pitches to get 'em 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first, matching Koufax's own ten-pitch inning. In the second, Koufax needed thirteen, but Hendley needed just seven. Bottom of the third, Hendley needs just six. Bottom of the fourth, seven again. Someone should have told the Dodgers to be patient.
In the bottom of the fifth, Bob got ahead of Lou Johnson 1-2, but could not find the plate on the next three pitches. A baserunner! Ron Fairly bunted him to second, first pitch. Johnson then stole third on the first pitch to Jim Lefebvre. The throw to nail him at third was for not, and it also ended up a miss fire. Johnson scored. There had not been an at-bat on that entire sequence. When Lefebvre fanned and Wes Parker grounded back to Hendley, the inning was over. Hendley had the no-hitter intact. Koufax, though, had the perfect game.
The next inning was the easiest of the night for Hendley as it took him just five pitches to retire the side in order. Now he was through six, had a no-hitter, and was losing 1-0. Koufax looked like he was about to walk Billy Williams in the top of the seventh with two down. He was behind in the count 3-0. Koufax threw a strike. Williams fouled one off. The count was full. Billy flied to left.
Hendley got the first two batters out in the bottom of the frame to keep pace. But back at the dish was Johnson, who then doubled on an 1-0 pitch. The inning ended, however, as Ron Fairly grounded out. It was too bad for the Dodgers, as Fairly himself had gotten ahead in the count 3-1. A walk here might have knocked the red-hot Hendley out of the game.
But Koufax did not care. He had his one run lead. Top of the eight, K, K, K. Three pinch hitters came to the dish in the top of the ninth to try and stop him from perfection. No chance. They all went down, including pinch hitter Harvey Kuenn, who was batting for Hendley as the games' last batter. 1-0 Dodgers on a 113 pitches. 79 for strikes. Perfect game! Thank you Lou!
It seemed more of the same for Sandy as the Dodgers took on the Minnesota Twins in the World Series that year. The home team won the first six games, but guess where game seven was? In Minny. Koufax was up against Jim Kaat, who'd been good enough to beat Sandy 5-1 in game two.
Kaat and Koufax looked shaky early. Koufax walked a pair in the bottom of the first. In the top of the third, it was Johnny Roseboro with a double and Koufax himself with a walk to start things. But Los Angeles could not score.
Koufax himself gave up a single in the bottom of the frame, but in the top of the fourth, he was primed for some support. Up came Lou Johnson. On a 1-1 from Kaat, he took him deep to left for a solo home run. It was just fair. As it turns out, that's all Sandy needed.
Unlike the perfect game, the Dodgers added a run as Ron Fairly followed the home run with a double and Wes Parker hit a single. Each of that on the first pitch. The Dodgers were up 2-0 in the sequence of three pitches.
And Sandy held it up, of course. He gave up a one-out single to Harmon Killebrew in the bottom of the ninth, but then fanned Earl Battey and Bob Allison to complete the shutout (His second, as he'd gotten one in game five, too), give him ten K's and be the hero.
Koufax didn't get much offence from the Dodgers, even when he really needed it. But Lou sure helped Sandy win two (games) in '65, eh?
References
Retrosheet (Retrosheet) http://www.retrosheet.org/
Baseball Reference (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/
(YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/
(ESPN)
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/108965/stats-to-remember-sandy-koufaxs-perfect-game
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