Some Record K’s And A Post Season To Boot!
This was a bit of a disappointing season for Koufax in one respect, but in many other ways it was a good (albeit short) season. Most importantly, Sandy gained valuable experience and contributed to a World Series triumph.
First, Los Angeles improved vastly. The won the pennant with a two games to zero playoff triumph over the Braves, depriving the Hank and Eddie of a three peat.
Koufax’s contribution was a bit minimal, though. He pitched less games, (35), had less starts (23), and even pitched less innings (153 1/3).
The Dodgers themselves relied on other pitchers to get them to the pennant, but Koufax would shine-a-plenty when given the chance.
Koufax was hit hard in his first 4 starts (and 2 relief stints) and found his ERA at 12.27 at the beginning of May. But following a relief stint against the Reds (2IP 1H 0ER 1BB 2K) on May 20th, for the rest of the season it was a very respectable 3.38. Koufax’s relief appearance on that that day gave him the confidence he needed the rest of the season.
Koufax lost his start on May 26th , but he fanned 11 batters and surrendered just 5 hits in 8 1/3 innings against the hot hitting (and fellow West Coasters) San Francisco Giants. He walked 4 batters, which hurt.
He walked 5 more his next start against the Cardinals, and allowed another 5 hits in his six innings, but Sandy struck out nine batters in only 6 innings to win his first game of the season.
His was hit hard and only struck out 4 batters, but also walked only 3 in seven innings for another win on June 6th against Milwaukee. That month saw Koufax get some more work out of the bullpen, as he collected a save. Another game in the middle of the month saw him start against Milwaukee, and again pick up the win. The Braves managed just 2 earned runs and 5 hits.
Before that, he earned a save in a strong relief outing, and had a short start against Pittsburgh.
On June 22, Sandy defeated the Phillies 6-2 in ten innings. While he allowed 10 hits and 3 walks in his 9 innings, he whiffed 16 batters. Wally Post alone was victimized four times. Sparky Anderson fanned twice. Leadoff hitter Joe Koppe fanned 3 times in 5 tries against K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-Koufax.
Sandy's next start was 5 days later and he tossed a shutout, 3-0, allowing just 6 hits and 2 walks and fanning another 8.
The Giants were in for more of the same in a game at the end of June. But fortunately for them, it was only a relief stint by Sandy. Still, it cannot be overlooked that that the Dodger tossed three perfect innings and had five strikeouts.
He pitched well his next start, too, against St Louis (July 3). Although tagged with the loss, he went 7 strong innings, gave up just 2 hits (2 walks) and K’d another 7 batters.
So good was Sandy that he received two votes for player of the month. Indeed, it was a strong June, despite appearing in just 8 games. Elroy Face, the relief ace of Pittsburgh on his way to an incredible 18-1 record that season, got the nod as the winner.
July had certainly started out with such promise for Koufax, but...
A strong relief stint in his next appearance (despite 4 hits and 3 walks) dropped his ERA to a season low 3.33. But, his pitching was taking it’s toll.
It was time for another July injury, just like last season.
On July 11th, follwing as short start, Sandy was out with a sore arm. He would miss 3 weeks.
How would Sandy come back?
The Dodgers were cautious. His first start back (Aug 1st) lasted just 4 innings, but it was a good outing as he gave up just 1 hit. His 4 walks though, signalled a long night, that the Dodgers cut short as he was removed for a pinch hitter. But not before he fanned another 7 batters.
A few more relief stints followed before he was back on as a starter. For a while his wildness returned, and so did the losses. But he did earn his second save later that month. And despite his troubles, he won 3 games in August to boast his record to 8-4.
And as August began to turn into September, Koufax’s earlier form returned.
He pitched a four-hitter, a seven hitter and finally a 10-inning, 5-hitter in succession. It was during these three games that Koufax struck out 18, 13 and 10 batters. 18 Ks was a record for a 9 inning game at the time and 41 strikeouts over 28 innings is incredible.
Koufax got three more starts and 3 more relief appearances, as the Dodgers were in a tight pennant race, but got rocked in all of them.
His wildness had returned again. In a relief appearance on September 20, he got the third out in an inning, and then proceeded to walk three straight batters in the next inning.
The Dodgers finished the season tied with the Braves for 1st. The two teams would face each other in a best of three game playoff.
The Dodgers took the opener. In the second game, Koufax came on to pitch the start of the 9th with the Dodgers behind 5-2.
It started out well enough, as Billy Bruton went down swinging. Next, Eddie Matthews grounded out. But then, Koufax’s wildness made an unexpected appearance.
Hank Aaron walked, as did Frank Torre (Joe’s brother). When Joe Demerit walked, Koufax was out of there. The Dodgers went on to come back and win the game and the pennant anyway.
So it was on to the World Series. Unlike 1955 and 1956, Koufax was on the postseason roster. And it didn’t take long for him to be needed.
In game one, against the American League pennant winning Chicago White Sox, the Dodgers went down hard and fast. Roger Craig, LA’s starter, was knocked out in a 7 run 3rd inning. Chuck Churn faired little better, so Clem Labine took over in the 4th.
After Clem held the White Sox at bay, the score was still 11-0 Chicago. Koufax got into the game in the 5th inning.
He got Jim Rivera on flyball to right. Then Early Wynn, on his was to a combined shutout (And eventually 300 wins in his chequered career), faced Koufax and struck out. Luis Aparicio, the Hall of Fame shortstop, lined out to end the inning.
Koufax began the 6th by getting Nellie Fox, another Hall Of Famer (3rd in a row faced by Koufax) to fly out. Then Jim Landis and Ted Kluszewski, who had both done a lot of damage to Los Angeles, grounded out to short and second, respectively. Ron Fairly pinch-hit for Sandy in the bottom of the frame.
The Dodgers roared back to win the next three games. And then Sandy Koufax was given the chance to put the final nail in the Chi Sox coffin when he was given the start in game 5. A World Series single game record of 92,706 packed into Memorial Coliseum, which gave Koufax trouble.
Not on this day. Koufax went out and stymied the Sox. In the third, he was in a little trouble, but Aparicio was thrown out trying to get to second after singling to left, killing a rally that a had runner on third.
In the fourth, Koufax faltered a bit as Fox singled. Then Landis singled him to third. The Dodgers would be forced to concede the run as Sherman Lollar hit into a double play. 1-0 Chicago. Kluszewski flied out to end the inning.
In the 6th, Aparicio singled, but moved no further as Fox flied out, Landis took strike three and Lollar hit into a force.
In the 7th inning, Sandy fanned Al Smith and the other two batters flied out.
Koufax was removed for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 7th. He finished the game allowing 5 hits, one walk and whiffing 6 batters. The run that scored against him in the forth inning was the only run he allowed. Stan Williams took over and allowed no runs, no hits and 2 walks.
The opposing pitcher, Bob Shaw, lasted 7 1/3 innings and gave up 9 hits and 1 walk, yet somehow the Dodgers failed to score against him (and all of his relievers) as Koufax took a tough 1-0 loss. The Dodgers won game 6 anyway.
The season was a bit of a step back for Sandy Koufax in some ways. But there were also some steps forward. His ERA dropped to 4.05, he walked less than 100 batters (92), and he fanned 173 batters, and even recorded two saves. On the other hand, despite less duty, a lower ERA, he actually gave up more hits (136) than he did last season. That was enough for 8.0 hits per nine innings. This was actually the high water mark for Koufax in his last 9 seasons.
Looking at Koufax on average in nine innings, reveals an upping many of the areas. He averaged 1.4 homeruns allowed per 9 innings. 5.4 walks isn’t good, but it’s an improvement from last season. The BB will steadily decline from this season until 1964 when there is a mild revival. 10.2 strikeouts is almost 3 more per 9 than last season. Never again will Koufax average less than 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings in one season.
Now, note that he pitched less than an inning per Dodger game that season (154). Actually, he needed 156 innings because of the extra two games. So, none of his per game numbers will count for league leader consideration, unlike 1958.
References
“Elroy Face Gets Award.” Sarasota Herald-Tribute (Google New Archive) https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4D01AAAAIBAJ&sjid=FGUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3373,489482&dq=sandy+koufax+face&hl=en. Accessed 28 Mar. 2011. Web.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 28 Mar. 2011.
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