And when we do, the games of Thursday, May 17, 1962 (among other things, it was French cinema legend Jean Gabin's 58th birthday) will be part of the list. In the sunshine at San Francisco's Candlestick Park, Billy O'Dell and Bob Gibson seemingly transported us to 1968 as they locked themselves into a scoreless duel that stretched all the way into the ninth inning.
Gibson, in the midst of his first great season, had served notice that he was "on" in the first inning by striking out the side. In the bottom of the eighth, the Giants mounted their best threat against him: leadoff man Harvey Kuenn singled and #2 hitter Chuck Hiller doubled, putting men on second and third with one out. The Cards played six-of-one/half-dozen of the other and walked Willie Mays intentionally to load the bases and set up a possible double play--only the man at the plate was Orlando Cepeda...who promptly hit into a twin killing, thus keeping the game scoreless.
The Cards scored a lone run in the ninth when catcher Ed Bailey's throw went wild, allowing pinch-runner Julian Javier's steal attempt to net him an extra base, putting him on third. With two out, Charlie James slapped one into the hole at short that Jose Pagan could only knock down: the infield single allowed Javier to score.
Gibson then retired the Giants in order in the ninth, finishing with ten strikeouts, and improving his season record to 5-2. Final score: Cardinals 1, Giants 0.
Down in LA that evening, Colts starter (and ex-Dodger) Jim Golden had outpitched Sandy Koufax and had a 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. But Maury Wills (bunt single) and Jim Gilliam (line single to right) were clearly not ready to give in. Then, however, Dodgers manager Walt Alston did a very strange thing that would make post-modern fans gasp: he ordered a sacrifice from Willie Davis (again batting third, and his third such play in two games). It worked, but it cost a precious out to do so.
Johnny Roseboro worked the count against Tiefenauer to 3-2, and he then flailed at a knuckleballer with such force that he fell down--all of this happening while Davis was stealing second. The Colts protested that Roseboro had interfered with catcher Hal Smith's ability to throw to second, but umpire Dusty Boggess was not swayed and Tommy remained at second.
But not for long, because Ron Fairly, who'd entered the game hitting .136, commenced what turned into an amazing 16-game hot streak by slapping a single to right, scoring Davis (and tying the game). Andy Carey then grounded out, sending the game into extra innings.
Willie Davis did not get a chance to try a squeeze play in order to bring Maury home--he was walked intentionally by Tiefenauer (and an intentional walk was often the only way that the man later called "3-Dog" ever did perform the "soul handshake" with a base on balls). So it fell to Moon to put starlight in the fans' eyes--and on 2-0 pitch, he dumped a hump-back liner into center-field to cap an improbable (and, arguably, most unprobabilistic) comeback. Final score: Dodgers 5, Colts 4 (10 innings).
SEASON RECORDS: SFG 26-9, LAD 23-12.
