60 YEARS AGO/85: ONE-RUN DAYLIGHT

Games don't get any closer than the ones played by the Giants and Dodgers on July 13, 1962 (a Friday) as they both made another swing through the East Coast. 

In New York, Don Drysdale was burned in the bottom of the first by Felix Mantilla, who hit a three-run homer. (Drysdale snapped at his glove as Mantilla toured the basis, clearly wishing he could have the pitch back.) The Dodgers scored one in the second and two in the third to tie the game, however, and took the lead in the fifth when Maury Wills hit a "Polo Grounds homer" on a fly ball that traveled a good bit less than three hundred feet.

Gene Woodling's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning tied the score again, however, and the score remained deadlocked until Ron Fairly homered in the eighth off Al Jackson. Drysdale retired former teammate Gil Hodges for the final out as the Dodgers secured what was both a come-from-behind and a blown-lead win. By doing so, Big D improved his seasonal won-loss record to 16-4. Final score: Dodgers 5, Mets 4. 

In Philly, flaky young left-hander Dennis Bennett held the Giants to just five hits while his teammates bunched five hits in one inning to score three runs, just enough to beat Billy O'Dell. Bennett gave ground in the ninth, but kept the inning from getting out of hand by inducing Willie Mays to hit into a double play at a critical moment. As it turned out, Orlando Cepeda still represented the potential go-ahead run as he batted with two outs in the ninth--but Bennett retired him on a pop-up. Final score: Phillies 3, Giants 2.

SEASON RECORDS: LAD 60-31, SFG 58-32