Wednesday, July 27, 2022

60 YEARS AGO/98: SHOWDOWN IN LA, PART 1

The Dodgers and Giants both had July 26th off in '62, so they could travel back to Los Angeles for a three-game weekend series at Dodger Stadium. 

The only game of any consequence relative to the NL standings on the 26th was played in Cincinnati, where the Reds completed a four-game sweep of the Pirates with a 5-3 win. Spot starter Johnny Klippstein pitched creditably into the eighth inning for the Reds; Bill Henry picked up him and notched his eighth save of the year. Jerry Lynch (#7) and Gordy Coleman (#20) each had two-run homers for Cincy.

THE next day--or, should we say, on this day sixty years ago--a pivotal series got underway in LA with Johnny Podres starting for the Dodgers and Juan Marichal for the Giants. The Dodgers got everything they needed in the second inning, when Frank Howard hit a three-run homer (#18), scoring Tommy Davis and Ron Fairly ahead of him.

Podres made it stand up, going the distance and allowing just five hits and one unearned run; he also struck out six. The win evened his season record at 7-7. Final score: Dodgers 3, Giants 1.

SEASON RECORDS: LAD 69-35, SFG 67-37, PIT 61-42, CIN 58-42