1963: Braves eliminate Jints in 4

8/1/63 - Candlestick Park
GAME 1 - Braves 4, Giants 3
Warren Spahn vs Juan Marichal
Chalk up the win to the ageless wonder Warren Spahn who went 8 1/3 innings and gave up just 3 runs what many consider the best every day lineup in the NL.  Spahnie fanned 5 and walked none.  His opponent, Marichal, should have sued his defense for lack of support.  Ed Bailey and Harvey Kuenn combined for 3 errors, which helped undermine Marichal's efforts.  Noe was more glaring than the throwing error Kuenn made at third in the top of the 9th when the Braves rallied from 1 down to take a 4-3 lead.  Eddie Mathews led the inning off with a game tying homer.  Henry Aaron doubled, then moved to third on Kuenn's gaffe, then scored on Mack Jones' single.  After getting Bailey to pop out to second, Spahn served up a clean single to Felipe Alou on his 139th and final pitch of the day.  Bob Shaw trotted in from the pen to record the final outs and give the Braves a huge road win.
Braves lead series 1-0

8/2/63 - GAME 2 - Braves 5, Giants 1
Denny Lemaster vs Jack Sanford
The fans were treated to a wonderful pitcher's duel from two unheralded sources.   LeMaster, who went 11-14 during the season with a 3.04 ERA had grown used to the Brave bats going cold when he toes the rubber. Sanford, who won 24 during the Giants pennant winning season last year, relies on getting a lot of run support.  Ed Bailey's two out RBI single in the 4th broke a scoreless tie, but the Giants 1-0 lead was short lived because Gene Oliver took Sanford deep in the next half inning to knot the game back up.  It remained a tight 1-1 pitcher's duel until the fateful top of the 9th where the Braves exploded for four unanswered runs.  Denis Menke's two out 2 run single turned a 2 run lead into an insurmountable 4 run lead.  Gaylord Perry had to brought in to rescue Sanford and get the final two outs.  LeMaster exited the game with a no decision after 7 stellar innings.  Bob Shaw once again came into to weave his magic over the final 2 frames.
Braves lead series 2-0

8/4/63 - Milwaukee County Stadium
GAME 3 - Giants 3, Braves 2
Billy O'Dell vs Bob Hendley
Lee Maye singled with 2 outs and nobody on in the bottom of the 5th and immediately scored when Eddie Mathews ripped one right down the line in right field.  Maye, who was moving on the pitch came all the way around to score and break a scoreless tie.  Mathews was pegged out at third trying to stretch a double into a triple.  San Fran, who's back was up against the wall answered back with 2 runs of their own in the top of the 6th courtesy of two out two run double by the "Baby Bull", Orlando Cepeda.  Hank Aaron's two out single in the 7th would score Roy McMillan to tie the game up at 2-2.  By the 9th inning both starters (O'Dell / Hendley) were gone.  Don Larsen would pitch a perfect 8th for the Jints.  Ron Piche would come on for the Braves to get the final out in the 8th then start up the 9th where things were going very well until Chuck Hiller's gapper turned into a 2 out double.  Cap Peterson was called on to pinch hit for Larsen, and delivered a lead changing RBI single to make it 3-2. Bobby Bolin would fan Roy McMillian to start the bottom of the 9th.  Mack Jones would hit a line shot into the left center power alley for a 1 out triple.  With the infield in and his team's season on the line Bolin blew away Lee Maye on 3 straight pitches for the all important out number two.  This meant that Jones could only score on a hit or an error of some sort.  Up stepped future Hall of Famer, Eddie Mathews, who just got under a 2-2 Bolin offering and hit an elevator in a silo that eventually settled nicely in Hiller's glove at second to end the game.
Braves lead series 2-1

8/5/63 - GAME 4 - Braves 5, Giants 2
Jim Duffalo vs Bob Sadowski
In a series where the home team has not won a game over the first 3 contests the Giants  were hoping to keep the status quo and force a deciding 5th game back in the "City by the Bay".  Joe Torre's run scoring triple in the first put the Giants immediately behind the 8 ball.  A four run barrage in the home half of the 5th sealed San Fran's fate.  A two run single by Torre a two run double by Gene Oliver spelled "all she rode" for Duffalo and company.  Bob Sadowski was keeping the highly acclaimed Giant lineup at bay until the 7th when they posted their first run of the day on a sac fly by Ed Bailey to make it 5-1.  Sadowski would start the 9th, but after giving up a walk to Mays and a single to McCovey, he was replaced by Bob Shaw once again.  Shaw got Cepeda to ground out to short, which moved the runners up 90 feet.  Another Bailey sac fly would score Mays, but the Giants were not in a position to trade outs for runs.  Shaw would close out the game on his own terms by blowing away Felipe Alou on 4 pitches.  San Fran's late rally was way too little and much too late.  Shaw posted his second save of the series as the Braves move on to round 2.
Braves win series 3-1