1965 Round 1: Chisox outlast Halos in 5 – Buzhardt notches game 2 No Hitter

GAME 1 - Comiskey Park
Marcelino Lopez vs Joe Horlen
White Sox 4, Angels 3
Not a shock that two low scoring teams would be deadlocked after regulation.  Ed Kirkpatrick's pinch hit homer for the Halo's in the 8th off of Jack Fisher got us to this point.  Extra innings turned into a Western Front stalemante until the bottom of the 13th, when Moose Skowron doubled home Don Bufford on a hanging slider offered up by Ed Sukla with nobody out.
White Sox lead series 1-0

 

GAME 2 - Comiskey Park
Fred Newman vs John Buzhardt
White Sox 1, Angels 0
Today's offense can be summed up in 1 sentence:  Moose Skowron hit a solo shot off of Fred Newman in the bottom of the 4th.  That was the offense, but the real story was the incredible no hitter thrown by John Buzhardt, who walked just two, fanned 5 and did not allow an Angel batter to reach first on a hit.  The fact that the Chisox scored just 1 run made Buzhardt's performance a necessity, not a luxury.  Newman winds up being the poster child for the "hard luck loser" foundation.  99 out of 100 starts his 1 run over 7 innings performance would result in a win.  Buzhardt lost his perfect game in the 5th when Bobby Knoop worked out a walk.
White Sox lead series 2-0

GAME 3 - Dodger Stadium
Tommy John vs George Brunet
Angels 2, White Sox 1
If you like pitcher's duels, you are following the right series.  After Buzhardt's virtuoso performance in game 2 the Angels now had their backs up against the wall to stave off elimination.  George Brunet stepped up to the plate and went the distance allowing just 4 hits and 1 unearned run that tied the game up in the top of the 9th.  The home team felt the pressure and paid Brunet back in the bottom of the inning with a pinch hit RBI single by Albie Pearson, which turned out to be the only earned run scored on the day by both teams.
White Sox lead series 2-1

 

GAME 4 - Dodgers Stadium
Joe Horlen vs Dean Chance
Angels 5, White Sox 1
1964 Cy Young award winner Dean Chance, reverted to last year's form in this must win game.  Chance, who won the 1964 tournament MVP award struck out 5 and allowed just 1 run while going the distance.  When hearing these stats the average Angel fan might reply, "Did he win ?"  The answer to that question would be an emphatic "YES" thanks to a 5 run outburst by the Halo lineup.  Carrying a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the 5th the Halo's got a huge break when Chisox catcher Johnny Romano botched Jose Cardenal's bunt for a hit attempt.  Ed Kirpatrick followed that with an RBI double to make it 2-0.  Albie Pearson's 2 out double knocked in 2 more runs and the Halo's behind Chance's right arm were off to the races.
Series tied at 2-2

GAME 5 - Comiskey Park
Marcelino Lopez vs John Buzhardt
White Sox 4, Angels 1
Working on short rest, no hit expert John Buzhardt was once again lights out.  "Buzz" went 6 1/3 innings and allowed just 1 earned run, which came in the top of the first on a Willie Smith RBI single.  The Chisox answered right back with a Danny Cater RBI single to make it 1-1.  Floyd Robinson's two out triple in the bottom of the 4th put the Chisox up 2-1.  A bases loaded walk to Floyd Robinson in the bottom of the 6th made it 3-1.  Ken Berry's single scored Moose Skowron to make it 4-1, which is how it stayed thanks to 2 2/3 of spotless relief work by Eddie Fisher.
White Sox win series 3-2

Interview quote with Angels manager Douglas Zaner:  "White Sox win a close series.  Home team wins each game.  Moose Skowron goes 7 for 19 with OPS of 1.210.  John Buzhardt throws a no-no in Game 2.  Mercifcully, the Angels can go home."