Saturday, November 24, 2012

Round 2: Dodgers (1) discover their offense in final 2 games to blow out Braves (5) in 4


GAME 1 - Dodger Stadium
K.Johnson vs Koufax
Dodgers 2, Braves 1

Ken Johnson gave up 2 unearned runs in the 5th.  He might as well have given up 20 runs, because he was facing the great Sandy Koufax, who never gives an inch.  The 1966 Cy Young Award winner had a no hitter going until the 5th, which is commonplace for him.  What isn't commonplace for him is a line drive single, which he achieved with 2 outs in the 5th.  Willie Davis followed with a one hopper to short that Woody Woodward booted.  Maury Wills singled to right to score Koufax and make it 1-0.  Lou Johnson followed that up with an RBI single of his own to make it 2-0.  Koufax actually looked human in the 7th when Joe Torre took him to the warning track after Hank Aaron singled.  Rico Carty's slicing double down the rightfield line scored Aaron, but that was all the Braves could muster against that dominant lefty from Brooklyn.  Koufax would allow 1 run on 3 hits, while fanning 8 in a complete game effort.
Dodgers lead series 1-0

GAME 2 - Dodger Stadium

Lemaster vs Drysdale
Braves 4, Dodgers 0

Game 2, just like game 1, belonged to a dominant lefty performance.  This time that lefty work the uniform of the Atlanta Braves.  Denny LeMaster was brilliant scattering 6 hits and fanning 7 for a complete game shutout.  Atlanta only managed to score 4 runs off of 12 hits, but with LeMaster being "THE" master, those 4 runs were more than enough.  Felipe Alou and Eddie Mathews each had 3 hits.  Dodgers starter Don Drysdale was barely effective, giving up 4 runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.  Bob Miller and Joe Moeller eat up innings as the Dodgers seemed to have conceded this contest early.
Series tied 1-1
GAME 3 - Fulton County Stadium
Osteen vs D.Kelly
Dodgers 11, Braves 1

For the 3rd game in a row it was a lefties' paradise.  This time it was Claude Osteen's turn to dominate.  Osteen had himself a shutout until Hank Aaron hit a solo shot in the bottom of the 9th.  By that point LA had completely bombarded the Brave pitching staff into submission.  Not one Dodgers starter, including Osteen, went hitless.  Osteen's hit was a solo homer.  Jim Lefebvre (4-5) and Lou Johnson (2-4) each had 3 RBI days.  Lefebre had more hits (4) than the entire Brave lineup (3).  Old Timer Junior Gilliam even got into the action going 2 for 5.
Dodgers lead series 2-1

GAME 4 - Fulton County Stadium

Sutton vs Cloninger
Dodgers 12, Braves 5

Rookie sensation Don Sutton lost his focus and his shutout bid in the bottom of the 7th when Atlanta scored 3 runs off of him.  By that time the score of the contest was 10-0, so one could hardly blame Sutton for his lack of concentration.  For the 2nd consecutive days the normally offensively challenged Dodgers hit double digits on the scoreboard.  Catcher Johnny Roseboro and Rightfielder Ron Fairly each had 3 hit days before they left the game for defensive replacements.  Sweet Lou Johnson was on base 4 times in 5 plate appearances.  Johnson went 2 for 3 with a walk and 4 RBI's.  Hank Aaron hit his 2nd solo shot in as many days, but even his offensive prowess couldn't overcome his teams shoddy pitching.  Sutton was the only starter in the lineup not to get a hit.  Even farmhand Bart Shirley managed to get himself a pinch hit knock as the Dodger offense is firing on all 8 cylinders.
Dodgers win series 3-1

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