1962 National League tie-breaker series
This victory advanced the Giants to the 1962 World Series in which the defending champion New York Yankees defeated them in seven games.
[2] In an offseason trade with the Chicago White Sox the Giants acquired Billy Pierce and Don Larsen for Bob Farley, Eddie Fisher, Dom Zanni, and Verle Tiefenthaler.
[7] The Los Angeles Times described the Dodgers' season as a "gamut of sublime" and "ridiculous", noting their successes—such as Maury Wills' 100 stolen bases breaking Ty Cobb's single-season record, Don Drysdale's 25 wins, and Sandy Koufax's no-hitter on June 30—together with problems such as the 18 unearned runs the defense had allowed for the season behind Drysdale, and other fielding issues.
[9] These results left the Dodgers and Giants tied in the league at 101–61, necessitating a tie-breaker to decide the NL pennant.
Larry Sherry entered to pitch for the Dodgers in the bottom of the inning and after recording the first out he allowed back-to-back home runs to Mays and Orlando Cepeda to give the Giants a 5–0 lead.
Phil Ortega entered to pitch for the Dodgers in the bottom of the eighth and the Giants continued their offensive performance.
Alou struck out to open the inning but Tom Haller then walked and advanced to third base on a double by José Pagán.
Willie McCovey singled, allowing Hiller to score and make the game 5–0; Cepeda was then retired to end the inning.
However, after he walked Jim Gilliam to open the bottom of the sixth inning, Giants' manager Alvin Dark double switched to bring Stu Miller in to relieve Sanford, and replaced McCovey in left field with Matty Alou.
[17][18] The Dodgers increased their score as Wally Moon walked and Frank Howard singled, to bring Snider home and make the game 5–2.
Billy O'Dell relieved Miller and Doug Camilli, who was pinch hitting for John Roseboro, singled to load the bases.
[17] Don Larsen entered to relieve O'Dell, who had not recorded an out but had earned a blown save for his performance.
Maury Wills hit a ground ball to the first baseman, who threw home in an attempt to put out Walls who slid hard into the Giants' catcher Haller.
The Giants pinch hit Harvey Kuenn for Matty Alou and Bob Nieman for Hiller, but both recorded outs to end the top of the seventh.
Jack Smith entered in relief but allowed a single to Ed Bailey pinch hitting for Larsen which scored Davenport to cut the Dodgers' lead to 7–6.
Orsino hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at seven runs apiece and Pagán grounded out to end the inning.
The Dodgers announced Daryl Spencer as a pinch hitter for Snider and the Giants countered by bringing Gaylord Perry in relief of LeMay.
The play drew comment after the game, as some writers believed Perry had a chance to throw to third base to put out the lead runner Wills.
[17][18] Alvin Dark angrily went to the mound, and Mike McCormick relieved Perry, intentionally walked Tommy Davis, and then allowed a game-winning walk-off sacrifice fly to Fairly driving in Wills.
[19] Game 3 matched the Giants' Juan Marichal against Johnny Podres, though Dodgers' manager Walt Alston had considered starting reliever Larry Sherry.
Then, while Chuck Hiller was batting, John Roseboro made an error in attempting to pickoff Marichal on second base, allowing him to advance to third.
[21] However, the second baseman's throw to first hit Kuenn in the back, leaving him safe at first and allowing Marichal to score, to make the game 2–0.
Podres intentionally walked Willie Mays to load the bases with one out, and induced a double play from Orlando Cepeda to end the inning.
The Giants threatened against Podres in the top of the sixth with singles by Cepeda, Ed Bailey, and Jim Davenport on a bunt to load the bases.
However, Larsen intentionally walked both Roseboro and Willie Davis to load the bases and induced a ground out by Roebuck to end the inning.
Matty Alou pinch hit for Larsen and singled to lead off the inning and Kuenn grounded into a force out at second base.
[21] Stan Williams relieved Roebuck and Cepeda hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 4 and advance Alou to third.
Billy Pierce pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth to end the game, earning his only save of the season.
[33][34] Additionally Wills, José Pagán, and Tommy Davis played in 165, 164, and 163 games respectively, totals which could not have been matched by players not on the Dodgers or Giants.
[36] Five future Hall of Famers were on the Giants roster in 1962 (Cepeda, Marichal, Mays, McCovey, and Perry) while the Dodgers had three (Drysdale, Koufax, and Snider).
