‘65 Dodgers 3, ‘65 Twins 0: Just the Koufax, ma’am (OOTP simulation)

Apologies for not sticking to my original plan of “get all this done in a week.” Life, despite quarantine, got in the way.

After the Twins squeaked out a shutout victory over the Dodgers’ Don Drysdale in Game 1, Sandy Koufax made sure such a performance would not come close to happening again.

Koufax pitched a complete game two-hitter, walking one and striking out nine as the Dodgers tied the Series with a 3-0 victory.

Minnesota’s only successful batted balls came on doubles by Zoilo Versalles in the fourth and Earl Battey in the eighth.

The home crew kept putting their lumber on Mudcat Grant’s pitches, notching all seven of their hits off the Twins starter.

The Dodgers first touched the plate in the second, when Willie Davis doubled home Wes Parker, but did most of their damage in the fourth. After a leadoff popout, Ron Fairly reached on Jerry Kindall’s throwing error and moved up on a Parker single. Davis followed with a grounder to Kindall at second, but as both runners were moving, Kindall had no choice but to record the out at first. John Roseboro followed with an RBI single, after which Koufax sent a grounder to Killebrew, who threw high trying to force Roseboro at second, allowing Parker to cross the plate again.

But Los Angeles would not need even the unearned insurance runs, as although Twins relievers Dick Stigman and Mel Nelson allowed just three baserunners and no hits following Grant’s exit after the fifth, Koufax befuddled hitters for all nine frames.

Minnesota never got a runner past second base, and only saw two men on once, when Frank Quilici walked with Battey on second in the eighth. But Sandy Valdespino grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the frame; three visiting batters later, the Series was knotted at one.

STUDS:

• Dick Stigman: 2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K
• Mel Nelson: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K

DUDS:

• Mudcat Grant: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R (1 ER), 1 K
• The entire Twins lineup: 2-29, 2 2B, 1 BB, 9 K
• Tony Oliva/Jimmie Hall: 2 K apiece

Link to Game 1