Dodgers and Braves battle in 3 one run games

Dodger Stadium
GAME 1
Ortega vs Barker
Dodgers 1, Braves 0

Len Barker pitched 7 2/3 sparkling innings only to win up losing on an unearned run.  LA had Barker on the ropes in both the 1st and the 6th, but the nimble one was able to get away un-scarred.  Neither team scored, as Dodger starter Phil Ortega was equally adept to that point.  With RF'er Frank Howard mired in a deep slump rookie Derrell Griffith was summoned to pinch hit for him with 2 outs in the 7th.  Griff doubled home Maury Wills, who was 3 for 4 on the day, for what turned out to be the winning/only run.  Bob Miller, who threw 2 scoreless innings in relief, got the win.

 
GAME 2
Koufax vs Mahler
Braves 2, Dodgers 1

In a battle of aces, Atlanta's Rick Mahler bested the lord's left hand in a 2-1 nail biter.  Koufax "only" fanned 6 in this outing and stood a chance of winning, but his defense let him down in the 5th as a Rick Mahler grounder knocked in the would be winning run.  Trixie plated Ron Fairly with 2 outs in the 5th to make it a one run ball game, but the Dodgers could not get closer.  Bedrock pitched a scoreless 9th to earn is 7th save.  Koufax's record drops to 5-4, despite seeing his otherworldly ERA drop to 1.56.

GAME 3
Perez vs Drysdale
Dodgers 2, Braves 1

In a somewhat disappointing season, by his standards Big D had the burden of winning the rubber match to keep his team's pennant hopes alive.  Losing 2 of 3 would surely put LA out of contention.  Don Drysdale responded with his best outing of the year by going the distance and giving up just on run in the 4th.  During that inning the Braves were poised for a breakout.  With 2x MVP Dale Murphy leading off with a single and Chris Chambliss doubling him to 3rd the Braves had huge aspirations.  Murph scored on a Claudell Washington groundout, but with the infield pulled in Milt Thompson grounded back to the originator and Oberkfell failed to hit safely as well.  That was it for Atlanta's offense.  LA answered right back with a small ball tally (2 hits and a WP).  In the 5th LA took the lead with more small ball and some added strangeball.  Nate Oliver led off with a single and was bunted over to 2nd by Drysdale.  A PB moved Oliver to 3rd, who scored on a Willie Davis SF that Murph caught up against the fence at the 420 mark.  Drysdale held tight until the top of the 9th when it almost all came crashing down.  Murph and Chambliss both singled to lead off the inning.  Wash fanned for out #1.  Milt Thompson got himself an infield single to load the bases with one out.  Drysdale expected a visit from the dugout, but none came.  It was his game to win or lose since no one was up in the pen.  On a 1-1 count Oberkfell got a good pitch to hit and he hit it hard, but right to Wills, who flipped to Oliver at 2nd who tossed to Parker at first for a game saving DP.

All 3 games in this series were of the one run variety.  Fun/tense games to play and watch.  Dodger fans who stayed past the 7th inning were treated to some fine endings.