May 17, 1965: Sandy Koufax strikes out 13 in an epic pitching duel at Astrodome

Sandy Koufax dominated the Astros for 10 innings, then singled in the 11th inning to start the Dodgers’ game-winning rally. (SABR-Rucker Archive)

It’s difficult to find the right words to describe the 10⅓ innings Sandy Koufax pitched against the Houston Astros on May 17, 1965, allowing three runs. But this game, astounding on its own, looks even better when seen through its context: only four days before, Koufax had pitched a shutout against the same Houston Astros. In a way, this was Koufax at his peak, playing in a season where he got both a pitching Triple Crown and a Cy Young Award, in what was his next to last season.

When Koufax stepped onto the mound at the Astrodome that evening, everybody had in mind the previous series against Houston, played in Los Angeles a few days earlier. The Dodgers dominated the series, and won on May 12 thanks to an impressive complete-game performance by pitcher Don Drysdale.

The next day, May 13, Koufax pitched a shutout. Close to 21,000 fans watched the lefty pitch a gem at Dodger Stadium, allowing only three hits and no walks, with 13 strikeouts. The Dodgers won, 3-0.

Facing the man who shut them out a few days before might not have been to the taste of the Astros. They might even have hoped Koufax would be resting. Indeed, in 1965, Koufax had already been suffering pain in his arms because of traumatic arthritis. But the Dodgers pitcher tried a new way of reducing the pain in 1965: He simply skipped his usual sideline throwing between starts. This simple resting technique was enough to create a change. Koufax finished the season with 335 2/3 innings pitched, a career high. On top of that, he broke the Modern Era strikeout record, until then owned by Rube Waddell. Rube had 349 in 1904, Koufax finished with 382.

All these achievements are a testimony not only to Koufax’s talent but also his sheer determination. Breaking records is one thing. Doing it while suffering terrible pain from a medical condition is another. This would end his career early. But in 1965 the new routine was effective enough that the version of Koufax on the field was stellar.

This is how, on May 17, Koufax was able to pitch again, after a then-common four-day rest. And he was on a roll against the Astros: he had defeated them eight straight times. Maybe even more worrying, Houston was in the middle of a six-game losing streak. This game was going to be the Dodgers’ introduction to the brand-new Astrodome. And several of them seemed to be charmed. “This is the greatest thing I’ve played in since I played at Carnegie Hall,” said outfielder Al Ferrara, a former talented piano player.1

Koufax was also eager to see this new ballpark. “I’ve never heard ball players talk about a park as much as they have about this one,” he told Frank Finch of the Los Angeles Times a few days earlier.2

Koufax’s opponent on this day was Bob Bruce, who would throw more than 10 innings in this pitching duel while allowing three runs. It was Bruce who faced Koufax a few days before and took the loss. Probably determined not to suffer the same fate, Bruce started the game by retiring the side in order.

The first hit came from Houston’s Bob Lillis, who singled to center field to lead off the Astros’ first inning. But the next batter, future Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, grounded into double play. Koufax finished the inning by retiring Jim Wynn on a fly ball to center field.

The Dodgers got their first hit in the top of the second, a single by the five-time All-Star John Roseboro. The threat didn’t go further, as the next two batters grounded out.

The first real scoring opportunity for the Astros came in the bottom of the second inning, when Joe Gaines tripled to center field with one out. Once again Koufax rose to the occasion and struck out the next two batters.

The Dodgers’ Dick Tracewski led off the top of the third with a single to left field and stole second while Koufax was at the bat. Two outs later, Wes Parker doubled, giving Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. (Parker was out trying to stretch his hit into a triple.)

The Astros countered in the bottom of the fourth. Koufax started it by walking Wynn leading off and Joe Gaines with one out. Eddie Kasko’s single to center, drove in Wynn. Koufax shook it off and retired the next two batters on a fly ball and an infield pop.

Fans had to wait until the top of the seventh inning to see any further action on offense. Ron Fairly reached first base on a one-out error by second baseman Morgan. Roseboro singled him to second base. But the 1965 Rookie of the Year Jim Lefebvre grounded into a double play, and the inning was over.

Still tied 1-1, the game went into extra innings with both starters still in the game. In the 10th, despite base hits by Roseboro and Lefebvre, the Dodgers were unable to score. The Astros didn’t do better, despite Kasko drawing a leadoff walk.

The Dodgers broke through in the top of the 11th. With one out, Bruce gave up a single to center by Koufax himself, a notoriously weak hitter who retired with a .097 career batting average. Koufax took second when the next batter, Maury Wills, also singled to center.

After Wills’ hit, Astros manager Lum Harris replaced Bruce with reliever Hal Woodeshick, who walked Parker, loading the bases for Willie Davis. Woodeshick struck him out. Fairly, however, hit a line drive to center field for a single. Koufax scored on the hit and Wills came home when Joe Morgan mishandled the relay, his second error of the game. It was a nightmare of a game on defense for Morgan, as he also allowed the next batter, Roseboro, to reach first on yet another error. Parker and Fairly scored. Despite the three errors, Houston manager Harris defended his second baseman after the game, telling sportswriters, “I told him that Babe Ruth made errors.”3 (That didn’t prevent the Baytown (Texas) Sun from headlining its game story “Morgan’s Misplays Aid LA’s Bum Win.”4

Woodeshick struck out Lefebvre to end the inning with the Dodgers leading, 5-1.

Koufax, after pitching 10 impressive innings and sparking the Dodgers’ offense, was back on the mound in the bottom of the 11th, facing the top of Houston’s batting order. He retired Lillis but gave up a single to Morgan (who was greeted at the plate by boos), hit Wynn with a pitch, and allowed a run-scoring single to Bob Aspromonte.

After 10⅓ innings, Koufax was replaced by Bob Miller, who despite allowing a run on a groundball got Kasko on a game-ending pop fly to second. Koufax had his fifth victory on his way to a 26-8 season. Adding to the satisfaction of Dodgers manager Walt Alston was the fact that it was his 1,000th win as the Dodgers’ manager. “I hope the next few aren’t as tough as the thousandth,” he declared after the game.5

The rest of the season would prove to be as eventful as this game. Koufax pitched a perfect game on September 9, becoming the first pitcher to throw four no-hitters. (Bob Feller had three; Nolan Ryan finished his career with seven).

The Dodgers made it to the World Series. Koufax refused to pitch in Game One because it was being played on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish religion. Los Angeles won the Series in seven games over the Minnesota Twins.

Koufax won the first of his two pitching Triple Crowns that season, along with the second of his three Cy Young Awards, He was the runner-up for the National League MVP and was voted NL Pitcher of the Year.

SOURCES

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball Reference.com and Retrosheet.org, and the following:

Aaron, Marc Z. “Sandy Koufax,” SABR.org., https ://sabr.org/bioproj/person/sandy-koufax/

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU196505170.shtml

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1965/B05170HOU1965.htm

The author would like to thank Rick Bush for providing articles from the Houston Chronicle.

NOTES

1 Wells Twombly, “Bubble-Eyed Dodgers Praise Dome,” Houston Chronicle, May 18, 1965: 21.

2 Frank Finch, “Dodgers Get 5-3 ‘Gift’ in Dome Debut,” Los Angeles Times, May 18, 1965.

3 Associated Press, “Morgan Is Told Ruth Erred, Too,” Orange (Texas) Leader, May 19, 1965: 5.

4 Fred Hartman, “Morgan’s Misplays Aid LA’s Bum Win,” Baytown (Texas) Sun, May 19, 1965: 16.

5 “Morgan Is Told Ruth Erred, Too.”