World Series GAME 2 – White Sox 9, Braves 8

BSN - Nichols (5-2, 3.21) vs CHW - Bahnsen (5-5, 6.40)
On paper the matchup clearly favored the Braves.  Unfortunately for Boston these games are played on the field (ok...a computer).  With the game scoreless the Chisox scored 3 runs in both the 3rd and 4th innings to take a "safe" lead.  In the 3rd they played some small ball and got RBI hits from Bill Melton, Buddy Bradford and Ken Henderson.  A costly throwing error by Bob Elliott in left also helped the Chisox score.  The 4th inning was pretty much a carbon copy of the 3rd.  This big hit in the inning was a 2 run double by Dick Allen.  Buddy Bradford plated Allen when Brave shortstop Sibbi Sisti booted a sinking liner and allowed it to trickle into the outfield.  The top of the 6th saw the Braves halve the score by posting 3 runs of their own.  Sid Gordon launched 2 run double in almost the exact spot Dick Allen's two bagger landed.  The power of "3's" seemed to rule the day as the Chisox got back 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th when Melton singled home Dent.  Pat Kelley was called upon to pinch hit for Bradford and he singled home Melton.  A passed ball allowed Kelly to score 2 batters later for the 3rd run of the frame, which gave Chicago it's second 6 run lead of the game.  With 3 outs to go Skip Pitlock headed back out for his 3rd inning in relief of Bahnsen who went 5 2/3 with 3 runs allowed.  To this point Pitlock had not allowed a run or a hit.  He walked cleanup man Bob Elliott and was immediately sent to the showers in favor of Moran, who got the first batter he faced (Bob Addis) to ground back to the box for out #1.  Earl Torgeson followed with a run scoring double that almost cleared the fence in right center.  Sibbi Sisti grounded to short for the second out and the game looked all but over.  Roy Hartsfield had a seeing eye single up the middle  to score Torgeson to make it 9-5 with 2 outs.  Sam Jethroe singled to right and Willard Marshall put a big scare into the faithful fan of 35th street.  Marshall hit a mammoth shout to dead center, that on most days either hits the wall on one hop or is caught.  Today that ball caught the jetstream and wound up landing safely in the batter's eye for a 3 run shot to make it a 1 run ballgame.  The only sound you could hear on the Southside at this point was the whistle of wind swirling in the outfield.  Walker Cooper was the  next batter and he singled right up the middle off a 101 mph fastball thrown by young reliever Rich "Goose" Gossage.  Gossage might have still been shell shocked after he served up Marshall's 3 run shot.  Gossage can bring the gas, but he needs to learn to locate his pitches better if he's going to make it in this game.  With 2 outs an a runner on first Gossage now had to get cleanup hitter Sid Gordon out.  Gossage was able to get the ball in on Gordon's hands with more than enough velocity to saw the lumber in half.  The ball rolled back to the box and Gossage easily tossed it to first for the final out of the game.  This was a must win for Chicago and it went from being a laugher to almost a choker in 1 inning.

Series tied at 1-1