GAME 5: “Gay-LORD of the Flys”

Game MVP: Perry

Candlestick Park

70 degrees, clear (a San Francisco heat wave?)

Perry vs Clemens

San Francisco 2 Boston 1

After the scoring circus the evening before, the two staff aces squared off for a second time for a day getaway game.

Through 7 innings the aces go toe to toe, each giving up only 2 hits and no runs to their opponent. Highlights include Clemens three strikeouts to start the game (one of two three strikeout innings he would have in the game). Perry had the wet one working as he benefitted from three double plays to consistently get out of jams.

Boston finally broke through in the top of the 8^th as Dwight Evans hit a 404 foot home run to centerfield on what looked like it could be the game winner given the pitching dominance in this one. But not to be so easily denied, Al Gallagher drew a lead off walk in the bottom of the inning and Perry moved him to second with a sac bunt. Bobby Bonds moved Gallaher to third on a ground out before Tito Fuentes RBI double tied the game once again.

Clemens would retire the San Francisco order 1-2-3 n the 9^th and 10^th, Perry was almost bitten by an Al Gallagher error that put lead off hitter Marty Barret on first in the 9^th. A Todd Benzinger sac bunt moved Barrett to second. Perry then got Boggs to ground out before intentionally walking Mike Greenwell to face Ellis Burks with two out. Perry was up to the task getting another Perry trademark groundout to end the threat.

In the bottom of the 11^th Lee Smith relieved a tiring Clemens by striking out Bonds and getting Fuentes to harmlessly pop out. Willie Mays would single through the right side before Smith would walk McCovey. Stepping up the plate Giant catcher Dick Dietz would drive a Smith fastball for a double off the wall in left-center ending this classic pitcher’s duel and putting the Giants up 3 games to 2 heading back to Beantown.