World Series Game # 4 - ' 54 Giants vs ' 74 Athletics

Perils of the Polo Grounds Push A's to Brink

The cavernous power alleys of the Polo Grounds punished the Oakland A's as the New York Giants pounded 4 triples which accounted for 4 runs in a 5-2 Giants' victory. The win gives New York a 3-1 lead in games and reduces Oakland's margin of error considerably. The Giants are now poised to capture the world title on home field in Game 5.

Hank Thompson was the first Giant to find the gap and led the bottom of the second off with a triple. He was quickly plated by a Whitey Lockman sacrifice fly to give New York a 1-0 lead. Oakland then countered in the top half of the third courtesy of an unexpected double in the right center field gap by A's starter Glenn Abbott. He moved to third on a ground out and scored on a Bert Campaneris single to tie things up at one.

In the bottom of the third, New York put together a devastating 2 out rally adding two more triples to salt things away. Al Dark tripled to center and then Willie Mays walked on four pitches. Monte Irvin cleared the bases with a triple of his own to make the score 3-1. Hank Thompson then got back into the offensive mix with an RBI single to increase the lead to 4-1. 

Oakland valiantly tried to answer in the top of the fourth as Gene Tenace poked an opposite field homer into the welcoming seats of right field to narrow the gap to 4-2, but that is all the A's would manage off Giants' starter Sal Maglie.

Maglie was brilliant in a complete game victory allowing only 6 hits while striking out 8 Oakland batters. New York didn't know what to expect from Maglie as it was his first start of these playoffs, but the Giants got all they needed, and then some, from the veteran right hander. Even more importantly, New York played error free baseball for the first time in this World Series which solidified Maglie's fine start. 

Oakland's Glenn Abbott would only last 4 innings surrendering 8 hits and 5 earned runs. He came out for the fifth, but an Al Dark solo shot into the left field bleachers sent him to the showers. Dave Hamilton came on for yet another shutdown outing in these playoffs throwing two scoreless innings, but Oakland didn't have any answers for Maglie, and the last three and a half innings were uneventful on the scoresheet.

With four games played in this series, the Giants have been led offensively by all-star center fielder Willie Mays and catcher Wes Westrum. Westrum is hitting a torrid .571 (8-14/ 2 RBI) and Mays is almost equally exceptional swinging at a.563 clip (9-16/ 1 run/ 3 RBI). Don Mueller has set the table nicely in the lead off spot batting .375 (6-16/ 3 runs) and first baseman Whitey Lockman has also chimed in with a .357 mark (5-14/ 3 runs/ 2RBI). Oakland's offensive attack has been led by their speedy shortstop Bert Campaneris batting .353 (6-17/ 4 runs/ 1HR/ 2RBI)  and third baseman Sal Bando at .375 (6-16/ 1 run). The Athletics have only managed to score more than twice in one of the four games as they tallied 6 runs in their Game 3 victory, but three of those runs were unearned.

In Game 5, it will be a rematch of Game 1 starters as Ruben Gomez will try to pick up his first win of the series and deliver the title for the Giants. He will be opposed by Jim "Catfish" Hunter who has been the A's most effective starter in these playoffs. Neither pitcher figured into the decision in the Game 1 ten inning affair.

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