interference. Koufax effectively gave up on his curveball and pitched the late innings almost exclusively with fastballs, still baffling the hard-hitting Twins. In the fourth inning, Dodger left fielder Lou Johnson told Koufax that he would get him the only run he would need. Johnson promptly hit one off the left-field foul pole to give the Dodgers a 1–0 lead. Ron Fairly followed with a double and scored on a Wes Parker single. The two runs came on three consecutive pitches. Knowing Kaat was on short rest, manager Mele pulled him quickly. Al Worthington, Johnny Klippstein, Jim Merritt, and Jim Perry combined to shut out the Dodgers for the rest of the game. The Twins threatened again in the fifth inning when they had runners on first and second with only one out. Versalles hit a hard grounder down the third base line that appeared to be going for a double. This could have ended Koufax's day as Drysdale was warming up in the bullpen. But third baseman Jim Gilliam (who was often replaced late in games for defensive reasons) made a diving, backhanded stop and stepped on third for a force. Koufax bore down and got the third out. He ended up tossing a three-hit shutout, striking out ten in one of the greatest Game 7 pitching performances ever. "Sweet Lou" Johnson hit two home runs, including the game-winner in the clinching Game 7. No relief pitchers were used by the winning team in any game of this series; the winning starting pitcher went the distance in all seven games. This had not happened since 1940, and has never been repeated since. The Twins' loss in Game 7 remains the only World Series game the Twins have lost at home, having later won all their home games in 1987 and 1991. Through 2021, the Twins have never won a road World Series Game (not including when the franchise was the original Washington Senators). The National League won its third consecutive World Series (Dodgers in 1963, St. Louis Cardinals in 1964). The Senior Circuit would not claim back-to-back titles again until 1975 and 1976, when the Cincinnati Reds did so. Although the Dodgers had played the maximum seven games in four best-of-seven World Series when they were located in Brooklyn (in 1947, 1952, 1955, and 1956), 1965 marked the first time they had done so when located in Los Angeles.