The frustration was getting to the Dodger fans but none of them were giving up hope. All over Brooklyn, scores of fans could be seen listening to their radio to the Dodger game and then quickly spinning the dial to hear the Giant broadcast.
The game was running long with many pitching changes and long rallies. With the change of the calendar to daylight savings time, fall had arrived in Philadelphia. As twilight to evening begins, Dodger fans feel the literal and virtual chill in the air, and the stadium lights go on.
The fifth inning starts the Dodger comeback. Jackie Robinson triples home one run and a single by Pafko scores Robinson and the Dodgers are back in the game, trailing just 6-5.
The feeling of relief of getting back in the game doesn’t last long. The Phillies’ Granville Hamner hits a ball into right field and the ball takes a bad hop over Carl Furillo and two more Phillie runs score making it an 8-5 game.

Q--The club trails 6-5 to the Phillies in the fifth inning, but now the Phillies get two more runs that looks like a knockout punch.
“We had doubts, there’s no doubt about that. We were worried. I remember Pee Wee (Reese) and Jackie (Robinson) always talked about not giving up. They kept us going.”
Down 8-5, the Dodgers fail to score in their half of the sixth inning. In the bottom of the sixth inning Carl Erskine, the Dodgers’ fourth pitcher, faces Willie Jones. Thousands of Phillie fans then erupt in cheers as the scoreboard announces the Giants the winners of their game at Boston. Out of calendar days, the Dodgers are now playing a must-win game.
The Dodgers go quietly in the seventh inning. As the eighth inning begins, the Dodgers are six outs away from a loss that will send them home for the season. For the third straight season, the pennant hopes for the Dodgers rest in defeating the Phillies.
In 1949, the Dodgers won an extra-inning game in Philadelphia to win the National League Pennant on the final day of the season. The 1950 season ended at Ebbets Field when Dick Sisler hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning to win the pennant for the Phillies. And now, the 1951 pennant hopes for the Dodgers rest with defeating the Phillies.
Doing their best to stay in the game, the Dodgers have run through their best pitchers. Preacher Roe had started, and was followed by Ralph Branca, Clyde King, Clem Labine, and Carl Erskine. All Dressen has left in the final innings is Bud Podbielan, Johnny Schmitz and Phil Haugstad. And Dressen must hit for the pitcher’s spot in the eighth.