May 23, 1964 | BARRY BOWE

The date was May 23, 1964.

On this date two years earlier – in 1962 – the NBA agreed to transfer the Philadelphia Warriors franchise to San Francisco. The team then played as the San Francisco Warriors from 1962 thru 1971 before changing its name to the Golden State Warriors.

One year earlier – in 1963 – NBC purchased the rights to the AFL championship game for $926,000 – astounding – since the cost of a 60-second commercial in today’s Super Bowl costs a staggering $8-million.

The NFL-AFL merger didn’t take place until June 8, 1966.

After winning the first game of the series the day before, Gene Mauch was sending Dennis Bennett (4-3) to the mound to face the Dodgers Phil Ortega (3-2). This crowd of 42,349 was better than 3,000 more than the previous night.

Ortega was a second-year pitcher making his seventh start of the season. He beat the Mets in his last start and threw a four-hit shutout against the Braves earlier in the season.

Dennis Bennett lost his last start to the Giants 3-0 after two consecutive wins.

The game was scoreless through the first two innings.

In the top of the third, with two outs, Richie Allen doubled. Johnny Callison followed with a double of his own to make it 1-0 Phillies.

In the bottom of the third, Dick Tracewski led off with his first home run of the season to tie the score 1-1.

Willie Davis followed with a single and moved to second on a bunt by Phil Ortega. One out later, Jim Gilliam singled and Willie Davis scored to put the Dodgers in the lead 2-1.

Ortega and Bennett put up goose eggs as the game moved through the end of the fifth.

In the top of the sixth, Wes Covington tied the game 2-2 with a line drive into the seats in rightfield ─ his fifth homer of the year.

In the bottom of the sixth, Phil Ortega was lifted for a pinch-hitter and replaced by Bob Miller (0-3) in the top of the seventh.

Bob Miller and Dennis Bennett then battled tooth-and-nail through the seventh, eighth, and ninth with the score remaining 2-2.

The game moved into extra innings with Miller and Bennett battling trough the tenth and eleventh – and into the twelfth.

In the bottom of the twelfth, Miller was lifted for a pinch-hitter and was replaced by Ron Perranoski (2-0) in the top of the thirteenth.

The score remained 2-2 going into the fourteenth.

In the top of the fourteenth, Gene Mauch sent Cookie Rojas up to bat for Bennett. Rojas drew a walk and moved to second when Tony Taylor sacrificed. Richie Allen singled, but Rojas had to stop at third.

That put runners on first and third with one out.

Johnny Callison singled and Rojas scored easily to put the Phillies ahead 3-2 with Allen trying to take third. Thinking he had a shot at getting Allen, leftfielder Tommy Davis fielded the ball and came up throwing. Allen slid in under the tag at third, and Callison took second on the throw.

With runners on second and third, Danny Cater struck out for the second out.

Tony Gonzalez then hit a ground ball to third that should’ve been the third out, but Jim Gilliam booted it and Richie Allen scored an insurance run to make it 4-2 Phillies.

Gene Mauch brought Jack Baldschun (2-0) in to close out the game and Baldschun got the Dodgers 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourteenth to preserve the win.

Dennis Bennett (5-3) pitched 13 strong innings to pick up the win and Jack Baldschun recorded his third save.

Ron Perranoski (2-1) took the loss.

In San Francisco, the Giants lost to the Pirates 9-2 thanks to home runs by Jerry Lynch (2) and Roberto Clemente (4). Bob Friend (4-3) was the winner and Gaylord Perry (2-1) took the loss.

The combination of the Giants loss and the Phillies victory merged the two teams in a virtual tie for first place. The Cardinals were a game behind in third place.