October 16th, 1985
National League Championship Series,
Game 6
St. Louis Cardinal at Los Angeles
Dodgers
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
The
St. Louis Cardinals had the best record in baseball when the 1985 regular
season came to an end. Their 101 wins were good enough for a three-game margin
over the second place New York Mets. But the Cards style of play would be
highly unusual for the modern game, as they snubbed power and home runs for
singles, stolen bases, sacrifice bunts and solid pitching. For the season, they
hit 87 home runs and stole (get this) 317 bases. Unheard of anymore.
Leading
the way on the base paths was Vince Coleman (110), Willie McGee (56) and Andy
Van Slyke (34). As far as the power went, first baseman Jack Clark hit 22 to
lead the team while Van Slyke’s 13 was good for second. The pitching staff was
led by John Tudor (21 wins), Joaquin Andujar (21) and Danny Cox (18).
The
Dodgers, with their 95 wins, did things the more conventional way. Pedro
Guerrero hit 33 home runs, Mike Marshall hit 28 while Mariano Duncan provided
the speed with 34 stolen bases. The pitchers included Orel Hershiser (19 wins),
Fernando Valenzuela (17) and Tom Niedenfuer (19 saves) out of the pen.
The
Dodgers took advantage of their home field right away by winning the first two
games in LA by scores of 4-1 and 8-2. But the Cards quickly rebounded when the
action got underway in Busch Stadium. They took all three games at home (4-2,
12-2 and 3-2), with the fifth game featuring a walk off home run by St. Louis
shortstop Ozzie Smith.
With
the Dodgers facing elimination and trying to force a seventh game, they sent
Hershiser to the mound in front of the LA crowd. The Cards countered with
Andujar and the Dodgers jumped on him for single runs in the first and second
to take a 2-0 lead. The runs coming on RBI singles from Bill Madlock and
Duncan.
Andujar
helped his own cause in the top of the third when he doubled off of Hershiser
and later scored on a single by Tommy Herr. But in the fifth, the Dodgers
touched up the St. Louis pitcher for two more runs, the first on a sac fly by
Guerrero, which was followed by a solo home run by Madlock. Dodgers up, 4-1.
But
Hershiser lost control of the game in the top of the seventh. He gave up
singles to Darryl Porter and Tito Landrum and after getting one out—a ground
ball that advanced the runners—he surrendered a two-run single to Willie McGee.
At this point, Dodger manager Tony LaSorda replaced Hershiser with Niedenfuer.
The first batter the LA closer face was Ozzie Smith, the hero from Game 5.
Smith promptly tripled, scoring McGee and tying the game at four.
However,
the Dodgers came back in the eighth and sent their fans into a frenzy on a lead
off home run by Mike Marshall. Now, needing only three outs to force a deciding
Game 7, Niedenfuer took to the mound in the top of the ninth with a 5-4 lead.
With
one out, McGee singled and stole second. After Ozzie Smith walked, Niedenfuer
got the second out. But up to the plate came Jack Clark and he deposited the
first pitch he saw from Niedenfuer into the left field stands for a three-run
dinger and a 7-5 St. Louis lead.
Cardinal
closer Ken Dayley came in for the bottom of the ninth and retired the Dodgers
in order. The Cardinals were off to the World Series while the Dodgers would
have to wait another three years for another trip to the playoffs.
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