GAME 1: Dodgers at Pirates (0-0)
Burt Hooton and John Candelaria faced off in game one of the NLCS in Pittsburgh. The pirates jumped on top in the first innings as Bill Madlock hits 2 run double bringing in Moreno and Garner who had started the game with back-to-back singles. The Pirates scored again in the second by stringing together 3 singles before Easler knocked in their third run of the game. The Los Angeles manager was seen frequently looking down at his lineup card, apparently considering whether he should leave Hooton in to take a beating or if he should use his bullpen for long relief in the first game of the series. But then in the top of the third the Dodgers got some relief as Burt Hooton lead off the inning with a walk and Dusty Baker hit his 3rd HR of the season to bring the Dodgers back with in one.
The deficit grew again in the bottom of the 3rd, this time with the bruising bat of Candelaria bringing in two runs with a well-placed single to once again give the Pirates a 3 run lead, 5-2 after 3. The Dodgers bullpen started moving around waiting for the call, but it wasn't coming. It looked like the Dodgers were conceding game one. After all, they had won their last series after losing the first two games and then sweeping games 3, 4 and 5.
Once again it was up to Dusty Baker to answer the call. After Landreaux and Hooton both singled, Baker cleared the bases with a triple, giving him 4 RBI's in his first three at-bats. The Dodgers were back within 1, at 5-4.
And finally Hooton held the Pirates without a run, for at least one inning as the game went to the 5th with Pirates holding a 5-4 lead.
The teams again traded runs in the 5th inning, as both Hooton and Candelaria were pulled after the 5th.
Other than one run given up Pittsburgh's Cruz in the 7th, after Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs, the bullpens fared much better than the starters , taking a tied game in to extra innings.
And the Dodgers exploded for some runs in the top of the 10th. 4 singles, 2 walks and some good base-running gave the Dodgers a 10-6 lead and a 1-0 lead in the series, as Alejandro Pena came on in relief for the Dodgers and the held the Pirates scoreless in the bottom of the 10th.
Dodgers 10 - Pirates 6 (10 innings)
Game MVP: Dusty Baker with 4 RBI's
GAME 2: Dodgers at PIrates (Dodgers lead series 1-0)
Los Angeles fell behind again as Jerry Reuss gave up runs in both the 4th and 5th innings. Unlike game one, both starting pitchers were looking good, but the Pirates batters were proving just a bit better.
The Dodgers clawed back one run in the top of the 6th as the first two batters reached base on back-to-back errors, followed by an RBI groundout by Derrell Thomas to bring the score back to 2-1.
Bibby started for the Pirates and looked stong through 8 holding the Dodgers to just one run on 2 hits.
And then the 9th inning happened. Tekulve was brought in in relief. But another two Pirates errors (they had 5 on the day) allowed both Sax and Guerrero to score and give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.
Tekulve had his first blown save of the season.
The Dodgers knew how important it was to preserve thier precious lead and they used 3 pitchers in the bottom of the ninth in hopes of leaving Pittsburgh with a 2 game lead in the series.
Foli lead off the 9th by grounding out. The Dodgers replaced Goltz with Howe.
Howe gave up a single to Robinson who was pinch-hitting. Howe then got Moreno to strike out. 2 outs.
Howe was pulled in favor of Stewart. Stewart immediately gave up a stolen base and threw a wild pitch. Stewart decided to intentionally walk Easler after falling behind in the count. The Dodgers had no one up in the pen, so they had no choice but to stick with Stewart.
And Stewart came through with Madlock grounding out to end the game and allow the Dodgers to escape Pittsburgh with two victories, even though the only time the Dodgers lead in each of those two games was in the final inning. Dodgers 3 - Pirates 2
Game MVP: Pedro Guerrero (GWRBI)
Game 3: Pirates at Dodgers (Dodgers lead series 2-0)
Game three saw Dodgers ace Fernando Valenzuela take the mound facing Solomon from the Pirates. Unlike his last outing where Fernando went the distance while ringing up 13K's to win the series, his control was all over the place in game 3 as he gave up 5 walks and 4 runs in just 6 1/3 innings.
Luckily for the Dodgers they put together a big second inning, scoring 3 runs with 2 outs. Valenzuela hit an RBI single, Madlock committed one of his two errors in the game, allowing Russell to reach base, Sax singled, and Roenicke walked in a run.
At the end of 7 the Pirates once again led, this time 4-3, after a towering homerun by Thomas in the 7th and it came down to the bullpens.
Rick Sutcliffe held the Pirates scoreless in the 8th. But Jackson was not so lucky for the Pirates, as the Dodgers once again came from behind to tie up the game at 4.
The Pirates opened the 9th with a single and a stolen base. Moreno was on second with no outs. But Castillo shut down the top of the Pirate's order.
Tekulve took the mound for the Pirates in the bottom of the 9th, in hopes of making up for the previous game's blown save.
But Madlock committed his second error of the game allowins Russell to reach 1st. Then a wild pitch moved Russell to 2nd with one out. Dusty Baker came in to pinch hit and was intentionally walked.
Men on 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Tie game.
Guerrero came to the plate but could not get the job done.
So it came down to Steve Garvey. 2 outs, men on 1st and 2nd. And Tekulve for the second game in a row could not come through for the Pirates. Garvey singled and Sax came home with the winning run.
The Dodgers have now won 6 straight games to reach the World Series where they will face off against the Oakland A's.
Dodgers 5 - Pirates 4 (Dodgers win the series)
The deficit grew again in the bottom of the 3rd, this time with the bruising bat of Candelaria bringing in two runs with a well-placed single to once again give the Pirates a 3 run lead, 5-2 after 3. The Dodgers bullpen started moving around waiting for the call, but it wasn't coming. It looked like the Dodgers were conceding game one. After all, they had won their last series after losing the first two games and then sweeping games 3, 4 and 5.
Once again it was up to Dusty Baker to answer the call. After Landreaux and Hooton both singled, Baker cleared the bases with a triple, giving him 4 RBI's in his first three at-bats. The Dodgers were back within 1, at 5-4.
And finally Hooton held the Pirates without a run, for at least one inning as the game went to the 5th with Pirates holding a 5-4 lead.
The teams again traded runs in the 5th inning, as both Hooton and Candelaria were pulled after the 5th.
Other than one run given up Pittsburgh's Cruz in the 7th, after Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs, the bullpens fared much better than the starters , taking a tied game in to extra innings.
And the Dodgers exploded for some runs in the top of the 10th. 4 singles, 2 walks and some good base-running gave the Dodgers a 10-6 lead and a 1-0 lead in the series, as Alejandro Pena came on in relief for the Dodgers and the held the Pirates scoreless in the bottom of the 10th.
Dodgers 10 - Pirates 6 (10 innings)
Game MVP: Dusty Baker with 4 RBI's
GAME 2: Dodgers at PIrates (Dodgers lead series 1-0)
The Dodgers clawed back one run in the top of the 6th as the first two batters reached base on back-to-back errors, followed by an RBI groundout by Derrell Thomas to bring the score back to 2-1.
Bibby started for the Pirates and looked stong through 8 holding the Dodgers to just one run on 2 hits.
And then the 9th inning happened. Tekulve was brought in in relief. But another two Pirates errors (they had 5 on the day) allowed both Sax and Guerrero to score and give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.
Tekulve had his first blown save of the season.
The Dodgers knew how important it was to preserve thier precious lead and they used 3 pitchers in the bottom of the ninth in hopes of leaving Pittsburgh with a 2 game lead in the series.
Foli lead off the 9th by grounding out. The Dodgers replaced Goltz with Howe.
Howe gave up a single to Robinson who was pinch-hitting. Howe then got Moreno to strike out. 2 outs.
Howe was pulled in favor of Stewart. Stewart immediately gave up a stolen base and threw a wild pitch. Stewart decided to intentionally walk Easler after falling behind in the count. The Dodgers had no one up in the pen, so they had no choice but to stick with Stewart.
And Stewart came through with Madlock grounding out to end the game and allow the Dodgers to escape Pittsburgh with two victories, even though the only time the Dodgers lead in each of those two games was in the final inning. Dodgers 3 - Pirates 2
Game MVP: Pedro Guerrero (GWRBI)
Game 3: Pirates at Dodgers (Dodgers lead series 2-0)
Luckily for the Dodgers they put together a big second inning, scoring 3 runs with 2 outs. Valenzuela hit an RBI single, Madlock committed one of his two errors in the game, allowing Russell to reach base, Sax singled, and Roenicke walked in a run.
At the end of 7 the Pirates once again led, this time 4-3, after a towering homerun by Thomas in the 7th and it came down to the bullpens.
Rick Sutcliffe held the Pirates scoreless in the 8th. But Jackson was not so lucky for the Pirates, as the Dodgers once again came from behind to tie up the game at 4.
The Pirates opened the 9th with a single and a stolen base. Moreno was on second with no outs. But Castillo shut down the top of the Pirate's order.
Tekulve took the mound for the Pirates in the bottom of the 9th, in hopes of making up for the previous game's blown save.
But Madlock committed his second error of the game allowins Russell to reach 1st. Then a wild pitch moved Russell to 2nd with one out. Dusty Baker came in to pinch hit and was intentionally walked.
Men on 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Tie game.
Guerrero came to the plate but could not get the job done.
So it came down to Steve Garvey. 2 outs, men on 1st and 2nd. And Tekulve for the second game in a row could not come through for the Pirates. Garvey singled and Sax came home with the winning run.
The Dodgers have now won 6 straight games to reach the World Series where they will face off against the Oakland A's.
Dodgers 5 - Pirates 4 (Dodgers win the series)
Game MVP: Steve Garvey (2-5) with GWRBI
--submitted by K.A. MacDonald--
--submitted by K.A. MacDonald--
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