KOD 13 - Tier A Playoffs - LA rallys from 0-2 deficity to beat Reds

10/8/1981 - GAME 1 - Riverfront
Valenzuela vs Soto
Reds 4, Dodgers 3

Valenzuela's magic carried him through 7 innings, but when he came out to start the 8th the Reds were ready to solve his bag of tricks.  Ray Knight and pinch hitter Sam Mejias led off the inning with singles.  Pinch hitter Paul Householder sliced an RBI double just inside the left field line chalk to tie the game at 2-2.  Rick Sutcliffe was brought on to put out the fire.  After getting shortstop Dave Concepcion to foul out to catcher Mike Scioscia he served up a game changing 2 run single to Ken Griffey.  The Reds carried a 4-2 lead into the top of the 9th with Mario Soto, who went 8 strong innings, set to be the winner.  Scott "not the senator" Brown started the inning in relief of Soto and on his second pitch gave Ron Cey a ball he could hit off the top of the left center field wall for a stand up double.  Brown immediately made and exit in favor of Charlie Leibrandt, who got Pete Guerrero to ground out to short for the first out of the inning.  Representing the old guard quite well, Steve Garvey legged out an infield hit to put runners on the corners.  Rick Monday came to the plate to bat for rookie backstop Scioscia, and lined an RBI single to right to make it 4-3.  No more fooling around for Cincy.  It was time to go to closer Tom Hume who took care of business by getting Landreaux to pop out to short and Bill Russell to pop out to third to end it.
Reds lead series 1-0

10/9 - GAME 2
Hooton vs Seaver
Reds 4, Dodgers 3 (11 inn)

Both Seaver and Hooton pitched their hearts out, but neither factored into the decision.  Both gave up 3 runs over 7.  Neither team could break the 3-3 stalemate in regulation, nor could they score in the 10th.  LA threatened in the 11th, but blew a golden opportunity when Ken Landreau turned his lead off single into a caught stealing.  Baker and Sax reached base on rare consecutive errors by Concepcion, but reliever Price got Cey to fly out weakly to left to end the threat.  Rule of thumb:  when you don't capitalize on your opportunities in extra innings your opponent will make you pay, which is exactly what the Reds did in the bottom of the inning.  Driessen led off with a single and moved to third on Joe Nolan's double.  Oester was given an intentional pass, so the bases were loaded with nobody out.  Dodger reliever Bobby Castillo had no margin for error now.  Pinch hitter Sam Mejias fouled out to Scioscia behind the plate for the first out of the inning.  Up stepped Junior Kennedy for his first at bat since replacing Knight in the 9th.  On a 2-1 curveball Kennedy lined a clean single past the outstretched arms of Bill Russell to score Driessen and give the Reds a commanding series lead.
Reds lead series 2-0

10/11 - GAME 3 - Dodger Stadium
Pastore vs Reuss
Dodgers 8, Reds 3

Tied at 3-3 the game headed into the bottom of the 7th with a lot of pressure on the hometown Dodgers who are 1 game away from elimination.  Lefty Charlie Liebrandt toes he rubber for his second inning of work in relief of Frank Pastore, who gave up 3 runs in 5 innings.  Rookie second sacker Steve Sax leads off with a single and scores all the way from first on Dusty Baker's double to dead center. With 1 out Pete Guerrero singles to put runners on the corners, but the usually clutch Garvey goes down swinging for out number 2.  Derrell Thomas, making a rare start at shortstop, singles home Baker to make it 5-3.  Pinch hitter Rick Monday clears the bases with the long ball to put the game away and hand Jerry Reuss the victory.  Rick Sutcliffe atones for his poor outing in game 1 with 2 perfect innings of relief as the Dodgers stave off elimination
Reds lead series 2-1

10/12 - GAME 4
Soto vs Welch
Dodgers 3, Reds 2

Aging future HOF'er Johnny Bench made a rare start behind the plate and delivered a "turn back the clock" 4 for 4 night including an RBI single in the 4th that made it 1-0 Cincy.  1 inning later the Dodgers answered back with 3 backbreaking runs off of Reds starter Mario Soto.  Mike Scioscia led off the bottom of the 5th with a solo blas and was followed by Derrell Thomas who hit a blooper to right.  Kenny Landreaux doubled to right to put runners on the corners for pitcher Bob Welch, who singled home Thomas to give LA a 2-1 lead.  Dusty Baker hit a one hopper to Concepcion at short that turned into a room service 6-4-3 DP.  On the play Landreaux scored to make it 3-1 LA.  Welch now had a 2 run lead to protect.  After getting 2 quick outs in the top of the 8th he issued a 3-1 walk to Concepcion, which seemed harmless until Ken Griffey cranked a triple, which made it 3-2.  Down 2-1 in the series LA was not going to take a chance with Welch facing MVP candidate George Foster.  The opportunity to get out Foster would fall into the hands of 22 year old Alejandro Pena.  Foster hit a bullet to third, but the surehanded Ron Cey grabbed it and lobbed one over to first to easily get Foster for the third out.  Steve Howe would come on in the 9th to protect the 1 run lead.  Bench led off the inning with his 4th consecutive hit, but was forced at second as part of an around the horn 5-4-3 DP started by Cey.  Ron Oester represented the final out.  Howe jammed him, but Oester was able to fight it off and hit on down the third base line.  Cey made a brilliant stab at the ball and came up with it cleanly.  Cey's throw beat Oester by half a stride to end the game and force a decisive game 5 tomorrow back in the Queen City.
Series tied 2-2

10/13 - GAME 5 - Riverfront
Valenzuela vs Seaver
Dodgers 4, Reds 1

The winner of this series would advance to the NLCS.  The loser starts planning for next year.  LA tapped their rookie phenom, game 1 starter Fernando Valenzuela.  Cincy had but no choice but to go with 3 time NL Cy Young award winner Tom Seaver on short rest.  Seaver, who started game 2 and got a no decision in Cincy's win was asked to do the impossible:  Keep LA's potent lineup at bay and out duel a well rested Valenzuela, who is 15 years his junior.  Seaver, who did not lose a game all season, carried the Reds pitching staff on his back and into the post season with the best record in baseball.  It was apparent early on that Tom was not going to be terrific.  LA scored it's first run in the top of the 1st with a 2 out RBI single by Mike Scioscia to score Ron Cey, who walked with 2 out.  LA scored another run in the 2nd when Bill Russell's sac fly plated Derrell Thomas.  Seaver was battling and preventing the Dodgers from posting a big inning, but he was getting by purely on guile and grace.  Johnny Bench continued his hot hitting by hitting a solo shot to make it 2-1 after 2 innings.  The top of the third saw the exit of arguably the greatest righthander of the 20th century.  After loading the bases with nobody out Seaver handed the ball over to his manager and exited gracefully  Bruce Berenyi did his best to limit the damage, but the Dodgers managed to scratch out 2 more runs to make it 4-1.  Berenyi would pitch 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, but it would not matter on a day where Fernando-mania was running wild.  Valenzuela would fan 13 Reds with his baffling screwball as he went the distance allowing just 1 run on 6 hits, while throwing an incredible 145 pitches.  LA would rally back from an 0-2 series deficit to defeat the Reds, who just couldn't close them out while they had the chance.
Dodgers win series 3-2