Game 163: 1980 Houston Astros - Los Angeles Dodgers

delirium was topped off yesterday in Los Angeles Ethan Houston leading three to Steve Garvey at first nobody out Ron Shane parks one into the left-field pavilion to bring the Dodgers from behind they've led for three held on the 9th inning to beat Houston final score Dodgers four Astros three after 162 regular-season games that teams wind up in a tie today a one-game divisional place and now we're live from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles look around they have drawn better than 3.2 million with today's crowd a sellout a lot of people stayed here overnight waited in line for the ticket windows to open this morning a crowd of over 50,000 will look on it's all instinct today in a one-game divisional playoff the first since the national and American leagues were split into divisions in 1969 there was one American League playoff in 78 Yankees Boston and today from Dodger Stadium the Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first ever in the National League that's the way they finished each with a mark of 92 and 70 the Dodgers won the season series ten games to eighth and in the last six meetings between these two teams in Los Angeles the Dodgers won all six including three this weekend before the league's split into divisions there were four playoffs look at the graphic and it's interesting to note the Dodgers were involved in all of them losing to the Cardinals in 1946 and of course the Bobby Thompson home run in the 51 playoff as the Dodgers lost to the Giants they beat Milwaukee in two straight in 59 and lost in 3 to San Francisco in 1962 and this ABC Sports exclusive is being brought to you by Chevrolet and your Chevy dealer with Chevette Monza citation and a new Monte Carlo Chevy's up ahead for 1981 by pepsi-cola annual local pepsi-cola bottler who invites you to catch that Pepsi spirit and by shellfire and ice motor oil formulated to save gas this is the only place to be today welcome back to Dodger Stadium everybody i'm al michaels and when you think about it you go back to the 1st of March the Astro starts spring training in Cocoa Florida the Dodgers start in Bureau Beach Florida the season opens in April they go 6 months a hundred sixty two games wind up in a tie and the tiebreaker one game which you might think is a bit of a capricious solution to a dilemma but certainly it should provide for the highest of drama today we should tell you at the asset yesterday's hero Ron say you might recall fouled a pitcher off his foot just prior to hitting a home run the foot swelled up Ron saying is not in the starting lineup today Mickey Hatcher will replace him say is however available for pinch hitting duty in a one-game playoff of course the paramount situation would be the pitchers on the mound will be Joe Niekro for Houston he's seeking his 20th win of the season Dave Gold's the high-priced free agent will work for the Dodgers he has had a spot here and so with Bob Uecker working with me today you you would have to figure that on paper anyway the Astros would have the best of it on the mound well I would have to agree with you al but if there's going to be heat on any one person both these ballclub one person that I would have to single out is the catcher Alan Ashby for the Houston Astros with Phil Niekro on knuckleballer and he'll throw 70 to 75% knuckle balls with Dodger runners on base it's gonna be tough for Ashby if they run Dodger runners in scoring position at third mainly he's got to stay with Negros bread-and-butter pitch in that cynical ball he's got a good fastball and a slider to go along with him 19 wins for the year as al just told you he's on won 7 & 9 lifetime against the Dodgers on the other hand Dave Gold 7 and 10 for the year Owen 2 against Houston so all for the marbles if it's anything like yesterday al I don't know if I can take it one of the most exciting events that I've seen it's been an incredible weekend series Ferguson's home are winning it on Friday garbage Garvey's Homer was the difference on Saturday says Homer at the difference yesterday today the National League West title at stake the Astros and the Dodgers [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] weather-wise it is a day much like yesterday temperatures in the 70s it's quite smoggy in Los Angeles very comfortable oh and the crowd settling in as the Dodgers will be taking the field very shortly they came in with their backs to the wall on Friday three back swept the final regular season series of the year and today the one game playoff crowd rising now at Dodger Stadium in LA Tony - Neal approaching the mic in centerfield for our national anthem one of the great crowds here at Dodger Stadium the past three days so I would like to ask all of you the great baseball fans to sing with me and sing with all of your hearts our national anthem [Music] what's up [Music] through the night that our flag was still there Oh [Music] Tony Tennille with our national anthem a crowd of better than 50,000 at Los Angeles today they're on their feet sill the rhythmic clapping beginning we've seen it all weekend long [Applause] blase [Applause] pulling out all stops Anson he's at all-time dodge your favorite I'm surprised time in the shorter than that Frank Sinatra out there along with her he's got them all going today the Dodgers hopeful of returning here for Game three of the playoffs on Friday Steve Garvey is wheeling around defensively is at Burton base Bobby again playing at everything this season Davey Lopes with that pinched nerve in his next special brace under his shirt at second base the Dodgers shortstop is Darryl Thomas he's been filling in since Bill Russell was injured in early September and in third as we told you Ron Cey not in the lineup available the pinch-hit so Mickey Hatcher gets the start in the plate the Dodger infield in the outfield for Los Angeles there is Dusty Baker doing some housecleaning and left a lot of people think he has been the most valuable Dodger this season in center field where Pedro Guerrero has been holding forth they go today with Rick Monday Guerrero's had a lot of problems with the Sun the last two days so the veteran Monday in the lineup in center and around and right is Jay Johnstone who made a scintillating play yesterday in the ninth inning as he drove into the seats to catch a foul fly back of the plate the Dodgers down the stretch have been going with that man Joe Ferguson the veteran and on the mound Dean goats in a sense a chance to atone for as you can see not a very good season seven and ten four point two nine tra though he has pitched decently of late even though he has been the victim of non support there are further numbers for Gold's on the season and a man youth that you saw quite a bit of when he pitched for the Minnesota Twins well he's basically a sinker slider ball type pitcher Alec by had to talk about a number one pitch for Dave goals it would have to be a sinker he's lost his last three decisions hadn't won no decision over his last four starts but as you alluded to a moment ago he has pitched well he's on two against Houston this year ken Forsch beat him by a score of four to two as you look at the Astros batting order Cruze Sedan yo how Ashby Reynolds and Joe Niekro of the same lineup as manager Bill Virdon put on the field yesterday in a sale golts his second start against Houston the seven to four loss so here we go one game for the title Terry Puhl to lead things off the pizza strike one again we have done Harvey back of the plate he umpired there yesterday nicolosi at first Paul Runge is at second Gerry Dale is it very low one in one al I think a pretty good tribute to Doug Harvey normally that umpiring crew would move around he would be a third base today but as we talked yesterday one of the finest ball and strike umpires in baseball passing ball to the right side Davey Lopes has to take a wicked hot can't find it now discovered it and Terry Puhl is aboard that is something we have seen ever since Dodger Stadium open they resurface the infield this year but you still have the wicked hop so it should have been a routine out instead coolers aboard there's a sinking fastball by a gold sit on the ground here's that tough hop for Loaf that ball came up on him as he went down the Gravatt Davy having trouble locating it and an air is charged to Lopes so the Astros have the leadoff batter on in the first inning Terry Puhl has good speed fool this season with 25 steals and he's been caught 11 times enos Cobell had a terrible day yesterday as gold strives pullback Cobell struck out three times and made the error on Garvey as goals means business this time but Cole gets back he made the error on Garvey's ground wall prior to the home run by say pitch out and nothing doing wonder though the couch the Astros a team that scratches and claws its way to runs they love to run they have six players with 20 or more steals this season including pool at first base pretty good indication out on the first pitch to Cobell what the thinking is as far as catcher Jill Ferguson is concerned pitching out with pool on looking for something moving right away boats backing off in rubber there goes pool and the 1o pitchers fouled away so they start Terry right away and eNOS fouls it back one on one now you look at that pitch from goal set time on Cobell they have Hatcher playing a pulse at third for Cobell and as I sit at the top of the telecast goals will basically try to stay in tight on right-handed batters he'll pitch on your fists mostly throughout the course of a ball game he's got a good slider in a curveball too but as I said if he has to get you out he gets in a tough situation he'll go to a good sinking fastball one ball one strike the count again driving pullback the winner of this game gets to fly to Philadelphia the National League Championship Series opening there tomorrow night we'll have it for you on ABC at 8 o'clock Steve Carlton ready to work for Philadelphia so the Phillies can relax a bit today the winner of this one a little champagne and then an all night flight the 1 1 pitch is another pitcher juggled by Ferguson but pool wasn't going in the count is 2 & 1 not a bad idea al talking about pitch outs with Ferguson calling that pitch out from Gould schools has got good control normally a good control type pitcher you can fall behind in the count to a hitter with a pitcher like goal so you have confidence in that he can come back and throw a strike for you I see that throughout the course of the afternoon close the first name this poll goes back in standing goltz 31 years old a native of Minnesota still lives there and again it's close so goals has gone over five times a game with such importance as this normally goes along at a snail's pace as the as did the game yesterday so you can pretty much count on a game in excess of three hours you know it goes both ways to al you're talking about the pitcher making throws to first base it also holds true for a catcher the 2-1 pitch is lined into right centerfield for a base head who rounds second goes to third as Monday's throw comes into Thomas so the Astros on an error in a single have runners at first and third and nobody out and Joe Morgan coming up not a bad pitch that time by Gold's Cobell just went down and got it he punched it in the right centerfield my point being a moment ago a land with the catchers you look one more time here's that sinking fastball by Gold's not a bad pitch at all but Cobell went right down after it and drilled it in the right center I'm gonna say a catcher at times al you hesitate once in a while when you go down to put down a sign you second-guess yourself every once in a while that's as you were talking a moment ago about the course of a ballgame taking maybe a little extra long when you talking about a game of this magnitude anyway Joe Morgan at the plate with runners at 1st and 3rd the Dodger infield at DoublePlay depth Morgan bothered by a bad knee Joe has not had a good series here want to know the Astros have been very tentative at the plate in the three games here they have gotten no production from Morgan Cruz and Cedeno there three four and five hitters their vital blows apheresis Cobell gets back enos can run to bail this season with 20 steals but he's also been caught 12 times which is not a very good ratio soon window now on Morgan there's Gold's twice upstairs with breaking balls to Joe Morgan bread-and-butter Alice number one it is a sinking fastball there's Bill Virdon talking with Billy before the game today al very relaxed he really was matter of fact the whole Houston ballclub they did not come on the field yesterday until about a half hour before the game they took infield today they were out messing around playing little pepper runner at third Terry Puhl eNOS Cobell at first nobody out no score top of the first and the Dodger bullpen getting busy already as Morgan checks his swing but the pitch in there anyway for his right two and one and Harvey says he did come around he made the call himself did the plate umpire two and one in the Dodger bullpen Rick Sutcliffe up and throwing Morgan fouls it back in the town is to to of course your bullpen on a day like today is simply everybody there is Sutcliffe who was a starter last year had a great rookie year but this year the whole of this story as you can see by the numbers and throwing back of gulps in the first goals by the way had to come out of his last story at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on Thursday with a full camp muscle [Applause] read do it - but you're like you're liable to see anybody today and certainly yesterday same situation when Don Sutton made his first relief attention over four years to get the finalized guten morgen is outside three so a full count of nobody out you would think the Cobell would be going on this and of course you look at Jill Morgan to Al he's only struck out 45 times this year he's a good contact hitter runner at third is Poole and at first base eNOS Cobell [Applause] don't spend a lot of attention to Cobell the count on Morgan full they send the runner and a spouse Tipton Ferguson can't hold it so Morgan just barely stays alive and Fergie can't hang on as Cobell retreats the first Joe Ferguson one of three Dodger catchers and the man that they have gone to down the stretch Steve Yeager and the rookie Mike Scioscia are the others again the bell goes morgen strikes out the girl down [Applause] like a double-play in a big break for the Astros instead of two out man a third it's one out and second and third big break is right al the throat from Ferguson that time was high you'll look at the jump by Cobell Ferguson had plenty of time as a matter of fact he may have had too much time you saw Cobell take a look at the plate there's the high throw and the tag is late here's Tommy Lasorda coming out now one more look from a different angle as Cobell breaks for second looking at the hitter and the throw from Ferguson is high the head first slide and Thomas late with a tag and Darryl Thomas may be heard al Thomas is shaken up and so is Cobell so both trainers come out the last thing the divers need of course is another injury Reggie Smith is gone for the year Ron stays out of the lineup today Russell's gone for the year see another angle here there's the high throw pulled down by Thomas the headfirst slide by Cabella knees in his lead hand appears to beyond the bag as Thomas tumbles over the top of him and Darryl may have jammed his shoulder slightly al when he came down Ferguson had plenty of time he has a much slower release al than she best thrower of the three Dodgers catcher but a big stolen base for cabal and we were talking about the fact that Morgan does not strike out that much out that's the 46 time this year in a good sinking fastball from goals so the runners are at second and third and Jose Cruz the batter by the way is a look at the numbers today's game will count as far as individual statistics are concerned with a regular season one and oh the cow so that's why Joe Niekro he picks up the win today would be a 20-game winner has the benefit of the extra game infield back accepted third one go she's got something good moving sinker a lat Paul he may started around the inside or the middle of the plate to a left-handed batter and had that ball run away to catch the outside he's a tough guy to pull but who knows is that kind of a hitter he likes to hit the ball to the opposite field Cruz is 1 for 13 in the three games here another strike two gulls trying to work out of a jam before sun-baked crowd in LA no score first-inning runners at second and third one out and one bouncing ball to Hatcher the runner coming home to throw the furnace they had me out Barbie was ready to signal out and pool coming in hard dislodges the ball from the mid of ferguson so the Astros lead one nothing and if runners at first and third with only one out Terry Puhl literally stealing a run Alley Astros as they did yesterday jumping out on top here it is again the ball hit to third here's Hatcher now and plenty of time and Ferguson plenty of time for the tag the hard slide by Poole and you'll see the ball pop away from Ferguson and the Astros lead here it is one more time hit toward the left side Hatcher's got an easy player looking right in on Ferguson great shot and the ball popping away that is an error charge the Ferguson it's interesting packs are taking over for sayeth er you've got two ways to go with that fall he decides to come home you might think about also going 5 4 3 for the double play Cedeno it's a little squibber Lopes has to back up a run with 4 they get the out at first base but eNOS Cobell crosses the plate to make it to nothing so 2 Dodger errors in the inning and the Astros as they did yesterday drawing first one here today - nothing Houston in the top of the first inning with two out now Cruz is its second base and Arne how the batter and the thing that led the two Dodger victories al Aires won by Landis toy in the opener and yesterday by Cobell preceding the home run by se has cost the Dodgers a couple of runs here in the Houston first stunning are now dependable the type of player that is steady and solid and versatile wanna know the count Cruz at second you tend to think in almost cliche terms in a game like this Leonard cop at the great writer formerly with a New York time and now with the peninsula Times Tribune up in Palo Alto California he said it's too bad we've wasted all of our great terrific some tremendous how else do we describe this fancy ball too late and clues boys tubers Mickey Hatcher at least saved a run but the Astros still going here in the inning as Hatcher gets a hand what a play by a Hatcher here it is again diving backhanded play as al said he saved a run he tries to make a play on how at first base late the throw to Garvey but saving a run may have been a blessing in disguise al as this game goes on was saying not in the lineup today nursing a hamstring and a bad foot with Hatcher in there that ball may have gotten by say leading to another Houston run and then again like I say though you go back the safe take cruises ball the second or does he come home with it you don't know Ashby takes outside ball one if they turn that into a 543 double play the inning is over with no scoring to another cow here's the guy that's going to have his hands full today 2l we talked about Alan Ashby at the top of the telecast handling Joe Niekro a guy who is so very tough in the situations where you have runners at first throw to first base by Goltz in the mid-late runners at third especially having caught three knuckleball pitches I know the kind of pressure it is got to stay with the bread-and-butter pitch and it's the knuckleball for Negro the two Oh delivery is hit in the air to shallow left field Dusty Baker gauge down [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] okay a little respect all right everybody here everybody who is somebody oh very clever all right smile [Music] [Applause] [Music] different type knuckleball Joe throw his knuckleball a little harder I don't think it has the break that pills does it will break sharply throws it hard much comfort for the catcher you know you get beat up a little more for the guy like him but basically a lot better fastball in his brother Phil he control decent with a fastball he's got a good slider too Davey Lopes to lead off who's been leading to nothing in the first inning hit Lopes takes up and away look your line the classic line about how do you catch a knuckleball wait until it stops rolling and then just pick it up [Applause] 1o pitch demotes Cobell over the first for the app runaway silliness Cobell taking care of the Dodger leadoff batter and be done stone coming up having a good year batting 312 is they've been spotting jig so you mean one of the outstanding catches yesterday in this series and probably for Johnstone for the year when he went the right field seats to grab a fly ball for the bat of Jeff Leonard late in the game and Johnstone said he's sick and tired of the bad rap of being a bad outfielder taken out the late innings for defensive purposes story in a paper this morning about suppose a shouting match between John sort of preparatory to jiggling to the ah field as he looks into shrank in the ninth inning talk to the sort about that before they gave me two not good look said my best defensive right field is gonna be in there regardless you can talk me out of anything now you catch Tommy Lasorda in a restaurant he orders the same way he shout I'll tell you how there were so many big plays in that game yesterday the home run by say but defensive plays and just a great great ballgame yesterday in the whole series for that matter [Applause] Johnstone get on the ground Gordon then quite a shirt Tommy Lasorda of course of the series of this magnitude errors to play to keep quiet it's difficult to remember where the runners are sometimes difficult put your play-by-play an outside remember with a writer who's back yeah you know the funny thing and this is this is the truth yesterday sitting up here during that ballgame I tell you you get so nervous you get more nervous sitting up here down on the field you don't ever think about things like that you know as a player in a big ball game you don't really think about letting a ball go by or making a bad pitch or calling a bad pitch but certainly sitting upstairs here both of these clubs fighting and battling you get tied up here there's your prime example of a knuckleball it's a strike and winds up going to the backstop you get a good shot of the knuckleball from centerfield as I said Negro throws it a lot harder than his brothers would it will break a knuckleball from Phil Niekro al if I can describe it it's kind of hard to describe sometimes unless you can show it will dance three or four times different ways but it has a much bigger break this guy's is sharper and he basically tries to stay downstairs go into the count on Dusty Baker missing away here the beauty right in there now when you're looking from centerfield you'll be able to tell when Negro goes to the knuckleball watch his glove open up watch this knuckleball break folks that's tough the next pitch is wrapped foul outside third and the count holds in a ball and two strikes I was going to say out when he goes to his wind-up watch Nico's glove if we show the shot from centerfield he'll open his glove to get the knuckleball grip to put his knuckles dig his knuckles into the baseball a fastball or slider see what he does here there it is swinging so nistro's knuckleball working effectively in the first inning the divers will out quietly three up and three down and the one Houston to Los Angeles nothing a select division 650 maximum 6-hour recording time and unsurpassed 14-day memory and remote control special effects like slow motion picture search and stop action nobody gives you more VCR then slight division 650 led RCA turn your television into select evasion prior to hitting the home run that won the game in the eighth inning he found a pitch off his foot it swelled up overnight not in the starting lineup replaced by Mickey Hatcher today but available to pinch-hit if needed so the Dodger injury woes continued second inning Houston leading to nothing one game divisional playoff the winner the champion of the National League West and tomorrow the may Philadelphia in the first game of the National League Championship Series Kraig Reynolds looks won by Thomas in the left-center for a base ed hit number three off Colts so the number eight hitter gets aboard comes Joe Niekro another sinking fastball that time and not a bad pitch and may have been up but it was on the outside part basically the kind of a hitter that Reynolds is a Lea try to slap that ball to left field and he did just over the outstretched glove of Gerald Thomas Negro very good hitting pitcher and it's interesting because over his career he has not been a very good hitting pitcher his lifetime average prior to the season was only 149 so he's nearly doubled it he's around to but it takes inside got one homerun in the major leagues I'll walk you know that's a given back to a family affair his only major league home run against his brother Phil and Pete of a ball game four to three you know think Phil groove Negro is a good Bunter he has 15 sacrifices this season Reynolds at first base and nobody out Hatcher in on the grass at third bunted foul 1 & 1 the first time the National League has had a divisional playoff he went to the system in 1969 remember prior to that one League one winner and on to the World Series breaking into divisions in 69 there has been one prior intra divisional playoff in the American League with the Yankees beating Boston and 78 punted out in front of the plate Ferguson will make the play his first base and he Co does the job as low gets the foot out to for the Reynolds advancing the second and with one down the top of the order now and Terry Puhl cool hitting the ground ball that Lopes couldn't handle on the erratic hop in the first inning reaching on the error Kerry has muscled up a bit this year and it's been by design he said 13 homeruns and leads the club in that department want to know I want to put out something here with goals against left-handed hitters I think you'd find this a lot with with right-handed pitchers they're basically afraid sometimes to come inside because the margin of error is kind of small inside but goals has got to work inside too and I'm not only talking with breaking balls he's got that sinker to start off the inside corner and come back to catch it bouncing ball to Garvey nice one-hand pick up runner advances to third two down the lentils moves over and eNOS Cobell coming up if you can imagine a left-handed batter up there against Dave goals to start that sinker off the inside quarter his sinker will run maybe 3/4 inches so started out as a bad pitch you'll find hitters have a tendency to give up sometimes on a pitch like that you can't keep staying away I know that he's got a pitch inside he goes to work on Cobell he is a base hit in the first inning fast roads leading to nothing they came in to LA on Friday with a three-game lead that has evaporated and it's all on the line today fouled away oh and one the Dodgers of course no stranger to the playoffs in the World Series they were in the playoffs both in 1977 and 1978 runner at 3rd as Reynolds the Astros of course have never been there Houston an expansion franchise came into the league in 1962 they've been in a couple of races as you see Morgan on deck but the Astros have never finished first in this their 19th season to Dan Reynolds at 3rd 2nd inning two nothing Astros Oh into the couch you know this came out similar to yesterday at the start of the game the crowd here in Dodger Stadium very quiet very low-key until the Dodgers finally erupted for a couple of runs and then everything broke loose here it has really fed on itself the crowd and the players because the players have responded and they've all been quoted as saying the crowd has really made a difference they're like a tenth man and so a crowd that as I said before has normally been labeled listless and blase and all of a sudden become very wild over the weekend Oh to the Cobell roaring again they leave Reynolds at third [Applause] and ending in a half-dead Los Angeles Astros - Dodgers nothing Steve Garvey will lead off for the Dodgers as we go to the bottom of the second inning Barbie five for 12 in this series and the biggest of the five was this on Saturday Nolan Ryan working the score tied 1-1 and driving drilling it over the wall in left that made it 2-1 Jerry royce made that stand up the dodgers pulled within one and got even yesterday so Steve Garvey playing in his 830 fifth consecutive game today and having another banner year and good success if you can see again sneak for his career [Applause] Tommy Lasorda everybody else you [Music] tommy's at three celebrations and Burton said Joe Niekro who set the side down 1 2 3 working bottom for the second useful reading [Music] one of them see Alan Ashby stay with a knuckleball from Nick Royale until he falls behind in the count you don't like to get too smart a bit a pitcher like Negros got the good knuckleball going why mess around with something else there's a good one that he missed off the outside quarters ball getting away from Ashby I know you have a tendency as it catches sometimes falling behind or even if a pitcher like Negro is working good with a knuckleball you get smart once in a while you say well this guy's looking for a knuckleball I'm going to go to the fastball or a slider and power - Oh is popped up in foul ground and dripping back out of play [Applause] look at all the knuckleballer and them talking about the Wilhelm the teen are Barney Schultz Joe Niekro the one thing that separates Joe Niekro from the rest out is the fact that he's got a fastball that he can throw around 87 88 miles per hour and a good sharp breaking slider that's the big difference the longevity of knuckleball pitchers has been amazing how many we see in their 40s Wilhelm of course depended on till he was almost fifty popped up Morgan and power right there and Joe says he'll handle it and does for the out so four in a row set down by Nico and with one down Rick Monday will be coming up here's my point al he got inside to Garvey that time with a fastball and popped him up Rick Monday playing Center today has been playing right field in this series thus far with Guerrero in center but peed out of the lineup today negro 19 and 12 on the year Joe 35 years old want to know [Applause] how to play 1 1 on deck Joe Ferguson would stay out of the lineup they move Fergie up in the order today Hatcher's dropping to 7 wanted to found something on point out here we're talking about the knuckleball looking at Alan Ashby take a look at the oversize glove that he's using the catch D for that glove really helps but at times it's a hindrance to when you catch a ball in there especially with a runner going yeah but you'll lose it sometimes you can reach in to grab a ball with a runner going you don't get it the first time [Applause] I feel but write it cool two down two away five straight set down by Niekro now and Joe Ferguson coming up Burgie with nine homers and of course the one on Friday to win it Furguson we'll only two hits against Houston this season one though Joe loves this Park he has hit eight of his nine home runs at Dodger Stadium two out bases empty and the 1o pitch to Ferguson missing away do it [Applause] filbert man who knows that the champagne is on ice that the Charter is ready to go to Philadelphia but he's known that champagnes been on ice and Friday I'll tell you about eight or ten of the bottles popped yesterday from the heat oh babe wasted the two Oh Fitz did he check in time they appeal get the strike from the first base on fire Nick Pelosi said he came around two-in-one Pelosi veteran umpire he and Harvey were both here yesterday Jerry Crawford and Andy Olson we'll both here yesterday but today we've got wonky at second day of the third properly handling the playoffs tomorrow a strike in the CAF 2 & 2 there's an excellent slider by a Negro it's bad enough you have to face a guy like him al with a good knuckleball hitters have a tendency you're sitting on a two old you know he's gonna come with a fastball you may swing at a bad pitch his Ferguson did on a check swing the pitch before that then comes right back with a good slider grounded to the right side Morgan over toward the middle to play it and throw them out so two perfect innings for Joe Niekro the Dodgers got an order again and we go to the third at LA the Astros 2 and the Dodger is nothing we played two innings at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles at stake today one game divisional playoff the National League West may hold Philadelphia Phillies relaxing at home the winner of this one getting into Philadelphia when you think about it as a bad goal four o'clock Eastern Time not the most pleasant of trips as far as that's concerned but obviously each team would put up with it Joe Morgan hitless in this series to lead off in the third inning looks at a strike go for 12 to be followed by Cruz and Cedeno is at three four and five hitters Morgan struck out in the first inning Dave goals and the old 1 pitch fastball away basically trying to stay away from work and now with the sinking fastball first one good for a strike he missed outside that time hit in the air to right-center field Johnstone coming on [Applause] one away in the third inning Johnstone and Monday know talking about the conditions in the outfield which of course if you've seen day games from Dodger Stadium we've talked about it time and again how tough it is to play out their primary evidence would be Guerrero over the past couple of days wanted though the count on Cruz there's Cedeno on deck crews at the grounder to Hatcher in the first anything to a No Terry Puhl scoring the run on the era by Ferguson on that play the Dodgers committing two errors in the first and both Astro runs were unearthed by the way too [Applause] golde still trying to stay away al with the left-handed batters crews every once in a while it'll sting you got eleven home runs for the year he gets something off-speed inside he'll try and turn it around on you right field get into left field for a base hit the Jose Cruz had it right off the end of the bat and on the ground to the hole in number four or goats and Cedeno the batter he's had such a tough series talking about Cruz and he's basically an opposite field hitter with a guy like Cole who basically tries to stay away he'll try to slap the ball which he just did but he's had a tough tough series along with Cedeno Cesar drove in a run in the first on a groundout one away cruise it for acid annual finish over 300 this season it'll be the first time for c-czar since 1973 and right now as play began today he was tied with McBride for fourth in the league in hitting but he's dropped a point grounding out in the first inning so he's down to fifth Billy Buckner winning the batting title Buckner of the Cubs wound up at 324 runner goes pitch at Ferguson's go down to Thomas and a mail Furguson almost waited too long again Ali took a lot of time with a pitch off the throw the Thomas covering was high but still in time to get through here's his jump down a pitch out and as I said Ferguson almost took too much time there's the throw and the tag put on by Thomas at second another angle another look at Cruz the high throw thomas has it and the tag two-out bases empty in the 100 pitch is wrapped right back through the middle for a base edge so Cedeno with a single following Cruz getting thrown out at second it's five hits off goals in two and two-thirds innings and they've all been singles our towel now a base hit in the first Cedeno at age 29 still with excellent speed leads the team in steals with 47 oh and why surprising stat pirard how alleys one of the very very low key guys in the national league really have to pumping to get him to talk we've talked about this before he's a valuable piece of property for Houston it players tell you that I'd like to happen to line up powers a fellow who didn't play pro ball until he was 25 years old went to a pirate tryout camp time you you talked to him before a game Alan we've done Houston three or four times here you talk to him about an interview he said you kiddin you really want me Silva's have really a nice guy he was a computer programmer that's a very low-key mild type guy we would try out and play briefing the pirates so Daniel goes effectiveness like Ferguson throw does not get it fazer I got a good jump that time in that steal number 48 so the Astros playing their game to bail with the steal in the first cruise attempting a steal here in the third and acidemia was successful this is a breaking ball so Dania with a good jump and Ferguson's throw a late the second stolen base in the game for Houston there you see Davey Lopes taking that high throw no play for Cedeno stolen base number 192 for Houston this year Oh to pitch low wanted to Astros to Dodgers nothing we're in the third inning with two out and Cedeno at second base [Applause] yes mister [Music] Alley Astros needing a big two-out base hit here to get the run Cedeno from second they did it yesterday with Terry pulao with that big double driving in a run but in the ninth yesterday with two on runners at first and third couldn't make it go Verdun do it - on how broken bat foul man so how will go over to get a new piece of wood mr. Daniel retreats a second that steel force azar was number 475 of his career he is sixth on the national league all-time list from 1900 on i'd say the numbers have become amazing over the past few years in particular we've now seen Lou Brock of course eclipsing the old Marco by Maury wills and then Ricky Henderson this season becoming the third man to steal over a hundred bases first in the American League Marino's 1915 yep before came close Ron Stoll 97 this year in Omar stole 96 [Music] due to page missing high ball three goats looking into Harvey an extra-long stare Ferguson tried to pull that ball down to Alan was a a breaking pizza was upstairs look at the other way to that how I didn't lean into it hanging curve bulk out on deck is Alan Astrid - out amateurs three toothpick treats all the way National League Championship Series getting underway tomorrow in Philadelphia you'll see it on ABC at 8:00 Eastern Time American League Championship Series commencing Wednesday day game three o'clock Eastern d2 national Wednesday night keys to American Thursday night the nationally taking the day off there's so they know the runner at second with two down in the third Houston leading to nothing 3 2 pitch again hit high in the air to deep left centerfield and that one is gone well the divers have been coming from behind all weekend but now they are four in arrears or nothing Houston [Applause] the jubilant Astro dugout [Applause] or nothing on Houston home run of the season hell I'm really surprised I talked about this earlier the fact that Gold's his best pitch is a sinking fastball [Applause] [Music] the moment here it is again this is a high breaking ball look at this hanger that's a hanging slider and hard how really nailed it is ten moment of the year to put Houston on top for nothing getting back to what I was saying a moment ago his best pitch is a sinking type basketball I can't believe a pitcher can get beat with a number two ball and that's what it is four goals eras are now he may get some postseason endorsements but they won't be for shampoo the second home run hit by Houston in this Park this year out very cool hit the other one in the very first meeting here Rick Sutcliffe up again is throwing in the Dodger pen he was throwing in the first [Applause] we going back in standing up and Pelosi hesitated on the call [Applause] Reynolds got a base hit to lead off in the second [Music] it's a right-center field one day a long way to go and it's in the gap Rick will cut the ball off Ashby is being waved in here comes the relay from [Applause] [Music] [Applause] but get to the plate [Applause] [Music] [Applause] from Monday and the inning is over zilbert [Applause] again my money in a good throw leopard trying to score ashbey here's the throw from Lopes and you'll see what the incident was all about following the tag as the collision is made ashbey now watch Joe Ferguson with the need right there that's what the problems all about the Houston bench upset the first time in this series that any club has had a four-run lead Ferguson fired up two runs five hits in the inning we played two and a half and it's for nothing Astros here's another look at that play and a fine play by him Monday to cut that ball off with a barehanded grab and a perfect short elope Ashby trying to score the relay throw by Lopes to Ferguson right on the button now watch the collision - me trying to jar the ball loose and the course both benches you saw him empty and here's why Ferguson for the knee [Applause] in a space he was trying to fire this Dodger club up but he may have just done the opposite the Astro Club up they lead for nothing if nothing else he has fired the crowd up anyway they responded between innings all standing if you look at Joe Ferguson bottom of the third and hang in the bottom of the dive [Applause] today ninth inning emotion early outside on every pitch in the third in it what the Dodgers have to climb a pretty good-sized hill Nikki Hatcher only a second season Negro started him off to the knuckleball then came with a high fastball in Hatcher ripped it in the left field a base hit he's swing by a Negro retiring six in a row broken with a leadoff single by Hatcher Gerald Thomas is the batter Rudy law has come out on deck so doles is done shut cliff is in the bullpen for Ella back to the picture neck Thomas Cates inside you remember we talked earlier about the fact that Negro will the knuckleball it's his number one that's his bread and butter the fastball the slider are secondary he's got to stay with his number one he really does he's got a pitch with it he's got the four nothing lead man he's got a making throw it until you really get behind if he wants to go 300 or if he's gonna go 300 then come with a fastball fine but up until that time you got to stay with the number one the cat waring in the third that's a face [Applause] [Music] [Music] licenses in Los Angeles tonight boy amazing they did yesterday everybody here at Dodger Stadium is standing and again Bill Burton trying to figure it out there's a fastball again from micro right down the pipe and the pace hit by Thomas putting Dodger runners at first and third I tell you they gotta beat me with my best pin rooty law a rookie sensation early in the season started to fade a bit man came out of the lineup coming up as a pinch-hitter in the third inning Rudy looks like he be Rookie of the Year that actually through April of May in part of June banning for goals here in the third he'll burden with his a Sandow activity [Applause] go infield DoublePlay depth sighs pushing in the third law hits it in the air to left field catcher is tagging cruisers there makes the catch and Hatcher will stay a third as the Bell fetch to throw off and Thomas remains in first so median thief left field and with nobody out Danny Ozark holding Mickey Hatcher third one God and a perfect throw that time by crews they would have had a play on Hatcher the time Negro came with a knuckleball alley started him off and I talked earlier about Ashby having the heat on him just in this type of a situation where you've got to stay with it and hope you grab it hope you hang on Davey Lopes passed out in the first inning wearing a specially created grace thank you said back trouble this year he's been calm came on a bit in a second nonetheless he was a leading bullshitter for the offshore [Music] it's incredible the effect a craft can have you think back the 77 playoffs I've never seen anything like it in Philadelphia when the fans were going wild early in a game Dodgers Phillies and literally who did Burt Hooten offense right it happens many times out players say it doesn't bother him I don't believe it either way offensively our defense what remember yesterday after the game al we talked about that play where a how didn't cut off the throw from right field allowing manny mota to go to second obviously didn't hear the catcher hollering to cut it off because of the huge crowd low physical appeal just about the same spot haxor tags again and holds again so we have a replay right there law and low spinning fly balls to just about the same spot and the runners are still at first in third with two down now and again crews taking that ball hit by low on the run with his momentum carrying him toward the plate got off a perfect throw cut off by Cobell but again they would have had a play on Hatcher al Jose coming in this time he was back further for Lopes he was playing in just about that spot didn't have to move very far off with a fly ball by the left-hand batting law Jay Johnstone grounded out in the first inning after a third and comment the first down bottom of the third for nothing Astros that's right beginning with the knuckle law right there handled by asked me if Negro stops the Dodgers here he may also stop this crowd for a while they're tough vali really emphasize how tough it is in a situation like this the pressure the heat that's on HP but he's going right for them he's staying now straight back at the count of one and two let me ask you what a picture with a man if dirt even though you really don't know where the knuckleball is going might you think about trying to place it a little bit higher the thing that Negro tries to do al with his knuckleball Joel that is in opposition to Phil Niekro shows us what to go I think some knuckleball pitchers can correct a number ball to hit the outside or inside corner Nico cries to keep it basically low handle - fish is popped up in foul ground Venus Cobell charging over having trouble with a son and makes the cash he almost over ran it and spikes it enos Cabella a long way to go he was charging he was looking up into the Sun and he's able to consider the webbing of his glove I don't think Ashley ever saw it there's the grab by Cabela's al said he almost told around it but reaches back to make the play and in three four nothing Houston determine the champion Houston leading for nothing as we go to the top of the fourth inning a reminder coming up a big one NCAA college football this Saturday at 12:30 Eastern unbeaten Texas against once beat in Oklahoma the Sooners lost to Stanford two weeks ago but last week beat Colorado 82 to 42 in boulder from Dallas a classic always year after year the Sooners and the Longhorns Saturday Tommy Lasorda not particularly thrilled about what he saw in the bottom of the third inning the Dodgers had two on and nobody out and couldn't score Houston leading for nothing we go to the fourth inning the new Dodger pitcher is Rick Sutcliffe and he'll work on his opposite number Joe Niekro leading off and Terry Puhl and eNOS Cobell Negro sacrificing in the second inning one of those account uh cliff in his 30 second relief appearance last year Rookie of the Year he was 17 to 10 - and oh this year in the starting rotation early and then came out Bill Virdon the astro manager whose team with its biggest lead in the series let's strike in the count 2 & 1 [Applause] popped up foul ground and back a first Garvey coming over starting to run out of room but just back in about three roll two balls two two strikes the count the Astros with four runs eight hits through three Dodgers no runs two hits and two errors both in the first inning leading to two runs grounded to Hatcher Mickey waits for it and then Duncan one away now in the fourth inning Terry Puhl safe on an error and grounded out one of the heirs al back of that Dodger first-inning committed to but do a couple of Houston runs trying to bunt his way on Hatcher can't fair hand and pool is a boy Mickey was inching in and was on the move trying to barehand it and can't make the play it would have been a tough play for him al here's a good bunt by Poole and as you said Hatcher was inching up toward the plate there's the try for the barehanded play he can't make it the lines here at Dodger Stadium Maus slope in toward the mound any ball it's bunted down each line it's not going to go foul we've seen it happen a couple of times yesterday where balls were hit on the line had to be played because they were not going to go foul normally a ball it's hit or punted right along the chalk line would roll in the foul territory but not so here in Dodger Stadium by design - yes sir enos Cobell wanted to go walk and run twenty-five steals for Terry so Cobell still waiting patiently as a plate one away in the top of the fourth inning there's a pitch out and full remaining at birth you know the three pitch outs that Ferguson is called today al we're pitch out you remember the game yesterday where he called 2 pitch outs and he were strikes with ballads away he had stepped out to take a pitch out the both of were hit two of the three were hit four times now Sutcliffe going over to Garvey now you know each time that pitcher makes a throw to first base you have your infield set he's in his stretch the infielders are all poised to take a ground ball if it's hit Adam now you got to stand up again as the pitcher makes his throw it's aggravating to an infielder as well as a hitter at the plate you see Cobell stepping out stand in there you got yourself all set to go and the pitcher goes to first base that's the one thing that the Astros do - you want to know the cap Paul is really not getting that big a lead al because he's getting back with a foot tag to get that big lead you go back headfirst over the slide when you really extend your lead off the bag he goes to pitch out again to throw down a second and they don't get him so not only do they pitch out they fail to get him and now the count goes to 2 and Oh Thomas disputing the call with Paul Runge agin II hate to be repetitious al but Ferguson takes so much time getting rid of the ball he takes two steps there's the break by pool and watch the high throw again high throw and the tag by Thomas he's there another angle this is from behind home plate there's the high throw Thomas with the tag but he's late Ferguson just takes too much time out he winds up he throws a lot on the ball he has a lot of velocity but he takes just that split second too long that's three steals today for Houston Fergie has thrown out one and it's three and oh now on eNOS Cobell with Joe Morgan waiting on deck fool next second one out of the fourth inning 20 fall for two al pitch down low and away from him mystic swinging gifts suck cliff has an excellent change of valleys basketball curve hard curve and a good change he missed on a to old change to Cavell to take him three at all three balls one strike the count cool going it's ball four and another steal so that's four steals now as heinous Cobell draws the walk and the Astros have runners at first and third and Ferguson wisely held out he had a big jump Bal no chance for Ferguson that time you saw Hatcher break late toward the bag but there was no play on him no chance for Ferguson he had a big jump against Sutcliffe the Dodgers playing raggy out Ferguson's throwback to Sutcliffe after the steal the ball popped away from Sutcliffe between third and short it was retrieved by Hatcher but the runner at third Poole not watching so most of the pressure today figured to fall upon the shoulders of one Alan Ashby catching the knuckleball from Negro and instead it's Ferguson whom they're running ragged well he's done a good job al Ashby to the first four innings here Dodger infield DoublePlay depth is Morgan things low for a ball one and oh the cow and the Dodger bullpen swinging back him again Joe Beckwith up in the pan 1:02 Morgan missing low inane ball to to another gallon Houston leading four nothing with cool a third and Kubelik first one away what's great for Houston about a four-run lead they can continue to play their game running the doctor is a different story you can't run when you're down by for necessarily something through you know the cows but it's risky when you down for nothing to take chance of stealing well that's that's steal by Poole he had such a great jump there's the on-deck hitter cruise pool at 30 it's such a big jump against Sutcliffe and I think with this kind of a club and I would think Burton would tell people like Poole who have good speed Morgan missing a three old fit if they have that kind of a lead why not to create things and make things happen they've been beating three times on home runs it's gotten you this far you've got to keep it up sir gotta go can't change the strategy late so they're being very aggressive stealing and swinging on 3o pitches it's a play that you see quite a bit hard leads everybody huh Bluff the third and go back to first Cabela's the end of the hundredth time they work in spring training only because you get tired of doing them three one two Morgan is popped up in foul ground coming straight back and Fergie will run out of room bring it to now you run those place so many times in spring training Allie do with the pictures and the catches early in the spring picture at first pitcher at third but pitcher on the mound making that same move okay at first base will finally get picked off so you can end the day otherwise they keep you out there until somebody gets picked off there's Beckwith in the bullpen I once saw a game in which the Giants tried to make that move the throw went to first went all the way into the right-field 400 2 runs stores in Montreal 3 & 2 the count they sent Cobell and Morgan takes ball four and they're loaded single and two walks and jose cruz is coming up back within the bullpen as they're loaded up here pull the third to ballot second and there's Morgan we've talked about Ashby as you mentioned a moment ago out with the heat on him today the guy that might be doing the diving around but it's Jill Ferguson fastball that time getting away from Sutcliffe almost a while pitching he had to make a backhanded play to stop it Tommy Lasorda taking his time and he's gonna make a move he's gonna give Beckwith the benefit of some extra warmup pitches I don't know how much further he can go with Sutcliffe he's not gonna go much brother at all he's only gone he's walked to giving up a base hit here two stolen bases and the Dodgers trailing for nothing face is loaded so Joe Beckwith coming in in relief of Sutcliffe is where the fourth inning in LA Houston leading time the Tampa Bay Bucs led by Doug Williams against the Chicago Bears and Walter Payton the West Coast that's incredible follows Monday Night Football doing my career story he's back again Rick Sutcliffe who had no success back on the Dodger bench Beckwith into work to try to keep the Dodgers in the game it's four nothing Houston of course we may be getting set up for just some more dramatics who knows all weekend long the Dodgers have been doing it they trailed three nothing yesterday they have been pulling a Houdini act all weekend I'll have to pull another one today yes sir check with Al another to call him a power type pitcher working 59 plus settings with 40 strikeouts er a one ninety eight three three one loss record Jose Cruz goes down on a pitch up in hand wanna go Hosea take three more of those I know he would pull the third to bail at second Morgan at first Dodger infield looking for the DoublePlay which is exactly what they need right here this is where you want to come back here on one hop right back to the mound hit the center field deep enough to score a run if one day can make the catch and he does a great patch it'll score a run as Morgan retreats the first so Houston leads five nothing but rich Monday where that's what attachment might have been seven nothing outstanding play by Monday it just didn't look like he was going to be able to catch up to the ball and then that diving lunge he grabbed it he saw the ball momentarily but he hung on here it is one more time fastball from Beckwith and Cruz hits it in the left centerfield the long run now by Monday and watch this diving grab and the ball almost popped away from him almost you see it right there he hung on a run scores five nothing Houston another angle fine play by Monday the veteran so two out in the inning is five nothing and Cedeno at the plate on the corner on Roy [Applause] so Daniel 1 for 2 [Music] not even one and one [Applause] Dodger Stadium crowd owl really quiet runners Cobell at second Morgan at first Negro getting out of that big Jam and the Dodger third Zach was ready with a 1-1 pitch two-in-one Ferguson's going through two seconds davey lopes saving it in the dirt jebel getting back venus Cobell Ellie Astros one out away from clinching it on Friday we follow davey lopes back to his position and losing a one-run game Saturday blowing a three-run lead yesterday they were to lose this one I tell you the winter would seem like it was 800 years long yeah we talked yesterday al about plays and pitches balls that are hit in series throughout the course of a season it seems that folks always remember the playoff for a final game such as we're having here today that's what they remember about a ballclub and a losing cause 3 & 1 the count on Cedeno been some great plays in this series some balls that were easy plays that were bobbled that led to victories led two runs in a great series though it really has two on and two out and it's three and one on Cedeno now full now so with a count of three and two the runners will be going hey Belle and Morgan ready to take off for the pitch Houston leading five to nothing in the fourth inning one game for the title the winner in Philadelphia tomorrow night Bagon Carla [Applause] Tommy Lasorda very quiet in the early innings of all three games and Dean for today three two pictures inside and so Daniel is on as they have reloaded the bases so three walks in the inning who by Sutcliffe one here by Beckwith and up comes our now who has singled and homered read Adams the Dodger pitching coach is going to the mana he doesn't make the changes so Beckwith will stay in Bobby Castillo he's working in the Dodger bullpen Castile has been up Ali's been throwing since the inning started there you see five straight wins for the Dodger right-hander Beckwith as did Sutcliffe control problems walking Cedeno with two out to reload the bases al told you only a fine play by Monday in left-center field on that ball hit by Cruz has prevented a couple of more runs from scoring five nothing Houston red Adams going back to the dugout is art how climbs in here bases-loaded and to down before it unintentionally fouled away in the count is going one no expression change there Dilli looking the same five up to five down [Music] broken bat bouncer into centerfield for a base head Cobell and Morgan both score and the Astros lead it 7 to nothing so how shattering is bad and driving it through the middle and Lasorda makes the long trek to the mouth it's seven to nothing past rose and how has driven in four runs today three for three for art how they sit on the infield of the first living but two run homer on a hanging breaking ball from goals and now a two-run single by Beck with seven nothing Houston and Bobby Castillo will become the new Dodger pitcher Joe Beckwith is gone Goltz Sutcliffe and Beckwith Bobby Castillo coming in from the Dodger pen to face Alan Ashby in the fourth inning the Astros leading the Dodgers 7 to nothing we'll be back in a minute whose did he get Al Michaels and Bob Uecker at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Bobby Castillo the fourth Dodger pitcher he worked four innings in relief yesterday he came on in the second inning on here in relief of gold Sutcliffe and Beckwith so the Houston Astros very much now in the driver's seat the last seven games between these two teams have been decided by one run but today the Astros leading 7 nothing a very somber Dodger bench how do you talk to her leer al about tommy lasorda war burden for that matter should the game get out of hand or being the kind of a ball game where they would use everybody that's the way it's been for the Dodgers so far they brought in Don Sutton yesterday to get the final out who pitched on Friday and today gold Sutcliffe back with the now Castile the 8th ban in the inning to come up for Euston is Alan Ashby the Astros have so Daniel at 3rd and howl at first with two down Houston with 10 hits in 3 and 2/3 innings as the Dodgers have made two errors and they've also yielded a couple of walks one another cab sedan yo they're under a third there's how who has four RBIs today at first wanna know the cow then a good series for Ashley 6 to 12 you know Ali played such a good game yesterday a couple of base hits he knocked in a run he made a big play when he threw out Thomas a very close call at second base he's really done a fine job and I talked to him before the game I said the heat is on he said that's the way it is every time with Niekro he said you just go along with you no he said many times the knuckleball hit you all over the glove he said you keep calling him you got to go with it he said I don't worry about it threw one pitch he's fouled back to it to then to play at home plate also involving Ashby where he was cut down on the throw from Lopes and takes a knee in the side from Ferguson I've got both fences on the field with no further damage being done [Applause] the only further damage being done has been done to the Dodgers the Astros with three over in the inning and leading seven nothing up and away full count so it's 3 & 2 and how we'll be taking off for the pitch from first base the Garvey can play behind him bring us two on a street and they're loaded again poor walks in the inning two issued by Sutcliffe and one apiece by Beckwith and Castillo el the writers folks have been here for this series if you look at the runners Cedeno tile and Ashby talking about the youthfulness of this Houston ball club al could they handle the pressure things have turned around in this final game it's been the Dodgers staff such Lebec with the nowcast steal the watch here in the fourth inning Craig Reynolds to a to a single in the devil [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] sto taking a lot of time now the old one [Applause] - good screwballs the Dodger fans find a rally Amir trailing seven nothing Dodgers not out of a chip we're in the fourth a long way to go no balls two strikes again bases-loaded two out of the fourth inning the Astros leading 7 to nothing [Applause] Don Stan house now in the Dodger bullpen the daimyo trying to coax it walk he strikes him out Ferguson will have to throw the first to get the output out those two Barbie and the inning is over but an interminable one for the Dodgers you should gets three runs two hits plus four walks and after three and a half seven nothing Astros [Applause] she'll fire and ice well the crown is certainly not given a boat they respond here they are both standing now as the divers come to the plate still early in the game but seven nothing Houston Rafael and destroy is taking over now at second base Joe Morgan with the gimpy knee and so burden for the cord to remove Joe with a 71 lead [Applause] Baker Barbie and Monday facing Negro retired the first six many-faced gave a few single historical sir worked out in the first and third nobody afghan hands-free [Applause] he's truck out of the fridge well they've come to believe here in LA [Applause] very strong down [Applause] one adore the cat it's the time of the game now when you may see me grow go to a fastball a little more as we said earlier when I talked earlier about staying with a knuckleball in a closer ballgame you got to stay with you number one but now he's got the seven run cushion and can afford every once in a while to mix in a fastball he started him off with an upper fell behind one the heater right back with a knuckleball wanted to so mixing them up as burden looks I of course the key thing here seven nothing last thing in the world you want to do is walk a bit comparative to throw strikes here's your man right good control go over the plate do the fact the Dodgers have come back at each game out to win up being behind but now big seven-run efficient [Applause] the third to Belfast wicked hop recovers throws the first and it bounces fly house and bashes into the photographer's area and so Baker will be given second base runner on again against Negro and really a tough tough play for Cavell let's on that ball took a wicked hop he's charged with an error I thought they might score this a base hit out they did one in one hit an error both hit and an error okay there it is there it is a wicked hop hitting Cobell up around the hip area there's the air the overthrow at first base I looked up on the scoreboard I saw air I didn't see the hip flashed up very very tough play force Cobell yesterday committing the air on garbage ball that let's say follow with a 2 run homer one on nobody out Steve Garvey I think you saw Doug Harvey motioned to the public address announcer here John Ramsey the downward motion people are throwing things on the field throwing objects it I think hosing crews in particular out and left and so the announcement was made by John Ramsey about the missiles being hurled from the pavilion area and the seats down in the left-field corner now that's really bad Alma things like that hat but it's bad enough when you have to play in a stadium on the road jam-packed as it has been here at Dodger Stadium for the last four days you've got the lead 7 nothing and then they have objects drawn at the outfielders stop it really is there's no sense to it the Dodgers had everything going there away in the [Music] [Applause] here this afternoon thus far very uncharacteristic to of Dodger Stadium we might well it used to be uncharacteristic then they got wild with Petros when he played left role on it was a terrible scene venting their wrath upon fools applauding and trying to get your club going is throwing stuff paper and stuff faker at second now Barbie at the place evil Bobby tries to bunt his way on it fouls it back the bell was playing deep sassy figures look we need base runners I'll try to my way boy as he did in yesterday's game with a bun single for his 200 faced hip Houston leading 7-nothing nobody out bottom of the fourth inning Baker at second Oh into or there's a good knuckleball by an inker you saw Garvey that time readjusted footwork little Ali tried to time the pitch so tough when you go against a guy like me grow hit or sometimes trying to readjust their swing I should get Baltimore got him for the hits by Ashby however he recovers and throws him out Baker was thinking about advancing to third but Dusty's got that hamstring pull and so consequently he remains at second well we've talked about this before once miss knuckleball folks in us a good job by asking really is the strikeout to Garvey look at that ball go down that ball may have almost gotten asked me on the bare hand they say how when you catch the knuckleball as you watch ask me to pick up and make the throw retiring Garvey a lot of catchers try to catch it palms up to try to slap it down which asked me tried to do to keep it in front of him to make a play because it really busted them good play Rick Monday flied out second inning a four-second and one bottom of the fourth inning [Applause] hey Baker remember has the hamstring full but they're waving anyway the scores [Applause] they know sort of played it casually and as I watch Baker starts around third he was traveling a bit and those are equated in when he saw the wasted in was playing the boys hit all right come on seven nothing lead here is the first time to run now a knuckle ball upstairs by Negro bounce back over the middle of his al-said Cedeno and center around a leisurely stall toward the ball there you see him and Baker hobbling as he scores eight seven one game now having problems again it look here the aisle again objects being thrown out there by that crews bad Wow what can you say I mean it's dad really is the few every ballpark eglise that think back to the I guess the worst thing of all had to be Shea Stadium 173 Sparky Anderson colder Cincinnati chemo well what you want about fans but I know what the umpires are going to do now they're gonna pull the Astros off the field will they get the crowd to report itself decently so Doug Marty taking full control over the situation we've seen enough ugly scenes over the past few years they're far be the man who he's very determined full control of the game he says alright you're going to continue on like this this is the way I'm going to call it into it I tell you there ito the Astros will go back in the dugout they'll make an announcement to the crowd again and we'll be back in a moment with 7 to 1 you stand out front please refrain from throwing any items onto the field back at Dodger Stadium what's happened the umpires have taken the Astros off the field they have instructed John Ramsey the public address announcer to make the announcement which he just did to refrain from throwing objects onto the field and that if it continues on the umpires could forfeit to game to Houston so it's as simple as that so you've got a crowd of over 50,000 people here and all it takes is a few church a few it's not everybody in dr. bottom throughout this series have been great for the Dodgers they really have they've motivated them the second time that play was stopped crews complained earlier Phil Verdun talking things over with Doug Harvey saying we'll take the forfeit but Cruz came in earlier objects being thrown and then player was finally stopped no cause for it whatsoever bill burden where the Astros back out on the field had a chance to visit with Bill before the game and after three straight losses I asked him how he's been sleeping here's what he said well the first night was tough we were within one out of heaven that wrapped up and we didn't get the out and I had a tough time getting any rest at night last two nights you know the games have gone against us to some extent we've had our chances haven't take advantage of them I just have to say that they've outplayed us a little bit from the three being in all three games Phil Verdun manager of the Astros with his team back out on the field Houston leading 7 to 1 the Dodgers with Joe Ferguson at the plate one out Rick Monday the runner encouraged the play resuming now yo Negro has given up for head wanna know the gala [Applause] Cutler one and one that pitch was not fouled folks by Ferguson while just popping away from Alan Ashby pulling the team off the field there's a league directive it's a good rule a couple of years ago [Applause] that horrible scene in New York and 73 bad there's no password he said earlier bad enough for a visiting team playing on the road and series of this magnitude but playoff game today pressure is on now they have to put up to the heat of the baseball game itself matching objects here we go again now you've got the right-center field right field out there Terry Puhl you see the objects behind pool out there their cups there was a couple of baseballs or tennis balls thrown it crews out in left field al [Applause] we by the way in the cat uma too you can put all the security people out there you want really it's self enforcement more than anything else peer pressure al if you got baseball fans out and obviously they've got many many of them here in Los Angeles the crowds and great as we said before you're right they've got a bit policed by themselves out there knuckler in there strike three becomes the third strikeout victim and up comes Mickey Hatcher this program an exclusive presentation of ABC sports let's pause five seconds to allow our local stations to identify themselves [Applause] Mickey Hatcher face it in the third inning two down now Monday at first base [Applause] want to know the gal iwachniuk Royale every once in a while you'll try to put a little extra on a knuckleball makes it that much tougher on Ashley there's another one that really busted down and inside Ashley has do it [Applause] like in about this team it's got to be the score al seven to one where you can afford to mess around with a knuckleball if one gets by you with a runner at first it's not too bad there's that big Club folks look at the pocket on that baby [Applause] you're taking all the way to it one you've got to take some pictures now you're down by six runs the count goes to 2 and oh it's almost automatic at this point got to get facebook doing one account [Applause] flyball the center Cedeno started back drifting in now and that's that the Dodgers of the fourth come up with a run to Mitch there was an error by Cobell leave one we played for Astros 7 and the Dodgers 1 la Houston lead 7 one more play-by-play here's Bob Uecker all right al thank you very much and Joe Niekro will lead it off here indeed 7 to 1 Houston Negro has sacrificed and tapped to 3rd as you look around Dodger Stadium nother jammed up house Dodgers with two in the first study aided by to Los Angeles Aires picked up two more in the third on a big two-run homer by hard howl and then run scoring flyball by Cruz in the fourth and how again two-run single Bobby Castillo a strike to Negro on one Castillo is the fourth Dodger pitcher used today gulfs worked the first three four runs eight hits walked a pair it's followed by an equal he fought off a high insight baking for homes el Negro turning around to catch you Joe Ferguson throw looking in the Houston dugout hi inside pitch that he fouled it talked about that earlier fourteen seasons the home run came off brother Phil 1976 and he won that game four to three Theo to low and away ball one strike two Sutcliffe worked a third today three runs gave up a hit walked a pair back with the third got him looking Bobby Castillo picks up his second strikeout [Applause] what away in the Houston fifth inning and Terry Puhl coming on he reached on an error back in the first one again scored err charged the Davy Lopes in the second he tapped to first in the fourth he singled on the infield stole two bases and scored inside corners fraction Doug Harvey seven runs 10 hits for Houston a run four hits for the Dodgers and he missed inside one ball and one strike to Poole screw ball Lopes backing up two steps the quick throw and he got it nice play by Davey Lopes couple of backward steps to flag down that ground ball hit by pool two up and two down brings up cabal Cabela's scored twice today a single a stolen base and a run scored back in the first he struck out in the second walked and scored in the fourth inning Dodger pitchers in the fourth issued four walks two men out now you're looking on Joe Ferguson as custody I was shaking off a couple of times there's a breaking ball stick about tommy lasorda down by six more look not Bobby Castile whip-like motion and a good screwball that was a breaking ball that time that he turned over on Cobell Ferguson wants it outside basketball jasc a bit low one-on-one the Houston dugout I'll tell you after the first three games they played here they were talking about what could they do to win leads in every game only to lose by a run each time with a home run big down delivers those third base coach for one in strike to be feeling good today up by six in the fifth one gym fixstick a bell hit the air first base side Garvey will not have a play and the count holds at 1 & 2 Steve Garvey why it never gain the Dodgers this year one two pitch check swing they said it'll be an extra base hit for Cavell on a low screwball in the second base he'll have a double on a check swing that ball Luke past Garvey and Camille's on for the third time today eNOS Cobell looked like he was about 80 feet from the pin here as he goes down into the sand trap makes contact and everything happening right for Houston as Cobell picks up his second hit of the day come pitch to give up the hit on I'll tell you I'm just gonna say that now you make a pitch like that and a hitter reaches down on a check swing and loops one as Cobell did for a double cup little more like that and will get D be more and having to do the analysis tell you all you got to do was open the face a little more he may have had a triple eNOS Cavell the runner at second Rafael Landis toy comes on for the first time today 250 with a homer and 27 runs batted in came on to play for Joe Morgan in the Dodger fourth inning the victory for the Astros would certainly make for a whole lot national winter in particular for Lannister he was the man the other night you could bobbled the ground ball by Dusty Baker in the ninth inning to prolong the inning and then would do down Ron Cey the single to Center on Friday to tie the game and then Ferguson's home run and the 10th wanted right Bill Virdon was talking about just a moment ago and he said he didn't sleep very good after that opening game one strike to Landis toy Castillo screwball on 2 Albertine said before the game now when we're down on the field during batting practice he said that was a game that really bothered him the other games good games they lost he said if the ball was hit by Baker a little more sharply easier hop nobody on at first the Renner the runner ran by Landis toy to his eye off momentarily took a look at the runner Baker and bobbled again two strikes looped to Hatcher this time it won't fall through basic pants goes were out here in the fifth inning in the fifth inning no runs with a hit in one left at the end of four and one happenings who play the Astros still lead Los Angeles by a score of 7 to 1 everybody loves the Dodgers Houston loves them right now - because they're leading some of the one tomorrow night of course our coverage beginning of the National League Championship Series from Philadelphia Keith Jackson Howard Cosell Don Drysdale will be there American League getting underway Wednesday sitting at 2:30 Eastern Time I'll be there with Oriole pictures Jim Palmer and Billy Martin manager of the Oakland A's will be joining us for our coverage of the Yankee Kansas City series he now as the countdown gets closer Billy Martin gets more nervous season was easy coming the tough stuff right now that'll be a good time Darryl Thomas in the Dodgers fifth inning against Chile crow outside a ball vic davalillo has come to the on deck circle for the Dodgers blow to another as you look at vic davalillo did not allow a Dodger rudder until a leadoff single by Hatcher in the third we talked about manny mota yesterday forty-two years old vic davalillo today outside ran up [Applause] finally Dodger ballclub Negro gave up two hits in the third and worked out of it in the fourth the Dodgers got him for a run we all crave one down two fastball Baker let it off with a single bad single off - fell to second on an air throwing error tired - development scored on a base hit by Monday by negro today in vic davalillo we'll come on as a pinch-hitter for pitches Bobby Castillo [Applause] davalillo appeared in five games for the Dodgers this is number six only by the bat four times with a base hit one on nobody out 701 Houston 5th inning the bullpen Fernando ballinger [Applause] to the left side al it's the ball all over the place all over the ballpark a slap type hitter than once in a while he can sting you one strike Ramon one credible two men in their 40s Vic sage is subject to question of course like with everybody else and once they reach the age of 38 39 everybody starts saying well we don't know his age you must be may be late for pretty a lot of exaggeration as well second base land estoy and upset by Darrell Thomason a good play by Tomas this fan of play through rolling black on land a storm that's prevented the throw to first fix davalillo on well this might have been taught to Daryl Thomas perhaps by Ray mal of a sea of the RAM it's that type of the block Thomas knows it's the only way he can break up the potential DoublePlay as he goes rolling into land of joy settling for the one out well you've seen it happen many times thanks for runners going to just let you tagging and forget about it that's on 19 October that's er David Oh knuckle ball hit in the air to shark center so Daniel Brokeback came on to make the play for the second out two away for Jay Johnstone this telecast presented by authority of Major League Baseball and is intended solely for the private non-commercial use of our audience any publication reproduction retransmission or other use of the pictures descriptions and accounts of this game without the express written consent of Major League Baseball is prohibitive Jay Johnstone old for to bounce to second and follow the third two outs dr. Phil Niekro has only given up for being ships the right thing [Applause] one strike to Johnstone the Astros have led from the first inning to Dodger error led to a couple of runs two more in the third the big home run by art Howe and three more in the fourth battle Leo the runner at first not clearing a good one oh and two on Johnstone I want to tell you folks Ashby's done a whale of a job today he really has and so has Nico yes sir and as you look at ash creamy throw the kind of man you want out there veteran about this the ball situation in the air not a plane the Houston pitching staff well they really picked up of course the junior Richards stroke in late July after he had looked warm so well he was a starting pitcher in the all-star game and everybody thought well that was gonna do the Astros in but born rule came on Negro has pitched brilliantly down the stretch Kenny forces good on some good outings bullpens done a fine job overall millwright the pitching coach and Burton that maneuver drew well Ashby giving chase but this ball is on a play still owing to on Johnstone you know al before the game talking to both ballclubs Dodgers and the Houston Club about the performance yesterday by Byrne rule the fact that he pitched with those two stitches in the index finger they said it was really amazing really a gutty performance and he finally tore it throwing a high fastball we talked about it I talked that he might do it on a breaking ball but he did it on a fast third inning per rule in the middle MOTU pitch got him swinging big strikeout again for Negro that's number four and the Dodgers are out in the fifth inning they failed the score at the end of five at seven to one instant we'll be back with more baseball after this word from our local stations have a look at Joe Niekro Connie he's going to pinch-hit here say he'll bring it on a pinch-hitter the Dodgers was very very impressive pitching in San Antonio this year starting the year in the minor leagues and as Al's talked about yesterday ending up the season in the biggest series of the year pressure-packed been right on it Jack furikake came up when the rosters were expanded on the first of September he's four for 15 he's been filling in over the past week especially in the Giant series this prior to the Dodgers coming home against Houston for Davey Lopes when local had to sit down for a couple of games and he pitched in for Valenzuela here in the bottom of the seventh inning Lopes and Johnstone to follow Houston leading 7 to 1 as the Astros trying to wrap up their first ever divisional title Brittani hit 326 and Albuquerque and triple-a this year line drive by finish the strike on the outside corner Owen one house still throwing in the bullpen so it'll be Steve for the Dodgers when the Astros hit in the eighth inning one in one account here's how Joe Niekro he was where the team that one a divisional title the Detroit Tigers back in 72 swimming at a third Covello miss plays it but recovers in time to get him eNOS was in very shallow in on the grass so he had time to recover he just wants to get back to that ass that's right Paul on the grass now said he's playing up well does not hit that sharply kind of a slicing type swing by for Conte ball took that 20 little hop on Cobell and watch him fire I'm taking any chances this time threw him out by about five steps here is Davey Lopes who is old for three today oh no on the count Alice Negro said before the start of today's game he said later in a ballgame he said more often than not he will go to a fastball and a slider to start hitters off which is what he has done to Prytania and then on Lopes and coming back with a knuckleball as he did right there and of course having the six run cushion now seven to one one ball one strike the count back to negro down the Joe keeps rolling along I tell you that it would look like Negro might have been finished around the mid-70s he was sent back to the minors after he had a experience with a cub San Diego in 69 and Detroit and he went to the Braves and they sent him down they sent him back down in 75 and then Houston purchased it at the start of the 1975 season if by a player folks think he can still do the job right Johnstone takes a strike on one thanks play by negro pathway to first and the flip to now and it's a 1-2-3 inning so that I drew six outs away from elimination we played seven Astros ahead seven to one and we'll be back in doctor Stadium after this word from our local stations Sunday on those amazing Houston ahead seven to one the Astros have little all the way I've hit the divers 12 to 5 as we go to the eighth inning remember tonight that's incredible 8:00 Eastern Time the man who's been dead they tell us for 52 years to visit a hotel at his board ghosts and guests and then ABC's NFL Monday Night Football Soldier Field in Chicago Doug Williams leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against Walter Payton and the Chicago Bears on the west coast that's incredible follows Monday Night Football what a week for sports on ABC playoffs beginning tomorrow there is the new Dodger pitcher Steve Howe six man used by Tommy Lasorda today and Jack Perconte who hit for balance away low stays in the game hits 9th place 2nd Davey Lopes comes out pal hits in Lopes who spot Al Michaels and Bob Uecker in Los Angeles as we go to the eighth inning in the Western Division tiebreaker it's been all Houston so far enos Cobell 2 for 3 plus of water want to go and at the Dodgers should lose lose this game al Houston winning really vindication for Cobell land estoy we talked earlier about that big air by land estoy in Game one yesterday Cobell with a ball that was hit by Garvey and instead of charging indecision he back pedaled on the ball and they eat him up for an air and then say hit the home run to win it a tremendous series it really has the Dodger dugout trailing by six Lasorda and red Adams the pitching coach now be trying to figure out a way to put another one out of the Hat to it one for the Astros 19th year of existence well if they win you've got some champagne about one tenth of which will be consumed the rest straight around then a long flight to Philadelphia to be checking into the hotel in Philly I would guess around 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time two one pitches bounced to third Hatcher picks it up well third baseman's could all about the other as cabela's gone for the first out of the eight tough in-between hop for Hatcher al knocking that ball down and then recovering in time to throw out Cobell by about a half a step talking with Garvey before the game al asking about the Dodger in Philly used to have a crush brick surface here very finely ground crushed brick he said it was a lot worse than is it it is now you you mentioned earlier I think that this has been resurfaced the Dodger infield of new infielders Garvey at first said it's a lot better now than it was in previous years but if you watch these ball games every once in a while the hops that they get it doesn't seem that good land is - it looks at a strike an account on one the Dodgers to an extent should have the advantage there anyway they play on it all the time the Astros of course playing a large facial surface upon without the to be talking about Cobell earlier out of fact they play on the artificial surface in Houston hardly ever a a bad hop on that stuff they have the sliding pit areas around the bag or maybe the lip of the astroturf or every once in a while a ball may hit and take a bad hop on you but other than that like playing on a playground an asphalt surface 1 and 2 the count crews on deck the Dodgers when they hit in the eighth have Baker Garvey and Monday one toothpicks rounded down at four Conte at second and the rookie close without two down [Music] so the Astros who have lost six in a row here at Dodger Stadium may win the most important of the seven Dodgers finishing the season series the regularly scheduled season series yesterday having 110 out of 18 more water where's all the answers the quotes will be very predictable all the long flight to Philadelphia won't bother us tomorrow night will be sky high anyway but physiologically it's gonna make a difference whether it be the Dodgers or the Astros five six o'clock in the morning get up around noon get out to the vet it's around five o'clock take some BP o two pitches outside one and two they may want to take it when they get there get it done with here's our house four RBIs today going to the gallon yeah we were talking last night after the ballgame about the the pressure that goes into the playoff games you know once you get in the series you're gonna get a winner or a loser share your there but to get there first the playoffs that's where all the heat is popped up and playable back of third for Mickey Hatcher three up and three down now doing the job here in the eighth inning and so we've gone seven and a half at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Houston leading the Dodgers 7 to 1 shell bottom of the 8th inning at Dodger Stadium in the Western Division playoff Houston leading 7 to 1 nikka Garvey and Monday coming up in the bottom of the 8th inning the crowd by their response has been even given up hope even through the middle innings with the Dodgers trailing 520 still trying to become the 10th man given credit for over the first three games in the series but a long hill decline now as Baker comes up in the bottom of the eighth-inning dusting his run crowd again rising fire to the game on Friday night out quite a tribute to this Dodger team down by three three games before they ever took the field here for a couple of hours Dodgers they had warning the Baker in there for a strike going one Dodgers with five hits today all single [Applause] scoreboard hands it over check swing and a ball one and one yeah you know going back to the theory about negro starting hitters off with a fastball or a slider seventh eighth and ninth inning Dodgers down seven to one have to take a pitch more often than not he's laying them right in there getting the head then coming with a knuckleball and Down Goes dusty it was strike two a foul tip the second pitch and down he goes on three years so that's six now for Negro six strikeouts he's retired five in a row the Dodgers had a chance in the sixth inning it was their last opportunity loading the bases with Thomas fly to center shall we have defensive changes now for Houston art Howe is now playing a third base and Bergman is come on to play at first for the Astros jebel coming out of the game now can't handle this one but Reynolds does nice short hop going out so two down Greg Reynolds has had a good day Astros shortstop three for four at the plate a good play by Reynolds at high hopper hit over house hit look at Reynolds way back in the hole and then guns a throw to get Garvey at first for the second out well I just got through talking about the Dodgers trailing some of the one maybe taking a pitch from Negro Garvey hit the first one a fastball Rick Monday one for two plus a walk so the Astros four outs away now oh and one two down bases empty bottom of the eighth the Astros two in the first two of the third as you look at Ferguson on deck three in the fourth for Houston the only Dodger run in the fourth inning and it was Monday who drove it in with a single to center Negros strike one offering blowing inside one in one the sorta and Garvey [Applause] one fish he's fouled away and the count is one and two if Houston goes on to meet Philadelphia in the 12 teams between those two teams this season the Phillies won nine verse the Phillies veterans of the playoff so they haven't won they were there in 76 77 and 78 Houston of course has never been [Applause] popped up Ashby coming back and with room and it's three up and three down and Negro if anything is getting stronger he is set down eight in a row the last Dodger hit was a single by Ferguson in the six inning so frustrating afternoon for the Los Angeles Dodgers as we have played eight and the Astros are on top seven to one bill Burton has already said that ken Forsch would go tomorrow if the Astros hold on to the ninth-inning force will be a starting pitcher with three days rest again see and of course that would mean as you take a look at the scheduling that they could conceivably come back if there is a fifth game though they do have the benefit in the National League Championship Series this year of the day off which would be Thursday the American League series begins now on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 Eastern Time with the Yankees the Royals and there's no day off there the National League is tomorrow night Wednesday night Friday and Saturday afternoon if necessary and then Sunday night if necessary the American League Championship Series getting underway the Yankees and the Royals on Wednesday afternoon then nine teams Thursday and Friday and Saturday night if necessary and a fifth game if necessary Sunday afternoon also coming up this week on ABC the great annual battle from Dallas says the Longhorns take on the Sooners Texas against an Oklahoma team that scored 82 points against Colorado on Saturday at 12:30 Eastern Time so we go to the ninth inning the Astros on top 7 to 1 a look at the new diamond vision board at Dodger Stadium the crowd very quiet as we go to the 9th Cedeno to lead things off then how and Ashby libel on the right field Johnstone one guy I was retired the poor man he has faced in relief when the Dodgers come up now in the bottom of the ninth inning due up are Ferguson Hatcher and Thomas Bill Burton he's been to the playoffs before 1972 he managed the Pirates against Cincinnati that series one five and Bill's team had the lead going to the bottom of the ninth inning of Game five with Johnny Bench homered and a wild pitch by Bob who subsequently brought in George Foster to give the Reg the pennant Bart how big day three hits a drive to deep left field but Dusty Baker has room and makes a guy [Applause] and the catcher Allen a screen coming up - be one for three plus a walk Houston in 1980 it would be the third serious run they have made for a title as Ashby lines one to left field right at Baker for the out so how has no trouble dispensing with Houston in the ninth inning but the Dodgers are still trailing by six as we go to the bottom of the ninth inning Joe Negro working on la with Houston ahead seven to one back after this message going to work for a local station [Music] Dodger Stadium as we go to the bottom of the ninth inning Al Michaels and Bob Uecker with you it's seven to one extra so the Dodgers three outs away from elimination Jerry royce in your picture their hand on hip country Bobby Mitchell number 17 here comes Joe Ferguson to the plate in the Bible ninth-inning Hatcher and Thomas do to follow but Gary Thomasson has come out on deck there he is to bat for catcher Joe Ferguson 1 for 3 infield single in the sixth Joe Niekro has gone all the way seeking his 20th win and his biggest want to know [Applause] to a no the count on Ferguson [Applause] [Applause] in there and the count 2 and 1 now Joe Niekro counting that strikeout to Hatcher though we did reach on the past wall but counting that has set down to each straight Burgie Pop's it up foul ground and playable for our towel one away Negro making it look easy the Dodgers have not hit a ball out of the infield since the sixth inning Joe has given up five hits all singles the Dodgers threatened in the third inning at first and third nobody out couldn't score threatened in the sixth inning had the bases-loaded two-out couldn't score their only run came in the fourth when Monday singled in Baker the big man offensively for the Astros today has been art Howe with three hits and four runs batted in Gary Thomasson the pinch hitter takes outside ball one want to know the cow [Applause] even now one in one part how again we prefer to him this city and solid and responding today now playing third started the game at first you can move them around Thomasson branwall the right side land destroy throws the first and gets him Raphael taking his time as was the case the other night when it proved to be very costly on a different type of ground ball two down and Darryl Thomas the batter that's Deacon Jones millwright is looking down toward the Houston bullpen you know what they're worried about I have a feeling is getting off the field figuring the crowd might surge out onto the field and that's exactly what they're talking about Darryl Thomas is going to be the man of burden he's coming out you see what he wants here is to bring the fellas in from the bullpen number one gonna bring that's Dave Smith and also the relief pitcher joe sambito they'll bring in all of the fellas from the bullpen you know it's it's a sorry state in a in an exultant moment a moment you should really save her you even have to think about things like this but burden is doing the prudent thing unfortunately I say unfortunately in the context of what we've been reduced to in crowd scenes over the past few years so the Astros on the verge of clinching their first ever title in a prime concern to them right now is getting off the field unscathed [Applause] two out bases empty in the bottom of the ninth inning seven to one Houston Thomas looks at us right the astros born in 1962 went through some frustrating and some very dismal years in the race in 72 and faded in the race last year and faded and now on the threshold as Thomas takes inside one and one the count world news tonight of course will not be seen tonight except on the west coast as we come down to the conclusion of this one the 1 1 pitch to Thomas is looped to shallow left field crews coming in but has to play it on a hop and so the Dodgers are still breathing Darryl Thomas with a single and that jack per Conti who stayed in the game after pinch-hitting in the seventh inning is the batter gamesome garbage being hurled at the players Doug Harvey was out there checking with the outfielders he dug gesturing to the outfielders is everything all right they said fine bill bird doing some repositioning now is for cocking fans in to down now time call time called no Fitch Doug Harvey again pointing toward the outfield we've got streamers out there tennis balls beans going out into the field and they'll do some groundskeeping work and again the announcement from John Ramsey the PA announcer the Astros are on top leading it seven to one with two out in the ninth inning so the Dodgers backs-to-the-wall Friday Saturday and Sunday respond that man a lot of credit Harvey has kept things in order today at one point you weren't with us pulling the Astros off the field in the fourth inning never letting it get out of hand all right for copy of the play taking outside ball one if ricany keeps it going they've got Pete Guerrero out on deck to bat for see how the one over for Connie in there one and one account Negro trying to become the only national league pitcher to do that Tommy John was the only pitcher in the American League to win 20 the last few years the 1-1 pitch a bouncing ball to the right side Bergman has accepts on first and the Astros of won the National League West Bill Burton finally after four days a smile creasing his face and the celebration ironically enough on the roll in the Dodger Stadium infield has the Houston Astros have wanted the Los Angeles Dodgers well a battle they gave it there's the hobbled Ronson the Astros [Music] [Applause] nineteen years so many frustrated years and here they come down the runway you just so hard I'll go down there the big man today a homerun new singles four runs batted in the stars of the game for the Astros pow and of course Joe Niekro who turns in a masterful performance as the Astros with a dozen hits beat the Dodgers in the tiebreaker seven to one so here come the Astros who will do some celebrating make a very joyous ride to the airport take a charter to Philadelphia check in in the wee hours and play tomorrow night and gain one of the National League Championship Series Bob Uecker is down in the Astro dressing room as they file in a lot of these fellas of course have not been through a secret like this there are some veterans like Negro who played on a division winning team with Detroit they came over from Pittsburgh and of course on the other side you've got Tommy Lasorda who's tasted the bitter and the sweet is the Dodgers remain in the dugout I look down and it's a whole other story there a lot of joy Friday Saturday and Sunday on that side of the field but a different story and the fans many of whom have remained as you can see are chanting and they'd like the Dodgers to come back out to thank them get somebody they want a curtain call but the Dodgers many of whom were just seen it in the dugout the Astros have filed back to the clubhouse and Bob Uecker is down there right now let's go hello Alyce of right now we haven't had a chance to get anybody this Houston ball club being swarmed on as they come through the tunnel area here we're trying to get Joe Niekro of course who did such an outstanding job today and art Howe the unassuming guy with the four big RBIs today bedlam here as you can well understand in the Houston Clubhouse as L told him nineteen years has been a long time since way back in 1962 and the first for the Houston Astros as we've told you throughout this series a tough tough battle and they have finally hung on the winner millwright come on up here let me get Mel right up here I get Mel right up here to start things out and Mel no no talking about the big win today a big victory but outstanding performance by Joe Niekro yes they did an outstanding job he was keyed up but we kept him on keep down just enough that he did a heck of a job Mel I want to ask you Joe talked about this earlier before the game today that later in the ballgame he goes to a fastball and slider to start hitters off and then comes back with a knuckleball and evidently that's been working well for it well Joe has a tendency sometime to overthrow his pitches his fastball and stuff and once he wears the edge off and gets a little bit well I say keen down and a little bit tired and he can throw all of it pretty well and that's what he's been trying to do now you've been around here a long time I know you're very very satisfied this is what we fought for all right we'll try to get Joe Niekro he's being swarmed on over here by his fellow teammates Joe Niekro burn rule I got to get him over here looking for Killiney crow this place is jammed up out I'm just not able to do anything down here it's jammed up downstairs Negroes being swarmed down behind us over here along with art Howe as we said had such an outstanding year the last play in the game the bouncer hip to first base and the Houston Astros have wrapped up the Western Division championship still trying to get Joe Niekro we can't find manager Bill Virdon bedlam is broken loose here of course as you can well understand and until we can get Joe Niekro one of these other guys down here let's go back upstairs now Michaels well I suppose you as we wait for Negro in the gang a little bit of celebration in experience showing the fellows who've been there before like the Reggie Jackson's and the Mike Schmitz they know where the camera is and they know we want to talk to him after they when they've been there before but the Astros enjoying their own celebration right now and since we are running out of time we will not be returning to the astro dressing room but we will see Houston of course on the field again tomorrow against Philadelphia in the first game of the National League Championship Series so that's the story Houston wins the tiebreaker 7 to 1 Al Michaels saying so long for Bob Uecker or thanks to Allan Roth the giorgo a great job in the booth be sure to tune in tonight for ABC's NFL Monday Night Football the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking on the Chicago Bears from Soldier Field in Chicago live at 9 o'clock Eastern Time the executive producer of ABC Sports is rouen Arledge coverage of today's game was produced by Ken wolf directed by Craig jenoff technical director Bill Morris associate director Bob dicus join us tomorrow

Channel: Sports Revisited

Views: 16,099

Keywords: Sports, baseball, football, mlb, nfl, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, playoff, 1980, division title

Id: AlsSzwgqQWQ

Length: 150min 36sec (9036 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 29 2019