The World Series Should Recall Houston’s First Championship Battle Against Los Angeles
Houston is heading to Los Angeles for a huge battle for the World Series, marking just the second time the Astros have reached the Fall Classic. The Dodgers themselves, for all of their postseason appearances over the last few decades, have not been to the World Series since 1988.
The two clubs have obviously never met in a postseason championship until now, but they did battle for a division championship exactly thirty seven years ago. That four day contest is definitely worth recalling as the two clubs prepare for the 2017 World Series.
The last important series between the Astros and Dodgers began on October 3, 1980, when Houston took a three game lead into second place Los Angeles for the final weekend of the regular season. All that manager Bill Virdon’s team had to do to capture their first ever National League West title was to win one of the four games.
Future Hall of Fame right hander Don Sutton was the first big challenge for the Astros, and the Los Angeles ace rose to the occasion. It was a do or die game for the Dodgers, so Sutton had to be sharp.
He gave up just two runs to Houston hitters but, because Ken Forsch of the Astros matched him run for run, Sutton left after eight with the game tied at two. He was relieved by a youngster who would win the Rookie of the Year Award the following season, a lefthander named Fernando Valenzuela.
In what seems an incredible feat nowadays, Forsch was still on the hill for Houston in the tenth. The first hitter he faced that inning was catcher Joe Ferguson, who sent a 2-2 pitch over the fence for a walk-off home run.
Game two featured another future Hall of Fame hurler, only this time he was pitching for the Astros. Nolan Ryan, true to form, fanned nine hitters and yielded two measly runs to the Dodgers in the nine innings.
Unfortunately, his counterpart Jerry Reuss, who had himself spent much of his career pitching for the Astros, proved even sharper than Ryan. Reuss gave up only an RBI single to infielder Art Howe for Houston’s only run, cutting its lead in the N.L. West to just one game.
Houston appeared to be on the brink of clinching the division championship in the very first inning of game three, as outfielder Cesar Cedeno scored a run which was followed one batter later by Howe himself crossing the plate. Although Houston starter Vern Ruhle had so far blanked the Dodgers, he was lifted after running into trouble in the third.
Several innings later Houston, leading 3-2, turned to its closer Frank LaCorte. The Dodgers got a base runner in the eighth against LaCorte when Steve Garvey reached on an error by third baseman Enos Cabell. Two pitches later, All-Star slugger Ron Cey hit a home run to put the Dodgers ahead for good Battle Royale Blockchain Game.
The Houston lead for first place had now dwindled to one game with just one remaining, so it was up to twenty game winner Joe Niekro to keep them on top. The veteran right hander allowed no earned runs in his nine innings of work, and Houston provided plenty of offense to capture the division championship with a 7-1 victory.
Tension-filled games continued for the Astros, who battled the Phillies in the ensuing playoffs. Philadelphia ended up winning the do or die fifth game, after which they captured the World Series against the Kansas City Royals.
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