1980 National League West tie-breaker game

[1] The Astros acquired Joe Morgan and Nolan Ryan via free agency during the offseason and the Dodgers signed Dave Goltz.

[2][3][4] Dave Kindred of The Washington Post, George Vecsey of The New York Times, and Astros' relief pitcher Joe Sambito all credited Houston's success in 1980 to Morgan's leadership.

[5][6][7] The Reds attained early success in 1980 with an eight-game winning streak to open the season, and held at least a share of first place in the division until April 30.

The Dodgers won all three games, all by a single run, stopping the Astros from clinching a division championship as the two teams sat tied at 92–70.

"[5] The final game included a run-scoring pinch hit single by Manny Mota, who had almost exclusively been a coach and not a player that season, and a home run by Ron Cey which scored Steve Garvey, who had reached base in the previous at bat on an error.

Art Howe singled to advance Cruz to third, but Dodgers' starting pitcher Dave Goltz escaped the inning without further scoring.

The Astros added to their lead in the top of the third as Cedeño singled, stole second (after Cruz had been caught stealing earlier in the inning), and scored on Art Howe's home run to make the game 4–0.

Puhl scored on a Cruz sacrifice fly, Cedeño walked to re-load the bases, and finally a Howe single gave the Astros another two runs to make the game 7–0.

Niekro steadied again after the sixth, allowing just one baserunner on a two-out ninth-inning single over the remaining three innings before Dave Bergman fielded the final out on a groundball near first base to clinch the first division title in Astros history.

[15] Additionally six Dodgers (Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, Reggie Smith, Jerry Reuss, and Bob Welch) and two Astros (J. R. Richard and Cruz) were named to the National League's All-Star team.