1985 National League Championship Series
Dodger announcer Vin Scully and former Cardinal player Joe Garagiola called the games for NBC.
The Cardinals made it to the series by winning 101 games and edging the New York Mets in the National League East.
This was nearly a NLCS match-up in 1982, but the Dodgers lost their National League West lead in late September and were ultimately knocked out of the postseason on the last day of the season by the San Francisco Giants, thanks to a Joe Morgan 7th inning three-run home run.
The pitchers matched zeroes through the first three innings, but in the bottom of the fourth an error by Terry Pendleton allowed Bill Madlock to reach first.
Ken Dayley ended the inning with a strikeout of Valenzuela, but the Dodgers had a 4–0 lead en route to a 4–1 victory with the Cardinals scoring the only run in the seventh on Tito Landrum's RBI single with two on.
In the next inning, Scioscia singled and scored on Greg Brock's two-run home run to give the Dodgers a 5–1 lead.
Next inning, the Dodgers extended their lead to 6–1 on Mike Marshall's RBI single with two on that knocked Andujar out of the game.
In the ninth, Hershiser allowed a leadoff single and walk, then two outs later, Vince Coleman's RBI single made it 8–2 Dodgers before Willie McGee grounded out to finish Hershiser's complete game and give the Dodgers a 2–0 series lead heading to St. Louis.
Saturday, October 12, 1985, at Busch Stadium (II) in St. Louis, Missouri In past years, a 2–0 hole would have occasioned a must-win game, but the Cardinals still had a little breathing room due to the best-of-seven nature of the series.
After an intentional walk to Andy Van Slyke, McGee scored on Terry Pendleton's ground out to give the Cardinals a 2–0 lead.
Sunday, October 13, 1985, at Busch Stadium (II) in St. Louis, Missouri The most important event of Game 4 occurred over two hours before the first pitch was thrown.
Three straight singles by Jack Clark, Tito Landrum (Coleman's replacement) and César Cedeño gave the Cardinals a 1–0 lead.
Back-up catcher Tom Nieto, starting his first game in the series, walked after a Pendleton ground out scored Cedeño.
Honeycutt was pulled in favor of Bobby Castillo, who struck out Tom Nieto to end the inning.
Next inning, Willie McGee hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Tom Herr's sacrifice fly.
Bill Campbell retired the Dodgers in order in the ninth en route to a 12–2 Cardinals' win that tied the series at two.
In past years, this would set the stage for the clinching Game 5, but the new format gave leeway to each team's pitching arrangement.
Monday, October 14, 1985, at Busch Stadium (II) in St. Louis, Missouri High drama unfolded when the Dodgers and Cardinals met for Game 5 tied at two victories apiece.
Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog felt comfortable starting Forsch to give extra rest to his pair of 20-game winners, Andujar and Tudor.
Prior to the game, Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda declared, "If they can beat Valenzuela and Hershiser, then we're not as good as we thought."
After inducing McGee to pop up to third, Ozzie Smith (who had hit only 13 career home runs up to that point) came to bat from the left side of the plate.
He golfed a Niedenfuer fastball down the right field line and over the fence for a home run, ending Game 5 as a 3–2 Cardinal victory.
The home run was voted the greatest moment in the history of Busch Stadium in 2005, and was the source of Jack Buck's famous call "Go crazy, folks!
This was the game where a fan blew water from the top of the visitors dugout into the eyes of Steve Sax as he came back after making an out.
Ozzie drilled a triple that just barely missed being a second left-handed homer, but Niedenfuer struck out Jack Clark on three fastballs to end the threat.
With Ozzie Smith's prior success against Niedenfuer—a homer and triple in his last two at-bats—the Dodgers walked him and induced a ground out from Tommy Herr.
With runners at second and third and two out, the obvious question faced Lasorda: "do you walk Clark to the open first base or do you pitch to him?"
Clark promptly drilled Niedenfuer's first fastball 450 feet (140 m) into the left field stands for a pennant-winning home run.
