In those early days I would always use my beloved Orioles and my Dad would use his Los Angeles Dodgers. I always thought I had the superior lineup, but more times than not, he found a way to beat me. More than one Fast Action Card turned up in favor of Ken Landreaux in particular. Ken killed me back in the day!
I only mention all of this because my Dad was in town for Thanksgiving and, thanks to an aggressive playing schedule before he arrived, I made sure the Dodgers were up next so I could force him to play with me. He "reluctantly" agreed but soon got into the spirit, cracking jokes about how Mike Marshall used to lumber around the base paths or Greg Brock's gorgeous blond hair. As things turned out, we got to play a pretty epic game...
My Dad had Bob Welch on the mound and I countered with Mike Krukow. Jack Clark lined a double in the top of the first but got stranded at second. Steve Sax singled in the bottom half of the inning but the Dodgers couldn't push him across home.
In the bottom of the second Mike Marshall reached second base on a Joel Youngblood fielding error (no wonder given his E10 rating). Two batters later Candy Maldonado cracked a single and Marshall beat the throw to the plate. Maldonado was then thrown out at second in a failed hit and run from my nemesis, Ken Landreaux.
And after that...it was nothing but goose eggs. Krukow lasted seven innings only giving up the unearned run in the second. Welch, meanwhile, held the Giants to four hits through eight. In the top of the ninth the Giants were down to their last three outs and my Dad kept Welch on the mound in true Tommy Lasorda fashion. With one out Jeff Leonard came up and launched a solo homer to tie the game! I sprung up from my seat and did a one-flap-down run around the kitchen. Gary LaVelle walked the lead-off batter in the bottom of the ninth but the Dodgers didn't score and we were on to extra innings!
My Dad brought in Orel Hershiser in the tenth and he got three quick outs. Greg Minton did the same, lasting two innings of relief. In the top of the 12th Hershiser was still on the mound but got into trouble. Al Oliver walked and moved to second on a Bob Brenly single with one out. Scot Thompson grounded into a fielder's choice that moved Oliver to third. But John Rabb flew out to strand the runner and we moved to the bottom of the inning.
Frank Williams took over from Minton and, by his own fielding error, allowed Maldonado to reach base. Maldonado moved to third on a hit and run from, you guessed it, Ken Landreaux (my Dad is obsessed with the hit and run in Statis Pro). That brought up Steve Yeager, who entered the game in the tenth on a double switch. Yeager poked a walk-off single to win the game! Dad was happy and I was happy for him.
Winning Pitcher - Orel Hershiser
Losing Pitcher - Frank Williams
Player of the Game - Steve Yeager, 1-1, GWRBI, BB
Scott McGregor and Mike Caldwell faced off in this one, and both did quite well for themselves. Through five innings neither team scored. McGregor was aided by three double plays. In fact, the Brewers would hit into them six times in the game, which seems close to a record for the season.
A Jim Gantner error allowed Ken Singleton to reach in the sixth, and he eventually scored on a Todd Cruz single to give the O's the lead. But the Brewers tied it up again in the bottom half of the inning. Cecil Cooper singled home Ted Simmons, who was three for three on the day.
It was still 1-1 in the top of the ninth. Bob McClure was on for Milwaukee but, with two outs, allowed a John Shelby single. Shelby moved to second on a wild pitch, and then Gary Roenicke singled him home for the lead. Tippy Martinez relieved McGregor in the ninth and got the save.
Winning Pitcher - Scott McGregor
Losing Pitcher - Bob McClure
Save - Tippy Martinez
Player of the Game - Gary Roenicke, 2-3, 2B, RBI, 2BBs
Hall of Famers in the Game - Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray, Robin Yount
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