The Astros trotted out their ace Bob Knepper in Game 1. The Dodgers countered with 5-0 Fernando Valenzuela. The Astros got off to a fast start playing their usual smallball. In the 2nd inning, Dickie Thon singled in Kevin Bass to take a 1-0 lead. They followed it up in the 5th inning as Jose Cruz lined a single up the middle scoring Bill Doran to take a 2-0 lead. However, this would be all the runs the Astros would score as the Dodgers came back in the 7th and 8th innings with 4 runs off of Bob Knepper and reliever Joe Sambito combined. In the 7th, Mike Scioscia grounded in Mike Marshall and Ken Landreaux lined a triple down the right field line scoring Scioscia to tie the game at 2. Davey Lopes then sacrificed Landreaux home to put the Dodgers up 3-2. In the 8th, the Dodgers got 1 more insurance run as Mike Marshall sacrificed Steve Garvey home to give the Dodgers a 4-2 comeback lead. Jay Howell closed out the Astros in the 9th to give the Western Division champs the first game 1-0.
Game 2 Houston @ LA
The Dodgers now had a chance to take control of the series in game 2. In the second inning, the Dodgers scored all 3 runs of the game as Dusty Baker doubled and Steve Garvey was hit by a errant Mike Scott pitch. Mike Scioscia grounded into a double play seemingly to end all hopes for the inning. Then, Ken Landreaux walked and Mike Marshall hit a 3 run homer giving the Dodgers a 3-0 lead. That was all the runs they needed as the Astros only managed 4 hits off of winning pitcher Oral Hershiser. It looked like a sure sweep as the Dodgers and Astros headed to Houston.
Game 3 LA @ Houston
Facing elimination the rest of the way, the Astros went with the 5-1 knuckleballing Joe Niekro. Burt Hooton hoped to close out the Astros in game 3. In the 2nd inning the struggling Astro offense caught fire. They scored 4 times with their patented smallball. Joe Niekro could only last until the early 6th, but got the win. The Dodgers managed 2 runs, but the Astros held off them off 5-2 to grab a game in the series. LA still led the series 2 games to 1.
Game 4 LA @ Houston
Here come the extra inning games. In Game 4, the Dodgers went with Bob Welch and the Astros countered with Nolan Ryan. The men from LA wanted to end this series quickly with a 2 run outburst in the 1st inning. Steve Garvey singled to bring in Ken Landreaux and a Nolan Ryan wild pitch plated Pedro Guerrero making the score 2-0. In the bottom of the first, Cesar Cedeno solo homered off of Welch tightening the Dodger lead to 2-1. In the 6th, the Astros tied the Dodgers on back to back doubles from Phil Garner and Glen Davis. Both teams scored 1 run in the 7th inning making the score 3-3. As the starting pitchers left, this tie would not end until the bottom of the 11th inning. After Larry Anderson worked his way out of the top of the 11th, the Astros went back to smallball. Pinch hitter Billy Hatcher reached first on an error. Bill Doran was then intentionally walked by Dodger pitcher Tim Belcher. Cedeno moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. Jose Cruz was then intentionally walked. With the bases loaded and 1 out, Craig Biggio worked Belcher for a walk and the Astros had come all the way back from a 2-0 series deficit to tie at 2. On to LA to crown a winner in Game 5.
Game 5 Houston @ LA
What is more exciting than a deciding game in a series? This one would hold true to that excitement. The surging Astros were just 1 game away from advancing after a 0-2 series start. Houston again went with staff ace Bob Knepper and the Western Champion Dodgers put their season on the back of Jerry Ruess. The Dodgers opened this final game like gangbusters. Pedro Guerrero singled in Mike Marshall in the second inning to go on top 1-0. In the 3rd inning, Mariano Duncan hit a homer down the left field line to take a quick 2-0 lead for the home team. Through this rough patch, Bob Knepper withstood the barrage and proceeded to keep the Dodgers at bay the rest of the way. Houston scored a run in the 4th as Biggio knocked in Cedeno with a RBI single. The Dodger faithful were sensing a win as the top of the 8th came with their team up 2-1. The Astros caught a moment of lightning with 1 out as Craig Biggio grounded to third baseman Pedro Guerrero and as he booted it, Cedeno who was on third came in to tie the game 2-2 to the dismay of the Dodger fans. For 2 more innings the teams could not find a way to score. Clutch pitching by Joe Sambito for Houston and Jay Howell for the Dodgers. It would all unravel in the top of the 11th for the Dodgers. Steve Howe came in to pitch for the West Champs. After 1 out, Terry Puhl and Dickie Thon singled. Bill Doran then doubled in Puhl giving the Astros the lead 3-2. Cedeno then walked and Jose Cruz singled in Thon and Doran making the score Astros 5 Dodgers 2. Biggio singled in Cedeno to end the scoring at 6-2. Reliever Dave Smith closed out the Dodgers in the bottom of the 11th and the Houston Astros win the game and the series.
The series was there for the Dodgers to take, but some timely hitting and pitching advance the Wild Card Astros. Houston will face either SF or NY for the League Championship series.
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