Bring In the Right-Hander!

by Jerry Reuss

  “At this point,” admitted New York manager Bob Lemon, “I got greedy.” Rather than have Murcer drop a sacrifice, Lemon told Bobby to try for a bunt single on the first pitch. What Murcer produced was a foul pop-up that third baseman Cey picked off with a magnificent diving catch. Milbourne had departed from first with such enthusiasm that all Cey had to do was leap to his feet and throw to Lopes, covering first, for a double play. Next, Willie Randolph was in the process of legging out a chop to Cey, but the third sacker was spared making a futile throw because Rodriguez, advancing from second, obligingly ran into a third-out tag.36

  The two base-running mistakes took the Yankees out of the inning. Fernando retired the Yankees 1–2–3 in the ninth, as we won the game 5–4. Valenzuela gave up nine hits, walked seven, and threw 145 pitches in a gutsy performance.

  Lasorda’s faith in Fernando paid off. Risking criticism if Fernando had faltered, Tom said, “He was like a poker player bluffing his way through some bad hands. And with that one-run lead . . . he closed out the game like the best of them.”37

  Game Four: Winning Ugly

  Bob Welch got his first start in the postseason after giving up just a run in four relief appearances during the Division and League Championship Series. He lasted just sixteen pitches, allowing a triple to Randolph, a run-scoring double to Milbourne, a walk to Winfield, and a single to Reggie Jackson to load the bases without recording an out. Dave Goltz, who relieved Welch, pitched out of the jam, allowing a sacrifice fly to Bob Watson to limit the scoring to just two runs. The Yankees scored a run in the second on a solo HR by Willie Randolph and another run in the third on a single, a walk, and a run-producing single by Rick Cerone and led 4–0.

  We scored two runs in the third on a pinch double by Landreaux and a single by Lopes, who stole second, advanced to third on a single by Garvey, and scored on an infield grounder by Cey.

  Both teams had a chance for a big fourth inning, as the Yankees left the bases loaded and the Dodgers left two on base. Rudy May, who relieved starter Rick Reuschel, pitched out of a two-on, no-out situation. May, however, didn’t stick around very long. He was relieved by Ron Davis after Garvey doubled and scored on Cey’s single in the bottom of the fifth, to make the score 4–3.

  In just five innings the game already saw seven pitchers, seven runs, sixteen hits, and fourteen men left on base. And it was about to get more interesting.

  Tom Niedenfuer, who pitched a perfect fifth, ran into trouble in the sixth. Willie Randolph reached on an error by Russell. The next two Yankees batters flied out. Lasorda elected to walk Jackson intentionally to face Oscar Gamble. Sound strategy, but Gamble singled in Randolph. Bob Watson singled on a low liner to left that Dusty swore he caught but was ruled a trap, as Jackson scored the second run of the inning. The Yankees, who blew a four-run lead earlier, now led by three, going into the home half of the sixth.

  Ron Davis, who manager Bob Lemon hoped would hold the three-run lead for an inning and give the Yankees a bridge to their closer, Rich Gossage, gave up a one-out walk to Scioscia. Jay Johnstone, batting for Niedenfuer, hit a 1–2 pitch for a pinch HR, only the thirteenth in World Series history, to make the score 6–5.

  By this time the fall sunlight at Dodger Stadium took effect. Lopes hit a short fly to right that Jackson charged but lost in the sun, as the ball hit him in the chest and dropped for an error. Lopes, knowing how tough the shadows could be, ran hard out of the box and stopped at second. “I had a feeling it was going to drop so I busted tail to second,” Lopes later relayed to reporters.38

  Reggie had his own take on the play. “The ball was in the sun the whole way. I was hoping it would hit my glove but it didn’t.” The play may have unnerved Davis, as Lopes stole third uncontested on the second pitch to Russell. Russell made up for the error in the top of the sixth that led to a pair of unearned runs by singling to left on the next pitch and scoring Lopes with the tying run.39

  In the home half of the seventh, Dusty, who was 0–11 in the series up to this point, hit a high chopper to short for an infield single. Rick Monday hit a soft liner to center that was misjudged by center fielder Bobby Brown, making his only appearance in the series. Brown, playing in the bright sunlight as the ball came out of the shadows, took a roundabout route to the ball and never recovered. Monday was on second with a double, as Baker took third on the play. Guerrero was walked intentionally to load the bases with nobody out.

  Tommy John, who pitched seven innings three days earlier in Game Two, was called on to relieve Frazier. With the managerial gerbils running full speed in their respective cages, Lasorda countered with Steve Yeager to pinch-hit for Scioscia. Steve drove in the seventh Dodger run with a sacrifice fly to right. Steve Howe, who came in the game for Niedenfuer in the top of the seventh, sacrificed Monday to third and Guerrero to second. Lopes then beat out a high chopper to third for an infield single, as Monday scored the inning’s second run. Bob Lemon later noted, “They [Dodgers] know where the holes and rocks are. We have to go out at night and find those rocks.” At the end of seven, the Dodgers held a two-run lead, 8–6.40

  In the Yankees’ eighth, Reggie proved that he gives and he takes. Jackson hammered a Steve Howe pitch to the right-field bleachers for an HR. On a day where he played a role in allowing a Dodger run on an error, he also reached base five times in the game, tying a World Series record held by six other players.41

  It was up to Steve Howe, in his third inning of work, to hold the Yankees in check. Howe, who pitched as many as three innings twice during the regular season, was showing some signs of wear and tear. With two outs and a runner on first, Howe committed an error at first that put runners on first and second. Willie Randolph, with three hits in the game, sent a long fly to deep right-center that Derrel Thomas caught a step in front of the fence. The Dodgers had tied the series at two games each.42

  The postgame reaction was equally varied and interesting among the participants. Rick Monday stated, “It wasn’t your basic Picasso.”43 Lasorda said it was one of the most exciting games he had ever been involved in.44 Bob Lemon said, “It was as exciting as hell when we were ahead, but I didn’t find it very exciting after that.”45 George Steinbrenner, furious with his club for squandering first a four-run and later a three-run lead, refused to speak with an Associated Press (AP) reporter, adding he wouldn’t be around after the game.

  Probably the most predictable reaction of the day occurred after the game in the interview room. Jay Johnstone sprinted the length of the room, dived over a table, and tackled Steve Garvey, who was in the middle of his postgame discourse. Garvey collected himself, stood up, and, with every hair in place, told the shocked contingent, “Don’t worry, folks! He’ll be back in the home by 7 o’clock.”46

  Game Five: Two Pitches That Changed the Series

  The first three days after Game One, I hoped I would get one more chance to pitch in the Series. Once I knew there would be a Game Five, I went into my game-face mode. I was on edge for five days. With this being the World Series, I was wound a little tighter than normal, which meant that I would walk right through you rather than say, “Get the hell outta my way.”

  The Dodgers hired some of the best scouts in the business. And it showed when their reports prior to the first game of the series were the best and most detailed I’d ever heard. The reports weren’t responsible for the pitches I threw that were up in the zone that got hammered in Game One. I take responsibility for that and give credit to the Yankees for taking full advantage of it. On this day, October 25, 1981, I would pitch in the most important game of my career.

  I retired the Yankees in order in the top of the first. My opponent, Ron Guidry, also recorded a 1–2–3 inning. Until Game One of the Series, I never knew just how good Guidry was. He went about his business in Game One, pitching seven innings and allowing four hits and just one run, and was the winning pitcher. I sensed from the start that Game Five was going to be close.

  In the second Reggie Jackson drove my first p
itch between Cey and the third base bag for a leadoff double. Watson grounded to Lopes, who bobbled the ball for an error. Piniella drove in Reggie with a single, and the Yankees led 1–0. My next pitch set the tone for the first six innings of this game. Rick Cerrone, the Yankees’ catcher, swung at my first pitch and grounded into a double play. Aurelio Rodriguez grounded out to end the threat. Walking off the mound, I knew if I could hold them, we’d find a way to score some runs.

  The Yankees threatened in the third with a one-out walk to Randolph and a single by Milbourne. Dave Winfield, hitless in the Series, forced Milbourne. That brought Reggie to the plate with two outs. With all of his ticks and twitches, I struck him out to end the inning.

  Again, I walked the tightrope in the top of the fourth by issuing a leadoff walk to Watson on four pitches. An error by Lopes allowed Piniella to reach base. Cerone grounded out short to first, as the runners advanced. Rodriguez was walked intentionally, bringing Guidry to the plate. He bunted back to me, and I flipped to Yeager for the force at home. With the bases still loaded, Randolph grounded to Garvey at first for the final out. I dodged a Yankee bullet, leaving three New York runners on base.

  In the fifth Winfield singled with one out. It was his first hit in his first World Series. For me, it was a matter of history repeating itself. In his first Major League game on June 19, 1973, Dave got his first hit against me.47 The Yankee bench asked for the ball, and I was more than happy to oblige. Even in a moment of complete game face, I respected the importance of the occasion. Back to the business at hand, Reggie grounded into a double play to end the inning.

  In the meantime Guidry was coasting. Through the first six innings, he allowed just two hits and two walks and struck out eight Dodger batters. I sat on the bench in the bottom of the seventh, hoping we could put something together against a pitcher running on all cylinders. Guidry struck out Baker for the first out. Up to this point Guidry retired fifteen of the last sixteen Dodgers to face him, striking out eight in the process.

  Then the game, and ultimately the 1981 World Series, changed over the course of two batters and five pitches. Pedro Guerrero slammed a 0–1 pitch for a home run to left. Suddenly, Dodger Stadium rocked more than it did when the earthquake hit about forty-eight hours earlier. Guidry later described the pitch. “It was a fairly decent slider. I got him out on it a couple of times. When you hit a slider like that you almost have to be guessing for it.”48

  Pete Guerrero agreed: “I hit a high slider. It was the same pitch he’d been throwing all day, except this time he got the ball up. As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone.” The score was tied at 1.49

  Next up was Steve Yeager. Yeager, with a double in this game and a homer against Guidry in Game One, fell behind in the count 1–2. He drilled the next pitch into the left-field bleachers, giving us a 2–1 lead. Regarding the Yeager home run, Guidry said, “Maybe I put that in a little bit of the sweet spot. That’s the only pitch I can second-guess myself on. Maybe I should have thrown him a slider.”50

  Yeager had his own thoughts: “I looked so bad on two sliders and I guessed he might try a fastball and he did.”51

  Within five pitches the Dodgers went from a 1–0 deficit to a 2–1 lead. The energy of the ballpark, which was already at all-time high, became a frenzied state. Derrel Thomas flied to center, and I lined to short to finish the seventh. When we took the field for the top of the eighth, we all sensed a shift in the momentum and the series. Now, this was our game.

  The Yankees went down in order in the eighth, as Milbourne grounded out, Winfield struck out, and Jackson flied to left. This was especially important, because two of their power guys came to the plate with the bases empty.

  When Lopes walked against Rich Gossage to lead off our half of the eighth, we were hoping to score some insurance runs. Russell popped up to first and Garvey flied to right, which brought Ron Cey to the plate. Gossage uncorked a ninety-four-mph fastball that hit Cey in the batting helmet. The entire stadium was suddenly quiet, as Cey lay motionless for a few seconds as the trainers attended him. “The ball disappeared as it approached the plate,” Ron recalled. “I tilted my head down a bit and that’s what saved me. I remember falling in slow motion. I remember trainer, Bill Buhler, coming out to the plate as I had my hands around my head. I asked Bill if there was anything sticking out of my head. After awhile, I got up and walked into the trainers room as we waited until after the game to have a CAT scan. Everything came out okay, but it was a scary moment.”52

  It was scary for all of us. Still, we had to shift gears and get back to the game. While Baker was batting, Lopes and Landreaux, running for Cey, executed a double steal. The eighth inning ended when Dusty grounded to third.

  When we were ready for action in the top of the ninth, Dodger Stadium was rockin’. Watson, who batted .462 in his career against me (18 for 39), led off the ninth.53 He hit one of the few curves I threw in this game on the ground to Russell for a routine out. Piniella singled to center. That brought Rick Cerone to the plate. Rick was having a tough day. He grounded into a double play in the second, which took the air out of a potential Yankee rally, and grounded to short with two on and nobody out in the fourth. This time he hit a shot to center at Landreaux for the second out.

  All that stood between beating the Yankees three in a row was Aurelio Rodriguez. With fifty-six-thousand-plus standing, I got two quick strikes on Rodriguez. Then I did something that I never did before delivering the next pitch. I paused and scanned Dodger Stadium from the upper deck in left field all the way around to right field and took in the moment. The inner voice, absent throughout the game, returned and said, “This is the time you waited for your entire life. Make it count.”

  From the stretch, with a quick look at the runner at first, I uncorked the best fastball I had in me. Rodriguez swung right through it for strike three, and we took a 3–2 lead in the Series! I was airborne as Yeager came out to the mound, grinning from ear to ear. We celebrated briefly on the field and gave the fans and TV and radio people their due, but we wanted to know how Cey was. The preliminary diagnosis was that he suffered a slight concussion. X-rays at Centinela Hospital were negative.

  When the Yankees held a pregame meeting before the ballgame that was more of a pep talk from owner George Steinbrenner and manager Bob Lemon, Reggie Jackson spoke to Los Angeles Times reporter Ross Newhan and said it was a positive meeting. “They both stressed the things that got us here and reminded us that we had strayed from those things the first two games [of the Series]. George said it was time we got back to playing Yankee baseball.”54

  Steinbrenner’s second trip to the clubhouse wasn’t quite as positive. After the game George had a few things to say about his troops. “We lacked the killer instinct. We didn’t get any production from Milbourne and Winfield. Winfield is 1–24 in the series. Cerone took us out of two innings when we had a chance to break the game open.”

  Steinbrenner also alluded that Guidry shouldn’t have been out there for the seventh inning. “His ERA in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings is over 10,” George growled. A reporter asked him if Guidry should have come out of the game. He told the reporter, “I’m not the manager.”55

  Bob Lemon defended himself. “That was the best I had seen Guidry pitch since mid-August,” Lemon said. “I was definitely going to bring in Gossage to pitch the eighth and ninth. There was no way I was going to take Guidry out after just six, not the way he was throwing.”56

  In our clubhouse the mood was more upbeat but tempered because of the injury to Cey. Yeager, who batted .209 in eighty-six at bats during the regular season, while lefty-hitting Mike Scioscia got the bulk of the playing time as the Dodgers faced mostly right-handers, admitted that he had asked the Dodger management for a trade during the season. “I want to go where I can play. I have nothing against the Dodgers management. They’ve been good to me for 14 years. I’d love to stay here, if I could play,” Steve said.57

  When asked about Pete Guerrero’s game-tying
home run, Yeager admitted that he didn’t even see it. He was swinging a weighted bat in the on-deck circle when the bat fell apart. “The commissioner [Bowie Kuhn] was watching the bat fall apart and I was watching him watching me,” Yeager admitted to Mike Littwin. “I didn’t see Pete until he was rounding second. I guess the commissioner missed it, too.”58

  Davey Lopes, who committed just two errors all year, made three in this game. Davey bobbled a routine double-play grounder for an error and then was charged with another error when he threw the ball into the Yankees’ dugout. After getting out of the inning without a run scoring, Lopes dropped his glove on the dugout steps, ran up the ramp, and stopped at his locker. “I had to get myself together,” he said. “Nobody else could do that for me.”

  Lopes, who misplayed a grounder in the second, admitted, “You can’t hide out there. If you start thinking that way, that ball will find you.” And it did in the fifth. Jackson hit a two-hopper with one on toward the middle of the diamond that Davey admitted he briefly lost in the sun. Lopes fielded it, stepped on second, and threw to first to complete the double play. “Somebody would have written that it was the first ground ball lost in the sun,” Davey said. “I know if I didn’t field that damn ball I would have run straight off the damn field and never come back.”59

  After the interviews we boarded the Dodger plane and headed back to New York in a much different mood after beating the Yankees in three games decided by one run.

  The Monday workout and Game Six on Tuesday were canceled because of rain. Cey, who joined the club in New York on Monday, admitted he wouldn’t have been able to play on Tuesday. He admitted he felt good on Tuesday morning, but “I didn’t have a good afternoon. I had some light-headedness and dizziness.”60

  The extra day off worked to the advantage of both clubs. Cey was in the starting lineup, batting in the fifth spot, and Graig Nettles, who missed the series in Los Angeles with a thumb sprain, was back in the lineup for the Yankees.