NLDS - Dodgers defeat Jints in 4

Dodger Stadium

GAME 1

Burkett vs Sutton

Dodgers 5, Giants 2

Don Sutton fanned 9 and gave up just 1 run in 7 innings before handing the ball off to a pair of lefty relievers named Richert and Brewer to finish it off.  LA carried a 2-1 lead into the 7th before adding 2 insurance runs to give Sutton some breathing room.  3 Dodgers had 3 hit games (Lopes/Crawford/Buckner), but the big story on the day was the 2-3 performance from veteran Ken McMullen, who hit a double and a huge solo shot.  McMullen wasn't even in the starting lineup having lost his starting job to Ron Cey in Spring Training.  The aforementioned Cey twisted an ankle trying to get out of the batters box when he grounded into a DP in the bottom of the 2nd.  Cey is day to day and should return to the lineup for game 2.

GAME 2

Black vs Messersmith

Dodgers 10, Giants 5

Bill Russell's grand slam in the bottom of the 4th put LA up 5-2, but there was no time to celebrate because the Giants scratched back to score 3 in the top of the 5th to tie the game up at 5 apiece.  Messersmith bent like a rubber band, but narrowly avoided snapping.  When Matt Williams hit a shot to left that died in Manny Mota's glove as #11 backed up to the wall, a huge sigh of relief was heard from all.  The Dodgers struck for 3 in the 7th off 3 walks and 2 hit batsmen by reliever Dave Burba.  A 2 run shot by Willie Crawford enabled LA to double up the Jints as the series heads up the PCH to Candlestick with LA up 2-0.

Candlestick Park

GAME 3

Osteen vs Swift

Giants 7, Dodgers 5

Looking to close out the Giants in 3 straight LA sent Claude Osteen to the bump.  The Giants had no intention of rolling over and playing dead as they clawed their way back from 2-0, 4-2, and 5-4 deficits.  With George Culver already warmed in the pen and righty Mark Carreon at the plate.  Osteen had been successful in his first 3 attempts to get Carreon out, but the 4th time he would not be so lucky.  LA's manager figured with 2 out he could get one more batter out of Osteen, then go to the pen.  A sound strategy if Osteen was on his A-game and if Culver needed more warm up time.  In this case it was the turning point of the game in the form of a 3 run homer.  Rod Beck closed the game out as San Fran staved off elimination.

GAME 4

John vs Torres

Dodgers 8, Giants 5

LA pieced together 5 singles, a walk and a sac fly to score 4 runs in the top of the 5th to take a 5-4 lead.  The once again healthy Ron Cey's solo shot in the 6th made it 6-4.  Davey Lopes' (2-3, 2BB) sac fly in the 7th, his 3rd RBI of the game boosted the lead to 7-4.  Each team exchanged solo runs in the 9th as the Dodgers held on to win the game and the series.  Charlie Hough pitched the final 2 to get the save.  LA moves on to the NLCS to face the winner of STL/HOU series.