[Tiger Fan]

1983 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
ST LOUIS CARDINALS vs LOS ANGELES DODGERS
For the second year in a row the Cardinals and Dodgers meet for the right to represent the National League in the World Series. St Louis beat Los Angeles in 6 games last year before falling to the White Sox in the World Series. It was the 14th National League Pennant for the Cardinals, who have won the World Series on 7 occassions. The Dodgers have won 4 World Series titles and 7 National League Pennants.

GAME 1 - Last year the Dodgers Don Sutton beat John Fulgham and the Cardinals in the series opener. This year Fulgham turned the tables as he combined with three Cardinal relievers for a 6 hit 4-1 victory. Keith Hernandez' 3 run homer in the 7th inning off of Sutton was the big blow. Fulgham was the winning pitcher with Harry Parker getting the save.

GAME 2 - The Cardinals make it 2 straight wins on the road as Steve Carlton pitches quite possibly the best game of his career. Lefty limits the Dodgers to 2 hits and goes the distance in a 2-0 win. Tom Herr had 3 of the Cardinals 11 hits. Keith Hernandez and Stan Papi drove in the St Louis runs off of losing pitcher Bob Welch.

GAME 3 - What a game! Sid Fernandez and Bob Forsch are locked in a pitchers duel. The only run through 8 innings comes on a solo homer from Dodgers shortstop Ron Washington in the 7th inning. Fernandez takes the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning but surrenders a leadoff double to Larry Herndon. Steve Howe replaces Fernandez but a groundball to second from from Tom Paciorek moves Herndon to third. Pinch hitter Rafael Santana, who batted just .130 in the regular season, lifts a sacrifice fly that is just deep enough to score Herndon with the tying run.
Harry Parker pitches a 1-2-3 tenth inning for the Cardinals and in the bottom of the tenth St Louis scratches out a run on a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly from Ken Griffey. Parker gets the win. Alejandro Pena pitches the 10th and takes the loss for LA. The Dodgers now trail the series 3-0.

GAME 4 - Rudy law and Dave Parker homer as the Dodgers stay alive with a 4-2 victory. Sutton beats Fulgham with Steve Howe getting the save. Catcher Butch Wynegar had 3 hits in a losing cause for St Louis.

GAME 5 - The Dodgers make a statement hammering Steve Carlton and the Cardinals 6-0. Winning pitcher Bob Welch helps his own cause with a pair of rbi's. Gene Tenace homered for LA. Welch and reliever Butch Metzger allow just 5 St Louis hits.

GAME 6 - Stan Papi hits a 3 run homer in the top of the first to give St Louis a quick lead but the Dodgers answer with 3 of their own in the second thanks to a Bill Madlock round tripper. Sid Fernandez and Bob Forsch both settle down and it remains 3-3 through 7 innings. In the 8th Keith Hernandez and Ken Griffey deliver rbi singles and the Cardinals add a run in the top of the ninth to make it 6-3. Down to their final at bat, the Dodgers cannot mount an attack against Harry Parker and the Cardinals closer earns his second save of the series. The 6-3 final gives the Cardinals a return trip to the World Series.

Cardinals first baseman Keith Hernandez is named the series MVP after batting .400 with 5 rbi's in the 6 games.


Next up will be the 1983 World Series. It features one of the most thrilling deciding games in the HOB.