Must win Game 5 for the Mets as they send Ed Lynch (10-8 3.44 Grade 10Z) to the mound against Game 1 hero Jerry Reuss (14-10 2.92 Grade 14Z).
The pitchers would once again come out on point as the would retire the side for 3 straight innings with no runs scored. In the bottom of the 5th it would break lose for Lynch and the Mets. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Bill Madlock would double in Mike Scioscia to make it a 1-0 game. Ken Landreaux would single to center to score another and a boot by Dykstra in center would allow another run to score. After another fielding error this time by Ray Knight the Dodgers would have Reuss at the plate. Reuss would fake the bunt and then line a single to left center past the drawn in infield to score another run as the Dodgers would get 5 runs in the inning and the Mets would tally 2 huge errors.
In the 5th the Dodgers would go for some insurance and pick up another run. With Mike Marshall on 1st Pedro Guerrero would line a double down the line and Marshall would just beat the throw home. In the top of the 6th the Mets would finally solve the Reuss puzzle. A walk to Wally Backman and a single by Gary Carter would bring up Darryl Strawberry. Strawberry would take a Reuss curveball deep into the night to make it a 6-3 Dodger lead. In the bottom half the Dodgers would get one of those runs back as Ken Landreaux would line a Rick Aguilera fast ball out to left center to give the Dodgers an important run on their lead.
In the 8th a tiring Reuss would come to the hill. He would walk Keith Hernandez but Gary Carter to ground into a force out. With Carter on first Strawberry again would deposit a Reuss pitch into the stands, his 2nd of the game and 9th of this tournament. With the Dodgers nursing a 7-5 lead that would be the end of the night for Reuss as they would bring on Tom Niedenfuer. Niedenfuer trying to erase some of the demons from his real life post season in 85 does just that as he gets the Dodgers out in the 8th and would get them 1-2-3 in the 9th to secure the win and the Dodgers the tournament championship.
Dodgers 1985 APBA Replay Tournament Champions
Final Score: Dodgers 7, Mets 5
WP: Jerry Reuss (4-1)
LP: Ed Lynch (0-3)
Save: Tom Niedenfuer (3)
HR’s: Mets – Darryl Strawberry 2 (9), Dodgers – Ken Landreaux (2)