Category: 1985 Tournament

When the dust settled in the 85 tournament the 5 seed Dodgers and the 3 seed Mets where left. Both teams featured strong starting staffs and good bullpens. Mets had Gooden and Darling, the Dodgers had Valenzuela and Hershiser. I thought it would be a 2-1 ballgame 7 game series but the Dodger offense performed much better than expected. To think the Dodgers where down 2-1 to the Orioles in the Sweet 16 and then storm back and when the whole tournament surprised me. Just didn't think they had enough offense I was thinking their defense would get them beat in a tight series. The Mets had a few chances and their future looks bright as they will be the favorite in the 86 Tournament.   Congrats to Dodger fans…

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…

Mets win Game 3 to get back into the series and they send Ron Darling (16-6 2.90 Grade 15Y) to the mound against Orel Hershiser (19-3 2.03 Grade 20YZG).   The Mets once again get on the board first in the 2nd as Darling would help himself by singling in Rafael Santana. In the 3rd the Mets would get a huge 2 out RBI by Knight to make it 2-0 Mets. The offense wasn't done as they get 2 more off Hershiser in the 4th as Wally Backman would double in Lenny Dykstra and Gary Carter would double in Backman.   The Dodgers would answer in the bottom half of the 4th. A single by Pedro Guerrero would bring Greg Brock to the plate and he would take Darling out…

When rotations where set this matchup was the one everyone pointed to. The Mets in an almost must win game send 20 yr old Dwight Gooden (24-4 1.53 Grade 25XYZG) to the mound against Fernando Valenzuela (17-10 2.45 19XG).   The Mets losing both games at home and in desperate need of a win get on the board first. In the 3rd, Keith Hernandez squares up on a Valenzuela fast ball to homer to center. In the 4th the Mets would play small ball as Mookie Wilson would single, Gooden would sacrifice him to second and late lineup replacement Lenny Dykstra would single in Wilson. In the 5th that tandem would do it again as Wilson would double and Dykstra would double him in for a 3-0 advantage.   The…

Mets trying to even up the series send Sid Fernandez (9-9 2.80 Grade 10XY) to the mound opposite Bob Welch (14-4 2.31 Grade 14YZ).   Dodgers would get on the board first as Pedro Guerrero would go deep off Fernandez. In the 3rd the Dodgers would add 2 more as Mike Marshall drives in Mariano Duncan with a single and Guerrero drives in another run with a single. With the score 3-0 the Mets would finally get to Welch in the 6th. Lenny Dykstra would single and Gary Carter would drill a line drive homer to left to make it 3-2. Welch would settle and get out of the inning.   In the 8th, the Mets would get 2 runners on but Carlos Diaz would get Dykstra and Backman to…

The Mets and Dodgers meet in the 85 Tournament final in a big time pitching matchup between these two teams. In Game 1 the matchup is Jerry Reuss (14-10 2.92 Grade 14Z) for the Dodgers against Ed Lynch (10-8 3.44 Grade 10Z) for the Mets.   I expect this series to be a low scoring series and this game didn't disappoint as we get great pitching by both starters. Both pitchers keep the game scoreless through 7. In the 8th the Dodgers would get on the board as Mike Scioscia would take a a hanging Lynch curveball over the left-centerfield wall.   Reuss would go to the mound in the bottom of the 8th with a perfect game in tact. No one was talking to him and the crowd was…

1985 Tournament Final Matchups Game 1 - Shea Stadium Dodgers - Jerry Reuss vs. Mets - Ed Lynch   Game 2- Shea Stadium Dodgers - Bob Welch vs. Mets - Sid Fernandez   Game 3 - Dodger Stadium Mets - Dwight Gooden vs Dodgers - Fernando Valenzuela   Game 4 - Dodger Stadium Mets - Ron Darling vs Dodgers - Orel Hershiser   Game 5 - Dodger Stadium Mets - Ed Lynch vs Dodgers - Jerry Reuss   Game 6 - Shea Stadium Dodgers - Bob Welch vs Mets - Sid Fernandez   Game 7 - Shea Stadium Dodgers - Fernando Valenzuela vs Mets - Dwight Gooden