Editor’s note: The 1980 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any games involving American League teams. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
One swing can determine the outcome.
That’s exactly what happened as the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers reached the championship game of the 1980s Diamond Gems Tournament.
With a 4-3 victory over the 1986 Boston Red Sox, the Dodgers will play for the title at the 1983 Baltimore Orioles.
The game was tied at 3-3 when Steve Garvey stepped to the plate to face Boston starter Oil Can Boyd with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Garvey’s solo blast gave Los Angeles the lead with just one inning remaining for the Dodgers to advance to the final game.
Los Angeles starter Burt Hooton got two outs in the top of the ninth, while allowing a single to Spike Owen.
Wade Boggs was due up and although Hooten had retired him four times, Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda didn’t want to risk the match-up after the Red Sox third baseman had recently won a contest with a walk-off single.
Lefty Steve Howe was summoned to the mound and he induced Boggs to ground out to shortstop Bill Russell and the Dodgers had punched their championship ticket.
Boston scored all of its runs in the top of the first. Dwight Evans had a two-run single that was followed by a RBI ground out by Tony Armas.
The Dodgers cut their deficit to one in the second frame as Russell had a RBI single and Hooton added a sacrifice fly.
In the third, Garvey tied the game with a run-scoring single to make it 3-3.
Hooton gave up six hits with three walks and six strikeouts to earn the win before Howe got the final out to pick up a save.
Boyd worked eight innings for Boston surrendering eight hits with a walk and six strikeouts.
Championship Game
(6) 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers at (4) 1983 Baltimore Orioles
Semifinals
(4) 1983 Baltimore Orioles 5, (16) 1986 Houston Astros 4, (10)
(6) 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 4, (10) 1986 Boston Red Sox 3
Second Round Results
(16) 1986 Houston Astros 7, (9) 1985 St. Louis Cardinals 4
(4) 1983 Baltimore Orioles 5, (12) 1981 New York Yankees 2
(10) 1986 Boston Red Sox 6, (15) 1984 Chicago Cubs 5 (14)
(6) 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 6, (14) 1983 Chicago White Sox 4
First Round Results
(16) 1986 Houston Astros 5, (1) 1986 New York Mets 3
(9) 1985 St. Louis Cardinals 4, (8) 1987 Minnesota Twins 2
(4) 1983 Baltimore Orioles 2, (13) 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 1
(12) 1981 New York Yankees 5, (5) 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers 3 (11)
(15) 1984 Chicago Cubs 7, (2) 1984 Detroit Tigers 2
(10) 1986 Boston Red Sox 5, (7) 1985 Kansas City Royals 1
(14) 1983 Chicago White Sox 4, (3) 1989 Oakland A’s 2
(6) 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 12, (11) 1982 Milwaukee Brewers 6