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Game 1 – Angels Stadium – Ryan vs. Montefusco
This Final 4 series began with each team handing the ball to their respective ace, who lived up to all expectations. After 8 complete innings, Ryan had given up only 3 hits and 2 walks, while Montefusco had yielded only 4 hits and 4 walks. And neither had allowed a run to cross the plate. With the game still scoreless going to the top of the 9th, Ryan blinked first. Derrel Thomas led off with a single and Bobby Mercer followed with a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Steve Barber came out of the California pen to retire the next three batters, but not before Gary Matthews had batted in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly. Undaunted, the Halos came back in the bottom of the inning off 2 Giants relievers and loaded the bases on 2 singles and a HBP. Sandy Alomar then knocked in the tying run with a single up the middle. And one out later, Vada Pinson singled to center off Gary Lavelle to score Mickey Rivers with the winning run. Final score: California 2, San Francisco 1. Angels lead the series 1-0.
Game 2 – Angels Stadium - Singer vs. Barr
This one seemed to get away from the home team early when the visiting Giants sent 11 men to
the plate in the top of the 3rd inning. There were 6 singles (2 by Derrel Thomas) and 2 walks. By the time the dust had settled San Francisco had scored 6 times off Bill Singer, who obviously just did not have it today. Gary Matthews capped off the Giants scoring with a solo HR in the 6th inning off Singer to give send the Angels pitcher to the showers. Frank Robinson hit a solo HR, and California made a feeble attempt to get back into the game. But it was too little, too late as Jim Barr held his own and came 1 out away from a complete game. Final score: San Francisco 7, California 3. Series tied 1-1.
Game 3 – Candlestick Park – Halicki vs. May
As the series moved north to the Bay area, most of Game 3 looked like a carbon copy of game 1. Through 7 and a half innings, Ed Halicki had held the Angels scoreless, scattering 6 hits and 3 walks. Rudy May had pitched even better, giving up only 1 hit and 1 walk. But an infield error in the 4th inning had allowed an unearned run to score, and San Francisco clung to a 1-0 lead. Then in the bottom of the 8th with 2 outs and a runner on 2nd, the Giants strung together 4 consecutive singles off May and reliever Dave Sells. Mike Sadek, Von Joshua and Bobby Murcer each knocked in a run to give San Francisco a 4 run lead, and put the game out of reach. California out-hit the home team 8-5. But it’s hard to win without scoring any runs. Final score: San Francisco 4, California 0. Giants lead the series 2-1.
Game 4 – Candlestick Park – Falcone vs. Wright
Gary Matthews went 2 for 4 with a double, walk and 3 RBIs to back a very strong performance by
San Francisco starter Pete Falcone. The Giants’ lefty tossed 7 innings, allowing only 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. Frank Robinson and Mike Epstein each hit solo HRs for California. And the Angels actually pulled within 2 runs of tying the score at one point. But a struggling Clyde Wright gave it all back quickly enough. San Francisco out-hit California 12-6 in a contest that really wasn’t even as close as the score might indicate. The Giants were now only 1 win away from a trip to the tournament championship. Final score: San Francisco 6, California 2. Giants lead the series 3-1.
Game 5 – Candlestick Park – Montefusco vs. Ryan
Facing elimination, California turned to their #1 starter Nolan Ryan, who did not disappoint. Rising to the occasion, the Ryan Expressed steam rolled over the San Francisco lineup, going the full distance for a 5 hit, 6 strikeout complete game. The only blemish was an unlikely homerun by light-hitting Bruce Miller in the 7th inning. The Angels’ offense provided Ryan plenty of support, including 3 hits by Sandy Alomar and triples by Mickey Rivers and Bobby Valentine. Vada Pinson also knocked in 2 runs on a day when the normally very reliable John Montefusco was just not himself. But it didn’t really matter; this one clearly belonged to Ryan. Final score: California 7, San Francisco 1. Giants lead the series 3-2.
Game 6 – Angels Stadium – Singer vs. Barr
The series moved back south to Anaheim, and both game 2 starters returned to the mound. Once
again, Giants’ starter Jim Barr pitched very well, giving up only 2 runs in 7 innings on 5 hits and only 1 walk. However, Bill Singer redeemed himself by matching Barr’s performance almost precisely (2 runs, 7 innings, 7 hits, 2 walks). With the score tied at 2 after 7 innings, the bullpens took over. Facing the Giants’ Rob Dressler in the bottom of the 8th, Vada Pinson led off with a single, was sacrificed to 2nd base, and scored 2 batters later when Richie Scheinblum lined a single to right field. California reliever Aurelio Monteagudo, who had been called on in the top of the 8th and put out the fire with 2 Giants on base and nobody out, retired San Francisco in the top of the 9th to pick up the win. Final score: California 3, San Francisco 2. Series tied 3-3.
Game 7 – Angels Stadium - May vs. Halicki
The winner-take-all game 7 had the feel and tone of game 3, when the same two starters had met in San Francisco. Rudy May and Ed Halicki both rose to the occasion and matched each other pitch-for-pitch, out-for-out. Halicki would give up only 3 hits and 4 walks in 6 innings. But sometimes it’s not the quantity; it’s the timing, as was the case here. In the bottom of the 6th, Halicki continued to appear to be totally in control, retiring the first 2 batters he faced. But the next two batters Richie Schenblum and Jim Spencer both walked. Up stepped Billy Grabarkewitz, who entered game 7 batting .095 for the tournament. Channeling his inner ’78 Bucky Dent, Grabarkewitz lined a triple down the third base line to score Scheinblum and Spencer. The next batter John Stevenson, who entered game 7 batting .160 for the tournament, doubled to score Grabarkewitz. Thanks to these unlikely heroics, the Angels now had a 3-0 lead. San Francisco moved a run closer the next inning when Bobby Murcer singled, advanced on an error and scored on Chris Speier’s infield groundout. By Rudy May pitched out of trouble to finish his day yielding only 1 unearned run on 3 hits and 2 walks. May received a standing ovation from the appreciative home crowed as he walked off the field after 7 innings of work. California reliever Steve Barber came on in the 8th and continued his stellar tournament performance. He tossed 2 innings of 1-hit scoreless relief to preserve the win, earn the save, and seal the series victory for the Angels. Final score: California 3, San Francisco 1. California wins the series 4-3.
--submitted by Douglas Zaner--
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