NLCS GAME 6: Expos 5, Braves 0

NLCS - '83 Expos (2) vs '51 Braves (4)
GAMES 6-7 - Olympic Stadium
With their backs up against the wall the Expos once again called on their ace, Steve Rogers to deliver.  Rogers not only delivered, he flat out dominated the Braves in this complete game 4 hit shutout.  Rogers, who's only bad post season outing was game 3 of the LCS, clearly put his team on his shoulders and took them along for the ride.  His 105 pitches in 9 innings shows how economical this outing truly was.  The Expos gave Rogers a run to work with in the bottom of the second when they scored an unearned run off of Brave starter Vern Bickford.  Warren  Cromartie singled then wound up on second when Doug Flynn swung thru a hit an run attempt.  Catcher Walker Cooper airmailed the ball into center and "Crow" wound up standing on 3rd. He later scored when Bickford made an error on  Flynn's grounder back to the box.  The Expos added two more runs to their lead when Tim Wallach hit a 2 run homer in the 4th.  Their 4th run came on a Andre Dawson solo shot in the 5th.  Dawson knocked in the 5th and final run of the da when he singled home Bryan Little in the 7th.  Rogers allowed 2 hits in the top of the 9th, but he was able to get Bob Elliot to ground out weakly to Wallach at third to end it and force a decisive game 7.

Series tied at 3-3

NLCS GAME 5: Braves 6, Expos 5

NLCS - '83 Expos (2) vs '51 Braves (4)
GAMES 3-5 - Braves Field
The winner of the pivotal game 5 typically goes on to win the series.  Both teams knew that the loser would be forced to win 2 games in a row to head on to the World Series.  Game 5 saw a rematch of game 1 starters.  Charlie Lea (MON) and the great Warren Spahn (BSN) were set to go.  Neither starter was very impressive in the opening inning.  Montreal jumper all over Spahn and scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st.  In fact Spahn didn't register an out until he faced the #6 hitter Jim Wohlford, who flew out to center for a sac fly that scored Gary Carter for the 3rd run of the inning.  Both Carter and Andre Dawson had RBI singles prior to Wohlford's sac fly.  Montreal's confidence didn't last long.  Sam Jethroe led off for the Braves and tripled off the center field wall.  Earl Torgeson walked to put runners on the corners for Walker Cooper who singled home Jethroe to make it 3-1.  After Sid Gordon walked Bob Elliot flew out to right to score Torgeson on the sac fly.  Lea was able to wiggle out of danger, but the score was 3-2.  A Gary Carter double in the top of the second scored the speedy Raines from first, but the Braves answered right back with a solo run in the bottom of the frame to make it 4-3 Expos.  Lea and Spahn finally settled down and began pitching well.  Lea lost the strike zone in the 6th and served up two quick singles to Elliott and Willard Marshall respectively.  A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up into scoring position and Sibby Sisti delivered a two run double that put the Braves up 5-4, which is how it would stay until the top of 9th.  Raines led off with a single then stole second after Manny Trillo lined out.  In a classic battle of HOF'ers Andre Dawson bested Warren Spahn with a clean single to center to score Raines to tie the game at 5.  Dan Schatzeder, who pitched a scoreless 8th inning in relief of Lea returned for the 9th to face switch hitter Sam Jethroe.  On Schatzeder's firs pitch Jethroe hit a warning track shot that would have fallen short on most nights.  This night however the 5mph wind blowing out from left to right carried the ball just over the fence for a game winning walk off homer.  Phil Paine, who pitched to 1 batter in the 9th for the Braves was the unlikely winner as the series heads back to Montreal with the Braves up 3 games to 2.

Braves lead the series 3-2

NLCS GAME 4: Expos 5, Braves 4

NLCS - '83 Expos (2) vs '51 Braves (4)
GAMES 3-5 - Braves Field
Expo starter Bill Gullickson was in a generous mood.  After 4 innings of play he had allowed the Braves 4 runs, which quite possibly could have been more.  Back to back to back doubles in the 1st by Sam Jethroe, Willard Marshall and Walker Cooper to start the game yielded 2 runs.  Gullickson was able to get 3 outs in a row without any further damage.  In the 4th he gave up a 2 run homer to Earl Torgeson.  With the score 4-1 the Expos began to chip away at Brave starter Max Surkont.  A solo run in the 5th made it 4-2 and 2 runs in the 7th tied the game up.  Doug Flynn led off with a single, but got forced at second by pinch hitter Terry Francona.  Raines singled and Bryan Little walked to load the bases with 1 out.  Al Oliver blooped a single to center to score Francona and Andre Dawson tied it with a bomb to center that Jethroe caught against the fence.  Raines literally strolled home without fear of being pegged out.  Dan Schatzeder replaced Gullickson in the 7th and logged a scoreless inning of work.  In the 8th the Expos scored the go ahead run when pinch hitter Mike Vail singled home Tim Wallach.  Jeff  Reardon was summoned from the pen to get 6 outs and save the ball game.  Unlike the modern era closer, Reardon was well acquainted with pitching multiple innings for a save.  Reardon faced 7 batters and got 6 outs as the Expos evened up the series and made it now a best 2 of 3.  Both teams posted double digit hits.  Montreal had 5 runs on 12 hits, while the Braves had 4 runs on 10 hits.

Series tied at 2-2

NLCS GAME 3: Braves 5, Expos 4

NLCS - '83 Expos (2) vs '51 Braves (4)
GAMES 3-5 - Braves Field
On paper the pitching match-up heavily favored the Expos, who were sending LDS hero Steve Rogers out to the mound.  Rogers, for all of you who remember, had 15 consecutive scoreless innings thrown in the LDS vs the Giants.  He was not about to have any such luck this game vs the Braves as Boston scored a solo run right off the bat in the bottom of the 1st when Sam Jethroe led off with a homer.  The Braves would add to their lead with 3 more runs in the bottom of the 5th.  After giving up 5 runs and 10 hits in 5 innings worth of work Rogers was sent to the showers.  Montreal had a tough hill to climb, but they weren't quitting just yet.  The offense finally got in gear and the 'Spos matched the 3 runs that Boston scored the half inning before to again make it a 1 run game.  "The Hawk", Andre Dawson doubled home Tim Raines.  Gary Carter, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored on a routine ground out by Al Oliver.  Tim Wallach singled Dawson home and the Expos were now right back in it.  Boston scored a solo run in the 6th and the Expos countered in the top of the 7th when Carter singled home  Raines, who had tripled with 1 out.  Boston starter Chet Nichols was gone after posting a "so called" quality start.  After 6 IP and 3 runs allowed the Braves went to the pen.  Dave Cole was responsible for the 7th & 8th innings and allowed a the solo run that put the 'Spos one down.  George Estock was brought on in the 9th to close it out.  Montreal went quietly in the 9th and the Braves took a 2-1 series lead with 2 more games left at home.

NLCS GAME 2: Expos 10, Braves 3

NLCS - '83 Expos (2) vs '51 Braves (4)
GAMES 1-2 - Olympic Stadium
The Expos called upon Bryn Smith to right the ship.  Montreal could not afford to go down 0-2 at home in the series.  After the Expos posted a solo run in the 1st the Braves had Smith on the ropes when they scored 3 in the top of the 2nd.  Earl Torgeson doubled home two and Sibbi Sisti launched a sac fly to center to score Torgeson.  Smith was in trouble but through good fortune he was able to get the 8th place hitter Roy Hartsfield and Brave pitcher Vern Bickford out to end the inning.  Little did the Braves know that those three runs would be the only runs that they would score on the day.  Apparently Smith found his mojo and blanked the Braves over the final 7 frames.  With the damage already done, Smith still needed his offense to bail him out.  The bottom of the 4th was just one of those innings a pitcher who needs run support  relishes.  In that inning the Expos sent 13 batters to the plate.  8 of those 13 returned home safely.  All of Montreal's 7 hits were singles.  Some crafty base running coupled with bad pitching by Bickford and poor fielding led to the onslaught.  Both Tim Raines and Andre Dawson had 3 hit days.  Tim Wallach was he only expo starter without a hit or RBI.  Montreal banged out 10 runs on 14 hits to even the series.

Series tied at 1-1

NLCS GAME 1: Braves 9, Expos 3

NLCS - '83 Expos (2) vs '51 Braves (4)
GAMES 1-2 - Olympic Stadium
The hangover from their 5 game LDS was still apparent as the 'Spos spotted the Braves 4 runs in the first inning and never looked back.  Charlie Lea rebounded from that dreadful opening frame and gave up only 1 more run through the next 6 1/3 innings of work.  Unfortunately for Montreal you can not spot a HOF'er like Warren Spahn a 4 run lead.  Spahn was mortal on this day, but thanks to his offensive support he didn't need to be anything more.  Boston's big guns were responsible for the 4 run lead.  Sid Gordon had a 2 run double and Bob Elliott followed that up with a 2 run homer.  Montreal got a solo run in the 4th and 2 in the 7th to cut the Braves lead to 4-3.  Tim Wallach had and RBI double and Al Oliver scored on a Jim Wohlford ground out.  The Expos looked back in it, but Earl Torgeson hit a two run blast off of Ray Burris in the 8th to make it 6-3.  The floodgates opened up in the 9th when Bob Elliott hit his 2nd homer of the game and Boston plated 3.  Spahn went the distance as the Braves took the series opener.

Braves lead series 1-0

Braves upset Redlegs in 4

NLDS:  '58 CIN (1) vs '51 BSN (4)
GAME 1 - Crosley Field
Braves 8, Reds 4
Neither Warren Spahn, nor Joe Nuxhall were on their "A" game in the opener, but Spahnie seemed to gut it out and make the big pitch when needed.  Nuxie was gone before the 6th was complete having surrendered 7 runs (6 earned).  Spahn went the distance allowing 4.  With the score 5-2 the Braves scored 3 big runs in the top of the six.  Those runs would be very valuable since the Reds answered back with 2 of their own in the 7th.  Sid Gordon went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI's, a homer and a double to pace the Braves.

GAME 2 - Crosley Field
Reds 5, Braves 0
Bob Purkey, who struggled all season, picked the best time of the season to be dominant.  Purkey tossed himself a neat 4 hit shutout as Cincy tied the series up a 1 game each.  The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 4th when the Reds struck it big with 4 runs off Brave starter Vern Bickford.  Banjo hitting shortstop Roy McMillan slugged a two bagger that scored Jerry Lynch and Frank Robinson.  Johnny Temple and Gus Bell followed that up with RBI singles of their own.  Temple had another RBI single in the 8th to give Purkey an insurance run he would not need.

GAME 3 - Braves Field
Braves 2, Reds 1
Cy Young candidate Don Newcombe hooked up in classic pitcher's duel with Chet Nichols.  For the first time all year Newcombe would come out on the short side of the stick as Cincy's offense could not get in gear.  It all looked so hopeful for the Redlegs as they drew first blood with a run in the top of the 1st when Nichols uncorked a wild pitch and Roy McMillan raced home.  Cincy had a chance for a big inning, but Pete Whisenant fanned with runners in scoring position to end it.  Big Newk was nursing his lead until the bottom of the 4th when the Braves scored 2 to take the lead.  Back to back doubles by Earl Torgeson and Walker Cooper tied the game.  A single by Sid Gordan put runners on the corner and a medium fly to right by Bob Elliott put the Braves ahead 2-1.  That would be it on the scoring front as Newk and Nichols began baffling hitters.  Cincy got a 2 out single by McMillan in the top of the 9th, but Jerry Lynch popped out to shallow left to end it and give the Braves a 2-1 edge in the series.

GAME 4 - Braves Field
Braves 5, Reds 3
"The Kitten", Harvey Haddix, was far from "Purr-fect" on this fateful day for the #1 seeded Redlegs.  Boston jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the home half of the second when Bob Elliott hit a 2 run homer.  Cincy tied it up in the 3rd when Haddix led off with a double and scored on a throwing error by his opposing number (Max Sukont).  "Mighty Max" bobbled Vada Pinson’s bouncer that went back through the box.  Instead of eating the ball Surkont made a wild throw over Torgeson's head as Haddix came around to score.  Jerry Lynch doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.  A big inning looked to be in the making, but the Reds just  couldn't string some hits together.  They did however score the tying run on a fielder's choice off of Frank Robinson's bat.  Both teams exchanged solo runs in the 5th.  Cincy got theirs off the bat of Frank Robby and Boston got theirs from an RBI double by Sam  Jethroe.  The Braves took the lead for good in the 6th when Willard Marshall doubled home Torgeson with 2 out.  This would prove out to be a huge clutch hit.  Sid Gordon would hit a solo shot in the 8th to provide the Boston pen with a much needed insurance run.  Dave Cole would pitch a scoreless 8th for the Braves in relief of Sukont and George Estock would do the same to notch the save in the 9th and close out the series.

SERIES NOTES:  The underdog Boston Braves defeated the dominant #1 seed Cincinnati Reds in a series that looked much like a mismatch on paper.  Boston manager Terry Priest said in his post game interview, "Cincy dominated the NL this season, but they had a lot of trouble with the Braves all season.  Some teams just don't match up well with others."  For the record the Braves were 5-1 against the Reds in the regular season and 3-1 in the post season for a combined 8-2 dominance of the Redlegs who posted an incredible 25-9 record vs the rest of the National League.  Boston will now head across the border to face the #2 seed Montreal Expos who barely beat the SF Giants in the NLDS.