A Look Back: 1982 – Game Five

The year 1982 marked the first of three 1980′s appearances in the World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals. It also marks the one and only time that the Milwaukee Brewers reached the World Series.

With the two teams, now in the same league, prepared to face off for the National League Pennant, i70baseball brings you a look back to that series in 1982. A monumental series that took all seven games to decide a winner. A series that would see would see both teams win a game by a double digit margin as well as each team winning a game by two or fewer runs.

You can read more about Game One by clicking here.
You can read more about Game Two by clicking here.
You can read more about Game Three by clicking here.
You can read more about Game Four by clicking here.

The Series had been tied as of the night before, but it appeared that the Brewers had all the momentum. A six run seventh inning gave the game four victory to the Brewers as they headed into the Sunday night game at County Stadium, looking to take a three games to two lead. The Cardinals, still the heavy favorites to win it all, would look to reestablish a lead in the quest for their ninth World Championship.

Game Five: October 17, 1982
The night would be of historic value, even if the two teams were not aware of it at the time. While 1982 was the Milwaukee Brewers first appearance at the Fall Classic, it was not the first that Milwaukee’s County Stadium would see. The stadium had hosted series while being home to the Milwaukee Braves in 1957 and 1958 against the New York Yankees. On this night, the ball yard would host it’s final World Series game. In addition, Robin Yount, who had four hits in game one, would record four hits on this night as well, becomming the first player in history to record two, four hit games in a single World Series.

The Cardinals would send lanky hurler Bob Forsch to the mound to try to regain the upper hand. Forsch had a solid season, going 15-9 with a 3.48 earned run average. He threw six complete games, including two shut outs, and an impressive 233 innings. The Cardinals depended on him to anchor the rotation, and hopes were high with him on the mound, despite him being the pitcher of record in the 10-0 blowout loss in game one.

The Brewers countered with their game one winner, Mike Caldwell, a seventeen game winner on the season. A similar pitcher to Forsch, Caldwell had the same level of confidence from fans and teammates. The game was lined out to be a classic, and it would not take long to get things going.

It may very well have been the defense that set the tone for this game and it happened in the first inning. After Lonnie Smith would lead off the game with a base hit and promptly steal second base, he would be gunned down trying to steal third by Brewers catcher Ted Simmons with Keith Hernandez at the plate. Hernandez would stroke a single in that at bat, but the run had already been erased.

It was not just good defense that set the tone, however. After Forsch retired Paul Molitor on a flyball, Robin Yount and Cecil Cooper would each single. Forsch would then have Yount picked off of second base, but he threw the ball away and into centerfield. Both runners would advance and Yount would score on Ted Simmons ground out to first base. The score after the first was 1-0 in favor of the Brewers.

Cardinal leftfielder David Green would stroke a two-out triple in the top of the third, scoring on Keith Hernandez’s double in the following at bat and suddenly the score was tied. Milwaukee would not let it stay that way, however, as they would make Forsch pay for walking Paul Molitor with one out in their half of the third. A Robin Yount double would put runners at second and third and Milwaukee would score their second run the same way they scored their first, on a groundout to first base. The third inning came to a close with Milwaukee up 2-1.

Milwaukee would add on in the fifth inning when Cecil Cooper would lead off the frame with a two base hit down the left field line and moved to third on the efficient groundout to the right side by Jim Gantner. Molitor’s single would follow and drive in the run, and the Cardinals uphill battle would increase. The first five innings were complete and the Brewers were now up 3-1.

The seventh inning would continue the theme of the night. The Cardinals, utilizing a leadoff walk to Ozzie Smith, would plate a run in the top of the frame on a George Hendrick base hit to center and close the gap a little. However, the Brewers would once again answer quickly, this time off a solo home run into right field by Robin Yount. The seventh had come to a close, and the Brewers still led, now 4-2.

Bruce Sutter would take the mound in the bottom of the eighth and the Brewers would build a bit of a cushion. Sutter would surrender a one out single to Ben Oglivie and a two out walk to Dan Money, setting up the bottom of the order to do some damage. Charlie Moore, hitting eighth, would drive a single to right field, scoring Oglivie. Ninth place hitter Jim Gantner would follow with a single of his own to score Money and the Brewers would head to the ninth winning by a score of 6-2.

Caldwell would take the hill in the ninth, looking for the complete game and get himself into some trouble early on. A one out double to Green would lead to a run scored as Hernandez would make it back-to-back doubles. George Hendrick would follow with a single to center field, chasing Hernandez home and Caldwell from the game. Brewers closer Bob McClure would enter the game and surrender a single to catcher Darrel Porter. After McGee would strike out swinging for the second out, Whitey Herzog would enter Mike Ramsey to pinch run for Porter and send Gene Tenace to the plate to pinch hit for Kent Oberkfel for the second straight night. Tenace would not strike out like the night before, but his harmless fly ball to center field would bring and end to the game.

The teams would be set to return to St. Louis for the final two games of the World Series. The Brewers would simply need to take one of those games to claim the franchise’s first title. The Cardinals would need a sweep to extend their lead as the top franchise in the National League.

The next day was an off day for travel and we will bring you the game six recap on the same night of game six in the 2011 NLCS between the two teams.

Stay tuned as i70baseball brings you game recaps for all seven games of the 1982 World Series on game days of the 2011 National League Championship Series.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
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