The 1978 National League Championship Series was a best-of-five matchup for the second straight year between the West Division champion
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
and the East Division champion
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. It was the tenth
NLCS in all. The Dodgers beat the Phillies three games to one once again and lost the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, as they had the year before.
Summary
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Game summaries
Game 1
Because of having to start an NL East-clinching game a few days earlier, Phillies ace
Steve Carlton was not available for the start of the series, leaving the task to
Larry Christenson
Larry Richard Christenson (born November 10, 1953), nicknamed "L.C.", is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the Philadelphia Phillies (1973–1983).
Early life
Christens ...
, who did not fare well. After the Phillies scored a run in the second when
Greg Luzinski
Gregory Michael "The Bull" Luzinski (born November 22, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left fielder from to , most prominently as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies where he wa ...
hit a leadoff triple and scored on
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt (born September 27, 1949) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire 18-season career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies. Schmidt was a 12-time All-Star and a ...
's sacrifice fly off of
Burt Hooton
Burt Carlton Hooton (born February 7, 1950), nicknamed "Happy", is an American former right-handed starting pitcher and former coach in Major League Baseball. He won 151 games over a 15-year career, mostly with the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dod ...
, a double and error by third baseman Schmidt put runners on first and second with one out for the Dodgers in the third.
Reggie Smith
Carl Reginald Smith (born April 2, 1945) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder and afterwards served as a coach and front office executive. He also played in the Nippon Profe ...
's RBI single tied the game before n a three-run homer by
Steve Garvey
Steven Patrick Garvey (born December 22, 1948) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987.
Garvey was the National ...
put the Dodgers up 4–1. A two-run homer by
Davey Lopes
David Earle Lopes (; born May 3, 1945) is an American former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-handed. He played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Houston ...
in the fourth made it 6–1 Dodgers. Next inning, Garvey tripled with one out off of Christenson, who was relieved by
Warren Brusstar
Warren Scott Brusstar (born February 2, 1952) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played nine years in Major League Baseball (MLB), for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs. He is currently the pitch ...
.
Ron Cey
Ronald Charles Cey (; born February 15, 1948), nicknamed "Penguin", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from through , most notably as an integral member of the Los Angeles Do ...
's RBI single then made it 7–1 Dodgers. In the bottom of the inning, three singles loaded the bases with one out before
Garry Maddox
Garry Lee Maddox (born September 1, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player and business entrepreneur. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from to . Maddox began his career with the San Francisco Giants but, ...
drove in two runs with a single. One out later,
Richie Hebner
Richard Joseph Hebner (born November 26, 1947) is an Americans, American former professional baseball player and Coach (baseball), coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from through , most prominently as a member of the Pi ...
's RBI single made it 7–4 Dodgers. In the sixth,
Steve Yeager
Stephen Wayne Yeager (born November 24, 1948) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Yeager spent 14 of the 15 seasons of his Major League Baseball career, from 1972 through 1985, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His last year, 1986, ...
's home run off of
Rawly Eastwick made it 8–4 Dodgers. In the ninth, Garvey's leadoff home run off of
Tug McGraw
Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. (August 30, 1944 – January 5, 2004) was an American professional baseball relief pitcher and long-time Major League Baseball (MLB) player, often remembered for coining the phrase "Ya Gotta Believe", which became ...
made it 9–4 Dodgers. The Phillies got that run back in the bottom of the inning on
Jerry Martin's home run off of rookie
Bob Welch, but with one out, Welch struck out Maddox looking to end the game, earning the win, as the Dodgers took a 1–0 series lead.
Game 2
The Dodgers won their second straight on the road in this series on the strength of a complete-game four-hit shutout by
Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. (born May 22, 1943), nicknamed "The Bionic Man," is an American retired professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989. He played for the Cleveland Indians, ...
.
Davey Lopes
David Earle Lopes (; born May 3, 1945) is an American former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-handed. He played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Houston ...
's home run leading off the fourth off of
Dick Ruthven
Richard David Ruthven (born March 27, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs. The two ...
made it 1–0 Dodgers.
Dusty Baker
Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American baseball manager and former player who is the manager of the Houston Astros in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in the MLB for 19 seasons, most notably with the L ...
doubled to lead off the next inning, then scored on
Steve Yeager
Stephen Wayne Yeager (born November 24, 1948) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Yeager spent 14 of the 15 seasons of his Major League Baseball career, from 1972 through 1985, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His last year, 1986, ...
's one-out single. After stealing second, Yeager scored on Lopes's single to make it 3–0 Dodgers. Lopes capped the scoring in the seventh with an RBI triple off of
Ron Reed
Ronald Lee Reed (born November 2, 1942) is a former two-sport star who spent two seasons as a power forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before spending nearly two decades as a Major League Baseball pitcher.
Early life and educa ...
as the Dodgers took a 2–0 series with the 4–0 win.
Game 3
With
Steve Carlton finally available to pitch, the Phillies cut the series deficit to 2–1 at
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ( ...
, pitching a complete game. In the top of the second, a two-out double and walk was followed by an RBI single by
Ted Sizemore
Ted Crawford Sizemore (born April 15, 1945) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He was named the National League's Rookie of the Year in .
Early life
Sizemore was born in Gadsden, Alabama, but moved to Detroit, at the age of two y ...
before Carlton helped himself with the bat by hitting a three-run homer off
Don Sutton
Donald Howard Sutton (April 2, 1945 – January 19, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 23 seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland ...
. The Dodgers got on the board in the bottom of the inning when
Bill Russell
William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most V ...
followed back-to-back one-out walks with an RBI double, but a fan reached over the railing to touch the ball, resulting in a ground rule double, forcing
Dusty Baker
Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American baseball manager and former player who is the manager of the Houston Astros in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in the MLB for 19 seasons, most notably with the L ...
, who was at first, to return to the third base. Next inning,
Reggie Smith
Carl Reginald Smith (born April 2, 1945) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder and afterwards served as a coach and front office executive. He also played in the Nippon Profe ...
singled with two outs and scored on
Steve Garvey
Steven Patrick Garvey (born December 22, 1948) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987.
Garvey was the National ...
's double, then
Ron Cey
Ronald Charles Cey (; born February 15, 1948), nicknamed "Penguin", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from through , most notably as an integral member of the Los Angeles Do ...
's RBI single made it 4–3 Phillies. In the sixth, though, after a two-out error and single put runners on first and second. Carlton's two-run single made it 6–3 Phillies and knocked Sutton out of the game. Carlton then scored on a double by
Jerry Martin off of
Lance Rautzhan
Clarence George Rautzhan (August 20, 1952 – January 9, 2016) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1977 to 1979 for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers.
Career
Lance was offered a full athletic football sc ...
. Next inning,
Tim McCarver
James Timothy McCarver (born October 16, 1941) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from to , most prominently as a member of the St. Louis Cardinal ...
's RBI groundout with the bases loaded made it 8–3 Phillies. Garvey's home run in the eighth made it 8–4 Phillies, who got that run back in the ninth off of
Charlie Hough
Charles Oliver Hough (; born January 5, 1948) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) knuckleball pitcher and coach who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and Florida Marlins from 1970 to 1994.
Pla ...
on
Greg Luzinski
Gregory Michael "The Bull" Luzinski (born November 22, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left fielder from to , most prominently as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies where he wa ...
's home run.
Game 4
Facing elimination once again in Game 4, the Phillies loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning but could not score. The Dodgers then struck first in the second inning on a double by
Ron Cey
Ronald Charles Cey (; born February 15, 1948), nicknamed "Penguin", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from through , most notably as an integral member of the Los Angeles Do ...
and an RBI single by
Dusty Baker
Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American baseball manager and former player who is the manager of the Houston Astros in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in the MLB for 19 seasons, most notably with the L ...
, the first of four hits he would collect in this game.
Greg Luzinski
Gregory Michael "The Bull" Luzinski (born November 22, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left fielder from to , most prominently as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies where he wa ...
put the Phillies back on top with a two-run homer in the third.
Cey tied it in the fourth with a home run, then
Steve Garvey
Steven Patrick Garvey (born December 22, 1948) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987.
Garvey was the National ...
gave the Dodgers the lead with a homer, his fourth of the series, in the sixth. The home run was also his fifth extra base hit of the Series and tied
Bob Robertson
Robert Eugene Robertson (born October 2, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman between and , most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won five Natio ...
's
1971 NLCS records for home runs and extra base hits in a League Championship Series. But,
Bake McBride
Arnold Ray McBride (born February 3, 1949), nicknamed "Shake 'n Bake" and "The Callaway Kid", is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, a ...
tied it once again for the Phillies in the seventh with a home run of his own.
In the bottom of the tenth,
Tug McGraw
Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. (August 30, 1944 – January 5, 2004) was an American professional baseball relief pitcher and long-time Major League Baseball (MLB) player, often remembered for coining the phrase "Ya Gotta Believe", which became ...
retired the first two Dodger batters, but then surrendered a walk to Cey. Baker then hit a soft line drive to center field.
Garry Maddox
Garry Lee Maddox (born September 1, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player and business entrepreneur. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from to . Maddox began his career with the San Francisco Giants but, ...
(who by 1978 had won the fourth of his eight gold gloves) got a late break on the ball, appeared to recover in time, but dropped the ball. Now, Cey was on second and Baker on first. The next batter,
Bill Russell
William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most V ...
, lined a base hit to center. With Cey running because there were two out, Maddox faced a do or die play to get the ball and fire home; Maddox charged, but the ball skipped past him, enabling Cey to score the winning run.
Composite box
1978 NLCS (3–1):
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
over
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
References
External links
Baseball-Reference.com- 1978 NLCS
*
{{Navboxes, list1=
{{1978 MLB Playoffs navbox
{{NLCS
{{Los Angeles Dodgers
{{Philadelphia Phillies
{{Major League Baseball on ABC
{{Major League Baseball on CBS Radio
National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
Los Angeles Dodgers postseason
Philadelphia Phillies postseason
National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
1970s in Philadelphia
National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...