Common Denominator

"Gave up Pete Rose's 3,000th hit and surrendered the home run to Steve Rogers in the 1981 NLCS."

That would be one of the Montreal Expos best pitchers, Steve Rogers. You know, he might have twice led the league in losses in 1974 (22) and 1976 (17), but Steve also led the league in ERA 1982. But by going to '82, we are getting ahead of ourselves.

Steve won 17 games in 1977, and the next year, had an ERA of 2.47. Montreal, however, were 12-8 coming into Cincinnati 38 year ago today (May 5th). Rogers was on the mound. Rose was in the lineup for the Reds and stuck on 2,998 hits. In the bottom of the first, he reached via an error. Hit number 2,999 came in the bottom of the third. It was the Expos that hit back-to-back home runs the next inning, however. Johhny Bench cut that in half with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame.

In the bottom of the fifth, Charlie Hustle singled with two down. He ended up stranded on first, alas. So the 3,000 hit didn't have and affect on the game's outcome. And Pete could only ground out to end the seventh, and then something happened that did affect the outcome. Larry Parrish singled to centre to make it 4-1, Montreal. That was crucial, as Dan Driessen, the first DH to get to the plate in the World Series two years earlier, took Rogers out of the park for a two-run home run. 4-3 proved to be the final score as future Toronto Blue Jay Dave Collins grounded out to end that. Pete Rose was waiting in the on-deck circle when this all happened.

The Expos made it to the postseason for the first time in 1981, and promptly eliminated Pete Rose's new team, the Philadelphia Phillies. They happened to be the defending World Series Champions. That took Montreal one step closer to the World Series, as the Los Angeles Dodgers awaited them in the best-of-five National League Championship Series.

And all Montreal did was win two of the first three games. Better still, game four (And five if necessary) would be played at The Big O!

The Dodger had other ideas. They routed the home squad 7-1 in the fourth game. That set up the classic deciding fifth contest. The team's fought into the top of the ninth. Great pitching was the story. Montreal had three hits through eight frames of Los Angeles' incredible rookie, Fernando Valenzuela. Fernando had that screwball clicking.

Steve Rogers took over for Ray Burris to start the ninth for the home team. All Burris had done was fire a fine five-hitter over eight innings himself, staying right with the lefty from Mexico. Steve Rogers quickly got Steve Rogers out on two pitches. Ron Cey got ahead 3-1, but on the next pitch he too, was out. One more to go and the Expos had a chance to wrap this up in the bottom of the ninth, walk-off style!

That did not happen.

Rick Monday was at the dish. Like Cey, he got ahead 3-1. And he crushed the next pitch to where no man could make a play on it. The home run put the Dodgers up 2-1. Valenzuela quicky got the first two batters out in the bottom of the ninth, then got wild.

Gary Carter fell behind 1-2, then somehow coaxed a walk off him. Fernando poured in a strike the the next batter, Larry Parrish. Not long after, Larry was on first with another walk. If the ball got past the outfielders, it was game over. Valenzuela was removed.

The new pitcher was Bob Welch. The batter was Jerry White. But on the first pitch, White hit one to second basemen Davey Lopez. Lopez threw to first for the game's final out. So close, yet so far.

Years later, I met Steve Rogers at a baseball dinner in Mississauga. Steve was there, along with Ferguson Jenkins, Bill Lee and Jim Bunning. I got to talk to all of them. Steve signed my baseball. I can't remember what I said to him, but I know I didn't mention the 1981 ALCS or Pete Rose's 3,000th hit.


References


Carter, Bob. "Hustle Made Rose Respected, Infamous." ESPN: The Worldwide Leaders In Sports. ESPN. Web. 5 May 2016. <https://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016443.html>.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 5 May 2016.