With these 2 teams finishing the season with identical W-L records, and having split their series earlier in the season, this play-in game for the AL West Division title looked to be a close, exciting game...and it was. Gorman Thomas put the Brewers up early with a 2-run HR in the bottom of the 1st inning off Angel starter Ken Forsch. That score held up all the way through 7 innings. In the top of the 8th the Angels used a lot of patience and 3 walks to load the bases with one out. Up stepped Doug DeCinces suffering through a disappointing season, batting only .214. Out from the Brewers bullpen stepped Cy Young candidate Rollie Fingers with his 2 wins, 10 saves and 1.40 ERA. But against the odds, DeCinces somehow managed to smash a bases-clearing double, and suddenly the Angels were leading 3-2. But the Brew Crew refused to go quietly. In the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs and the tying run on 2nd base, Cecil Cooper hit a single off lefty John Curtis to score Thad Bosley from 2nd base and tie the game 3-3. Free baseball in Milwaukee with the season on the line! In the top of the 10th, the Angels managed to put runners on the corners with 1 out off Reggie Cleveland, the 6th pitcher of the day to work for Milwaukee. Cleveland has done very well against righties all season (.209/.306/.302). So it looked like he might still escape unscathed since the Halos had 2 righties due up. But lightening struck again for DeCinces, doing his best impression of Bobby Thompson, as he parked one over the LF wall to give California a 6-3 lead. Luis Sanchez pitched the bottom of the 10th and picked up the win.Two turning points - both provided by the bat of Doug DeCinces - top of the 8th and again in the top of the 10th.
MVP: Doug DeCinces - 3 hits, 1 double, 1 HR, 6 RBIs
--submitted by Douglas Zaner--
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