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Ozzie Smith and Tom Niedenfuer, forever linked by a home run, were involved in a couple of other notable encounters before their infamous 1985 postseason showdown.

On Oct. 14, 1985, Smith sealed his spot in Cardinals lore by hitting a walkoff home run against Niedenfuer in the pivotal Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers at St. Louis. Boxscore

Though the home run was the most important swing of Smith’s Hall of Fame career, it wasn’t the first time he delivered a key hit against Niedenfuer.

One of those hits produced an unusual double play. Another helped cause a meltdown by the Dodgers bullpen, foreshadowing the drama that would unfold in the 1985 postseason.

Strange play

On Sept. 1, 1982, the Cardinals and Dodgers were in the 11th inning of a game at Los Angeles, with the score tied at 5-5. The Cardinals had Tommy Herr on second base and George Hendrick on first with one out when Smith stepped to the plate, facing Niedenfuer.

Smith looped a single to right field.

As Herr and Hendrick advanced, right fielder Pedro Guerrero made a strong throw to the plate. Herr, uncertain he could score, held at third. Hendrick, expecting Herr to head home, rounded second. When he saw Herr on third, Hendrick applied the brakes.

Guerrero’s throw to catcher Mike Scioscia was on target. Scioscia caught the ball and, seeing Hendrick take the wide turn around second, fired a throw to second baseman Steve Sax, who tagged out Hendrick as he tried getting back to the base.

When Herr saw Scioscia throw to second, he took off from third. Sax threw back to the catcher, who blocked the plate as Herr went into his slide. Scioscia caught the ball and tagged out Herr, ending the inning.

Instead of resulting in the go-ahead run, or at least loading the bases, Smith’s single off Niedenfuer resulted in a double play.

“Strange double play, all right,” Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog said to the Associated Press, shaking his head.

In the 13th, Smith delivered another single, against Ricky Wright, and it produced a run, scoring Kelly Paris from second and giving the Cardinals a 6-5 lead. Jim Kaat, 43, got the last two outs in the bottom half of the inning, stranding Steve Garvey at third and earning the last save of his career. Boxscore

“I’ve managed about 2,000 of these games and I have never seen one like this,” Herzog said to the Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif.

Discouraged Dodgers

Two years later, on July 8, 1984, Smith contributed to a Cardinals rally against Niedenfuer at Los Angeles.

The Dodgers entered the ninth inning with a 6-2 lead. With one out, Willie McGee and Darrell Porter both singled against Dodgers reliever Ken Howell.

Niedenfuer relieved and the first batter he faced, Andy Van Slyke, hit a three-run home run, cutting the Dodgers lead to 6-5.

“Even after he hit it out, I still thought Tom would shut them down,” said Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser.

Instead, Smith followed with a single, knocking Niedenfuer from the game and keeping alive the Cardinals’ comeback hopes.

Hershiser relieved and struck out Mike Jorgensen for the second out of the inning, but Lonnie Smith singled, advancing Ozzie Smith to second, and Herr also singled, driving in the tying run.

In the 12th, the Cardinals scored twice off Pat Zachry and won, 8-6.

“We blew it and I’m very discouraged,” Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda said to the Orange County Register. Boxscore

Wizardry from Oz

In 1985, Ozzie Smith was 0-for-4 for the year versus Niedenfuer before corking his Game 5-winning NL Championship Series home run _ his first batting from the left side. Video

In the decisive Game 6 of that series, Smith produced a RBI-triple and a walk versus Niedenfuer in two plate appearances. Boxscore

For his career, including regular season and postseason, Smith batted .353 (6-for-17) against Niedenfuer, with four singles, a triple, a home run, three walks, two RBI and no strikeouts.

In April 1990, Niedenfuer was released by the Mariners and signed with the Cardinals, becoming a teammate of Smith. “We’ve got to give him a job after all he’s done for us,” Herzog told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

When Niedenfuer entered the Cardinals’ clubhouse for the first time, first baseman Pedro Guerrero, his former Dodgers teammate, introduced him to Smith.

“I’d never really met him,” Ozzie said to columnist Bernie Miklasz. “I mean, what do you say _ thanks for that home run? But Niedenfuer took it well. I’m glad he’s here.”

In 52 games with the 1990 Cardinals, Niedenfuer was 0-6 with a 3.46 ERA.

Previously: Tom Niedenfuer revisits Cardinals’ historic home runs

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In the game that produced one of the most important Cardinals home runs, an exchange between Todd Worrell and his coach, Mike Roarke, played a critical role in setting the stage for the dramatic finish.

On Oct. 14, 1985, Ozzie Smith hit a walkoff home run in the ninth inning against the Dodgers’ Tom Niedenfuer, lifting the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at St. Louis.

Smith’s blast became a beloved part of Cardinals lore, in part, because of broadcaster Jack Buck’s joyous, pitch-perfect call _ “Go crazy, folks! Go crazy!” _ and because of the shock value. Video

Smith, a switch hitter known more for his fielding than his hitting, had played eight seasons in the big leagues and hadn’t slugged a home run left-handed until doing so in the critical Game 5. The victorious shot gave the Cardinals their third win in a row after losing the first two games of the series and put them in position to clinch the pennant and a World Series berth in Game 6 at Los Angeles.

Circumstances might have been much different, though, if Roarke hadn’t connected with Worrell two innings earlier.

Rookie feels heat

In the seventh, with the score tied at 2-2, Ken Dayley was preparing to pitch his fourth inning in relief of Cardinals starter Bob Forsch. The first batter of the inning, Mike Scioscia, walked on four pitches. The next batter, Enos Cabell, hit the first pitch for a single, putting runners on second and first with none out.

Manager Whitey Herzog replaced Dayley with Worrell.

The hard-throwing rookie faced Steve Sax, who was instructed to bunt.

Worrell’s first two pitches were out of the strike zone and Sax took both for balls.

“The adrenaline was pumping and I was excited,” Worrell told Larry Harnly of The State Journal-Register of Springfield, Ill.

With the count 2-and-0, Sax got the take sign from third-base coach Joe Amalfitano.

Worrell threw another out of the strike zone, making the count 3-and-0.

Roarke to the rescue

From the top step of the dugout, Roarke, in his second season as pitching coach, shouted at Worrell and got his attention. Roarke had noticed Worrell’s pitches were being thrown from an angle that brought his arm up and over the top.

Roarke knew “Worrell’s accuracy improves when his delivery is from three-quarters rather than directly overhead,” the Daily News of Los Angeles reported.

Said Worrell: “Sometimes I try too hard and get myself mechanically screwed up.”

When Worrell threw from what appeared to the batter as an angle at 10 o’clock, he was effective. He lost command when his pitches were delivered from a 12 o’clock direction.

As Worrell peered into the dugout at his coach, Roarke held his arm at a 10 o’clock angle and moved it toward 12.

Worrell got the message.

Quick fix

Awaiting the 3-and-0 offering, Sax got another take sign. The pitch was a strike.

“After I got the first strike in there to Sax, I knew I would be all right,” Worrell said.

With the count 3-and-1, Sax got a third straight take sign. The pitch, another fastball, was a strike, making the count 3-and-2.

Said Worrell of Sax: “He’s aggressive _ he had doubled off me in another game _ so I knew if I got a fastball close, he would be hacking.”

Worrell threw a pitch that tailed away from the batter. Sax swung and missed, striking out.

Asked about being given three take signs, Sax told the Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif., “I just have to do what I’m told.”

Said Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda: “We were looking for a walk to Sax to load the bases.”

Out of danger

The next batter, pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, hit a groundball up the middle. Worrell knocked down the ball, recovered it behind the mound and made an accurate toss to first, retiring Valenzuela as the runners advanced to second and third.

“I let Fernando hit because I was happy with the way he was throwing the ball,” Lasorda said when asked why he didn’t use a pinch-hitter.

Mariano Duncan, the Dodgers’ slumping leadoff batter, followed by swinging at the first pitch and popping out to catcher Darrell Porter, ending the threat.

“First and second, nobody out and a 3-and-0 count,” said Dodgers outfielder Mike Marshall, lamenting the lost scoring opportunity. “You either have to say we blew it, or give them credit.”

The score remained tied until, with one out in the ninth, Smith worked his magic. Boxscore

Previously: How speedsters rattled Bob Welch in 1985 NLCS

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(Updated on Dec. 31, 2017)

Needing to win one of three games against the Mets to block them from taking a share of first place in the National League East, the Cardinals finally achieved the goal in the finale of an intense October series at St. Louis.

On Oct. 1, 1985, the Mets trailed the first-place Cardinals by three games entering a weeknight series at Busch Stadium.

With the tension building after Mets wins in each of the first two games, the Cardinals got a one-run victory and held on to first place alone.

Here is a look at that critical Mets-Cardinals series:

Game 1

The Oct. 1 game was scoreless through 10 innings. John Tudor, the Cardinals’ starter, pitched 10 shutout innings. Mets starter Ron Darling went nine innings and Jesse Orosco pitched the 10th.

In the 11th, Ken Dayley relieved Tudor and struck out the first two batters, Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter.

Darryl Strawberry batted next.

With the count 1-and-1, Dayley delivered a breaking pitch. Strawberry hit a towering drive that slammed into the scoreboard clock for a home run.

“Darryl then may have made the slowest trot around the bases I ever saw,” Mets center fielder Mookie Wilson said in his book “Mookie.”

“He hit a curveball _ a hanging curveball,” Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog told Larry Harnly of The State Journal-Register of Springfield, Ill. Video

In the Cardinals’ half of the 11th, Orosco struck out Willie McGee. The next batter, Tommy Herr, lofted a fly ball to shallow center. Wilson got a late jump and attempted a basket catch, but dropped the ball for a two-base error.

Brian Harper, pinch-hitting for Darrell Porter, grounded out to second, advancing Herr to third with two outs.

Orosco ended the drama by getting Ivan De Jesus, pinch-hitting for Andy Van Slyke, to fly out to Wilson, giving the Mets a 1-0 victory.

“Tell me,” Mets manager Davey Johnson asked reporters in discussing the Strawberry home run, “is the clock still working?” Boxscore

Game 2

The pressure still was on the Mets, who trailed the Cardinals by two with five games remaining on Oct. 2.

The Mets responded to the challenge.

Starter Dwight Gooden went the distance. He allowed nine hits and issued four walks, but he struck out 10 and the Cardinals stranded 10.

The Mets scored five runs off Cardinals starter Joaquin Andujar and won, 5-2, slicing the St. Louis lead to one with four games to play.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Cardinals nearly rallied. Trailing 5-1, they scored a run and loaded the bases with two outs against Gooden.

“I knew he was tired and I knew it was draining him,” Johnson said. “At the same time, I thought Gooden was our best bet. He bends a little, but he doesn’t break.”

The move nearly backfired.

Herr laced a line drive that was caught by second baseman Wally Backman, ending the game. Video

“When Herr first hit the ball, I thought it was going to be over Wally’s head,” Gooden said. “It was panic time.” Boxscore

Game 3

After the Mets won Game 2 of the series, Johnson said, “We’ve done what we had to do so far. We’ve got two-thirds of the job done. The pressure is on them now.”

If the Mets won the Oct. 3 series finale, they’d be tied with the Cardinals and would have the momentum.

Instead, the Cardinals won, 4-3. Vince Coleman was 3-for-4 with two RBI. Ozzie Smith contributed two hits, two runs and a RBI. Starter Danny Cox held the Mets to two runs in six innings and the bullpen, especially Ricky Horton and Jeff Lahti, preserved the lead.

Horton retired the last two batters of the eighth and the first two batters of the ninth before Hernandez singled, representing the tying run. It was Hernandez’s fifth hit of the game.

“He broke his bat on the hit,” Horton said. “It was a fastball down and in. He makes a living on hitting good pitches.”

Lahti relieved and faced Carter. “We figured Carter might be looking for a slider,” Lahti said. “I asked (catcher) Darrell Porter what he wanted and he wanted a fastball. I go along with his suggestions.”

Lahti’s first pitch was a fastball away. Carter swung and drove a fly ball to right. Said Lahti: “When Carter hit it, I was screaming, ‘Catch it. Catch it.’ He’s beaten me to right field before.”

The ball carried to Van Slyke, who made the catch, ending the game and giving the first-place Cardinals a two-game lead with three to play. Boxscore

“It ended a series that was the greatest I had ever been a part of,” said Mookie Wilson. “Considering the magnitude and importance of each game and how each of the three came down to the final at-bat, it was like two gladiators fighting with the ultimate will to win.”

In the San Diego Union-Tribune, Herr said of the Mets: “They’re like the bowler who needed three strikes in the 10th (frame) to win. They got the first two, but they left the 10-pin standing on the third.”

On Oct. 4, the Cardinals beat the Cubs (Bob Forsch over Dennis Eckersley) and the Mets defeated the Expos, leaving St. Louis two ahead with two to play.

The Cardinals clinched on Oct. 5, beating the Cubs Boxscore while the Mets lost to the Expos.

Previously: Cesar Cedeno and his amazing month with Cardinals

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