Vin Scully: 3-and-1.
And he walked him!
And look who's coming up!
Ballpark announcer: No. 23, Kirk GIBSON.
Scully: All year long they looked to him to light the fire and all year long he answered the demands, until he was physically unable to start tonight -- with TWO bad legs, the bad left hamstring and the swollen right knee. And with two out, you talk about a roll of the dice, this is it.
If he hits the ball on the ground, I would imagine he would be running 50 percent to first base. So the Dodgers, trying to catch lightning right now.
TV graphic: DENNIS ECKERSLEY HAS NOT ALLOWED A HOME RUN SINCE AUGUST 24TH.
Scully: Fouled away.
You know, complaining about the fact that with the left knee bothering him he can't push off. Well now he can't push off and he can't land.
Joe Garagiola: He's gonna use all arms. Look at this crowd on its feet. What a tribute.
Scully: 4-3 A's. Two out, ninth inning, not a bad opening act.
(Eckersley throws to first)
Fans: Booooooooooooo!
Scully: Mike Davis, by the way, has stolen 7 out of 10, if you're wondering about Lasorda throwing the dice again.
0-and-1.
Scully: Fouled away again.
Garagiola: And he's staying on that outside corner. He's not gonna give him a ball to pull. With Davis, he just missed. But here's two quick strikes, both fastballs that are gonna tail away on the outside part. Hassey is not even flirting with the inside part of the plate.
Scully: You saw Dave Duncan gesturing, he was gesturing to Carney Lansford at third.
0-and-2 to Gibson. The infield is back, with two out and Davis at first.
(Eckersley throw to first)
Fans: Boooooooooooooo!
Vin Scully: Now, Gibson during the year, not necessarily in this spot, but he was a threat to bunt. Not tonight. No wheels!
Garagiola: (chuckle)
Garagiola: They're plenty deep in the outfield and a lot of room -- they're playing him straight away in center field. Look at 'em (the infield). Right down the line.
(Eckersley throws to first)
Fans: Boooooooooooooo!
Garagiola (referring to Davis at first): He's a threat now with two strikes.
Scully: No balls. Two strikes. Two outs.
Scully: Little nubber! Foul.
And it had to be an effort to run that far.
Gibson was so banged up, he was not introduced. He did not come out onto the field before the game.
Garagiola: You could really see the limp. He's not driving that ball. It was by him. You see, he's really only, he almost has to talk to his legs and say, "hey let's go, we got to get out of here."
Scully: It's one thing to favor one leg but you can't favor two.
Garagiola: No way. And that's what he's trying to do. He really is.
Scully: 0-and-2 to Gibson.
Scully: Ball one.
Scully: And a THROW down to first. Davis just did get back. Good play by Ron Hassey, using Gibson as a screen. He took a shot at the runner and Mike Davis didn't see it for that split second and that made it close.
Garagiola: A lot of times what you do, you'll give a sign to the first baseman and say "now be there." They call it an "I'll be there" play. "If I get the ball, I'm going to throw it."
Fourteen fastballs in a row, that's all he's been throwing.
Scully: There goes Davis!
Scully: And it's fouled away.
So Mike Davis, who had stolen 7 out of 10 and carrying the tying run, was on the move.
Garagiola: They wanted to get Gibson a good shot at it with two strikes. But with the two strikes, Davis a threat as we said. 'Cause a bloop hit will score that big run.
Scully: Gibson shaking his left leg, making it quiver, like a horse trying to get rid of a troublesome fly.
(Gibson takes a ball outside)
Scully: 2-and-2.
Scully: Mike Scioscia can only sit now and sweat it out. He led off the inning and popped up.
Scully: Tony La Russa is one out away from win No. 1.
Garagiola: Here's the big pitch, he's got to make it happen on this one.
(Eckersley throws to first)
Fans: Booooooooooooooo!
Scully: Two balls and two strikes with two out.
Garagiola: Those extra steps that Davis will get if the count goes to 3 and 2 are very big. So Hassey and Eckersley want that pitch of decision right here.
(Davis takes off for second base)
Scully: There he goes! WAY outside. He's stolen it.
Garagiola: Hassey started to throw and kinda bumped Gibson and it was too late! Davis was way down there, almost as if he could've walked in.
Not a bad pitch to handle for Hassey. Outside. Now watch when he started to throw, look at Gibson. And Harvey says "no, no, he had the base stolen."
Scully: So, Mike Davis, the tying run, is at second base. With two out. Now the Dodgers don't need the muscle of Gibson, as much as a base hit. And on deck, is the lead-off man, Steve Sax.
3-and-2.
Scully: Sax waiting on deck. But the game right now is at the plate.
Scully: HIGH FLY BALL TO RIGHT FIELD! SHE IS ----- GONE!!!!!!!!!!
Scully: In a year that has been so improbable, the IMPOSSIBLE has happened!
(Gibson limps down the dugout steps and into the clubhouse).
Dodgers win Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, 5-4.
(Source)
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