Editor’s note: The 1970 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
LOS ANGELES – It may have been just a sacrifice fly, but timing is everything.
Wes Parker started a celebration for the Los Angeles Dodgers as his sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th inning gave his team a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.
With the win, the Los Angeles will welcome the Houston Astros to Dodger Stadium for the National League West Championship of the 1970 Strat-O-Matic Tournament.
The Dodgers started the 11th with back-to-back singles by Manny Mota and Willie Davis against Padres reliever Ron Willis. With Mota at third base, Tom Dukes was called from the bullpen by San Diego manager Preston Gomez.
Parker lifted his game-winning fly ball to Ollie Brown in right field as Mota beat the throw to the plate.
Jose Pena (1-0) got the win for the after tossing a scoreless top of the 11th in relief of Los Angeles starter Don Sutton who gave up three runs on six hits in 10 innings with 10 strikeouts and three walks.
Willis (0-1) pitched the 10th for the Padres and was charged with the run in the 11th. Clay Kirby went nine innings giving up three runs with only one being earned. He allowed seven hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
Parker blasted a solo homer in the second as Los Angeles grabbed a 1-0 advantage before the Padres tied it in the fourth on a long ball by Brown.
An error by Kirby led to a pair of Los Angeles runs in the fifth as Mota banged a two-run single.
San Diego tied it a 3-3 as Tommy Dean homered in the sixth and Nate Colbert drilled a shot over the fence in the seventh to set the stage for Parker’s walk-off moment.
1970 Tournament Division Championships
American League East
(2) New York Yankees at (1) Baltimore Orioles
National League East
(5) Philadelphia Phillies at (3) New York Mets
National League West
(4) Houston Astros at (2) Los Angeles Dodgers
1970 Tournament Second Round Divisional Pairings and Results
American League East
(1) Baltimore Orioles 3, (4) Detroit Tigers 2
(2) New York Yankees 5, (6) Washington Senators 2
National League East
(5) Philadelphia Phillies 5, (1) Pittsburgh Pirates 3
(3) New York Mets 3, (2) Chicago Cubs 1
National League West
(4) Houston Astros 8, (1) Cincinnati Reds 4
(2) Los Angeles Dodgers 4, (6) San Diego Padres 3
American League West
(5) Milwaukee Brewers at (1) Minnesota Twins
(3) California Angels at (2) Oakland Athletics
1970 Tournament First Round Divisional Results
American League East
(1) Baltimore Orioles (108-54), bye
(4) Detroit Tigers 7, (5) Cleveland Indians 6
(6) Washington Senators 5, (3) Boston Red Sox 2
(2) New York Yankees (93-69), bye
National League East
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates (89-73), bye
(5) Philadelphia Phillies 1, (4) St. Louis Cardinals 0
(3) New York Mets 10, (6) Montreal Expos 4
(2) Chicago Cubs (84-78), bye
National League West
(1) Cincinnati Reds (102-60), Bye
(4) Houston Astros 1, (5) Atlanta Braves 0
(6) San Diego Padres 5, (3) San Francisco Giants 2
(2) Los Angeles Dodgers (87-77), bye
American League West
(1) Minnesota Twins (98-64), bye
(5) Milwaukee Brewers 3, (4) Kansas City Royals 2
(3) California Angels 4, (6) Chicago White Sox 1
(2) Oakland Athletics (89-73), bye