The series finale featured a matchup of respective aces. Al Downing (12-9, 2.94) hoped to get the sweep for the Dodgers, while The Great Bob Gibson's (9-10, 3.70) goal was simple: Be the stopper. LA scored first when 8th place hitter Steve Garvey hit a solo shot (#5) in the 3rd, which was his second of the series. With dark clouds looming and the threat of rain evident both pitchers began working fast. Unfortunately man can not outwork mother nature as the heavens opened up for about an hour in the middle of the 4th inning. With 2 out in the top of the 5th Downing helped his own cause with a clean single to left to score Wes Parker and make it 2-0 LA. Dal Maxvill led off the home half of the inning with a rope to center. Parker and Garvey were in at the corners expecting Gibson to attempt a bunt. Bob
bunted and catcher Duke Sims pounced on it and threw to second to cut down Maxvill and get the first out of the inning. Brock singled to left to make it 1st and 3rd, but Javier popped out weakly to Lefebvre at second for the second out. Matty Alou hit one back to the box that Downing sneered to end the Cards chance to
score in what surely looked like a promising inning. Downing started the bottom of the 7th and got Jose Cruz to ground out to Lefebvre at second...or so he thought he did. Lefebvre booted the ball to allow Cruz to reach first.
Downing, who looked to be tiring was replaced by Jose Pena, who struck out Dal Maxvill. With Gibson at the plate, Cruz stole second to move into scoring position. Replacement catcher Tom Haller was caught napping on the play and barely got off a throw. Unfortunately for the Cards, Gibson fanned and Brock popped up weakly to Parker at 1st to end the inning. One Mr. Robert Gibson was now working on fumes, but somehow he was able to get out of the 8th without allowing LA to inflict an further damage. With 2 outs Joe Torre made an outstanding play by ranging deep into the hole to cut down a slicing liner off of lefty Willie Crawford's bat. Everyone figured it was Gibby's last inning of work for the day, but that wasn't the case. As the 9th inning started he trotted out to the mound to face Lefebvre, who lined an opposite field single. That would be it for the Great Gibson. Moe Drabowsky was called on to face Parker with a man on 1st. Moe was up to the task and did not allow LA to tack on any additional runs. LA tapped closer Jim Brewer to finish out the game and notch his 16th save on the season. Ted Simmons lined a one hopper to Lefebvre for the first
out. Jim Beauchamp popped to Parker for the second, but Jose Cruz hit an opposite field single to left with a 3-1 count to keep St. Louis' fleeting hopes alive. Those hopes were pinned on banjo hitting Dal Maxvill who flew out weakly to Willie Davis in center. LA not only swept the Cardinals, but they did not allow the Redbirds to score a run in all 3 game. LA hopes that their pitching will carry them through the dog days of August as they chase the incredibly hot Braves.
Interesting side note: Torre, who had his 36 game hitting streak snapped in the second game of the series, started another one with a hit in game 3. Rumblings from the Cardinal clubhouse intimate that the team was a bit sore that Torre lost 2 chances to get his 37th hit when he was beaned in his first AB and pitched around for an unintentional/intentional walk later on. There definitely is some bad blood brewing between these two clubs.
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