Result
As in Game 2, the Game 6 rematch between aces Brad Havens and Ray Scarborough was decided by one bad inning.
In this case, the bad inning came earlier.
And it was much, much worse.
‘81 batted around in the first, sending 11 men to the plate and scoring seven runs to take a dominant lead they would not lose, claiming victory by an 8-1 tally and knotting the series at three.
Scarborough’s struggles started one batter into the game, as Gary Ward sent a fly ball over the left field wall for an early 1-0 lead. After a strikeout, Scarborough loaded the bases on a walk and two singles, and Kent Hrbek sent a fly to center deep enough to score John Castino.
‘81 in his five-plus innings of work, he was no match for Camilo Pascual.
Pascual allowed just five hits over seven innings as he and Bud Byerly combined to shut out
‘81 5-0 and send them into the finals.
While Pascual kept his shutout going, Havens lost his in the sixth. Until that inning, he had allowed only four hits and walked three.
But Pete Runnels opened the sixth with a second-pitch single, Jim Lemon’s subsequent double putting men on second and third with nobody out. Havens worked Courtney to a 1-2 count before he singled in Runnels, and Lou Berberet singled home Lemon on the next pitch.
‘81 trails 1-0
A semifinal-opening pitcher’s duel was decided by men on base at the time a baseball was hit a long way.
Lou Berberet’s three-run home run provided more damage than Rob Wilfong’s solo shot, and Camilo Pascual outdueled Brad Havens en route to a 4-1 victory for
‘56.
‘81 without a runner until Wilfong’s fourth-inning home run.
But that home run came with
‘82 already down 3-0. In the top of the second, Havens plunked Jim Lemon and allowed a single to Clint Courtney before Berberet lined a fastball just inside the right field foul pole for an Earl Weaver special.