IN THE NEWS: Needing a win to go into first place in the National League West, the Reds lose to Nolan Ryan and the Astros, 8–1. Houston wins two out of three with the Reds to finish first by 1.5 games.
IN THE NEWS: In Cincinnati, Bob Horner homers twice and scores the winning run on Ron Oester's 8th-inning throwing error to give the Braves a 4–3 win over the Reds and give the Astros the 2nd-half title in the National League West. Cincinnati, which lost the first-half title to the Dodgers by one-half game, will finish with the best overall record (66-42) in the major leagues, but will not make the playoffs.
The Mets lose 5–4 to the Expos, though New York's Mike Cubbage hits an 8th inning home run, off Jeff Reardon. It is Cubbage's last ML at bat.
The Brewers (since 1970) and Expos (1969) clinch their first-ever post-season appearances. Milwaukee beats Detroit 2–1 to wrap up the 2nd-half title in the American League East, while Montreal edges New York 5–4 to win the NL East's 2nd playoff spot.
IN THE NEWS: Kansas City shuts out Cleveland 9–0 in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader to clinch the 2nd-half title in the American League West. The 2nd game is canceled as irrelevant.
IN THE NEWS: In the National League Western Division playoff opener, Nolan Ryan pitches the Astros to a 3–1 win over LA.
Oakland coasts past KC to a 4–0 victory behind the 4-hit complete-game shutout of Mike Norris in the opening game of the American League Western Division playoff.
IN THE NEWS: The Expos down Philly 3–1 in Game One of the National League Eastern Division playoff.
Ron Davis and Goose Gossage provide a 1-2 relief punch that Milwaukee cannot survive, losing to the Yankees 5–3 in the opening game of the American League Eastern Division playoff.
Houston pitching continues to sparkle as three pitchers combine to shut out the Dodgers for 11 innings, resulting in a 1–0 Astro victory, and putting Houston up two games to none in the-best-of-5 series.
Another series of excellent pitching: the A's Steve McCatty goes the distance in a 2–1 win over the Royals.
Atlanta fires manager Bobby Cox. Eight days later, Cox will sign a one-year contract to manage the Toronto Blue Jays.
IN THE NEWS: Philley loses to the Expos by an identical 3–1 score, putting them in the hole two games to none.
Dave Righetti and Davis and Gossage in relief are too much for the Brewers as they are shut out 3–0. All the Yankee scoring comes on home runs by Reggie Jackson and Lou Piniella.
IN THE NEWS: The Phillies bats wake up, collecting 13 hits in a 6–2 win over Montreal. Montreal chips in with four errors.
Facing elimination, the Dodgers get the pitching this time and down Houston 6–1.
The Brewers, also facing elimination, beat the Yanks in the 8th inning 5–3 on Paul Molitor's solo home run. Ted Simmons clubs a 2-run homer and Randy Lerch pitches six solid innings for the win.
The A's sweep Kansas City by winning 4–1. In the three games, last year's pennant winners score only two runs.
IN THE NEWS: A pinch homer by George Vukovich in the bottom of the 10th inning gives Tug McGraw and the Phillies a 6–5 win over Montreal and ties up the series 2-2.
Another series is tied up at 2-2 as Fernando Valenzuela wins over the Astros 2–1.
On a cold day in New York, Milwaukee stays alive by winning 2–1. This is the 3rd series knotted at 2-all.
IN THE NEWS: Steve Rogers wins the playoff for Montreal over Philadelphia by twirling a 6-hit shutout and knocking in two of his team's runs in a 3–0 victory.
After being down two games to none, LA shuts out Houston 4–0 behind Jerry Reuss to take the playoff.
Yankee bats are too much for the Brewers. Three home runs, including the 2nd of the series by Jackson, and 13 hits provide a 7–3 win and a trip to the ALCS.
IN THE NEWS: Los Angeles takes Game One of the NLCS 5–1 over Montreal.
In the ALCS opener against Oakland, Yankee pitching once again asserts itself, as Tommy John, Ron Davis, and Goose Gossage combine to hold up Graig Nettles's first-inning 3-run double 3–1.
The Padres fire manager Frank Howard and his entire coaching staff. San Diego finished last in the National League West in each half of the season.
IN THE NEWS: In game two of the ALCS, Yankee Graig Nettles singles twice in a 7-run 4th inning to become the first player ever to collect two hits in one inning in LCS play. New York sets LCS records for runs and hits (19) in a 13–3 rout of Oakland.
Montreal downs LA, 3–0, behind Ray Burris's 5-hitter. Tim Raines has three hits.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees wrap up their 33rd American League pennant with a 4–0 win over the A's, completing a 3-game sweep of the ALCS.
Less than a year after leading the club to its only World Championship, Phillies manager Dallas Green jumps to the Cubs to become their general manager.
IN THE NEWS: Tied 1–1 going into the 8th, Steve Garvey's 2-run homer puts LA ahead in what will be a 7–1 victory over the Expos. The series is now tied 2–2.
IN THE NEWS: In game five of the NLCS, Rick Monday hits a solo home run with two out in the top of the 9th against Montreal's Steve Rogers to give Los Angeles a 2–1 victory and a trip to the World Series. The loss, played in bitterly cold conditions in Montreal, will be known as Blue Monday.
IN THE NEWS: In a World Series rematch of the 1978 teams, the Yankees take Game One over the Dodgers 5–3. Bob Watson's 3-run homer in the first is the big blow as Ron Guidry goes seven innings for the win. Goose Gossage closes down a Dodger rally in the 8th.
IN THE NEWS: Goose Gossage gets his 2nd save in as many days as he preserves Tommy John's win 3–0 in game 2. Bob Watson has two hits and an RBI.
In a little-noted trade, the Cardinals and Yankees swap minor leaguers; New York receives lefty Bob Sykes, while the Cardinals get 22-year-old outfielder Willie McGee. Sykes's arm troubles will reoccur, and he'll last one more season in the minors.
IN THE NEWS: Despite an uncharacteristic poor performance (9 hits, seven walks) Fernando Valenzuela goes the distance in the Dodgers' 5–4 come-from-behind win. The deciding run scores on a double play. Starter Dave Righetti lasts just two innings, walking two and allowing five hits, but reliever George Frazier takes the loss. Ron Cey has a 3-run homer for LA. Starters Valenzuela and Righetti are the first two Rookies of the Year to oppose each other in the World Series since Willie Mays and Gil McDougald in 1951.
Joe Torre signs a 3-year contract to manage the Braves.
IN THE NEWS: Back-to-back home runs by Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager off Yankee ace Ron Guidry give the Dodgers their 3rd consecutive win 2–1.
After his club loses game five of the World Series, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner scuffles with two (he says) fans in a hotel elevator and emerges with a fat lip and a broken hand.
IN THE NEWS: Pedro Guerrero drives in five runs and the Bert Hooton and the Dodgers beat the Yankees 9–2 to win the World Series in six games. In a remarkable post season, the Dodgers came from behind to win three series (down 2–0 to Houston and 2–1 to Montreal in the best-of-5 series). Guerrero, Ron Cey, and Steve Yeager (2 home runs) are named co-MVPs, while OF Dave Winfield and relief pitcher George Frazier are the goats for New York. Winfield was just 1-for-21, while Frazier tied a World Series record by losing three games. The record was set by the White Sox Lefty Williams in 1919, but Williams, one of the eight "Black Sox," probably was losing on purpose.
IN THE NEWS: Bill Giles, the Phillies vice president for the past 11 years, heads a group of investors which purchases the club for just over $30 million, the highest price paid to date for a ML club. Giles is the son of longtime National League president Warren C. Giles.
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