With their backs to the wall, the Los Angeles Dodgers played their best in the 1981 post-season. After trailing the Houston Astros two games to none in a best-of-five Western Division playoff, the Dodgers reeled off three straight wins. In the National League Championship Series against Montreal, Los Angeles again found themselves in a precarious position, having lost two of the first three. But they won Game Four to reduce the National League season to a single Sunday game in Montreal. Rain postponed the championship match for a day, but on Monday, amid 41-degree temperatures, Canada’s first pennant playoff was decided.

Taking the mound for the Dodgers was their 20-year-old rookie phenomenon, Fernando Valenzuela. The pudgy Mexican left-hander had taken the league by storm, winning his first eight games and then leading the majors in shutouts and strikeouts. He was opposed by journeyman right-hander Ray Burris, who had beaten Valenzuela five days earlier. After rocky starts, each hurler pitched superbly, affording the opposition few opportunities to score.

Both teams threatened in the first, but only the Expos scored. With one out, the Dodgers’ Bill Russell slashed a triple down the right-field line, but Burris escaped on two ground-outs. Valenzuela was not as fortunate after Tim Raines led off with a double. Rodney Scott bunted, and Raines slid headfirst into third, beating the throw from Valenzuela. When Andre Dawson grounded into a double play, Raines crossed the plate with the game’s first run.

Over the next three frames, each team was limited to a single, but Los Angeles finally scored in the fifth. Two singles, a wild pitch, and Valenzuela’s ground-out tied the game at 1-1.

Neither pitcher had any further trouble until the bottom of the seventh when, after two outs, Larry Parrish doubled. Jerry White was walked intentionally to get to the left-handed Warren Cromartie, and the strategy succeeded as Cromartie popped out.

The Dodgers wasted a golden opportunity in the eighth. With one away Davey Lopes singled and stole second. When Russell grounded to short, Lopes became caught in a rundown between second and third, ending any serious trouble.

Expos’ vice president Jim Fanning, who replaced Dick Williams as manager six weeks earlier, decided he had gotten the best out of his starter. After pinch-hitting for Burris in the eighth, Fanning called on his staff ace, Steve Rogers, to open the ninth. Rogers had allowed only two runs in his last 36 innings, but now he was pitching in relief for the first time in more than three years. The right-hander routinely retired the first two Dodgers before Rick Monday drilled a 3-1 pitch over the center-field wall, giving Los Angeles their first lead of the game. The dream of bringing Canada its first pennant abruptly started to fade.

In the bottom of the ninth, Valenzuela got two outs before walking both Gary Carter and Parrish on full counts. With switch hitter White the next batter, Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda called to the bullpen for right-hander Bob Welch. Lasorda reasoned that he’d rather have White bat left-handed, his weaker side. Welch threw one pitch, and White bounced out to Lopes for the final out, shattering Canadian dreams.

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