[PilotMan]

I gotta tell about this game.

Dodgers hang in the division race and it comes down to the last game of the year, as we are tied with the Braves. The Braves lose an afternoon game in the finale against the Padres and it all rests on Mike Witt's shoulders in our finale.

We pick up a run in the second inning after a Jim Morrison double. He scores after a single and a balk. I feel good with a 1-0 lead as Witt looks good.

Top of the 5th the Giants come back as Jim Eisenreich hits a double and scores on a Gary Ward single.

Bottom 7, still 1-1 and Darrell Jackson is still on the mound for SF. Jim Morrison falls in a hole 0-2 and fights back with a 10-pitch at bat ending with a double. Hendu gets walked and we pinch hit for Earl Williams, and bunt to move the runners over. Steve Garvey flies out and we go up 2-1.

Top 8 and we are 6 outs from winning this and making it to the playoffs. Our bullpen has been lights out. Gene Garber comes on in the 8th. First batter, first pitch, Mike Pagliarulo homerun ties the game again. I kick myself for not using Tom Gorman for the lefty on lefty matchup. Garber gets out of the inning but we are knotted back up 2-2.

Fast forward to the 10th inning and Garber goes back out to the mound. Andres Gallaraga leads off with a single to bring up Pagliarulo again. With Garber tiring and the lefty up it's time to go to Gorman. Ron Kittle pinch hits and takes the second pitch of the at bat out to left field for a pinch hit homerun. AAAAAAGH!

4-2 Bottom 10, and Kevin Gross is in to lock it down for the Giants. Gross had 43 saves on the year and posted a sickening 1.19 ERA. He converted 43 of 47 saves opportunites. Mike LaValliere leads off with a texas league single. Steve Garvey comes up and crushes the second pitch into the seats for his 10th on the year to tie the game.

Gossage comes in for the top of the 11th and doesn't allow a hit, while Gross shuts us down. In the bottom of the 13th, Hubie Brooks reaches and takes second on an error, is bunted over to 3rd, and then is driven in on a Dale Murphy base hit to win the game and clinch the NL West on the last day of the year.

Gossage was a war horse going 3 innings to close it out and pick up the win. He allowed no hits, walked one and struck out 3.

Here is the boxscore from it.