The Cardinals made it to the 1985 NLCS by winning 101 games….yet barely edging the New York Mets in the National League East…..whereas on the other hand….the Dodgers were led by Pedro Guerrero at the plate….along with their talented pitching staff with a team ERA of 2.96…..as the Dodgers easily beat the Cincinnati Reds by 51⁄2 games.
In Game 2 of this NLCS….the Cardinals had another twenty-game winner in Joaquín Andújar squared off against the Dodgers’ new ace, Orel Hershiser….who had compiled a 19–3 record during the regular season….while never losing at home. After two scoreless innings….the Cards scored first when batting champion….and eventual National League MVP….Willie McGee singled….then advanced to second on a walk to Tommy Herr….and scored on a wild pitch by Hershiser to give the Cardinals their first lead of the series. In the bottom of the third….Sax singled for the Dodgers….but Andujar had Sax picked off first…. but a throwing error allowed him to scamper all the way to third with one out….after which he would then score on a single by Hershiser….who would then score himself on Ken Landreaux’s double…..followed by the hot-hitting Madlock….who then singled Landreaux home….thus giving the Dodgers a 3–1 lead.
In the next inning, Scioscia singled and scored on Greg Brock’s two-run home run to give the Dodgers a 5–1 lead….extending their lead to 6 – 1 the next inning on Mike Marshall’s RBI single with two on….as this was when Andujar exited the game. In the sixth, Ricky Horton allowed a two-out double and walk….then back-to-back RBI singles by Bill Madlock and Pedro Guerrero off of Bill Campbell made it 8–1 Dodgers. In the ninth, Hershiser allowed a lead-off single and walk….then two outs later, Vince Coleman’s RBI single made it 8–2 Dodgers before Willie McGee grounded out to finish Hershiser’s complete game….thus giving the Dodgers a 2–0 series lead heading to St. Louis.
