Juan Marichal outdueled Sandy Koufax, limiting the Los Angeles Dynamos to two runs on 6 hits to clinch a World Series spot for the Houston Hoots. Things didn’t look great early for Houston. Tony Gwynn led off the game with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly in the 1st. Gwynn then hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning to give LA a 2-0 lead. Tim Raines’ speed generated the 1st run for Houston when he singled, stole 2nd, and advanced to 3rd on a flyout. Oscar Charleston singled him home to cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the 3rd. Raines led off the 5th with a double, and Charleston, once again, brought him home, this time with a double to tie the game. Koufax scattered 9 hits, but the last hit came when Gil Hodges hit a leadoff homer in the 8th inning to give the Hoots a 3-2 lead. Bruce Sutter came in to close out the 9th, throwing a perfect 9th for his 17th save and clinching the win for the Houston Hoots. Houston will enter the final day of the regular season with a 2-game lead over the LA Dynamos for the National League pennant, and will advance to face the Boston Splinters in the World Series.
