[Nick Soulis]

Series #231



Dodgers Storm Past Angels, Claim Cali's Best
Baker named MVP as Los Angeles captures win behind power bats and dominant pitching



Game 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Weather: Clear skies, 63°, wind blowing in from right at 7 mph
Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers 5, California 1975 Angels 0
Winning Pitcher: Burt Hooton (1-0) — 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Losing Pitcher: Frank Tanana (0-1) — 7.0 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Home Runs: Dusty Baker (LAD, 7th inning solo)
Player of the Game: Burt Hooton — Complete-game shutout, 97 pitches, 12 groundouts, 11 flyouts
1977 Dodgers Lead Series 1-0

Tonight at Dodger Stadium, the 1977 Dodgers reminded us why they were one of the most balanced clubs of their era. A 5–0 shutout win over the 1975 California Angels, and it was all about Burt Hooton.Hooton wasn’t flashy — just efficient. Ninety-seven pitches, two hits, no runs. He mixed speeds, worked the corners, and kept an Angels lineup that came in hoping to rattle him completely off balance. For Los Angeles, that’s the kind of tone-setting performance that changes a series.
On the offensive side, the Dodgers did what they do best: strike early. Reggie Smith’s two-run double in the first got the crowd into it, Ron Cey added another RBI, and Dusty Baker capped things with a towering solo homer in the seventh. Eleven hits total — everyone in that lineup seemed locked in.For California, Frank Tanana struck out nine, but he also labored through 139 pitches. He never quite figured out how to put the Dodgers away, and that’s the difference between a team still searching for an identity and one built for October.
So, Los Angeles strikes first — five runs, a shutout, and a statement. They now lead the series 1–0, with Nolan Ryan looming tomorrow in Game 2. If the Angels are going to make this a fight, it has to start with Ryan matching Hooton’s brilliance.

Game 2
California 1975 Angels at Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Weather: Partly cloudy, 56°, wind blowing out to right at 8 mph
Final Score: Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers 3, California 1975 Angels 0
Winning Pitcher: Tommy John (1-0) — 7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 3 K
Losing Pitcher: Ed Figueroa (0-1) — 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Save: Charlie Hough (1) — 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
Home Runs: Reggie Smith (LAD, solo, 1st inning)
Player of the Game: Tommy John — 7.2 shutout innings, 131 pitches, induced 12 groundouts
Los Angeles leads the best-of-seven series, 2-0.

Game 2 here at Dodger Stadium was a mirror image of last night — another shutout for the Dodgers, another frustrated night for the Angels. This time it was Tommy John who set the tone, mixing that sinking fastball with pinpoint command, inducing a dozen groundouts and letting his infield do the heavy lifting. Over 131 pitches, John never lost his rhythm, and when he finally tired in the eighth, Charlie Hough came in to slam the door. For Los Angeles, the formula was simple: strike early and control the tempo. Reggie Smith homered in the first inning to get the crowd buzzing, Davey Lopes drove in a run with a sharp single in the fifth, and Dusty Baker doubled in another insurance tally in the sixth. Three runs was more than enough, because the Dodgers’ pitching staff has now thrown 18 straight scoreless innings to open this series.
For the Angels, it’s the same story: chances but no results. Dave Chalk had a double and a triple, yet both times he was left stranded. California went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and once again left seven men on base. That’s the difference between a contender and a pretender.
So the Dodgers head to Anaheim with a commanding 2–0 lead. Nolan Ryan will finally get the ball in Game 3, but make no mistake — he’s not just pitching for a win, he’s pitching to save the Angels’ season.

Game 3
Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers at California 1975 Angels
Venue: Anaheim Stadium
Weather: Clear skies, 62°, wind blowing out to center at 7 mph
Final Score: California 1975 Angels 2, Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers 1
Winning Pitcher: Nolan Ryan (1-0) — 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 8 K, 140 pitches
Losing Pitcher: Doug Rau (0-1) — 8.0 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Save: Don Kirkwood (1) — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Home Runs: Steve Garvey (LAD, solo, 7th inning)
Player of the Game: Nolan Ryan — 8 innings, 3 hits, 1 run, 8 strikeouts, vintage dominance
Los Angeles leads the best-of-seven series, 2-1

Tonight in Anaheim, the Angels finally found the formula — Nolan Ryan on the mound, a crowd behind him, and just enough offense to make it count. After being shut out for 18 innings in this series, California pushed across two runs in the fourth, and that was all Ryan needed.
Ryan was nothing short of sensational: 140 pitches, eight innings, eight strikeouts, and only three hits allowed. He was in command from the very start, and when Steve Garvey’s solo home run in the seventh cut the lead to one, Ryan bore down and finished his night with the kind of power and presence that has defined his career. Doug Rau deserves credit for keeping the Dodgers close — nine hits scattered across eight innings — but the Angels capitalized when it mattered. Leroy Stanton, Dave Chalk, and Ellie Rodriguez delivered the key hits, and Don Kirkwood secured the save in the ninth.
So, the Angels climb back into the series, now trailing 2–1. The Dodgers still hold the edge, but tonight belonged to Nolan Ryan — and Anaheim Stadium roared with every pitch he threw. If the Angels are going to make this a real fight, this was the night they had to win, and Ryan made sure they did.

Game 4
Venue: Anaheim Stadium
Weather: Partly cloudy, 56°, wind blowing out to center at 8 mph
Final Score: Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers 3, California 1975 Angels 2
Winning Pitcher: Don Sutton (1-0) — 8.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Losing Pitcher: Don Kirkwood (0-1, BS 1) — 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Save: Charlie Hough (2) — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K
Home Runs: Davey Lopes (LAD, solo, 1st inning); Reggie Smith (LAD, 2-run, 8th inning)
Player of the Game: Don Sutton — 8 innings, 125 pitches, 16 groundouts, anchored Dodgers’ third win
Los Angeles leads the best-of-seven series, 3-1

Here in Anaheim, the Dodgers showed once again why they’re a championship club. Don Sutton was vintage Sutton tonight — eight innings of command, poise, and big outs when he needed them most. He gave up seven hits but never broke, forcing ground balls, leaning on his defense, and keeping the Angels from stringing anything together.The Angels had their moment in the seventh, tying the game on Jerry Remy’s pinch-hit sequence, and for a brief time this stadium felt like it might see another night of magic. But baseball can be cruel — Don Kirkwood left one up in the zone, and Reggie Smith made him pay. A towering two-run homer in the eighm there, Sutton turned it over to Charlie Hough, and the knuckleballer calmly closed it out in the ninth. Dodgers win it, 3–2, and they now take a commanding 3–1 leath inning silenced Anaheim Stadium and pushed the Dodgers back in front.
Frod in this series. For California, Andy Hassler was valiant, seven strong innings and seven strikeouts. But once again, the Angels couldn’t find enough offense. For Los Angeles, it was Sutton’s steadiness and Smith’s thunder that carried the night.
So the Dodgers are on the cusp, one victory away from wrapping up this series. Tomorrow, Nolan Ryan gets the ball again for California — but the Angels will need more than just one arm if they hope to extend their season.

Game 5
Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers at California 1975 Angels
Venue: Anaheim Stadium
Weather: Clear skies, 59°, wind blowing out to right at 11 mph
Final Score: California 1975 Angels 7, Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers 3
Winning Pitcher: Frank Tanana (1-1) — 9.0 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 156 pitches
Losing Pitcher: Burt Hooton (1-1) — 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Home Runs: None
Player of the Game: Frank Tanana — complete-game win, 8 strikeouts, 156 pitches, kept Angels alive
Los Angeles leads the best-of-seven series, 3-2

The Angels refused to bow out on their own turf. Behind a gutty complete game from Frank Tanana and a thunderous five-run fourth inning, California stunned the Dodgers 7-3 in Anaheim, forcing the series back to Los Angeles.
Tanana, who was battered in Game 1, flipped the script in front of a roaring home crowd. Over 156 pitches, he struck out eight and never allowed the Dodgers to seize momentum. Every time Los Angeles threatened, Tanana found another gear.
The decisive moment came in the bottom of the fourth, when Tommy Harper ripped a bases-loaded double into the right-center gap off Burt Hooton, clearing the bases and igniting the stadium. Bob Bochte followed with another RBI double, and suddenly the Angels led 5-1. Leroy Stanton’s double in the fifth widened the gap.
For the Dodgers, Hooton looked nothing like the man who tossed a Game 1 shutout. He gave up seven earned runs in 4.1 innings, leaving the Dodgers in a hole they could not climb out of. Reggie Smith, Ron Cey, and Steve Yeager drove in runs, but it was too little, too late.
Now, the Angels head to Dodger Stadium trailing 3-2, with new life — and perhaps with momentum swinging in their favor.

Series #231, Game 6
California 1975 Angels at Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Weather: Clear skies, 54°, wind blowing out to center at 9 mph
Final Score: Los Angeles 1977 Dodgers 9, California 1975 Angels 3
Winning Pitcher: Tommy John (2-0) — 8.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 135 pitches
Losing Pitcher: Chris Hockenbery (0-1, BS 1) — 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Home Runs: Dusty Baker (LAD, solo, 7th inning); Steve Garvey (LAD, 2-run, 8th inning)
Player of the Game: Steve Garvey — 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored.

The Dodgers finished what they started. Before a packed house at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles poured on late offense and rode Tommy John’s steady hand to a 9-3 victory over the Angels, clinching Series #231 by a 4-2 margin.
California struck first in the sixth with Dave Chalk’s two-run double, briefly putting the Angels on top 3-2. But the Dodgers roared back. In the bottom half, Steve Yeager doubled home two runs, then Dusty Baker and Steve Garvey slammed back-to-back innings with long balls, breaking the game open. By the time Garvey’s 2-run shot sailed into the left-field pavilion, the crowd was in full celebration mode.
Tommy John gutted through 135 pitches, scattering five hits while inducing 13 groundouts. He wasn’t flawless, but every time the Angels sniffed a rally, he cut it off. Lance Rautzhan recorded the final two outs as fireworks streaked above Chavez Ravine.
For the Angels, Nolan Ryan battled but left after five innings with the game tied. The bullpen collapsed behind him, surrendering seven runs across the final three frames. Dave Chalk was a bright spot with two doubles and three RBIs, but California simply ran out of arms and opportunities.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, flashed everything that made them great — power, pitching, timely hitting, and the ability to seize momentum. Dusty Baker was named Series MVP, hitting .375 with two home runs and clutch performances throughout.

Los Angeles Dodgers wins the best-of-seven series, 4-2

Series MVP:

(.375, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B, .400 OBP, 1.067 OPS)