Manager Season Champion Los Angeles Dodgers MVP Steve Garvey | Radio CBS Dates 4 Oct 1978 – 7 Oct 1978 | |
Umpires Lee Weyer, Nick Colosi, Andy Olsen, Satch Davidson, Billy Williams, John McSherry TV announcers Al Michaels, Don Drysdale and Johnny Bench Radio announcers Ralph Kiner and Jerry Coleman Television Major League Baseball on ABC Similar 1977 National League C, 1981 National League C, 1974 National League C, 1976 National League C, 1980 National League C | ||
The 1978 National League Championship Series was a best-of-five matchup for the second straight year between the West Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the East Division champion Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers beat the Phillies three games to one once again and would go on to lose the World Series to the New York Yankees, as they had the year before.
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Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Los Angeles won the series, 3–1.
Game 1
Wednesday, October 4, 1978, at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Because of having to start an NL East-clinching game a few days earlier, Phillies ace Steve Carlton wasn't available for the start of the series, leaving the task to Larry Christenson. Christenson didn't fare well, as he was rocked for seven runs in five innings, the big blows coming on a three-run homer by Steve Garvey in the third inning and a two-run homer by Davey Lopes in the fourth. Garvey also added a triple and run scored in the fifth and another solo homer in the ninth. Steve Yeager also homered for the Dodgers.
Rookie Bob Welch took the win for the Dodgers.
Game 2
Thursday, October 5, 1978, at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Dodgers won their second straight on the road in this series on the strength of a complete-game four-hit shutout by Tommy John. Davey Lopes continued to swing a hot bat, driving in three of the runs on a home run, single, and triple.
Game 3
Friday, October 6, 1978, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
With Steve Carlton finally available to pitch, the Phillies cut the series deficit to 2–1 at Dodger Stadium. In addition to pitching a complete game, Carlton helped himself with the bat by hitting a three-run homer in the second off Don Sutton. Carlton added an RBI single in the sixth and scored on a double by Jerry Martin.
The Dodgers lost a run in the second inning when, with runners on first and second, Bill Russell hit a line drive double that would have scored both runners, but a fan reached over the railing to touch the ball, resulting in a ground rule double, and the latter runner had to return to the third base.
Greg Luzinski also homered for the Phillies, while Steve Garvey belted his third homer of the series for the Dodgers.
Game 4
Saturday, October 7, 1978, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
The Phillies fought for their playoff lives in Game 4. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning but could not score. The Dodgers then struck first in the second inning on a double by Ron Cey and an RBI single by Dusty Baker, the first of four hits he would collect in this game. Greg Luzinski put the Phillies back on top with a two-run homer in the third.
Cey tied it in the fourth with a home run, then Steve Garvey gave the Dodgers the lead with a homer, his fourth of the series, in the sixth. The home run was also his fifth extra base hit of the Series and tied Bob Robertson's 1971 NLCS records for home runs and extra base hits in a League Championship Series. But, Bake McBride tied it once again for the Phillies in the seventh with a home run of his own.
In the bottom of the tenth, Tug McGraw retired the first two Dodger batters, but then surrendered a walk to Cey. Baker then hit a soft line drive to center field. Garry Maddox (who by 1978 had won the fourth of his eight gold gloves) got a late break on the ball, appeared to recover in time, but dropped the ball. Now, Cey was on second and Baker on first. The next batter, Bill Russell, lined a base hit to center. With Cey running because there were two out, Maddox faced a do or die play to get the ball and fire home; Maddox charged, but the ball skipped past him, enabling Cey to score the winning run.
Composite box
1978 NLCS (3–1): Los Angeles Dodgers over Philadelphia Phillies