4/18/84: The Sandberg 10th

That "game" wouldn't come until June, but the 2nd game of the Cubs-Cards DH did have a signature finish, a finish authored by none other than... Ryne Sandberg.

After Ron Cey tied the game at 3 with a solo homer in the 6th of game 2, it went down to a battle of bullpens with Lee Smith pitching a scoreless 8th and 9th. Former Cub Bruce Sutter took over for Dave Rucker in the 9th and blanked his old mates. After Tim Stoddard retired the Cards in order in the 10th, Bruce Sutter faced Sandberg to open the bottom of the 10th. Within a few minutes Waveland Ave. would receive another souvenir, the result of "The Sandberg 10th." 

Keith Moreland had an RBI triple and 2 singles, the triple scoring Sandberg in the 3rd, while the Cards had big offensive contributions in the nightcap from David Green who had a solo homer and 2 doubles and Ozzie Smith who tripled, doubled home a run and drove in another with a sac fly, giving the Redbirds a short-lived 3-2 lead in the top of the 6th before Cey's game-tying home run in the bottom of the inning. 

Game 1 went to the Cubs by a 6-4 final behind Chuck Rainey's 7 solid innings and 2 perfect innings of relief by Warren Brusstar. The big Cub inning was the 3rd where 9 batters produced 3 runs on just 2 hits, 3 walks and a 2-base error by Lonnie Smith. Gary Matthews forced home a run with a walk, while the Smith error brought home 2 runs, Mel Hall reaching 2nd.

 The Cards tied it in the 4th on a Willie McGee single and 2-run double by Ozzie Smith, but another Card blunder would give the Cubs the lead when Bob Dernier reached on a 2-out error by Andy Van Slyke at 3rd. Dernier stole 2nd, then that MAN Sandberg singled home Dernier. The Cubs got 2 more in the 5th, which turned out to be the margin of victory as the Cards scored 1 run in the 7th.

Ryne Sandberg, both games: 5-8, HR, 2 RBI, SB

G1: CHC 6-9-1 STL 4-8-3 WP-Rainey LP-Andujar SV-Brusstar  

G2: CHC 4-10-0 STL 3-11-2 WP-Stoddard LP-Sutter HR-Green, Cey, Sandberg GWRBI-Sandberg CHC 6-5 STL 5-7

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