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Los Angeles Dodgers: The biggest enemies of the 1980s

By Jamaal Artis

LOS ANGELES - CIRCA 1985: A general view of the field of Dodgers Stadium circa 1985 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - CIRCA 1985: A general view of the field of Dodgers Stadium circa 1985 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TX – AUGUST 29: General interior view of the Houston AstroDome during a game between the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros in Houston, Texas. The Cubs won the game 4-3. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – AUGUST 29: General interior view of the Houston AstroDome during a game between the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros in Houston, Texas. The Cubs won the game 4-3. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

2. Houston Astros

In an incredible pennant race, the Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves three games back with three games to go against the Houston Astros in 1980  The Astros being in first at the end was a minor miracle as they faced adversity when they lost their All-Star ace J.R. Richards to a stroke mid-season.

Still needing to sweep the final three game series to force a one game playoff, the Dodgers would need a miracle comeback. They pulled it off beating the Astros in three straight one run games forcing a one game playoff for the division title. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda went with veteran Dave Goltz instead of rookie Fernando Valenzuela who had yet to give up a run that year.

It didn’t matter the Dodger couldn’t hit knuckleballer Joe Neikro and lost 7-1 missing out on the playoffs. The next year a strike had set up a National League Division Series between first half division winners the Dodgers and the second half division winners the Astros.

Again the Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves down to the Astros, this time 0-2 in the best of five series. Again needing three straight wins to continue on the Dodgers proved comeback kids again as they won three straight at home to win the series in route to a World Series title.

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