VINTAGE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA
On October 20, 1985 — After giving up just two hits in eight innings, Kansas City Royals pitcher Charlie Leibrandt is raked with three two-out hits and loses, 4 – 2. The St. Louis Cardinals have a 2-0 lead in the World Series.
The Royals went up 2–0 in the fourth off of Danny Cox when Willie Wilson hit a leadoff single that was followed by back-to-back RBI doubles by George Brett and Frank White. However, Charlie Leibrandt continued a history of tough luck in the postseason. The previous year, he had lost Game 3 of the 1984 ALCS, 1–0, to the Detroit Tigers when he pitched a three-hit complete game. He lost Game 4 in the 1985 ALCS in the ninth inning. Clinging to a two-run lead in the ninth of this game, manager Dick Howser opted to not send in his relief ace Dan Quisenberry to close out the game. Leibrandt allowed a leadoff double to Willie McGee, then was only one out from tying the series at one apiece when he allowed an RBI single to Jack Clark. After a double and walk loaded the bases, Terry Pendleton cleared them with a double and gave the Cardinals a 4–2 lead. Quisenberry came in and after he walked Darrell Porter he got out of the inning. Jeff Lahti earned a save with a scoreless bottom of the inning. The Cardinals’ four-run ninth would be the only inning in the series in which they scored more than one run.
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PLAY BY PLAY
CARDINALS 1ST: McGee grounded out (shortstop to first); Smith
popped to third in foul territory; Herr grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 0.
ROYALS 1ST: Smith singled to left; Wilson grounded into a double
play (second to shortstop to first) [Smith out at second]; Brett
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Royals 0.
CARDINALS 2ND: Clark struck out; Landrum was called out on
strikes; Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 0.
ROYALS 2ND: On a bunt White singled to pitcher; White stole
second; Sheridan was called out on strikes; Sundberg struck out;
Balboni struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 0.
CARDINALS 3RD: Pendleton singled to right; Porter struck out;
Cox was called out on strikes; McGee flied to center; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 0.
ROYALS 3RD: Biancalana walked; On a bunt Leibrandt grounded into
a double play (pitcher to shortstop to second) [Biancalana out
at second]; Smith grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 0.
CARDINALS 4TH: Smith grounded out (pitcher to first); Herr
grounded out (shortstop to first); Clark walked; Landrum singled
to right [Clark to third]; Cedeno popped to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 2 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 0.
ROYALS 4TH: Wilson singled to right; Brett doubled to right
[Wilson scored]; White doubled to left [Brett scored]; Sheridan
grounded out (first unassisted) [White to third]; Sundberg
struck out; Balboni flied to center; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Royals 2.
CARDINALS 5TH: Pendleton grounded out (third to first); Porter
was called out on strikes; Cox struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Royals 2.
ROYALS 5TH: Biancalana grounded out (second to first); Leibrandt
popped to third in foul territory; Smith flied out to left; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 2.
CARDINALS 6TH: McGee grounded out (pitcher to first); Smith
flied out to center; Herr grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 2.
ROYALS 6TH: Wilson singled to second; Brett flied out to left;
Wilson stole second; White walked; Sheridan struck out; Sundberg
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Royals 2.
CARDINALS 7TH: Clark popped to catcher in foul territory;
Landrum grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 2.
ROYALS 7TH: Balboni grounded out (third to first); Biancalana
walked; Leibrandt out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher unassisted)
[Biancalana to second]; Smith singled to left [Biancalana out at
home (left to catcher)]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Cardinals 0,
Royals 2.
CARDINALS 8TH: JONES REPLACED SMITH (PLAYING LF); Pendleton
grounded out (first unassisted); Porter flied out to left;
HARPER BATTED FOR COX; Harper flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB. Cardinals 0, Royals 2.
ROYALS 8TH: DAYLEY REPLACED HARPER (PITCHING); Wilson grounded
out (second to first); Brett struck out; White doubled to left;
Sheridan grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Royals 2.
CARDINALS 9TH: McGee doubled to left; Smith grounded out (third
to first); Herr flied out to right; Clark singled to left [McGee
scored]; Landrum doubled to right [Clark to third]; Cedeno was
walked intentionally; Pendleton doubled to left [Clark scored,
Landrum scored, Cedeno scored]; QUISENBERRY REPLACED SHERIDAN
(PITCHING); MOTLEY REPLACED LEIBRANDT (PLAYING RF); Porter was
walked intentionally; VAN SLYKE BATTED FOR DAYLEY; Van Slyke
flied out to center; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Cardinals 4, Royals
2.
ROYALS 9TH: LAHTI REPLACED CEDENO (PITCHING); VAN SLYKE STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Sundberg flied out to center; Balboni
singled to pitcher; ORTA BATTED FOR BIANCALANA; Orta grounded
into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Balboni out
at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cardinals 4, Royals 2.
Final Totals R H E LOB
Cardinals 4 6 0 5
Royals 2 9 0 6
Other Resources & Links
Retrosheet.org Boxscore:KCA198510200
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