Niedenfuer was a twenty six year old fireballer who had 19 saves with 102 strikeouts in 106 innings during the regular season. He was in his fifth major league season and had been the Dodgers closer since 1983, when he took over for Steve Howe.
Dangerous Willie McGee, the National League batting champion, led off. Niedenfuer retired him on a pop fly to third, bringing up Ozzie Smith. The 1985 Cardinals were not a power team, hitting only 87 home runs during the season, but led by Vince Coleman and McGee, they stole an incredible 314 bases.
Facing the right handed Niedenfuer, the switch hitting Ozzie batted from the left side of the plate. He had not hit a home run in 3,009 at bats left handed, so what happened? Ozzie hit a game winning home run.
The series moved back to Los Angeles for Game 6. With the Dodgers leading 4-1 going to the Cardinals half of the seventh inning, Darrell Porter led off with a single and Tito Landrum singled him to second. Steve Braun hit for starting pitcher Joaquin Andujar and grounded out to first, moving the runners to second and third. McGee singled them home, cutting the Dodgers lead to 4-3. In came Niedenfuer to relieve Orel Hershiser.
Ozzie was Niedenfuer's first batter. He tripled home the tying run, bringing up Tommy Herr, who was intentionally walked. Niedenfuer then struck out the dangerous Jack Clark and the even more dangerous Andy Van Slyke to keep the score tied until Mike Marshall (the outfielder, not the pitcher with the same name) put the Dodgers ahead again with a lead off eighth inning home run.
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