On September 1, 1982, Ozzie Smith's two out RBI single in the top of the 13th led the Cardinals to a hard fought 6-5 victory over the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The game was a chess match between two future Hall of Fame managers, as Whitey Herzog and Tommy Lasorda made move after move in an effort to put their opponent in check.The Cardinals had jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first, but the Dodgers plated a run in the fifth, then three runs in the seventh to tie it up, before taking the lead with a run in the eighth. Steve Howe needed three more outs to secure a Los Angeles victory, but it was spoiled by Tito Landrum who knocked in Tommy Herr with one out in the top of the ninth. The Landrum RBI sent it into extras, and both of the clubs had their opportunities to take the lead in each of the innings that followed, until Ozzie came up with the hit of the day in the 13th.
While the papers of the day said that Lasorda used 27 men in the contest, he had actually used 25 according to the box score provided by baseballreference.com. On the other side of the diamond Whitey used 22 men to find the win column. One of the last moves the Cardinals skipper made was calling on Kelly Paris to pinch hit in the 13th. It was a big moment for the 24-year-old, as it was his first at bat in the major leagues. He did not disappoint, as he came through with a leadoff single. Two outs later Lasorda chose to walk George Hendrick with Ozzie on deck, and the Wizard made him pay as he ripped one up the middle that Steve Sax could not handle. The base knock brought Paris into score the game winning run, then Jim Kaat worked his way around a jam in the bottom of the inning to end the four hour and ten minute affair.
Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN198209010.shtml
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