Lasorda gave it to him, and Hershiser rewarded the faith. He popped up Canseco on an inside fastball and struck out Parker on two straight curves in the dirt, pitches of the type Parker had said in interviews Wednesday that you have to stay away from if you're going to beat Hershiser.
"When he swung and missed the first one," Hershiser said in reflection, "I said to myself, 'if he's going to do it once, maybe he'll do it again."
Parker did, and Hershiser went on to strike out three of the last five batters he faced on a night when he said his stuff was outstanding but his control was considerably less than that.
Later, as he made his way through crowds to the interview room, a young fan yelled, "You were lucky, Hershiser."
Bulldog, turned, smiled and said, "Grab a bat, kid."
The A's, like others, before them had tried and failed.
HERSHISER IN POSTSEASON PLAY
DATE OPPONENT/SITE INN. H R ER BB SO SCORE Oct. 5 New York Mets (Home) 8 7 2 2 1 6 2-3* Oct. 8 New York Mets (Road) 7 6 3 1 4 4 4-8* Oct. 9 New York Mets (Road) 0 0 0 0 0 5-4** Oct. 12 New York Mets (Home) 9 5 0 0 2 2 6-0 Oct. 16 Oakland (Home) 9 3 0 0 2 8 6-0 Oct. 20 Oakland (Road) 9 4 2 2 4 9 5-2 TOTALS 42 25 7 5 13 29
*--Dodgers lost--Hershiser not involved in decision
**--Hershiser gets save in relief appearance
HERSHISER IN LAST 13 APPEARANCES
TOTALS W L ND SV INN. H R ER BB SO ERA 9 0 3 1 106 61 9 7 24 73 0.59
