Cardinals Batting Order
2 Ken Oberkfell 3B
3 Tom Herr 2B
4 George Hendrick RF
5 Art Howe 1B
6 Willie McGee CF
7 Darrell Porter C
8 Ozzie Smith SS
9 Dave LaPoint P
Dodgers Batting Order
1 Steve Sax 2B
2 Bill Russell SS
3 Ken Landreaux CF
4 Pedro Guerrero 1B
5 Mike Marshall LF
6 Candy Maldonado RF
7 German Rivera 3B
8 Mike Scioscia C
9 Fernando Valenzuela P
The Cardinals fail to score in the first but the Dodgers manage three runs with the biggest hit being a double by Mike Marshall. Darrell Porter homers in the second and the Dodgers lead is 3-1. The Cardinals add another in the 3rd with three straight singles by Oberkfell, Herr and Hendrick.
In the 4th Porter has a big triple to score runs and the Cardinals add 5 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Cardinals 7, Dodgers 3. Danny Cox is in to pitch for the Cardinals. The Birds score two more in the 7th off Orel Hershiser and Neil Allen is in to pitch for the Cardinals. Los Angeles adds two more and Willie McGee counters with a home run and Opening Day goes to the Cardinals 11-7.
1984 Results
Record 84–78 (.519)
Divisional place 3rd
Other information
Owner(s) August “Gussie” Busch
General manager(s) Joe McDonald
Manager(s) Whitey Herzog
Local television KSDK
(Jack Buck, Mike Shannon, Jay Randolph)
Sports Time
(Jack Buck, Mike Shannon, Bob Carpenter)
Local radio KMOX
(Jack Buck, Mike Shannon, Dan Kelly)
The St. Louis Cardinals 1984 season was the team’s 103rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 93rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 84-78 during the season and finished 3rd in the National League East, 12½ games behind their arch-rivals, the Chicago Cubs. It was also the final season of the Columbia blue road uniforms for the Cardinals.
Offseason
January 17, 1984: Rafael Santana was released by the Cardinals.
March 26, 1984: Jamie Quirk was released by the Cardinals.
Pitcher Joaquín Andújar and shortstop Ozzie Smith won Gold Gloves this year. Bruce Sutter had a then-NL record of 45 saves.
June 23, 1984: What turned out to be a key game for the Cubs occurred at Wrigley, with the Cubs facing the rival Cardinals on the nationally televised “Game of the Week”. The Cardinals led throughout the game, and led 9-8 going into the bottom of the ninth with closer Bruce Sutter on the mound. Second baseman Ryne Sandberg led off the ninth with a solo home run into the left-field bleachers, tying the game at nine. The following inning, St. Louis regained the lead, and Sutter stayed in the game attempting to close out the win. After the first two batters were retired, Bob Dernier walked, bringing up Sandberg again. He promptly hit another game-tying home run into the left-field bleachers, sending the Wrigley fans into a frenzy.The Cardinals did not score in the top of the 11th, but the Cubs loaded the bases on three walks, then rookie Dave Owen singled in the winning run. McGee hit for the cycle and had 6 RBI but Ryne Sandberg had 7 RBI in the game. Henceforth, this game has become known as “The Sandberg Game”.