PCS 5.8: Not-So-Memorable Moments in Dodger History

Today's puzzle sprang fully armed from the forehead of ubragg! Enjoy!

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I have so many great Dodger memories over the years.  Here are some of my favorites that you may have forgotten....

• Protecting leads in the ninth had been no problem for this pitcher all season long until, one game short of the record, he was given the ball with a 3 run lead.  He had his only blown save of the season that night, a blemish that may have been the only thing that prevented him from winning the Cy Young Award that year.

• Trying to avoid the team’s third consecutive postseason sweep following their improbable World Series victory, this pitcher failed to get it done, giving up 4 runs to seal yet another playoff disaster.

• After learning of a no-hitter pitched earlier that day in another city by another California team, this pitcher gave up an infield single to the leadoff batter, but refused to allow another hit after that to complete an impressive 1-hitter.

• With one game to play in the regular season and needing a victory to clinch the division, this player came to bat with the bases loaded, one out, and the score tied in the ninth.  He weakly grounded into a double play to send the game into extra innings, where they would lose 5 innings later.

• Needing the elusive triple to complete the team’s first cycle in almost forty years, this player struck out in each of his final 2 Opening Day at bats in an otherwise great first appearance with the team.

• After a miraculous barrage of consecutive home runs in the ninth inning tied the game, this player came up in the tenth as the potential winning run if only he could hit the team’s 7th home run of the day.  Instead, he grounded into a double play to squelch any possibility of another rally.

• After winning the previous night’s game with a walk-off double, this player had the chance to be the hero for the second straight night when he stepped to the plate in the bottom of the twelfth inning with 2 outs, only to be called out on strikes before the team lost in the next inning.

• Needing extra innings in his final start of the season to eclipse a remarkable record set by a fellow teammate from an earlier era, this pitcher gave up just 1 run in the ninth to blow his streak and lose the game.

• On the night this player was honored with his own bobblehead promotional giveaway, he appeared as a pinch hitter in the 6th inning, but forgettably struck out with the bases loaded.

• Looking as awkward swinging the bat as he did hobbling to the plate, this player was barely able to stand when he waved at the full-count backdoor slider to end the first game of a most probable and possible 4-game World Series sweep.

• After 3 innings were in the books, an opposing hitter hit a line smash up the middle towards this pitcher, who fortunately was able to get his glove in the way to avoid a nasal fracture that might have ended his season.

• As 2 protesters burned the American flag in the outfield, this player stood idly by and watched it all transpire.

• When Edgar Renteria narrowly won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, this player missed out on being the team’s fifth consecutive Rookie of the Year and the 12th since moving to Los Angeles.

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Puzzle Rules: The solution to the puzzle is a former Dodger. Comment freely in the thread, but if you have the solution, please don't give it away to everyone in the comments section. Instead, do the following:

Send us an Email with "PCS" somewhere in the subject line, containing the first and last name of the players, along with your reasoning. Submitted answers without the reasoning, or those submitted with the incorrect reasoning, will count for participation only, even if the answer itself is correct. And please include your screen name somewhere in the email; and

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You have until midnight PT tonight to submit your answer. The answer will be posted tomorrow morning. Good luck!


Hint #1: Each of the vignettes almost, but not quite, describes a great moment in Dodger history.

Hint #2: Each vignette suggests a specific Dodger AND a way to index into that player’s last name.