The 1985 National League Championship Series was played between the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers from October 9–16. It was the 17th NLCS and the first played under the new best-of-seven format. In previous years, the NLCS had been settled by a best-of-five format. This series is best known for Ozzie Smith's dramatic walk-off home run in Game 5. This is the second consecutive NLCS where a team overcame a 2–0 series deficit to win the series after the Padres did so in the best-of-five 1984 NLCS. Dodger announcer Vin Scully and former Cardinal player Joe Garagiola called the games for NBC. Both were announcers on the year-long Game of the Week. Background The Cardinals made it to the series by winning 101 games and edging the New York Mets in the National League East. The Dodgers were led by Pedro Guerrero, and their talented pitching staff with a team ERA of 2.96. They beat the Cincinnati Reds by games. This was nearly a NLCS match-up in 1982, but the Dodgers lost their National League West lead in late September and were ultimately knocked out of the postseason on the last day of the season by the San Francisco Giants, thanks to a Joe Morgan 7th inning three-run home run. The Dodgers held home field advantage, the second consecutive year the Western division champion had it. From 1969-84, the East winner had home field advantage for the NLCS in odd-numbered years and the West in even-numbered years. The West had the home field advantage again the next year as well before the East-West alternation resumed in 1987, continuing through 1993. Summary Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals Game summaries Game 1 Wednesday, October 9, 1985, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California The opening contest in Los Angeles pitted Dodgers screwballer Fernando Valenzuela against the Cardinals' 21-game winner, John Tudor. The pitchers matched zeroes through the first three innings, but in the bottom of the fourth an error by Terry Pendleton allowed Bill Madlock to reach first. After stealing second, Madlock came home on a Guerrero single to give the Dodgers a 1–0 lead. In the Dodgers' sixth, Madlock struck again when he doubled and then scored on a single by Mike Scioscia. Prior to Scioscia's single, the Cardinals had intentionally walked Guerrero, who later scored on a bunt by Candy Maldonado. A double by Steve Sax