Dodgers look to buck historical trend in St. Louis

The Dodgers - owners of the best road record in baseball - play the next two nights at Busch Stadium, looking to turn around their putrid postseason history in St. Louis.

1985 NLCS

The Dodgers won the first two games at home before heading to St. Louis for the middle three games.

Oct. 12 - Cardinals 4, Dodgers 2: Bob Welch couldn't get out of the third inning, and the Dodgers couldn't come back.

Oct. 13 - Cardinals 12, Dodgers 2: Jerry Reuss was chased in the second inning, allowing seven runs (two earned) while recording only five outs.

Oct. 14 - Cardinals 3, Dodgers 2: After a pair of short starts, the Dodgers got eight strong innings out of Fernando Valenzuela, but the game was tied at 2-2 entering the ninth. Enter closer Tom Niedenfuer, strong all season. NBC flashed this graphic:

Ozzie Smith homered. Game over.

2004 NLDS

Oct. 5 - Cardinals 8, Dodgers 3: The Dodgers started in St. Louis, but the Cardinals slammed five home runs in the opener, including three off Odalis Perez in 2⅔ innings. Current manager Mike Matheny hit one of them. Tom Wilson homered in the ninth for the Dodgers.

Oct. 6 - Cardinals 8, Dodgers 3: Two nights later, the Dodgers lost by the same score for a 2-0 series deficit, with another poor outing by the starting pitcher. Jeff Weaver allowed six runs and didn't get out of the fifth inning.

2009 NLDS

Oct. 10 - Dodgers 5, Cardinals 1: Different Busch Stadium, different result for the Dodgers, who were up 2-0 in the series looking to close out the series. Future Opening Day starter Vicente Padilla pitched seven scoreless innings to help close out the Cardinals and advance the cause of open-button shirt wearers everywhere.

2013 NLCS

Oct. 11 - Cardinals 3, Dodgers 2 (13): Zack Greinke struck out 10 in eight innings, but this game would be more remembered for Michael Young getting subbed in for Adrian Gonzalez, Mark Ellis getting thrown out at home, and Carlos Beltran hitting a game-tying double just over the head of a gimpy-kneed Andre Ethier and center field and hit the walk-off single in the 13th.

Oct. 12 - Cardinals 1, Dodgers 0: Clayton Kershaw allowed only two hits and one unearned run, but Michael Wacha was even better, striking out eight in 6⅔ scoreless innings, giving St. Louis a 2-0 series lead.

Oct. 18 - Cardinals 9, Dodgers 0: Down 3-2 in the series, the Dodgers were confident in at least sending the series to Game 7. But instead this is remembered now as the other terrible Kershaw playoff start against the Cardinals.

That's nine playoff games for the Dodgers in St. Louis, and one win. So far the pattern has been two-fold: (1) unless the Dodgers score more than three runs, they lose; and (2) unless the starting pitcher allows no runs, they lose.