The Pirates' 1979 World Series was their last to date (2013). It was quite a comeback, too.
The Baltimore Orioles took 3 of the first 4 games, and Pittsburgh was in a real hole. But that is when Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and Ken Tekulve combined to get the Pirates out of that mess.
The Pirates trailed 1-0 in game 5 at home in Three Rivers' Stadium.
O's starter Mike Flanagan had little trouble with the Pirates' bats in the first 5 innings. Pittsburgh was looking pitiful with just 4 hits and 0 runs.
Jim Rooker had also pitched well for Pittsburgh. But his time was up as a fav of mine came in. Bert Blyleven!
Almost didn't recognize him there!
Anyways, Blyleven held Baltimore in check! Eddie Murray reached on an error that inning. But that was the Orioles' only base runner in the top of the 6th.
Finally, in the bottom of the 6th, the Pirates started to plunder the O's!
A walk, a single, and finally a SH brought Stargell to the plate. He delivered a flyball to tie the game. A Bill Madlock single scored one of my favourite future Toronto Blue Jays, Dave Parker. The Pirates were on top for good!
The Pirates added two more in the bottom of the 7th, with Parker knocking in another run with a double. Three more runs in the bottom of the 8th salted away a 7-1 Pirates' win. But you tell me: Was it easy?
Had to have a few butterflies and pulsating moments! But all that, and it was still 3-2 Baltimore with 2 more in...Baltimore.
Game 6 saw the Pirates' John Candelaria and the Orioles' Jim Palmer (can't get enough or enough or enough of him, now can I?) hook up in a real gem of a pitcher's duel. Nothing but 0's through 6 innings.
The Pirates broke through in the top of the 7th as Parker cashed in a run with a single and Stargell hit another SF to put the Bucs up 2-0.
Teke (who had one of the finest relief seasons ever in '79 and ask the O's if you don't believe me) took the mound in the bottom of the frame. The O's managed to scratch out a single, but nothing more.
The Pirates had more in the top of the 8th, as they tacked on 2 more runs. Tekulve had a 1-2-3 8th and a 1-2-3 9th to seal the deal and tie the Series.
So it was down to game 7. For the third straight game, it was "nothing doin'" in the first 5 innings for Pittsburgh. The O's, however, picked up a run on a solo blast by Rich Dauer in the 3rd.
But for the third straight game, the Pirates had some late game heroics.
Baltimore's starter Scott McGregor was making it look easy. In the 6th, he easily retired Parker. But Bill Robinson stroked a single. Once again, the Bucs needed Stargell. Well, here comes that man again!
Stargell swatted a towering home run to right that landed beyond the reach of O's right fielder Ken Singleton. It was 2-1 Pirates. They were ahead for good again.
Tekulve came in, looking for his third save. In 1960, Elroy Face had set a World Series record with 3 that year. Single Series record. And about to be tied! By a fellow Pirate!
Kenny came in with 2 on and one out. A walk to Singleton with 2 outs loaded 'em up. But Tekulve got the dangerous Eddie Murray to fly out to end that threat.
And then a 1-2-3 9th by Tekulve brought the Pirates their last World Series as of this writing.
Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. Jan 2, 2014.
Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1995. Print.
The Baltimore Orioles took 3 of the first 4 games, and Pittsburgh was in a real hole. But that is when Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and Ken Tekulve combined to get the Pirates out of that mess.
The Pirates trailed 1-0 in game 5 at home in Three Rivers' Stadium.
O's starter Mike Flanagan had little trouble with the Pirates' bats in the first 5 innings. Pittsburgh was looking pitiful with just 4 hits and 0 runs.
Jim Rooker had also pitched well for Pittsburgh. But his time was up as a fav of mine came in. Bert Blyleven!
Anyways, Blyleven held Baltimore in check! Eddie Murray reached on an error that inning. But that was the Orioles' only base runner in the top of the 6th.
Finally, in the bottom of the 6th, the Pirates started to plunder the O's!
A walk, a single, and finally a SH brought Stargell to the plate. He delivered a flyball to tie the game. A Bill Madlock single scored one of my favourite future Toronto Blue Jays, Dave Parker. The Pirates were on top for good!
The Pirates added two more in the bottom of the 7th, with Parker knocking in another run with a double. Three more runs in the bottom of the 8th salted away a 7-1 Pirates' win. But you tell me: Was it easy?
Had to have a few butterflies and pulsating moments! But all that, and it was still 3-2 Baltimore with 2 more in...Baltimore.
Game 6 saw the Pirates' John Candelaria and the Orioles' Jim Palmer (can't get enough or enough or enough of him, now can I?) hook up in a real gem of a pitcher's duel. Nothing but 0's through 6 innings.
The Pirates broke through in the top of the 7th as Parker cashed in a run with a single and Stargell hit another SF to put the Bucs up 2-0.
The Pirates had more in the top of the 8th, as they tacked on 2 more runs. Tekulve had a 1-2-3 8th and a 1-2-3 9th to seal the deal and tie the Series.
But for the third straight game, the Pirates had some late game heroics.
Baltimore's starter Scott McGregor was making it look easy. In the 6th, he easily retired Parker. But Bill Robinson stroked a single. Once again, the Bucs needed Stargell. Well, here comes that man again!
Stargell swatted a towering home run to right that landed beyond the reach of O's right fielder Ken Singleton. It was 2-1 Pirates. They were ahead for good again.
Kenny came in with 2 on and one out. A walk to Singleton with 2 outs loaded 'em up. But Tekulve got the dangerous Eddie Murray to fly out to end that threat.
And then a 1-2-3 9th by Tekulve brought the Pirates their last World Series as of this writing.
References
Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. Jan 2, 2014.
Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1995. Print.
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