1971 World Series Game 5 vs Pirates

Lore & Background

Many in the know expected the highly touted Orioles to repeat as world champions, but the upstart Pirates proved to be the better team after some early struggles. The home side prevailed in each of the first six contests. In Game 7 in Baltimore, Pirates ace Steve Blass pitched a four-hit complete game in a win over Mike Cuellar. This is the fourth-most recent postseason series won by the Pirates. In his final World Series appearance, the 37-year-old Clemente became the first Spanish-speaking player to earn the World Series Most Valuable Player Award. The veteran delivered 12 hits for a .414 batting average and reached base four other times, two on walks and two on errors. He hit safely in all seven games of the Series, duplicating a feat that he had performed in. Twenty-one-year-old rookie Bruce Kison pitched scoreless innings and allowed just one hit in two appearances for the Pirates. The right-handed side-winder set a record of three hit batters in a World Series game, which also tied the 1907 record. This was the first of three consecutive World Series, all seven games, in which the winning team scored fewer runs overall. The trend continued for the next seven-game series in 1975. These two teams met again in the Fall Classic eight years later with the same result, as the Pirates won the final three games to win in seven, the final one on the road.

In Their Own Story

The humid air of a late October Pittsburgh night hung heavy over Three Rivers Stadium as Dave McNally stepped onto the mound. The roar of the crowd was a mix of hope and dread; one mistake could end the season, while one perfect pitch could send the Birds home with a chance at glory. As he wound up for the first batter, the weight of the franchise rested on his shoulders. Every strike thrown felt like a hammer blow to the Pirates' confidence, silencing sections of the hostile crowd until only the crack of the bat and the thud of leather remained.

Reader's Guide

The Pirates won the National League East by a rather comfortable seven-game margin over the St. Louis Cardinals then defeated the San Francisco Giants, three games to one, in the National League Championship Series. The Pirates were in the World Series for the first time since the heroics of Bill Mazeroski (his only appearance in the series came as a pinch-hitter in Game 1) in Game 7 of the 1960 match-up against the New York Yankees. Though not as decorated as their opponents, the Bucs boasted a deep staff in their own right. The group featured 19-game winner Dock Ellis, 15-game winner Steve Blass and closer Dave Giusti (30 saves). What the Pirates did best was hit the baseball with authority, though, as no team scored more runs in either league. The best offense in the big leagues featured mashers Willie Stargell (.295, 48, 125), Bob Robertson (.271, 26, 72) and Richie Hebner (.271, 17, 67) and slashers Clemente (.341, 13, 86), Al Oliver (.282, 14, 64) and Manny Sanguillen (.319, 7, 81) among others. Meanwhile, the Orioles dominated the American League East by 12 games over the Detroit Tigers then swept the Oakland Athletics in the American League Championship Series. The Orioles were coming off their third straight AL playoff series sweep (twice over the Minnesota Twins and once over Oakland) and their third straight season with over 100 wins: 109 (1969), 108 (1970), 101 (1971). Featuring four pitchers with 20 or more wins (Dave McNally (21), Mike Cuellar (20), Pat Dobson (20), Jim Palmer (20)), the bats of sluggers Frank Robinson (.281 batting average, 28 home runs, 99 RBI) and Boog Powell (.256, 22, 92) and sure hands of Brooks Robinson at third base and Mark Belanger at shortstop, the O's were primed to defend their title.

Did You Know?

• The 1971 World Series featured the first night game in its history, in Game 4 at Three Rivers Stadium.
• Roberto Clemente became the first Spanish-speaking player to earn the World Series Most Valuable Player Award.
• Bruce Kison set a record of three hit batters in a World Series game, which also tied the 1907 record.
• The Pirates overcame a two-games-to-none series deficit to defeat the Orioles in seven games.