Game 1 in Pittsburgh
Bill Singer (14-6, 3.28) v Catfish Hunter (20-9, 3.13)
The highest-quality pitching gets us underway as Singer and Hunter are dominant and we get home 1-0 courtesy of an 8th-inning RBI single by PH Ducky Schofield, one of just six hits the two sides can muster with Singer giving up just two of them over 8 in a sparkling performance.
Game 2 in Pittsburgh
Woodie Fryman (19-4, 2.47) v Rick Wise (21-6, 3.72)
Pirates lead series 1-0
A record 60000 pack into Three Rivers Stadium for this one and those favouring the home side go home happy as we lock down a 2-0 series advantage with a gritty 6-3 win. We overcome a bit of a wobble by Giusti, with Roberto Clemente going 3-for-4 with a jack and three RBI and Pops also going yard in a 4-run 7th that puts us ahead for good.
Game 3 in Oakland
Vida Blue (21-8, 2.40) v Dock Ellis (16-8, 3.40)
Pirates lead series 2-0
Nice to be a part of the first ever World Series game in Oakland, even if our sole intention of being here is to break their hearts. That’s not how it pans out, however, as they get on the board with a determined 4-3 win behind Vida Blue. He keeps us relatively quiet over 5 and, try as we might, we just can’t get that one run we need to catch them as their BP stays strong to close it out. So much for my high-scoring prediction - in the end, we can only manage 4 hits and we’ll need to be more productive than that if we want to prevail.
Game 4 in Oakland
Mike Kilkenny (9-4, 3.92) v Joe Coleman (15-5, 2.55)
Pirates lead series 2-1
The runs do finally come in Game 4, but sadly most of them are scored by our opponents as the A’s square things up with a decisive 11-4 win. Coleman looks all at sea and the BP’s generosity continues as Mack Jones and Boog Powell take us downtown in the rout.
Game 5 in Oakland
Catfish Hunter (1-0, 1.29) v Bill Singer (1-1, 2.30)
Series tied 2-2
Well we knew it was coming sometime and tonight is the night as Giusti blows a 2-run lead in the 9th and we take a gut-wrenching 5-4 loss that sends us home needing to win both. While not as overwhelmingly dominant as they were in the series opener, Hunter and Singer both pitch well but Boog Powell is the difference-maker. His walkoff 3-run homer is his fourth hit of the game.
Game 6 in Pittsburgh
Woodie Fryman (1-0, 0.90) v Rick Wise (0-1, 6.30)
A's lead series 3-2
We go down quietly in front of another huge crowd in a disappointing finish to an admittedly fractious season despite plenty of positives. Fryman gives it his all but the bats go quiet as they can do from time to time and we just never get it going against Wise, who is magnificent. Kudos to the A’s who have put together a heck of a squad and should be among the contenders for some seasons hence. This time, they were simply – and, clearly – the better side and it is raining titles in the Bay Area just now. Boog Powell deservedly wins the MVP.
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