Game 1 in Pittsburgh
Jerry Reuss (14-16, 3.61) v Rick Langford (14-12, 3.91)
Home field advantage. Top of the rotation lined up. 74000 rabid Buccos fans cheering you on. Check, check, check. See what happens with increased expectations. Oh well, as my pugilist friends would say,
Let’s get ready to rumble. Hot diggedy dog!
Jerry Reuss gives us a strong outing and the bats do the rest as we get off to the perfect start with a near-flawless display in a 7-1 win. Jerry even puts one into the seats, as do Oliver and Sangy in a 14-hit barrage.
Game 2 in Pittsburgh
John Candelaria (21-5, 2.35) v Burt Hooton (13-11, 3.65)
Pirates lead series 1-0
Candy Man up for us trying to send us over to ChiTown two to the good.
He does his job to a tee. Sadly the same can’t be said for Terry Forster, who has had a poor year and blows a 3-1 lead here in the 8th before they get another one off Gossage in the 10th and close it out to tie things up.
Game 3 in Chicago
Ed Halicki (13-13, 3.30) v Jim Bibby (5-16, 3.33)
Series tied 1-1
DHs deployed for the next three as we are in the AL park. Lee Lacy into that role for us against righty Ed Halicki.
The extra bat doesn’t help us as Halicki shuts us out on 5 hits. Bibby is good, but you can’t protect zero runs.
Game 4 in Chicago
Jim Slaton (10-7, 4.09) v Steve Barber (7-9, 4.38)
White Sox lead series 2-1
“Mr Fountain of Youth” himself, Phil Niekro, killing it in his age-37 season and just living his best life in general. We’d not want to lose here or trouble abounds.
And he gets us in this one, as the bats go totally AWOL with just 7 hits and a solitary late run when it’s far too little, too late. Oscar Gample goes downtown twice for the victors.
Game 5 in Chicago
Rick Langford (0-1, 10.80) v Jerry Reuss (1-1, 1.10)
White Sox lead series 3-1
Last roll of the dice for our boys, but we know if we can just send this thing back to Three Rivers we’re not without hope of the miracle.
Unfortunately it’s pretty much over before it starts as they get to Reuss early and we’ve got no ammo to fire back with. If our unbelievable charge this season had to end then I’m happy it was to the White Sox, who have worked so hard these past two years to give their long-suffering fans some joy and they have finally done so by bringing home their first title since 1908.
Appropriately in a series in which their pitching is so dominant, Ed Halicki is named MVP.
S+ HOME
REPORTS HOME
PIRATES HOME