1971 National League Championship Series
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The 1971 National League Championship Series was a best-of-five series that pitted the East Division champion Pittsburgh Pirates against the West Division champion
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...
. The Pirates won the Series three games to one and won the
1971 World Series The 1971 World Series was the championship round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1971 season and featured the first night game in its history. The 68th edition of the Fall Classic was a best-of-seven playoff between the defending World Series ...
against the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
. The Giants did not return to the postseason until
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. This was the third
National League Championship Series The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two Nation ...
in all. It was the first
League Championship Series The League Championship Series (LCS) is the semifinal round of postseason play in Major League Baseball which has been conducted since 1969. In 1981, and since 1995, the two annual series have matched up the winners of the Division Series, an ...
in either league that was not a sweep for the winning team (Baltimore swept Oakland in the
1971 ALCS The 1971 American League Championship Series was a matchup between the East Division Champion Baltimore Orioles and the West Division Champion Oakland Athletics. The Orioles swept the A's in three games, despite the fact that each team had won 10 ...
).


Summary


Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Francisco Giants


Game summaries


Game 1

With aces
Gaylord Perry Gaylord Jackson Perry (September 15, 1938 – December 1, 2022) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher for eight different teams from 1962 to 1983. During a 22-year baseb ...
and
Steve Blass Stephen Robert Blass (born April 18, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports color commentator. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in a ...
taking the mound for their respective teams, Game 1 looked to be a pitchers' duel. But the offenses were effective. The Pirates struck for two in the top of the third when Dave Cash doubled home
Jackie Hernández Jacinto Hernández Zulueta (September 11, 1940 – October 12, 2019)Dipaola, Jerry.Ex-Pirates SS Jackie Hernandez, member of 1971 World Series champs, dies, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 16, 2019. was a Cuban professional baseball play ...
. Cash scored the second run when
Richie Hebner Richard Joseph Hebner (born November 26, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from through , most prominently as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams tha ...
grounded to
Tito Fuentes Rigoberto Fuentes Peat (born January 4, 1944) is a retired professional baseball player. He played for 13 seasons in the major leagues between 1965 and 1978, primarily as a second baseman. Fuentes played for most of his career with the San Fra ...
at second, but
Willie McCovey Willie Lee McCovey (January 10, 1938 – October 31, 2018), nicknamed "Stretch", "Mac" and "Willie Mac", was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1959 to 1980, most notably as a mem ...
dropped Fuentes' throw when he attempted to field the ball after having to scramble back to first because Perry didn't cover the bag. The Giants halved the lead in their half of the third when
Chris Speier Christopher Edward Speier (born June 28, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop, most notably for the San Francisco Giants and the Montreal Expos. He is known by the nickname " ...
singled, went to second on a Perry sacrifice bunt, and scored on a
Ken Henderson Kenneth Joseph Henderson (born June 15, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, ...
single. Fuentes and McCovey would redeem themselves in the fifth by each slamming two-run homers off Blass for a 5–2 lead.
Al Oliver Albert Oliver Jr. (born October 14, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder and first baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won f ...
cut the deficit to 5–4 for the Pirates with two-run single in the seventh, but that was it as Perry went the distance for a complete game win.


Game 2

In front of an NBC-TV audience, Pirate first baseman
Bob Robertson Robert Eugene Robertson (born October 2, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman between and , most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won five Natio ...
grew into a star in Game 2. Robertson smashed three homers, becoming the first to do so in a playoff game. The Giants struck first in the bottom of the first when
Tito Fuentes Rigoberto Fuentes Peat (born January 4, 1944) is a retired professional baseball player. He played for 13 seasons in the major leagues between 1965 and 1978, primarily as a second baseman. Fuentes played for most of his career with the San Fra ...
singled off
Dock Ellis Dock Phillip Ellis Jr. (March 11, 1945 – December 19, 2008) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through , most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams ...
and scored on a double by
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
. After the Pirates tied the game in the second off John Cumberland when Robertson hit a leadoff double and scored on
Manny Sanguillén Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan, better known as Manny Sanguillén or "Sangy" (born March 21, 1944), is a Panamanian former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher in and from through , most notably as a ...
's single, the Giants retook the lead in the bottom half when
Chris Speier Christopher Edward Speier (born June 28, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop, most notably for the San Francisco Giants and the Montreal Expos. He is known by the nickname " ...
hit a leadoff double and scored on
Ken Henderson Kenneth Joseph Henderson (born June 15, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, ...
's single. Robertson's first home run of the game tied the score again in the fourth. Sanguillén's single then knocked Cumberland out of the game. After a stolen base,
Jackie Hernández Jacinto Hernández Zulueta (September 11, 1940 – October 12, 2019)Dipaola, Jerry.Ex-Pirates SS Jackie Hernandez, member of 1971 World Series champs, dies, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 16, 2019. was a Cuban professional baseball play ...
's RBI single off
Jim Barr James Leland Barr (born February 10, 1948) is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for the San Francisco Giants (1971–1978, 1982–1983) and California Angels (1979–1980). ...
put the Pirates up 3–2. Gene Clines's home run next inning extended their lead to 4–2. A pivotal play occurred just prior to the Pirates' 4-run seventh, when Mays, batting in the bottom of the sixth with two out and his team trailing, 4–2, saw his bid for a bases-clearing double grabbed by right fielder
Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After his early death, he was pos ...
.Christine, Bill
"Robby Snaps Out Of It Just In Time"
''The Pittsburgh Press''. October 4, 1971. Retrieved September 13, 2015. "A walk to Ken Henderson loaded the bases, but Miller fanned Tito Fuentes and Clemente caught up with Willie Mays' screamer into right center. Clemente had moved about five yards closer to center before Mays came to the plate. 'It's a good thing he did,' Danny Murtaugh said, "because if he had to go five yards more, he wouldn't have made the play. The great ones have that instinct about where to play.'" After a leadoff double and single, Clemente's RBI single off
Don Carrithers Donald George Carrithers (born September 15, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from to for the San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos and the Minnesota Twins. ...
made it 5–2 Pirates. One out later, Robertsons' three-run home run off Ron Bryant extended their lead to 8–2. Robertson's third home run in the ninth off of Steve Hamilton made it 9–2. A two-run home run from Mays off Bob Miller in the bottom half made it 9–4, but
Dave Giusti David John Giusti, Jr. (born November 27, 1939) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1962 to 1977, most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won f ...
in relief retired all three batters he faced as the Pirates tied the series heading to Pittsburgh.


Game 3

The Pirates' Bob Johnson and the Giants'
Juan Marichal Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez (born October 20, 1937), nicknamed "the Dominican Dandy", is a Dominican former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for three teams from 1960 to 1975, almost entirely the San Francisco Giant ...
locked into a tight pitcher's duel for eight innings.
Bob Robertson Robert Eugene Robertson (born October 2, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman between and , most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won five Natio ...
hit a homer in the second, his then-record fourth of the series. The Giants tied it in the sixth when
Ken Henderson Kenneth Joseph Henderson (born June 15, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, ...
singled and scored when third baseman
Richie Hebner Richard Joseph Hebner (born November 26, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from through , most prominently as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams tha ...
threw wildly past Robertson at first after fielding a bunt by
Tito Fuentes Rigoberto Fuentes Peat (born January 4, 1944) is a retired professional baseball player. He played for 13 seasons in the major leagues between 1965 and 1978, primarily as a second baseman. Fuentes played for most of his career with the San Fra ...
. Hebner would atone for the error, however, by slamming a game-winning homer in the eighth off Marichal.
Dave Giusti David John Giusti, Jr. (born November 27, 1939) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1962 to 1977, most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won f ...
came on in the ninth and saved it for Johnson and the Pirates.


Game 4

Another anticipated pitching duel between Giants'
Gaylord Perry Gaylord Jackson Perry (September 15, 1938 – December 1, 2022) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher for eight different teams from 1962 to 1983. During a 22-year baseb ...
and Pirates'
Steve Blass Stephen Robert Blass (born April 18, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports color commentator. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in a ...
quickly went by the wayside. Blass lasted only two innings, giving up five runs.
Willie McCovey Willie Lee McCovey (January 10, 1938 – October 31, 2018), nicknamed "Stretch", "Mac" and "Willie Mac", was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1959 to 1980, most notably as a mem ...
's RBI single with two on in the first gave the Giants a 1–0 lead, but they left the bases loaded. In the bottom half, after a leadoff single and double,
Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After his early death, he was pos ...
's two-run single put the Pirates up 2–1, but in the second,
Chris Speier Christopher Edward Speier (born June 28, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop, most notably for the San Francisco Giants and the Montreal Expos. He is known by the nickname " ...
's leadoff home run tied the game. After two singles and two outs,
Willie McCovey Willie Lee McCovey (January 10, 1938 – October 31, 2018), nicknamed "Stretch", "Mac" and "Willie Mac", was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1959 to 1980, most notably as a mem ...
's three-run home run put the Giants up 5–2, but the Pirates, however, got Blass off the hook in the bottom of the inning.
Richie Hebner Richard Joseph Hebner (born November 26, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from through , most prominently as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams tha ...
tied the game with a three-run home run. The score stayed at 5–5 until the sixth when Dave Cash singled, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a
Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After his early death, he was pos ...
RBI single. Jerry Johnson relieved Perry and after intentionally walking
Willie Stargell Wilver Dornell Stargell (March 6, 1940 – April 9, 2001), nicknamed "Pops" later in his career, was an American professional baseball left fielder and first baseman who spent all of his 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) (1962–1982) ...
,
Al Oliver Albert Oliver Jr. (born October 14, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder and first baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won f ...
's three-run home run made it 9–5 Pirates. Meanwhile,
Bruce Kison Bruce Eugene Kison (February 18, 1950 – June 2, 2018) was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1971–79), California Angels (1980–84) and Boston Red Sox (1985). Ki ...
and
Dave Giusti David John Giusti, Jr. (born November 27, 1939) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1962 to 1977, most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won f ...
pitched the last seven innings of shutout baseball to close out the series and win the pennant for the first time in 11 years.


Composite box

1971 NLCS (3–1): Pittsburgh Pirates over
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...


References


External links


1971 NLCS at Baseball-Reference.com
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