The 1991

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 ...

was played between the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...

(94–68) and the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

(98–64), with the Braves coming out on top in the Series 4–3. It was considered one of the best-pitched seven-game series of the modern era, featuring three 1–0 finishes and four shutouts, as well as four one-run games. The Braves went on to lose in the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Worl ...

to the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

in seven games. The Pirates had the best record in the National League in 1991, and were the first NL East team to win consecutive division championships since the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

, their in-state rivals, during their run of three straight NL East championships, from 1976–1978 (in fact, the Pirates won the 1991 NL East title in a game against their rivals). and were expected to win this Series and advance to the World Series. However, the Braves, who went from last place in the

National League West The National League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed for the 1969 season when the National League expanded to 12 teams by adding the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos. For purpose of keeping a re ...

in 1990 to first place in the division in 1991, were able to pull off the upset in their memorable run to the World Series versus the Minnesota Twins.

Summary

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Atlanta Braves

Game summaries

Game 1

Wednesday, October 9, 1991 (8:41pm EDT) at

Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Buil ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

The Pirates proved they would be tough to eliminate early when they stifled the Braves offense behind 1990

Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...

winner Doug Drabek and won the first game 5–1. Pittsburgh

center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the ...

Andy Van Slyke Andrew James Van Slyke (born December 21, 1960) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. Career Van Slyke earned All-American honors in baseball as a senior at New Hartford Central High school in New Hartford, New York. ...

's first-inning

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

off of 1991 Cy Young Award winner

Tom Glavine Thomas Michael Glavine (born March 25, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, for the Atlanta Braves (1987–2002, 2008) and New York Mets (2003–2007). With 164 victories durin ...

put them up 1–0. In the third,

Jay Bell Jay Stuart Bell (born December 11, 1965) is an American former Major League Baseball shortstop and former manager of the Rocket City Trash Pandas of the Southern League. He played for the Cleveland Indians (1986–88), Pittsburgh Pirates (1989� ...

hit a leadoff single, then Van Slyke's

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * ...

and

Bobby Bonilla Roberto Martin Antonio Bonilla (, born February 23, 1963) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001. Bonilla was one of the Major League's best batte ...

's single scored a run each.

Steve Buechele Steven Bernard Buechele (born September 26, 1961) is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman, coach, and current front office executive for the Texas Rangers. Buechele played from to for the Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, ...

doubled to lead off the sixth and scored on Doug Drabek's two-out double. The Pirates scored their last run in the eighth on Jose Lind's bases-loaded sacrifice fly off of Mike Stanton.

David Justice David Christopher Justice (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves (1989–1996), Cleveland Indians (1997–2000), New York Yanke ...

hit a home run in the ninth inning off reliever

Bob Walk Robert Vernon Walk (born November 26, 1956), nicknamed "The Whirly Bird", is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (), Atlanta Braves (–), and Pittsburgh Pirate ...

for the Braves' only run. An injury to Pirates starter Doug Drabek was to have major ramifications for the Series. Drabek slid into third and injured himself in the sixth inning, leaving the game with what appeared to be a pulled hamstring. The injury cost Drabek an early start in either Game 4 or 5, and it ensured he would not be available for a third start in Game 7 if the Series went that far, as it ultimately did.

Game 2

Thursday, October 10, 1991 (8:39pm EDT) at

In Game 2, both teams were kept in check by the outstanding pitching performances of Zane Smith for Pittsburgh and Steve Avery for Atlanta. However, Avery and the Braves would come out on top 1–0, after

singled to lead off and

Mark Lemke Mark Alan Lemke (born August 13, 1965) is a former Major League Baseball player and current broadcaster. Nicknamed "the Lemmer", he was a popular second baseman for the Atlanta Braves from to . He won the 1995 World Series with the Braves over ...

picked up a double and the only RBI of the game in the sixth inning.

scored from second when Lemke's seemingly routine grounder got past Pirate third baseman

, allowing Justice to score.

Alejandro Peña Alejandro Peña Vásquez (born June 25, 1959) is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 1" , 200 lb. , he batted and threw right-handed. Peña made his Major League debut on August 13, 1981 (in time to be included on t ...

got the save and the combined shutout was complete. The series was now tied 1–1. The win snapped a 10-game postseason losing streak for the Braves franchise that began with Game 5 of the

1958 World Series The 1958 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1958 season. The 55th edition of the World Series, it matched the American League champion New York Yankees and the National League champion Milwaukee Braves. ...

, when the team was still in

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

Game 3

Saturday, October 12, 1991 (3:00pm EDT) at

Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, often referred to as Fulton County Stadium and originally named Atlanta Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in the southeastern United States, located in Atlanta. The stadium was home of the Atlanta Braves of th ...

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...

With the Series tied at one game apiece,

John Smoltz John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967), nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time A ...

faced off against the Pirates' 20-game winner, John Smiley.

Orlando Merced Orlando Luis Merced Villanueva (born November 2, 1966) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He played all or parts of 13 seasons in the majors for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1990–1996), Toronto Blue Jays (1997), Minnesota ...

hit Smoltz's first pitch over the right field wall for a home run, but in the bottom of the first, two-out doubles by Ron Gant,

and Brian Hunter put the Braves up 2–1 before Greg Olson's two-run homer to left made it 4–1. In the second,

Lonnie Smith Lonnie Smith may refer to: * Lonnie Smith (baseball) (born 1955), American baseball player * Lonnie Smith (boxer) (born 1962), American boxer * Lonnie Smith (organist) (1942–2021), American organist * Lonnie Liston Smith Lonnie Liston Smi ...

was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored on

Terry Pendleton Terry Lee Pendleton (born July 16, 1960) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, but he also spent time with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas ...

's double. Smiley was gone after that inning. In the third,

Rafael Belliard Rafael Leonidas Belliard Matias (born October 24, 1961) is a retired professional baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1982 to 1998 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves. He was a member of Atlanta's 1995 W ...

's RBI single with two on off of

Bill Landrum Thomas William Landrum (born August 17, 1957) is a former right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played eight seasons with four teams, the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Montreal Expos from to . Lan ...

made it 6–1 Braves. Jose Lind's RBI single in the fourth with two on made it 6–2 Braves, then

's home run in the seventh made it 6–3 and knock Smoltz out of the game, but the Braves got that run back in the bottom of the inning on Gant's home run off of

Bob Kipper Robert Wayne Kipper (born July 8, 1964) is an American professional baseball coach and a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. He has also spent two terms (all of the 2002 season, and part of the 2015 season) as bullpen coach of MLB's Bo ...

. In the top of the eighth,

struck out

with the bases loaded to end the Pirates' last threat. In the bottom of the inning, Rosario Rodriguez walked two to lead off and after a sacrifice bunt, former Pirate

Sid Bream Sidney Eugene Bream (born August 3, 1960) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. From 1983 through 1994, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1983–85), Pittsburgh Pirates (1985–90), Atlanta ...

's three-run home run increased the Braves' lead to 10–3. Pena retired the Pirates in order in the ninth to give the Braves a 2–1 series lead.

Game 4

Sunday, October 13, 1991 (8:38pm EDT) at

The lone extra-inning game of the Series came in Atlanta before 51,109 fans. The Braves struck first when

doubled to lead off the first off of Randy Tomlin, moved to third on a line out, and scored on Ron Gant's groundout, then three straight singles by

, Brian Hunter and Greg Olson made it 2–0 Braves. However, they would not score for the rest of the game.

Don Slaught Donald Martin Slaught (born September 11, 1958), nicknamed "Sluggo", is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1982 through 1997 for the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, ...

's RBI single with two on in the second off of

Charlie Leibrandt Charles Louis Leibrandt, Jr. (; born October 4, 1956) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1979 to 1993 for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, and Texas Rangers. Leibrandt was a productive pitcher throu ...

cut the lead to 2–1, then

Gary Redus Gary Eugene Redus (born November 1, 1956) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Texas Range ...

singled with two outs in the fifth and scored on a

single along with a Braves error to tie the game. The Pirates tied the series with a run in the top of the tenth when

Mike LaValliere Michael Eugene LaValliere (born August 18, 1960) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago White Sox. Amateu ...

, off of

Mark Wohlers Mark Edward Wohlers (born January 23, 1970) is a former professional baseball pitcher. A right-hander, he played all or parts of 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, exclusively as a relief pitcher. He is best known for his years with the Atlanta ...

, singled in

, who had stolen second after being walked by

Kent Mercker Kent Franklin Mercker (born February 1, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played for nine teams over his 17-year career. Career Mercker was born in Brownsburg, Indiana and lived in several different citi ...

. Stan Belinda retired the Braves in order in the bottom of the inning.

Game 5

Monday, October 14, 1991 (3:08pm EDT) at

Zane Smith had his second excellent game of the Series, but this time he won, beating

and the Braves 1–0 in almost a mirror image of Smith's start in Game 2. However, in Game 2, Smith had given up the one run and lost. Controversy surrounded this game when

appeared to score on a single to left, but he seemed to miss third base and was called out on an appeal. Replays were inconclusive, but Justice did stumble over third base, and the umpires called him out, preserving Smith's shutout. The lone run in this game came when José Lind hit a simple RBI single in the fifth.

Game 6

Wednesday, October 16, 1991 (8:39pm EDT) at

Pittsburgh hosted one of the best pitcher's duels of all-time on October 16, 1991, between Steve Avery and Doug Drabek. In the end, identical to Avery's last start, a combination of Avery and

shut out the Pirates for all nine innings. The Pirates only got four hits. However, this time the Braves didn't score a run all the way through eight innings. Drabek matched Avery, pitch for pitch. But in the ninth inning, with the score tied 0–0, Greg Olson raked a double down the left field line that scored Ron Gant, who walked and stole second, and took the lead off a weary Drabek. He had pitched a

complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...

, but was the loser after the Pirates could not get

Gary Varsho Gary Andrew Varsho (born June 20, 1961) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, manager, and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Philadelphia Phillies. B ...

home from third in the bottom of the ninth. The Braves had not scored a run since the first inning of Game 4, a futility streak that reached innings before Gant scored the winning run.

Game 7

Thursday, October 17, 1991 (8:39pm EDT) at

The Braves scored three runs in the first inning on Ron Gant's sacrifice fly with runners on first and third, followed by a Brian Hunter two-run home run, and never looked back. Twenty-game winner John Smiley made the start, fared poorly, was yanked after two-thirds of an inning and lost to

, who shut out the Pirates. Although Bob Walk was masterful in middle relief, it was too little, too late, even though he pulled his groin trying to help his cause attempting to stretch a single into a double in the bottom of the seventh. Hunter's RBI double in the fifth with two on capped the scoring as the Braves won 4–0 and nabbed the pennant. After Atlanta had gone innings without scoring, the Pirates themselves went the final innings without scoring. That streak would reach 30 innings before José Lind snapped it with a home run in the eighth inning of Game 1 in the 1992 NLCS. Avery won the Series MVP award. Pitching 16 innings, the Braves starter did not allow a run, giving up nine hits and walking four while striking out 17. Avery said, ''"It's been the best time of my life."'' The Braves scored 14 runs in the games Smiley pitched (Games 3 and 7), including nine off Smiley, but only five runs in the other five games combined. Smiley had been the Pirates' biggest winner in 1991, notching 20 victories for the only time in his career. The Atlanta Braves'

appearance was their first since

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...

, and their first since moving to Atlanta in 1966. The Braves lost a memorable and dramatic seven-game series to the

Composite box

1991 NLCS (4–3):

over

References

External links

1991 NLCS at Baseball Reference
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