Each baseball fan has a favourite staff, a favourite participant, a favourite journey to the ballpark. However above all else, there’s a favourite second.
Perhaps it was a historic win or a franchise icon being nice. The Pirates are probably the most storied franchises within the sport, and so they have greater than their justifiable share of unimaginable moments. At this time, we’re going to have a look at the highest 10 moments in franchise historical past.
10. Mark Smith’s walk-off house run clinches no-hitter, July 12, 1997
The “Freak Present” Pirates are among the best underdog tales in franchise historical past, and this was their crowning achievement. After 10 hitless innings between Bucs pitchers Francisco Córdova and Ricardo Rincón, pinch-hitter Mark Smith launched a three-run house off John Hudek to clinch the mixed no-hitter. Whereas the Freak Present fell simply in need of the playoffs, this was one of many final nice video games at Three Rivers Stadium, in addition to the latest Pirates no-hitter.
9. The relay to return to the postseason, Sept. 23, 2013
The Pirates had an opportunity to clinch their first postseason berth in 21 years that chilly September night in Wrigley Subject. They simply needed to pull off an ideal relay. Marlon Byrd flubbed a base hit with two outs within the ninth, however Andrew McCutchen hit Justin Morneau with a top quality throw, and the primary baseman received the relay to Russell Martin in time to chop down Nate Schierholtz on the plate. The Pirates would formally clinch their spot within the postseason later that night time.
8. “CUE-TO”, Oct. 1, 2013
Quick ahead eight days for the following second. Over twenty years faraway from their final house postseason recreation, PNC Park was on the lookout for a purpose to erupt. They received one within the second inning, when Reds starter Johnny Cueto dropped the ball on the mound whereas the gang was crooning “CUE-TO.” Martin then homered on the following pitch to increase the Pirates’ lead and provides them the momentum to advance.
7. Hal Smith’s forgotten house run, Oct. 13, 1960
Spoiler alert: Invoice Mazeroski’s house run is on the checklist. Going by win chance, Mazeroski’s walk-off wasn’t the most important swing of the sport.
That honor would go to Smith, who drove a three-run shot within the eighth to place the Pirates forward, 9-7. The Pirates surrendered the lead within the ninth earlier than Mazeroski performed the hero, so Smith’s shot shouldn’t be as extensively remembered. However with out that house run, the Pirates wouldn’t have gained their third World Collection.
6. Kiki Cuyler’s double brings a championship to Pittsburgh, Oct. 15, 1925
The Pirates went into the underside of eighth in Recreation 7 of the 1925 World Collection down, 7-6, staring down one of many recreation’s biggest pitchers ever, Walter Johnson. A late rally received one run throughout, and with two outs, Cuyler launched a ground-rule double to proper discipline to offer the Pirates a 9-7 lead. That might maintain, and the Pirates gained the second of their 5 World Collection.
5. Roberto Clemente places the Pirates forward in Recreation 7, Oct. 17, 1971
The Orioles had probably the most vaunted rotations of all-time, that includes 4 20-game winners, however Clemente nonetheless recorded at the very least one hit in each recreation of the sequence. None was extra necessary than his fourth-inning blast off Mike Cuellar to open the scoring. Clemente batted .414 within the sequence and his 12 hits had been tops amongst each groups, incomes him World Collection MVP honors.
4. Steve Blass closes out the 1971 World Collection, Oct. 17, 1971
On this reporter’s opinion, there are two actual contenders for the best picture in franchise historical past. Blass leaping within the air with Manny Sanguillén prepared to offer him a bear hug is one.
The 1971 staff is probably the best gathering of franchise icons. Clemente, Willie Stargell, Blass, Mazeroski, Al Oliver, Sanguillén, the checklist goes on. This was their crowning achievement as a bunch, and it’s expressed in pure jubilation.
3. The Nice One reaches 3,000, Sept. 30, 1972
Right here’s the opposite contender for the best picture in franchise historical past, captured superbly within the thumbnail for the video under. Clemente’s 3,000th hit was a clear double into the left-center hole, and he received to face on the heart of Three Rivers Stadium to obtain his ovation.
Clemente is the uncommon Corridor of Fame athlete whose legacy transcends the game. A champion, humanitarian and one of many biggest males in Pittsburgh’s historical past, this was Clemente’s second.
2. Pops places the Bucs up in Recreation 7, Oct. 17, 1979
The 1979 staff was a Fam-A-Lee, and once they wanted a second, they may at all times flip to Pops. Trailing within the sixth inning, Stargell launched a two-run homer to right-center to offer the Pirates the lead for good in Recreation 7 towards the Orioles. The Nationwide League’s co-MVP additionally gained the NLCS and World Collection MVP in 1979, being the heartbeat of the staff’s most up-to-date championship membership.
1. Maz hits the final word house run, Oct. 13, 1960
It at all times needed to be Maz. Tied within the backside of the ninth in Recreation 7 of the World Collection, Mazeroski hit the house run each Little League participant desires of hitting. That is nonetheless the one walk-off house run in Recreation 7 in World Collection historical past, and it’s exhausting to argue there has ever been a much bigger homer than this one. It’s the biggest second in franchise historical past.
