Bucs sweep ‘Spos

Aug 7 – Bryn Smith vs. Vern Law

Quite a pitchers’ battle!  Bucs take a 1-0 lead in the 2nd on Willie Stargell’s solo HR.  That’s all old Pear Body would give up.  Gary Carter would tie the game in the 4th with a solo blast of his own, 1-1.  And...that’s all Law would allow.  In the 8th, Tim Burke gives up an innocent walk.  With two outs, Barry Bonds draws a walk as a pinch hitter.  Up next is Jay Bell, and he delivers a single to left center, deep enough to score Johnny Ray from 2nd, and the Pirates take a 2-1 lead.  Top of the 9th, Roy Face on to try to nail it down.  Andre Dawson leads off with a single.  Carter flies out.  With one down the Expos try the running game, but Manny Sanguillen’s throw beats Dawson for the 2nd out.  Tim Wallach lines out, and the Pirates take the opener, 2-1.

Mon  1  7  1

Pit     2  8  0

W – Law (1-0), L – Burke (0-1), S – Face (1).  HR – Carter (1); Stargell (2)

Aug 8 – Scott Sanderson vs. Dock Ellis

Dock Ellis escaped trouble inning after inning and the Pirates used  three home runs to beat Montreal 5-1.  Ellis, who worked 6.2 innings allowing just 1 run, had men on base in every inning but the 2nd.  It was a frustrating day for the Expos, who had a man thrown out at the plate in the 5th and hit into a DP to prevent a 7th inning rally.  For the Pirates, they trailed 1-0 in the 4th when Tony Pena homered to give them a 2-1 lead.  Bobby Bonilla led off the 5th with a solo HR, and later that inning Tony Pena singled in the 4th run.  Andy Van Slyke capped the scoring with a solo HR in the 6th. 

Mon   1  7  0

Pit      5 12  2

W – Ellis (1-0), L – Sanderson (0-1).  HR – Pena (1), Bonilla (3), Van Slyke (1)

Aug 9 – Steve Rogers vs. Doug Drabek

This one slowly slipped away before a 4-run 7th sealed a 9-0 Pittsburgh win.  The Pirates sweep  of Montreal is a rarity, perhaps the first time in KOD that this has happened (check?).  Again Montreal could not get a key hit when needed, having 6 men on base in the first 3 innings, but scoring no runs.  The Pirates got a run in the 2nd on Dick Groat’s RBI double, then two more in the 3rd on Andy Van Slyke’s lead off triple, Bonilla’s double, and later Johnny Ray’s sac fly.  Ralph Kiner’s single in the 4th made it 4-0, which is how it stayed until the 7th.  Matty Alou’s PH single made it 5-0, then Van Slyke’s 3-run HR sealed the game.  Another meaningless run made it 9-0. 

Mon   0  6  1

Pit      9 16 1

W – Drabek (1-1), L – Rogers (0-1).  HR – Van Slyke (2)

--submitted by Jesse Elicker--