Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Three-man pitching rotations will be used for starting pitchers. Injuries are in-game only during this single elimination event.
It took some time, but the Pittsburgh Pirates offense came to life.
The Pirates rallied with a big eighth inning to post a 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals to claim the championship of the 1969 Strat-o-Matic Tournament.
Trailing 1-0, the Pirates used the long ball to take control of the contest.
Royals starter Dick Drago walked Richie Hebner to begin what turned out to be the game-winning outburst.
Willie Stargell smashed a two-run homer as the Pirates took the lead with Drago being sent to the showers.
Moe Drabowsky was called to the mound by Kansas City manager Joe Gordon and he was greeted with a double by Roberto Clemente.
Drabowsky retired Al Oliver and Manny Sanguillen before making a mistake pitch to Gene Alley, who sent the Forbes Field faithful into a frenzy with a two-run homer to put the Pirates up by three.
Chuck Hartenstein (1-0) picked up the win for the Pirates after he tossed a scoreless eighth and was helped by a double play in the ninth to put the game away.
Kansas City scored in the top of the first inning against Pittsburgh starter Bob Veale.
Veale walked Mike Fiore and then surrendered a single to Lou Piniella. Joe Foy followed with another single that had Fiore crossing the plate.
After the Royals loaded the bases against Veale in the top of the seventh, he fanned Fiore for the second out.
However, Pirates manager Alex Grammas called Dock Ellis from the bullpen to face Piniella, who had two hits off Veale at that point.
Ellis fanned Piniella and the threat was over. Veale gave up four hits with four walks and six strikeouts.
In his seven innings, Drago (0-1) allowed seven hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. Drabowsky finished the eighth by fanning Freddie Patek, but the Pirates had done all of the damage that was needed to take the title.
1969 Tournament Schedule
Championship
(3) Pittsburgh Pirates 4, (4) Kansas City Royals 1
Semifinals
(3) Pittsburgh Pirates 3, (2) San Francisco Giants 1
(4) Kansas City Royals 2, (1) Baltimore Orioles 1
Bracket Finals
NL East Bracket
(3) Pittsburgh Pirates 3, (1) New York Mets 1
NL West Bracket
(2) San Francisco Giants 2, (4) Los Angeles Dodgers 1
AL East Bracket
(1) Baltimore Orioles 2, (2) Detroit Tigers 1
AL West Bracket
(4) Kansas City Royals 6, (2) Oakland A’s 2
Second Round Results
NL East Bracket
(1) New York Mets 1, (5) Philadelphia Phillies 0
(3) Pittsburgh Pirates 3, (2) Chicago Cubs 2
NL West Bracket
(4) Los Angeles Dodgers 6, (1) Atlanta Braves 2
(2) San Francisco Giants 7, (3) Cincinnati Reds 2
AL East Bracket
(1) Baltimore Orioles 4, (4) Washington Senators 1
(2) Detroit Tigers 8, (6) Cleveland Indians 3
AL West Bracket
(4) Kansas City Royals 5, (1) Minnesota Twins 3
(2) Oakland A’s 3, (3) California Angels 2
First Round Results
NL East Bracket
(1) New York Mets, bye
(5) Philadelphia Phillies 4, (4) St. Louis Cardinals 2
(3) Pittsburgh Pirates 10, (6) Montreal Expos 0
(2) Chicago Cubs, bye
NL West Bracket
(1) Atlanta Braves, bye
(4) Los Angeles Dodgers 8, (5) Houston Astros 5
(3) Cincinnati Reds 5, (6) San Diego Padres 3
(2) San Francisco Giants, bye
AL East Bracket
(1) Baltimore Orioles, bye
(4) Washington Senators 7, (5) New York Yankees 1
(6) Cleveland Indians 6, (3) Boston Red Sox 4
(2) Detroit Tigers, bye
AL West Bracket
(1) Minnesota Twins, bye
(4) Kansas City Royals 3, (5) Chicago White Sox 2
(3) California Angels 4, (6) Seattle Pilots 3 (12 innings)
(2) Oakland A’s, bye