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.
Three runs in the sixth inning gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the 1969 Strat-o-Matic Tournament.
With the win, the Pirates visit the New York Mets for the finale of the National League East Bracket.
Pittsburgh was down 2-0 as Chicago starter Fergie Jenkins walked Richie Hebner and Willie Stargell to begin the sixth.
Roberto Clemente doubled to drive in Hebner to close the gap to a run. Manny Sanguillen smacked a two-run single and the Pirates grabbed the lead for good.
Bob Veale (1-0) picked up the win on the mound for the Pirates with some help from Chuck Hartenstein.
Veale retired Don Kessinger in the ninth, while also walking pinch-hitter Paul Popovich and Glenn Beckert.
Pirates manager Alex Grammas elected to leave Veale in the game to face fellow lefty Billy Williams, who he struck out.
At that point, Hartenstein was called from the bullpen and he fanned Ron Santo to end the affair. Veale gave up eight hits in the contest with four walks and six strikeouts.
Jenkins (0-1) went the distance for the Cubs allowing five hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
1969 Tournament Schedule
Second Round Results and Pairings
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 at (1) Atlanta Braves
(3) Cincinnati Reds at (2) San Francisco Giants
AL East Bracket
(4) Washington Senators at (1) Baltimore Orioles
(6) Cleveland Indians at (2) Detroit Tigers
AL West Bracket
(4) Kansas City Royals at (1) Minnesota Twins
(3) California Angels at (2) Oakland A’s
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