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.
A big ninth inning capped a rally as the Los Angeles Dodgers won the championship game of the 1972 Tournament with a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Having tied the game at 4-4 in the eighth, the Dodgers stunned the Pirates by scoring three times in the ninth to claim the title.
Bruce Kison was on the mound as Steve Yeager led off with a single and pinch-hitter Manny Mota followed with a walk.
Pirates manager Bill Virdon called Ramon Hernandez from the bullpen. Lee Lacy hit into a fielder’s choice for the first out, but Bill Buckner had a RBI single to give the Dodgers the lead.
After Willie Davis singled, Virdon was back on the mound to bring in Dave Giusti to face Frank Robinson.
Robinson walked with the bases loaded and Wes Parker added a sacrifice fly and the Three Rivers Stadium crowd was silent as the Pirates trailed by three runs.
In the bottom of the ninth, Hoyt Wilhelm gave up a leadoff single to Manny Sanguillen before retiring the side to earn a save and set off the championship celebration.
Doug Rau (1-0) picked up the win for the Dodgers as he worked scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth for the Dodgers.
Claude Osteen started for the Dodgers and tossed six innings giving up four runs on 10 hits with a strikeout.
Steve Blass started for the Pirates and was ousted with one out in the eighth when the Dodgers tied the contest. He gave up four runs on eight hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
Kison (0-1), who entered the game with the bases loaded, gave up a sacrifice fly to Steve Garvey that made it 4-4. He would get tagged with the loss by allowing the first two batters to reach in the ninth.
1972 Tournament Schedule
Championship Game
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 7, (1) Pittsburgh Pirates 4
Semifinal Results
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates 2, (1) Detroit Tigers 0
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 3, (3) Minnesota Twins 2
Third Round Results
NL East Bracket
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates 7, (2) Chicago Cubs 3
AL East Bracket
(1) Detroit Tigers 2, (2) Boston Red Sox 0
AL West Bracket
(3) Minnesota Twins 5, (1) Oakland A’s 2
NL West Bracket
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 3, (4) Atlanta Braves 1
Second Round Results
NL East Bracket
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates 2, (4) St. Louis Cardinals 1
(2) Chicago Cubs 9, (6) Philadelphia Phillies 1
AL East Bracket
(1) Detroit Tigers 2, (5) Cleveland Indians 0
(2) Boston Red Sox 7, (3) Baltimore Orioles 2
AL West Bracket
(1) Oakland A’s 4, (5) California Angels 1
(3) Minnesota Twins 2, (2) Chicago White Sox 1
NL West Bracket
(4) Atlanta Braves 4, (1) Cincinnati Reds 2
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 6, (2) Houston Astros 5
First Round Results
NL East Bracket
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates, bye
(4) St. Louis Cardinals 5, (5) Montreal Expos 3
(6) Philadelphia Phillies 3, (3) New York Mets 0
(2) Chicago Cubs, bye
AL East Bracket
(1) Detroit Tigers, Bye
(5) Cleveland Indians 7, (4) New York Yankees 0
(3) Baltimore Orioles 4, (6) Milwaukee Brewers 0
(2) Boston Red Sox, bye
AL West Bracket
(1) Oakland A’s, Bye
(5) California Angels 1, (4) Kansas City Royals 0
(3) Minnesota Twins 3, (6) Texas Rangers 0
(2) Chicago White Sox, bye
NL West Bracket
(1) Cincinnati Reds, Bye
(4) Atlanta Braves 4, (5) San Francisco Giants 1
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 4, (6) San Diego Padres 2
(2) Houston Astros, bye