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.
Anyone can have a moment on a baseball field and be a hero.
Pinch-hitter Gene Clines came through for Pittsburgh as the Pirates earned a ticket to the championship game of the 1972 Tournament with a 2-0 semifinal round victory over the Detroit Tigers.
With the game scoreless heading into the bottom of the seventh, Detroit starter Joe Coleman retired the first two Dodgers before walking Bob Robertson.
Gene Alley smacked a double to put runners at second and third.
Pittsburgh manager Bill Virdon selected Clines to hit for starting pitcher Dock Ellis and it paid off with a two-run double.
After that Pittsburgh reliever Dave Giusti retired all six Tigers he faced with three strikeouts to earn a save and send to Pirates to the title contest.
Ellis (1-0) went seven innings allowing just three hits with a pair of walks and four strikeouts.
Coleman (0-1), who left with two outs in the seventh, surrendered five hits with three walks and a strikeout.
Fred Scherman got the final out of the seventh for the Tigers, while John Hiller tossed a scoreless eighth.
Steve Blass (1-0) gets the start for Pittsburgh in the championship contest as the Pirates host the winner of the Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles Dodgers.
1972 Tournament Schedule
Semifinal Results and Pairings
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates 2, (1) Detroit Tigers 0
(3) Minnesota Twins at (3) Los Angeles Dodgers
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