Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter is also being used for all games.
Three runs in the seventh inning made the difference for Pittsburgh as the Pirates defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 in the 1977 Tournament at Three River Stadium.
In the second round, the Pirates will entertain the winner of the Seattle Mariners (64-98) at Cincinnati Reds (88-74) contest.
With the score tied at 1-1, Ed Ott led off the frame for the Pirates with a single off Toronto starter Pete Vukovich.
After Vukovich retired Phil Garner and Omar Moreno, things went downhill for the Blue Jays.
Frank Taveras singled to move Ott to third, which allowed the Pittsburgh shortstop to swipe second.
Rennie Stennett hit a grounder back to Vuckovich that the Toronto pitcher couldn’t handle and the Pirates took the lead as Ott raced home on the error.
Vuckovich walked Parker to load the bases. Mike Willis was called in from the bullpen by Toronto manager Roy Hartsfield to face Willie Stargell.
Stargell responded by smacking a single that brought home the final two runs as the Pirates went on top by three runs.
John Candelaria went the distance on the mound for Pittsburgh as he limited the Blue Jay to five hits.
Parker gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead in the first before the Blue Jays tied the contest in the fifth.
With one one, Alan Ashby walked to start the inning.
One batter later, Bob Bailor singled. Roy Howell followed with a walk that filled the bases.
Ron Fairly singled to tie the affair, but the Blue Jays wanted more. Bailor rounded third and was cut down at the plate on a perfect throw by Parker.
Candelaria gave up a hit in the seventh and one in the ninth, but both runners were erased on double plays by the Pirates.
1977 Tournament Results and Schedule
George Brett Bracket
(1) Kansas City Royals (102-60), bye
(16) San Francisco Giants 4, (17) Detroit Tigers 3
(9) Chicago White Sox 8, (24) Oakland Athletics 6
(25) Atlanta Braves 4, (8) Texas Rangers 2
Tom Lasorda Bracket
(5) Boston Red Sox (97-64), bye
(21) Milwaukee Brewers 8, (12) St. Louis Cardinals 4
(13) Chicago Cubs 2, (20) San Diego Padres 1
(4) Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64), bye
Reggie Jackson Bracket
(3) New York Yankees (100-62), bye
(14) Houston Astros 7, (19) Cleveland Indians 5
(22) New York Mets 3, (11) Minnesota Twins 0
(6) Baltimore Orioles (97-64), bye
Mike Schmidt Bracket
(7) Pittsburgh Pirates 4, (26) Toronto Blue Jays 1
(23) Seattle Mariners (64-98) at (10) Cincinnati Reds (88-74)
(18) California Angels (74-88) at (15) Montreal Expos (75-87)
(2) Philadelphia Phillies (101-61), bye