Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter is also being used for all games.
Rennie Stennett had three hits and drove in a pair of runs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 at Three Rivers Stadium.
With the victory, the Pirates advance to play the winner of the (15) Montreal Expos at (2) Philadelphia Phillies contest at the highest remaining seed in the finale of the Mike Schmidt Bracket of the 1977 Tournament.
After Cincinnati’s Pete Rose led off the game with a homer off Pittsburgh starter Jim Rooker, Stennett began a rally that would put the Pirates on top.
Pittsburgh’s answer in the bottom of the first happened quickly. Reds starter Fred Norman retired Frank Taveras and Stennett followed with a single.
Before Dave Parker coaxed a walk from Norman, Stennett swiped second.
Willie Stargell smacked a double that knocked in Stennett and Parker to give the Pirates a 2-1 advantage.
Stennett added a RBI single in the second and it was 3-1.
George Foster drilled a solo homer in the sixth to cut Cincinnati’s deficit to 3-2, but the Pirates responded in the seventh and sent Norman to the showers.
A two-run double by Taveras had Reds manager Sparky Anderson calling Manny Sarmiento from the bullpen to face Stennett.
The move didn’t help Cincinnati’s cause as Stennett’s single brought home Taveras and it was 6-2.
Rooker left the game after seven innings and Kent Tekulve came on and allowed a run-scoring single to Foster.
In the ninth, Rich Gossage fanned two as he earned a save for 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
$ (16) San Francisco Giants 6, (1) Kansas City Royals 3
$ (9) Chicago White Sox 2, (25) Atlanta Braves 1 (10 innings)
(16) San Francisco Giants at (9) Chicago White Sox, final
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
$ (5) Boston Red Sox 13, (21) Milwaukee Brewers 4
$ (13) Chicago Cubs 6, (4) Los Angeles Dodgers 5
(13) Chicago Cubs at (5) Boston Red Sox, final
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
$ (3) New York Yankees 4, (14) Houston Astros 3
$ (6) Baltimore Orioles 5, (22) New York Mets 3
(6) Baltimore Orioles at (3) New York Yankees, final
Mike Schmidt Bracket
% (7) Pittsburgh Pirates 4, (26) Toronto Blue Jays 1
% (10) Cincinnati Reds 6, (23) Seattle Mariners 3
% (15) Montreal Expos 4, (18) California Angels 2
% (2) Philadelphia Phillies (101-61), bye
$ (7) Pittsburgh Pirates 6, (10) Cincinnati Reds 3
$ (15) Montreal Expos at (2) Philadelphia Phillies
% First Round
$ Second Round (Bracket Semifinals)