Editor’s note: The 1990 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any contests involving American League teams when games are played at home. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
Andy Van Slyke‘s solo homer in the top of the 10th inning gave the 1990 Pittsburgh Pirates an 8-7 victory over the 1997 Florida Marlins in the 1990s Diamond Gems Tournament
With the win, the Pirates advance to the semifinals to play at the winner of the 1994 Montreal Expos at 1993 San Francisco Giants.
Marlins closer Robb Nen (0-1) was beginning of his second inning on the mound when Van Slyke blasted his shot leading off the 10th. The Pirates went on to load the bases, but Nen fanned Jose Lind and pitcher Bill Landrum to end the threat.
Landrum (1-0) had worked a scoreless ninth and would be needed in the 10th, which the Pittsburgh closer was able to get through to pick up the win.
Home runs and errors were the trend early in the contest as both teams took advantage of the situation.
Barry Bonds gave the Pirates the lead in the second with a solo long ball off Florida starter Alex Fernandez before Charles Johnson‘s two-run bomb off Pittsburgh’s Zane Smith in the bottom the frame put the Marlins in front 2-1.
The fourth inning also had a lot of fireworks for both teams.
After the second Florida error in the inning, Sid Bream drilled a two-run homer to give the Pirates a 3-2 advantage.
The lead didn’t last very long as the Marlins scored five times in the bottom of the inning with two errors from the Pirates to help make it 7-3.
Devon White knocked in the first run with a single, while the next two came home on a miscue by Van Slyke in right field. Gary Sheffield added a two-run double to cap the outburst.
The Pirates were able to answer to close the gap to 7-6 in the fifth. Van Slyke had a sacrifice fly and Bobby Bonilla tripled to bring home the other two runs.
Back-to-back doubles by Bream and Mike LaValliere in the sixth off Florida pitcher Livan Hernandez tied the affair. Hernandez and Pittsburgh pitcher Ted Power settled in to keep the contest tied until the ninth when they would be replaced by their respective closers.
Smith left with two outs in the fourth after allowing seven runs on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Doug Bair, Stan Belinda, Power and Landrum held the Marlins scoreless the rest of the way.
For the Marlins, Fernandez made it into the fifth before leaving with two outs. Dennis Cook got the final out of the fifth as he was followed by Hernandez and Nen.
1990s Diamond Gems Tournament
Second Round Schedule and Results
1990 Cincinnati Reds 6, 1990 Oakland A’s 4
1993 Philadelphia Phillies 7, 1992 Toronto Blue Jays 3
1990 Pittsburgh Pirates 8, 1997 Florida Marlins 7 (10)
1994 Montreal Expos at 1993 San Francisco Giants
First Round Results
1990 Cincinnati Reds 4, 1998 Houston Astros 2
1990 Oakland A’s 4, 1998 New York Yankees 3
1992 Toronto Blue Jays 5, 1997 Baltimore Orioles 1
1993 Philadelphia Phillies 8, 1996 Atlanta Braves 2
1990 Pittsburgh Pirates 8, 1998 San Diego Padres 2
1997 Florida Marlins 5, 1991 Minnesota Twins 4
1993 San Francisco Giants 2, 1996 New York Yankees 1
1994 Montreal Expos 2, 1995 Cleveland Indians 1