1971 PIRATES: GAME 23: SATURDAY MAY 1, 1971: – PIRATES WALK OFF WITH 5-4 WIN IN 11 INNINGS OVER PADRES

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Gene Alley Pirates Shortstop

1971 Pittsburgh Pirates: Game 23: Saturday May 1, 1971: San Diego Padres vs Pittsburgh Pirates. 2:15pm. Bob Moose 1-1 pitching for the Pirates- vs Clay Kirby 0-2 for the Padres.

  • Gene Alley singled in Bob Robertson from second base in the bottom of the 11th inning- giving the Pirates a 5-4 victory over the Padres.
Al Santorini Baseball Cards
  • This was an exciting day for me- it was my first Pirate game of the new season. My friend David’s family took me to the game with them. We had box set tickets halfway back of third base. Two things I remember well from that day. 1- Before the game some Padres were signing autographs. I got the autograph of a young pitcher named Al Santorini. I recall a large crowd along the rail and he signed a lot of autographs. Seemed like a nice guy- but- when I got to him and handed me my scorecard [which I had bought as I always did- cost was 35 cents] he opened the magazine to the middle pages with the scorecard and signed his name -on the area where you write the line-ups. I was crushed- I always kept score at games and when I was watching or listening to a game. Luckily my friend David let me use his scorecard to keep score that day. 2- Pirate Manny Sanguillen- hit a foul ball during the game to our section-it was a couple rows down and a few seats over and of course I didn’t get the ball but it was close! In all the games I have been to over the years -and it would number in the hundreds- I have never gotten a foul ball or home run ball. Sometimes as a kid I would take my glove but eventually came to the conclusion that it wasn’t going to happen so why bother lugging a glove around.
  • It was an exiting back and forth games- the Pirates hit a couple home runs- Vic Davalillo and Richie Hebner homered for the Pirates- my favorite player and still my favorite player ever- Willie Stargell went 3 for 5. It was a downer that Roberto Clemente didn’t start but he came in to pinch hit later in the game.
  • The pitching- for the Pirates Bob Moose got hit early and often giving up 10 hits and 3 runs in 5 innings but the Pirates bullpen came though giving up only 1 run in six innings- Nellie Briles, Dave Giusti and Mudcat Grant each worked two innings with Grant getting the win- 2-1 on the season. For the Padres Clay Kirby went 9 innings giving up 4 runs and 10 hits. Bill Laxton would come in in relief and would be the losing pitcher. Kirby was the best Padres pitcher and he would rebound from a poor start- he had no wins at this point in the season- by seasons end he would have won 15 games- lost 13 with a 2.83 ERA- for a team that would end up in last place with a 61-100 record.
  • The Padres had only themselves to blame for the loss today- they collected 16 hits and drew 3 walks but 11 on base.
  • There was also in this game something you don’t see every day- a pitcher- the Pirates Bob Moose stole a base.
  • Attendance for a nice sunny Saturday afternoon game- only 6068. Time of Game 2 hours 55 minutes. The Pirates improve to 13-10 on the season -and move back into second place only 1/2 game out of first. The three game set with the Padres ends tomorrow afternoon- as does the Pirates 12 game home stand- they need a win tomorrow to have a winning home stand right now they are 6-5.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT197105010.shtml

7 responses to “1971 PIRATES: GAME 23: SATURDAY MAY 1, 1971: – PIRATES WALK OFF WITH 5-4 WIN IN 11 INNINGS OVER PADRES”

  1. I don’t guess he thought about you taking score…that sucked! Do you still have it?
    It’s still hard to believe they drew so bad Hans with that good of a team.

    I took Bailey when he was 7 years old to the Dodgers and Reds game. When the Dodgers were in batting practice…a security guard told Bailey to come down to the first baseline fence and gave him a ball that came his way. I wish I could thank the guy now… I think the Cincinnati guard was a Dodger fan because Bailey had his LA hat on and he was around kids that had Reds hats on.

    The only autograph I have…but a golfing friend got for me was Derek Lowe on a golf course and I got Ron Cey’s autograph but not in person.
    Bailey got Clayton Kershaw’s and AJ Ellis in Atlanta from them.

    • It is funny how experiences stay with you- back in the mid 90’s I took my niece and nephew to a ballgame and in batting practice Eric Davis gave my niece a baseball- she was maybe 8-9 years old– she isn’t a sports fan but she still could tell you it right off who gave her the ball. I would bet she doesn’t have the ball- but the memory is still clear. …. yes that guard must have been working under cover for the Dodgers! …

    • That was great of Davis to do that.

      The funny thing is other Reds fans got upset because he picked a Dodger kid.

    • that makes me think of Cincinnati. We went down for a Pirates-Red series a few years ago- wearing Pirates gear. Now there are places I wouldn’t do that- Philadelphia comes to mind immediately. In Cincinnati- the Pirates at the time were having their first successful year in a couple decades- A number of Reds fans commented to me that they were happy to see the Pirates doing well after all those years.

    • I like the play between fan bases…in the stands we usually all have a good time. I’ve never had trouble in Cincinnati and Atlanta…I’ve taken some good natured ribbing but that is it.

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