A's vs. Pirates Game 6

Facing elimination, Oakland manager Alvin Dark turned to Ken Holtzman to try to extend the series. Pittsburgh started Jim Rooker, setting up another battle of the southpaws.

Rennie Stennett doubled to lead off the game. Bill Robinson followed with a single to put men at the corners. After Dave Parker struck out, Manny Sanguillen singled to put the Bucs ahead 1-0. In the bottom of the first, Bert Campaneris reached on an error and stole second. Joe Rudi advanced the runner to third with a sacrifice fly and Claudell Washington doubled to tie the game.

With both pitchers dealing, the game remained 1-1 through five innings. In the top of the sixth, Rooker reached on an error and scored on a double by Stennett. Robinson followed with a double of his own to drive in another run. After the Cobra grounded out, Sanguillen singled to bring home Pittsburgh's third run in the inning. Looking to answer, Bill North and Campaneris singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth. But Rudi grounded into a double play to squash the rally. The A's would manage only one more hit the rest of the way as Rooker went the distance, allowing just one unearned run.

The Pirates win the series four games to two.

Game 6: Pittsburgh 4, Oakland 1

A's vs. Pirates Game 5

With the series tied at two games apiece, the pitching matchup for Game 5 was a rematch of Game 1: Vida Blue vs. Jerry Reuss. Fans on both sides hoped their southpaw ace could put their team in the driver's seat.

Oakland centerfielder Bill North lead off the game with a single. He then stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Claudell Washington. But Reuss struck out Joe Rudi and retired Reggie Jackson on a ground out to end the scoring threat. Pirates catcher Manny Sanguillen doubled to open the bottom of the second. Two batters later, Richie Zisk laced a single to give Pittsburgh an early lead.

Sanguillen struck again in the fourth; this time he deposited a Vida Blue fastball over the left field wall to put his team up 2-0. Pittsburgh's hottest hitter, Bill Robinson, singled to open the bottom of the sixth. Dave Parker followed with a home run to double the Bucs lead. Reuss meanwhile took care of business from the mound. The Pittsburgh ace struck out six and allowed only three hits in a dominating shutout.

The series heads back to Oakland for Game 6 with the Pirates up three games to two.

Game 5: Pittsburgh 4, Oakland 0

A's vs. Pirates Game 4

Looking to even the series, Pittsburgh manager Danny Murtaugh gave the ball to his promising rookie southpaw John Candelaria (2.76 ERA). Oakland skipper Alvin Dark turned to veteran hurler Sonny Siebert (3.90 ERA) to start Game 4.

The A's struck early when Joe Rudi clubbed a solo homer in the top of the first. Pittsburgh answered in the bottom of the third after Rennie Stennett doubled and then scored when A's second baseman Phil Garner misplayed an Al Oliver grounder that rolled into the outfield. The game remained knotted 1-1 into the bottom of the seventh. Richie Hebner led off that frame with a double and, following a strikeout, advanced to third on a double by pinch hitter Bill Robinson. Stennett singled to drive in Hebner and Oliver sent Robinson home with a sacrifice fly. Reliever Kent Tekulve took over for the Candy Man in the top of the eighth and retired six straight batters to close out the Pirates victory.

The series will return to Three Rivers Stadium for Game 5.

Game 4: Pittsburgh 3, Oakland 1

A's vs. Pirates Game 3

The Pirates hosted the A's at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh for Game 3 of the series. Bruce Kison (12-11, 3.23) started for the home team, while 11-game winner Dick Bosman took the mound for the visitors.

Both pitchers were in top form, posting zeroes through the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, Oakland catcher Gene Tenace connected for a solo home run. Two innings later, Reggie Jackson (who was 0 for 10 thus far in the series) nearly followed suit, but his deep drive hit the wall for a double. The A's could not capitalize though and Reggie was stranded at second. That missed opportunity did not matter because Bosman dominated from the mound. The Oakland hurler retired the last 14 Pirate batters in a row to complete a two-hit shutout. 

Similar to Game 1, the A's prevailed 1-0 in a pitchers' duel. Despite being outscored 9-5 over the first three games, the boys in green and yellow hold a 2-1 advantage in the series.

Game 3: Oakland 1, Pittsburgh 0

A's vs. Pirates Game 2

After being contained in Game 1, both offenses broke out to combine for 22 hits in Game 2. One team made the most of its opportunities, while the other team left 10 men on base.

Oakland started 18-game winner Ken Holtzman and Pittsburgh gave the ball to Jim Rooker and his sub-3.00 ERA. The A's started the scoring in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer from Joe Rudi. The Pirates answered in the second with a solo shot from Willie Stargell. Richie Zisk delivered an RBI single in the fourth to tie the game at two apiece. A two-run single from Bill Robinson in the fifth gave the Pirates the lead. Dave Parker blasted a two-run shot in the seventh to extend the lead to 6-2. The Bucs added three more in the eighth, with two runs coming home on a triple from Parker. Gene Tenace drove in a run for Oakland in the eighth, but it was too little too late.

Rooker picked up the win while striking out 10 in his 7 1/3 innings. With the lefty Holtzman starting for the A's, Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh replaced his regular centerfielder Al Oliver with Bill Robinson for this game. The move worked out splendidly with Robinson collecting five hits, two RBI, and two runs scored. Now tied at one game apiece, the series moves to Pittsburgh for Game 3.

Game 2: Pittsburgh 9, Oakland 3 

A's vs Pirates Game 1

For my next Diamond Legacies series, I'm going with the "World Series that wasn't" in 1975: Pittsburgh vs. Oakland. Those two teams had combined to capture the four previous world championships (1971-1974) and in 1975 they both made the playoffs but were swept by the pennant-winning Reds and Red Sox respectively. Game 1 took place at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The home team started 22-game winner Vida Blue while the visitors countered with their ace, 18-game winner Jerry Reuss.

Both teams put at least one runner on base in each of the first three innings, but neither side could score. Then both pitchers really started dealing, not allowing a hit in innings four through seven. In the top of the eighth, Manny Sanguillen lead off with a walk. Richie Hebner then drew a free pass to give the Pirates two men on with nobody out. Blue, however, retired the next three Bucs to end the threat. 

The Oakland ace then helped his own cause by drawing a walk against reliever Kent Tekulve to start the home half of the eighth. After Bill North grounded into a force out, Bert Campaneris doubled to drive in the first run of the game. The Pirates put two men on with two outs in the ninth, but Sanguillen grounded out to end the game. Blue struck out eight in a masterful four-hit shutout.

Game 1: Oakland 1, Pittsburgh 0 

1934 All-Star Series MVP

It is not often that a player on a team that did not win a series is named series MVP. But it does happen sometimes, and this All-Star Series is one of those times. Mel Ott takes home the trophy after batting .385 with 2 home runs, 3 runs scored, and a remarkable 8 RBI in just three games. Batting cleanup, Ott carried the NL offense throughout the series with all five of his hits going for extra bases. Master Melvin's productive bat reminded Giants fans of his dominant performance a year earlier when he helped New York prevail in the 1933 World Series. Other leading NL contributors included Frankie Frisch, who batted .455 with 3 walks and 3 runs scored. Leadoff hitter Arky Vaughn batted .333 and scored twice. Carl Hubbell tossed a complete-game victory with just two earned runs in Game 2 to keep his team in contention.

There were several key contributors to the series victory by the American League All-Stars. Lou Gehrig batted .556 and scored a couple runs, but his only RBI came on a solo home run. Mickey Cochrane hit .462 and drove in a pair of runs. Earl Averill also batted over .400 and drove in all three runs for the AL in the championship game. Lefty Gomez surrendered only three runs in his complete-game victory in Game 3.

Cool Papa Bell led the Negro National League attack with four hits, 3 runs scored, 2 RBI, and a stolen base in his two games. Ray Dandridge and Oscar Charleston each tallied three hits and combined for three RBI. Satchel Paige gave up only one earned run in six innings to pick up the victory in Game 1.