Pirates Braves Game 7 NLCS...

SteadyFreddy · Post by **SteadyFreddy** » Sun Apr 19, 2020 3:36 pm

This game was shown on MLB Network this morning and just like the 92 game with Cabrera in the 9th inning this game was just as painful to watch. Smoltz pitched a great game for the Braves and the Braves scored 3 early runs and Van Slyke just missed hitting a 3 run homer to tie the game back up and who knows what happens then. That 91 team I think of all 3 early’s 90’s Pirates was the best team the Pirates had I think. And for the Pirates to be up 3-2 in this series and lose 2 games at home and not score a single run in both of these games was truly unbelievable. This Pirates team should have won the pennant that year and beat the Twins in the World Series they were that good. It’s just hard to believe that 29 years later that this might be the last time we see the Pirates host an NLCS game 7 at home. Who knows if we will ever see this again.

JollyRoger · Post by **JollyRoger** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 3:19 am

The Cabrera game was a dagger to the heart in which I will not recover. From a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth; things just unraveled so fast. The 1991 series was like a slow painful death.

I remember thinking that the Bucs up 3 games to 2 with games 6&7 at home that they were surely going to the World Series.

I flew back to the Burgh to see them clinch the series.

IIRC games 6 & 7 set attendance records.

Game 6 was a killer. No score till the 9th and the Braves push across a run while the Pirates left Varsho on 3B

Game 7 was a total downer as Harper hit a 3 run homer in the first which silenced the huge crowd. I still can’t believe that they didn’t score a single run in those games.

The Pirates were the better team in the season.

An extremely frustrating and heartbreaking 3 years

JollyRoger · Post by **JollyRoger** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 3:22 am

Fortunately we had the Penguins back to back Stanley Cup Championships to help take the sting out of those Pirate playoff losses. But that Cabrera hit still makes me sick to my stomach to this day.

maher.timothy20@gm · Post by **maher.timothy20@gm** » Mon Apr 27, 2020 1:11 pm

One thing that always sticks out to me about '92:

Tim Wakefield was unhittable that year. Even though he had a long successful career he was never as dominant as he was in '92. He was like 2015 Jake Arietta.

Leyland had him lined up to pitch Game 1 but then backed off, saying it was to much pressure for the young kid. Of course he then went out and pitched games 3 and 6 and the Braves couldn't do shit against him.

If Leyland put him in for Game 1, he could have pitched 4 and 7 as well and the Pirates would have won that series.

Leyland was great but I hated that decision. The Braves were in their head from the previous year and Wakefield could have been the equalizer if we'd played our cards right.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Mon Apr 27, 2020 4:37 pm

38343D30277B213C383A213D2C6765153238550 wrote: One thing that always sticks out to me about '92:

Tim Wakefield was unhittable that year. Even though he had a long successful career he was never as dominant as he was in '92. He was like 2015 Jake Arietta.

Leyland had him lined up to pitch Game 1 but then backed off, saying it was to much pressure for the young kid. Of course he then went out and pitched games 3 and 6 and the Braves couldn't do shit against him.

If Leyland put him in for Game 1, he could have pitched 4 and 7 as well and the Pirates would have won that series.

Leyland was great but I hated that decision. The Braves were in their head from the previous year and Wakefield could have been the equalizer if we'd played our cards right.
But Drabek took a 5-hit shutout into the bottom of the 9th in game 7. That was a better performance than Wakefield giving up 4 runs, 9 hits and 4 walks in game 6. But Wakefield had 13 runs in support in game 6. Drabek gave up a leadoff double in the 9th so you can argue that maybe he should have been pulled. But he appeared to have the next batter out when Lind committed the error at 2B. Then a walk and Belinda enters and the rest is history. But I think Drabek was better in game 7 than Wakefield was in game 6. We also like to assume they would have won if Bream was out. But that would have made it a 2-2 game in extra innings so who knows?

INbuc · Post by **INbuc** » Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:34 pm

I had been in my new house only a few months before the 1992 NLCS. My wife was asleep as the game dragged on. As I watched Belinda pitch, I realized he didn't have the stuff to fool any of the Braves he faced. His 13th pitch, ripped into left field to break my heart.

For the first time in 28 years I did the research. Belinda faced four batters that night. He threw 13 pitches. Seven were balls. Three were fouled off. One was popped up. And two were line drives---including Cebrera's. No swinging strikes. Not even a called strike.

I can't remember what I had for lunch today, but agony like that night will last you a lifetime.

GreenWeenie · Post by **GreenWeenie** » Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:50 pm

The game was over when Lind blew it. We knew it then. We've forgotten it since.

JulianJay · Post by **JulianJay** » Tue Apr 28, 2020 1:38 am

yep...no way was Bonds throwing Sid out even if he hobbled all the way...and just like expected it happened. I almost laughed when it happened. :'(

Ecbucs · Post by **Ecbucs** » Tue Apr 28, 2020 2:27 am

I guess the statute of limitations has expired on this game. Aren't push-ups required for mentioning it?

My nightmares have returned.

ArnoldRothstein · Post by **ArnoldRothstein** » Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:19 am

Two related things used to nag at me about the game. First, they got complete games in Games 5 and 6, so everyone was available except Walk and Wakefield. Second, Belinda had only pitched to Cabrera once before, and Cabrera had homered. People can yelp about sample sizes all they want, but I feel in my gut that Earl Weaver with his little index cards wouldn't have let Carbrera near Belinda with a game on the line.