This Day in Pirate History is a semi-annual piece that will focus on significant events in the history of your Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club. Today's feature has as much to do with this blog and its title than any other player/event that has taken place in Pittsburgh baseball since 1992. In the 5 preview years, the middle of July was a tumultuous time for the Pirates. Most years they were already out of a division race and were relegated to the back pages of the sports section as Steeler's training camp was about to begin. However, the summer of 1997 was different. The "Freak Show" Buccos as Greg Brown dubbed them after a late May comeback against the Expos, were 43-43 at the All-Star break with a team that was predicted to lose 130 games (that is what a 9 million dollar payroll does to a teams season outlook). These young Buccos (sound familiar?) were coming off back to back losses to begin the 2nd half of the season dropping them 1 GB in the NL Central. These young Bucs couldn't afford to be swept in their first series after the All-Star break and more importantly, didn't want to be swept by the division leading Houston Astros. Charged with halting the skid, manager Gene Lamont sent 25 year old Francisco Cordova to the mound in what would prove to be one of the greatest games in Pittsburgh Pirate history.
The size of the crowd at Three Rivers Stadium that night would have made one believe that the Pirates had been a good team for years. Not the case. The crowd of 44,119, lured by a Jackie Robinson tribute and fireworks show, was the Pirates' first non-Opening Day sellout since June 5, 1977. They had no idea of the magnitude of what they were about to witness.
Entering the game the Pirates had not only lost back to back games to the Astros, but had also managed to get shut out both times and from the way the game was playing out, it seemed like not scoring a single run in the entire series was a real possibility. Throughout the first 9 innings of play that Pirates were only able to muster 5 hits, including 2 singles from starter Cordova. They hadn't come close to scoring but the good thing was, neither had the Astros. Throughout his 9 innings pitched Fransisco Cordova had allowed only 3 baserunners (2 by walk and 1 by HBP), while surrendering 0 hits and striking out 10. After his final batter in the top of the 9th inning, Cordova had thrown 121 pitches, 75 for strikes and an amazing 11 for swinging strikes. He would leave the game to a standing ovation after throwing 9 no hit innings, earning him a no decision.
The Pirates would muster little offense in the bottom of the 9th and Ricardo Rincon would enter the game in relief in the top of the 10th inning. He would face 4 batters, walking one but would get through the half inning without giving up a hit, setting the stage for a possible combined extra innings no hitter. In the bottom of the 10th the Astros brought on right-hander John Hudek to face Dale Sveum, Jason Kendall and Jose Guillen. Sveum would strikeout swinging, while Kendall would walk and Guillen would fly out to centerfield. With a runner on first and two outs, Turner Ward was brought in to pinch hit for Lou Collier. Ward, famous for running through the outfield wall at Three River Stadium, would draw a five pitch walk moving a runner into scoring position. Gene Lamont then brought in pinch hitter Mark Smith to face Hudek. Smith a utility man who appeared in 71 games for the Pirates in 1997 had never faced Hudek in his career and was not known for his power. However, on an 0-1 pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning, Smith created the most dramatic moment for the Pirates in the mid-90's when he launched Hudek's fastball into the left field bleachers. Smith's home run capped the first and only combined extra innings no hitter in the history of baseball.
Here is the only video I could find of the end of Cordova's no hitter and Mark Smith's pinch hit 3-run home run in the bottom of the 10th.
What a game. What a moment. The Pirates would finish 79-83, 5 GB in the NL Central making the 1997 season the closest the Pirates have come to finishing above .500 in 19 years. Hopefully, the 2011 Pirates can one up the "Freak Show" Buccos and make another improbable run at .500 and the division title.
No comments:
Post a Comment