Two dominant teams took to Three Rivers Stadium's Tartan Turf for the first game of the 1972 NLCS, but the Bucs' left-handed hitting and Steve Blass' ability to adjust proved decisive.
BACKGROUND: The 1972 Pirates displayed few, if any, symptoms of a post-championship hangover. Seamlessly transitioning field leadership from Danny Murtaugh to Bill Virdon, shaking off a two-week strike that would reduce their schedule to 155 games, and overcoming Roberto Clemente's struggles with health and Bob Robertson's struggles with hitting, the Bucs racked up an astonishing 83-38 record between May 6 and September 14.