The Pirates virtually extinguished the Cardinals' faint division hopes by gaining a 6-1 victory to increase their first-place lead to 9½ games. Two walks, a single by Gene Clines, sacrifice fly by Roberto Clemente and single by Manny Sanguillen produced two runs for the Pirates in the third inning.

Al Oliver was hit by a pitch in the fourth, Jackie Hernandez singled and both runners circled the bases when Jose Cruz let the ball get past him in center field. However, the runs became earned when Luke Walker walked and Rennie Stennett singled. For the second straight time, Ramon Hernandez, a former St. Louis farmhand, stopped the Cards in relief. [The Sporting News]



Pittsburgh Pirates 6, St. Louis Cardinals 1
Game Played on Thursday, September 16, 1971 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium
Cardinals    0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  7  2
Pirates      0  0  2    2  0  0    1  1  x  -   6 10  0


Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Brock lf              4   0   0   1     0   1   .320      Stennett 2b           3   1   2   0     1   0   .385
Sizemore 2b           3   0   0   0     1   0   .264        Hebner 3b           1   0   0   0     0   0   .280
Alou 1b               4   0   0   0     0   1   .312      Clines lf             5   1   2   0     0   0   .309
Torre 3b              4   0   1   0     0   1   .363      Clemente rf           3   0   0   1     0   0   .338
Simmons c             4   0   1   0     0   0   .302      Sanguillen c          4   0   1   1     0   0   .320
Melendez rf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .230      Robertson 1b          4   0   1   1     0   0   .271
Cruz cf               4   1   1   0     0   1   .265      Cash 3b,2b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .301
Maxvill ss            4   0   3   0     0   0   .229      Oliver cf             3   2   1   0     0   1   .285
Reuss p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .111      J. Hernandez ss       3   1   2   0     0   0   .207
  Williams p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Walker p              0   1   0   0     2   0   .023
  Javier ph           1   0   1   0     0   0   .262        R. Hernandez p      1   0   1   1     0   0   .500
  Linzy p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .500
  McNertney ph        0   0   0   0     1   0   .287
  Beauchamp pr        0   0   0   0     0   0   .236
  Higgins p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Shaw p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               32   1   7   1     2   5             Totals               31   6  10   4     3   1

Time of Game: 2:35   Attendance: 18,127
Left on Base: Cardinals 7, Pirates 8
DP: Cardinals 1, Pirates 1
Errors: Cruz, Maxvill
Doubles: Robertson (17)
Stolen Bases: Clines (13)
Sacrifice Hits: Reuss (11), Walker (2), J. Hernandez (2)
Sacrifice Flies: Clemente (4)
GIDP: Melendez (6), Cash (10)
Hit by Pitch: Oliver (5,by Reuss)


Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuss L(14-14)          3.1   4   4   4   3   1   0  18   4.62
Williams                0.2   1   0   0   0   0   0   3   3.87
Linzy                   2     1   0   0   0   0   0   7   2.11
Higgins                 1.1   3   2   2   0   0   0   7   8.10
Shaw                    0.2   1   0   0   0   0   0   3   2.83
Totals                  8    10   6   6   3   1   0  38

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Walker W(9-8)           6.1   7   1   1   2   4   0  27   3.63
R. Hernandez SV(4)      2.2   0   0   0   0   1   0   8   0.00
Totals                  9     7   1   1   2   5   0  35

Passed Balls: Simmons (16)
Hit by Pitch: Reuss (6)

Umpires: HP - Doug Harvey, 1B - Jerry Dale, 2B - Augie Donatelli, 3B - Ed Vargo


CARDINALS 1ST: Brock grounded out (pitcher to first); Sizemore
grounded out (third to first); Alou popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Stennett singled to right; Clines popped to second;
Clemente grounded out (catcher to first) [Stennett to second];
Sanguillen grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Torre singled to left; Simmons singled to left
[Torre to second]; Melendez grounded into a double play (second
to first) [Torre to third, Simmons out at second]; Cruz was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0,
Pirates 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Robertson popped to first; Cash grounded out
(shortstop to first); Oliver was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 0.

CARDINALS 3RD: Maxvill singled to center; Reuss out on a
sacrifice bunt (catcher to second) [Maxvill to second]; Brock
struck out; Sizemore walked; Alou was called out on strikes; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 3RD: J. Hernandez grounded out (shortstop to first);
Walker walked; Stennett walked [Walker to second]; Clines
singled to left [Walker to third, Stennett to second]; Clemente
hit a sacrifice fly to right [Walker scored, Stennett to third];
Sanguillen singled to right [Stennett scored, Clines to second];
Robertson forced Sanguillen (shortstop to second); 2 R, 2 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 2.

CARDINALS 4TH: Torre struck out; Simmons grounded out (shortstop
to first); Melendez grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 4TH: Cash grounded out (shortstop to first); Oliver was
hit by a pitch; J. Hernandez singled to center [Oliver scored
(error by Cruz) (no RBI), J. Hernandez scored (no RBI)]; Walker
walked; WILLIAMS REPLACED REUSS (PITCHING); Stennett singled to
center [Walker to second]; Clines forced Stennett (shortstop to
second) [Walker to third]; Clemente popped to first in foul
territory; 2 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 4.

CARDINALS 5TH: Cruz grounded out (second to first); Maxvill
singled to right; JAVIER BATTED FOR WILLIAMS; Javier singled to
center [Maxvill to second]; Brock flied out to left; Sizemore
forced Javier (third to second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Pirates 4.

PIRATES 5TH: LINZY REPLACED JAVIER (PITCHING); Sanguillen
reached on an error by Maxvill [Sanguillen to first]; Robertson
flied out to right; Cash grounded into a double play (second to
shortstop to first) [Sanguillen out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 4.

CARDINALS 6TH: Alou grounded out (shortstop to first); Torre
popped to first; Simmons flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 4.

PIRATES 6TH: Oliver popped to shortstop; J. Hernandez singled to
right; Walker out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second) [J.
Hernandez to second]; Stennett lined to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Pirates 4.

CARDINALS 7TH: HEBNER REPLACED STENNETT (PLAYING 3B); CASH
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 2B); Melendez flied out to right;
Cruz singled to right; Maxvill singled to center [Cruz to
second]; MCNERTNEY BATTED FOR LINZY; McNertney walked [Cruz to
third, Maxvill to second]; BEAUCHAMP RAN FOR MCNERTNEY; R.
HERNANDEZ REPLACED WALKER (PITCHING); Brock grounded out
(pitcher to second to first) [Cruz scored, Maxvill to third,
Beauchamp to second]; Sizemore grounded out (shortstop to
first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Pirates 4.

PIRATES 7TH: HIGGINS REPLACED BEAUCHAMP (PITCHING); Clines
singled to left; Clines stole second; Simmons allowed a passed
ball [Clines to third]; Clemente grounded out (catcher to
first); Sanguillen popped to second in foul territory; Robertson
doubled to left [Clines scored]; Cash grounded out (shortstop to
first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Pirates 5.

CARDINALS 8TH: Alou lined to pitcher; Torre flied out to center;
Simmons grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cardinals 1, Pirates 5.

PIRATES 8TH: Oliver singled to center; J. Hernandez out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Oliver to second]; SHAW
REPLACED HIGGINS (PITCHING); R. Hernandez singled to center
[Oliver scored]; Hebner forced R. Hernandez (first to
shortstop); Clines grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Pirates 6.

CARDINALS 9TH: Melendez struck out; Cruz grounded out (first to
pitcher); Maxvill flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 1, Pirates 6.