The Pirates pulled within three games of the slipping Phillies in the East Division race by defeating the Mets, 4-1. Doc Medich was the winner, but Dave Giusti saved the game, snuffing out a threat after the Mets scored their run on singles by Mike Phillips, Lee Mazzilli and Felix Millan in the eighth inning.

The Pirates counted initially in the second on consecutive singles by Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and Bill Robinson. Richie Hebner singled, Duffy Dyer doubled and Frank Taveras singled for two runs in the fifth. The Pirates' final marker counted in the ninth. Robinson led off with a double, advanced after Hebner flied out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dyer. [The Sporting News]



Pittsburgh Pirates 4, New York Mets 1
Game Played on Friday, September 17, 1976 (Night game) at Shea Stadium
Pirates      0  1  0    0  2  0    0  0  1  -   4 10  0
Mets         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   1  6  2


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Taveras ss            4   0   2   2     0   0   .257      Mazzilli cf           4   0   2   0     0   0   .160
Stennett 2b           4   0   0   0     0   0   .266      Millan 2b             4   0   1   1     0   0   .281
Zisk lf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .287      Milner lf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .271
  Moreno cf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .280      Kranepool 1b          4   0   1   0     0   0   .288
Stargell 1b           4   1   1   0     0   2   .258      Stearns c             3   0   0   0     1   0   .271
Parker rf             4   0   1   0     0   2   .311      Boisclair rf          4   0   1   0     0   0   .281
Robinson cf,lf        4   1   3   1     0   0   .309      Staiger 3b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .232
Hebner 3b             4   1   1   0     0   1   .239      Harrelson ss          3   0   0   0     0   0   .231
Dyer c                2   1   2   1     1   0   .255      Matlack p             2   0   0   0     0   0   .182
Medich p              3   0   0   0     0   2   .083        Phillips ph         1   1   1   0     0   0   .262
  Giusti p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        R. Baldwin p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .500

Totals               34   4  10   4     1   7             Totals               33   1   6   1     1   0

Time of Game: 2:10   Attendance: 14,304
Left on Base: Pirates 5, Mets 6
DP: Pirates 0, Mets 1
Errors: Stearns, Boisclair
Doubles: Dyer (8), Robinson (22)
Caught Stealing: Taveras (9)
Sacrifice Flies: Dyer (1)
GIDP: Hebner (5)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Medich W(7-11)          7.1   6   1   1   1   0   0  29   3.62
Giusti SV(6)            1.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   5   4.50
Totals                  9     6   1   1   1   0   0  34

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Matlack L(15-9)         8     9   3   3   1   7   0  32   2.83
R. Baldwin              1     1   1   1   0   0   0   4   2.84
Totals                  9    10   4   4   1   7   0  36

Balks: Matlack (3)

Umpires: HP - Lee Weyer, 1B - Paul Runge, 2B - Nick Colosi, 3B - Ed Montague


PIRATES 1ST: On a bunt Taveras singled to catcher; Taveras was
picked off and caught stealing second (pitcher to first to
shortstop); Stennett grounded out (shortstop to first); Stearns
dropped a foul fly hit by Zisk for an error; Zisk flied to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: On a bunt Mazzilli singled to second; Millan forced
Mazzilli (second to shortstop); Milner flied to left; Kranepool
singled to center [Millan to third]; Stearns walked [Kranepool
to second]; Boisclair flied to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.
Pirates 0, Mets 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Stargell singled to left; Parker singled to right
[Stargell to second]; Robinson singled to left [Stargell scored,
Parker to second]; Hebner grounded into a double play (shortstop
to shortstop to first) [Parker to third, Robinson out at
second]; Dyer was walked intentionally; Medich struck out; 1 R,
3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 1, Mets 0.

METS 2ND: Staiger grounded out (shortstop to first); Harrelson
flied to center; Matlack grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Mets 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Taveras grounded out (shortstop to first); Stennett
grounded out (second to first); Zisk flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Mets 0.

METS 3RD: Mazzilli flied to center; Millan grounded out (pitcher
to first); Milner grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Mets 0.

PIRATES 4TH: Stargell struck out; Parker was called out on
strikes; Robinson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Mets 0.

METS 4TH: Kranepool flied to left; Stearns grounded out
(shortstop to first); Boisclair grounded out (catcher to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Mets 0.

PIRATES 5TH: Hebner singled to right; Dyer doubled to left
[Hebner to third]; Medich struck out; Taveras singled to right
[Hebner scored, Dyer scored, Taveras to second (error by
Boisclair)]; Stennett grounded out (pitcher to first); Zisk
grounded out (third to first); 2 R, 3 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 3,
Mets 0.

METS 5TH: Staiger grounded out (shortstop to first); Harrelson
flied to left; Matlack grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 3, Mets 0.

PIRATES 6TH: Stargell grounded out (second to first); Parker
struck out; Robinson singled to center; Hebner struck out; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 3, Mets 0.

METS 6TH: Mazzilli flied to center; Millan grounded out (second
to first); Milner popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 3, Mets 0.

PIRATES 7TH: Dyer singled to shortstop; On a bunt Medich forced
Dyer (first to shortstop); Taveras forced Medich (shortstop to
second); Matlack balked [Taveras to second]; Stennett flied to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 3, Mets 0.

METS 7TH: Kranepool grounded out (shortstop to first); Stearns
grounded out (second to first); Boisclair singled to right;
Staiger forced Boisclair (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Pirates 3, Mets 0.

PIRATES 8TH: Zisk flied to center; Stargell was called out on
strikes; Parker grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 3, Mets 0.

METS 8TH: MORENO REPLACED ZISK (PLAYING CF); ROBINSON CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Harrelson popped to shortstop; PHILLIPS
BATTED FOR MATLACK; Phillips singled to left; Mazzilli singled
to right [Phillips to third]; Millan singled to center [Phillips
scored, Mazzilli to second]; GIUSTI REPLACED MEDICH (PITCHING);
Milner popped to third in foul territory; Kranepool grounded out
(second to first); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 3, Mets 1.

PIRATES 9TH: R. BALDWIN REPLACED PHILLIPS (PITCHING); Robinson
doubled to center; Hebner flied to center [Robinson to third];
Dyer hit a sacrifice fly to right [Robinson scored]; Giusti
popped to catcher in foul territory; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 4, Mets 1.

METS 9TH: Stearns grounded out (first unassisted); Boisclair
grounded out (first to pitcher); Staiger grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 4, Mets 1.