1992 NLCS (Pirates @ Braves) Game Six [Pirates Force Game Seven]

they met a year ago they battled to the final game last year rookie Steve Avery stunned the Pirates in Game six his strength of arm combined with his strength of spirit silenced the Bucs the scoreless duel would be settled to the ninth by Ron Gant's aggressive baserunning he would score the game's only run some will remember Alejandro Pena's changeup for the final out but most recall the eyes of sheer determination that brought the Braves back to even tonight an ironic twist of fate brings a rookie to baseball center stage Tim Wakefield his courage does not come from strength of arm but from a manager's belief in this 26 year old and his own belief in the pitch [Music] it is the magic of the knuckleball and a momentum swing that has the pirates believing that they are boys to come back Pittsburgh has one choice win or go home for Atlanta its win and go on [Music] [Applause] [Music] tonight the National League Championship Series returns to Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta where the Braves host the Pirates in Game six having fought off elimination in Game five Jim Leyland is just happy to be back while the Braves Terry Pendleton hopes a good-luck kiss might help him out of a slump David Justice arrived confident in the knowledge that he hit the knuckleball hard in Game three but it wasn't enough can Tim Wakefield pull out another win and Ken Tom pleb and silence those who say he doesn't win in the postseason he'll have to deal with a rejuvenated Barry Bonds who quieted his detractors in Game five the fans of Atlanta have never watched one of their teams win a World Championship in a major sport they arrived tonight knowing a Braves win we'll give it lanta another shot at baseball's biggest prize [Music] good evening everyone and welcome to Game six of the National League Championship Series from Atlanta it was a glorious day here and it's a perfect night for baseball the temperature moments from gametime 70 degrees the Braves have had a relatively stress-free ride to this point in the series they've enjoyed leaves of two games to none and three games to one but the Pirates won Game five and now tension is evident on both sides below we wanted welcome to Atlanta I'm Sean McDonough along with Tim McCarver and it's great to have you with us the Atlanta Braves have reason to be anxious because they know it's possible for the visiting team to go on the road in the last two games of the playoffs and win both of them and you might think that last year was just one of those things as a matter of fact last year was not the exception but the rule because in the last 10 postseason series that have gone the limit nine have been won by the team that won Game six now that's how important tonight's game is and what an appealing pitching matchup three months ago very few had heard of Tim Wakefield but after only 13 starts in the major leagues he pitched a gem in Game three and now he has been hailed as the Pittsburgh Savior on the other side you have Tom Glavine who has won 20 games in each of the last two years but he says he's pitching tonight trying to silence his critics who say he doesn't win in the postseason I think his detractors talked about the first half of the season and not the second half as a matter of fact from April through July over the last two years Tommy Glavine is thirty and eight from August through the end of the season the last two years one game under 500 and a paltry one in four in postseason play we'll have the first Game six of the NLCS from Atlanta in just a moment CBS Sports coverage of Game six of the 1992 National League Championship Series is brought to you by Buick and your local Buick dealers remember Buick the new simple for quality in America win these old-fashioned hamburgers the best hamburgers on the whole lot more and buy enterprise rent-a-car the special delivery company the Atlanta Braves have taken the field and you sense already in this crowd a difference from games one and two when many fans here in Atlanta criticized themselves saying they didn't have the same kind of intensity that they had last year during the Braves worst the first run the lineup for Jim Leyland tonight Gary Rita's leads off at first base Jay Bell the shortstop Andy Van Slyke in centerfield Barry Bonds the cleanup hitter in left Jeff King batting fifth the third-base Lloyd McClendon and right Don slaught is the catcher batting seventh Jose lien bats eighth and the pitcher Tim Wakefield will bat ninth and those are the averages for the Pirates of the starting lineup tonight in the NLCS the defense for the Atlanta Braves Gannon left field Otis Nixon the centerfielder and David justice and right Gary Pendleton at third base Jeff Blauser at shortstop mark Lemke the second baseman Sid Bream a slick fielding first baseman and Damon Berryhill behind the plate supporting Tom Glavine Gary Rita sleeves off he's 5 for 11 in the series and 5 for his last date first pitch of the night from Tom Glavine well hit the left run Gant just in front of the warning track makes the catch with the left-hander tom glavine on the mound tonight Jim Leyland has his right-handed hitting platoon lineup out there and that's been the more effective of his two lineups in this series with Gary Reed it's Lloyd McClendon and Don slaught in the lineup Glavine didn't pitch poorly in Game three but he was overshadowed by the performance of the knuckleballer Tim Wakefield the Mitchell win Mets tonight in Game six one strike in to Jay Bell Jay only 3 for 21 and one for his last 10 [Applause] and he's hit by the pitch the umpires working this one edy Montague will be the man in the spotlight again as he calls the balls and strikes with the knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on the mound John McSherry at first Randy Marsh at second Steve rippley a third Gary darling along the left field line and Jerry Davis falls the plays and right now Andy Van Slyke digs in he has had a hit in every game in this series except game to the 13 to 5 blowout for Atlanta [Applause] just underway on the top of the first no score the Pirates with Jay Bell at first and one out in the first pitch to Van Slyke is a ball first time Tommy Glavine pitched we talked about his success getting right-handers out away he's trying to come inside to Jay Bell and you hate to hit a hitter when you're just showing him the pitch inside to keep him from diving out over the plate but he ends up the ball sailing a little bit and he hit Jay Bell the Pirates have only one stolen base in the series as Jim Leyland says they are not a stolen base Club if they will hit and run when the opportunity is there again tonight Barry Bonds has Pittsburgh only stolen base L is not attempted one and they found on Van Slyke now two balls and no strikes yeah the Braves have five stolen bases they have not been caught and Pittsburgh with only one and they've been caught two times and the knock on damon berryhill was his throwing before this season started but he has done very very well handling the pitching and defending DoublePlay ball if they hurry Alinsky to Blauser green victim 4-6-3 and that ends the inning after half an inning the Pirates nothing and the Braves coming up Eliza's the importance of taking out a middle infielder on a double play ball watch his right knee gets stuck and he topples over normally if he's trying to do that that's one of those rolling body blocks in the umpire at second base could call an automatic double play but I don't think Jay got his feet out his rear end down and consequently got his right knee stuck in the ground that's why toppled over like that the 26 year old rookie knuckleballer Tim Wakefield the pride of Melbourne Florida ready to face this lineup for Atlanta tonight Otis Nixon leads off in centerfield Jeff Blauser at Short Terry Pendleton to third David Justice the cleanup hitter in right Sid Bream at first burr on Gant the left fielder the bottom third of the order Damon Berryhill mark Lemke and the pitcher Tom Glavine and you're looking at what that lineup has done in this series the defense for the Pirates bonds in left Van Slyke in center and McCrimmon and right King had third the bell at Short leaned that second Gary reduce it first and Don slaught who will have his hands full behind the plate using that oversized catches me Otis Nixon takes the first knuckleball of the night outside for ball one [Applause] Don slaught employing the oversize meant tonight to handle the knuckleball that's ball two to it all I think Wakefield will resort to the fastball now with Otis Nixon we'll see if Nixon's taking it was a fastball and a strike Wakefield says when he's on he'll throw the knuckleball 90 percent of the time the reason he doesn't like to throw the fastball is that last one was clocked at 81 miles per hour now he's back even two balls and two strikes we'll also remember that the reason one of them that Jim Leyland did not start Tim Wakefield in Game two here in Atlanta is he was worried about the rookie under pressure pitching in front of a hostile crowd well that's where he is tonight but back from two-and-oh to get Nixon with the knuckleball [Applause] interesting how tim wakefield pulls that knuckleball and we mentioned in game 3 that it's most effective when it is not rolling it has that dead spin that ball caught in the heel of the glove by Don slaught a very very effective knuckler then Bobby Cox wasn't particularly concerned about his clubs lack of success in Game three he felt that had many balls hard against Wakefield they did have a couple of near misses with home run particularly one off the bat at the man at the plate Jeff Blauser who pops it back in this direction out of play all into the count on Blauser [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I had assumed that tim wakefield like most nook lers held the knuckleball on the seams of the ball but as you see he holds it in the horseshoe part of the ball [Applause] these seams on the ball can actually form a horseshoe and Tim Wakefield gripping the ball he really grips the nails of the index finger and the middle finger into the ball so knuckleball is a misnomer he should be a fingertip ball very high fly ball in shallow left for Barry bond to down yesterday we asked him Wakefield to explain exactly how he grips the ball well horsey was one of the things that comes in and it's just just big the biggest part of the ball but it's shaped like horseshoe and it's easier to get my fingers in there and it acts as kind of a guide I can put my thumb on this seen on this side and also I don't have any seams catchin like my ring finger so on when I do throw it the object of it is to really let go with your thumb and ring finger and just let it guide out with your two index finger and your middle finger that knuckle ball lined into Center base hit for Terry Pendleton Pendleton broken over 12 drought with an infield hit his last time up in Game five now he is a solid single with two outs in the bottom of the first it's the first hit of the ballgame and how weird is that a switch hitter switch hitting right-handed against the knuckleballer ineffective his first time and Terry Pendleton surprising everybody by hitting right-handed against the 55 mile an hour knuckleball how about that in the first pitch sure enough a rocket to Center [Music] so Pendleton's at first with two down in the bottom the first there is no score in Game six of the National League Championship Series David Justice the batter for 416 is justice in the series he has also drawn a series hi six walks by swathi can't find it and Pendleton is around second he'll try for third the throw they're not in town well that's a big reason why a lot of managers are afraid to have knuckleball pitchers on their staff tim wakefield only threw ten wild pitches make that three wild pitches this year this will probably be a passed ball Don slaught had three pass balls are at the catching staff had three pass balls so only three wild pitches three pass balls but that went good for two bases against Wakefield justise big swing and a foul tip one ball in two strikes the count now the pressure really onslaught because obviously if you box one now it's a run [Applause] there's a lot of room in this park and foul ground along the line but not all that much room right behind home plate slot had a tough time locating the ball in Pendleton as you saw never hesitated [Applause] Loen to pitch is high 2 balls and 2 strikes justice was 1 for 4 in game three against Wakefield that he hit the ball sharply three out of the four times he came up no score the Braves threatened in the bottom of the 1st and Wakefield steps off Pendleton was a long way from the third base bag well that's now yeah that's because Jeff King the third baseman is a long way from the bag they're playing justice with the shift three infielders on the right side and King has to play toward second Pendleton getting off as far as King is justice went against the shift for a base hit in Game three off Wakefield he singled in left field in the second inning off the knuckleballer [Applause] [Music] [Applause] now the 2-2 pitch inside and Lowell the countess full justice will be followed by Sid Bream [Music] routine fly to left for Barry Bonds the Braves threatened but do not score in the first after one in Atlanta no score you may be wondering as we were wide Terry Pendleton hit right-handed against Tim Wakefield well he was hitting left-handed against Phil Niekro the great knuckle baller and he'll be in the Hall of Fame some day he was frustrated as a left-handed batter so he comes up against Tim Wakefield as a right-hander and slaps a liner to Center the only hit miss ball game how about that old nut she brought in to pitch batting practice for the Braves before the game tonight as they prepared for the knuckleball and they also employ bruce dale canton who was the braves triple-a pitching coach of richmond will look to the braves before the game tonight at two different knuckle balls Barry Bonds Tom Glavine and put me in the hole on to Glavine will face bonds King and McClendon the middle third to the pirate order in the second no score in the ball game one ball and two strikes bonds might have broken out of his career long postseason slump with his two for five performance in Game five the Jim Leyland said before the game one game does not necessarily mark the end of a struggle but that might deep to right field way back and gone Barry Bonds on a one-two pitch homers to right-center and the Pirates take a one nothing lead it's the first ever postseason home run for Barry Bonds [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] a fastball inside but not for long and now it is almost eerily silent here at atlanta-fulton County Stadium as bonds continues to accept the congratulations of his mates Braddock working to Jeff King one ball and one strike to come vines particularly conscious of that because the crowd was yelling berry berry that was a form of she could call it verbal abuse and certainly was not it certainly was not playful which you may remember the Boston Red Sox fans back in the 1986 series the Mets and the Red Sox the Darryl Darryl chant trying to get on Darryl Strawberry gang loops one into shallow left-center and that's a hit Jeff Kane picks up where he left off in Game five he was 3 for 4 in that ballgame and 1 for 1 tonight we mentioned at the outset tom glavine yesterday the press conference was very direct and addressing the criticism directed at him that he has not won in the postseason only one in four lifetime in postseason play we wonder if the early deficit has those types of thoughts running through his head already during the season he gave up six home runs in 225 innings and already in this postseason he has given up two in a little over seven innings the other was to Don slaught in the fifth inning of Game three at Pittsburgh Lloyd McClendon they've divided the Bucks with a lot of offense when his limited playing time in this series he's five for eight including a three for three game five with two runs batted in King at first and nobody out the Pirates lead one to nothing on the leadoff home run by Barry Bonds here in the second why ball drifting toward the seats and right [Applause] on Sunday night when Barry Bonds doubled in the second run of the game for the Pirates on second base you could read his lips saying it's over it's over and with two hits in that game and a solo home run tonight as you said Shawn it may very well be oh and two on McClendon King not much of a threat to run Glavine keeps him close Ghent is not attempted or rather has attempted one stolen base in this series and was thrown out trying to steal [Music] we stole only four bases during the regular season but was thrown out six times [Applause] little looper that will fall in right field King continues toward third justice with the throw it's cut off and the Pirates have first and third with nobody out already leading one to nothing if you hit the first base coach you would hug a hitter because that was terrific hitting by Lloyd McClendon two strikes on him protecting the outside part of the plate watch where this pitch is well that's fine piece of hitting by Lloyd McClendon when a hitter is ahead in the count he goes to the offense when he's behind in the count especially with two strikes you protect the outside part of the plate and McClendon did it very well at that in that at-bat he is 6 for 9 in the series now with four straight hits dating back to Game five [Applause] well Clendenen first King at third nobody out one nothing Pittsburgh in the second the batter is done he homered off Glavine in Game three that's well hit toward the gap in right-center and in for extra bases King has scored McClendon being waved in even with nobody out Blinky's throw not in time genom and McLendon scores to make it three to nothing rich Donnelly the third-base coach took a chance with nobody out in waving McClendon around but the throw from Lemke was off line and McClendon scored it's the reason I think the reason that he did that there was nobody out right but the bottom part of the order was coming up Jim Leyland said he would never second-guess rich Donnelly send him he said because a lot of times with nobody out you'll leave that runner at third base and nobody can get him in so I guess that was Donnell he's thinking by sending McClendon with nobody out and a good throw nails him but the throw is up the third base line in the swipe tag by Berryhill eludes the diving McClendon 3 nothing Pittsburgh Wow Jim Leyland told us when he was the third-base coach of the Chicago White Sox he had a sign that said nobody ever scored a run by stopping a third [Laughter] [Applause] Ravin at the visit to the mound looking at the number eight hitter Jose lean basketball high for ball one Jim Leyland was the third-base coach under Tony LaRussa the manager of the Oakland Athletics as a matter of fact he spoke with Tony LaRussa yesterday after the Athletics victory over the Toronto Blue Jays we're in the mechanical situations really Blauser will try third the throw by Pendleton slot comes in to score that's four to nothing clean wise up at second and they executed the play slot was out but the ball got passed Pendleton now another runners in scoring position still nobody out here in the second but again Jim Leyland being very aggressive Don slaught not a fast runner look how he runs to the outside of the bag to try to get in the way of the throw of Terry Pendleton and sure enough it hits him and he scores that is perfectly legal he was not out of the baseline but when you run to the outside you don't fit hit the third baseman a clear shot to catch the ball good baserunning by Don slaught the scoring on the play a fielder's choice Charlie Leibrandt warming up in the bullpen and an error charged the shortstop Blauser allowing the run to score fielder's choice for lien error six [Music] it's four to nothing and Glavine is looking in at the sixth batter of the second inning the pitcher Tim Wakefield tried to bunt on the first pitch and fouled it off for strike one [Applause] they creep into the corners Wakefield took the bat back one ball and one strike [Applause] quite the fact that he's a former minor league first baseman in the all-time home run leader in the history of Florida Tech Wakefield didn't do much with the lumber during the regular season if you saw by the numbers on your screen [Applause] fouled off the leg give Berryhill that smarted one ball and two strikes [Applause] there's no other word for it these people are stunned yes they are [Applause] and very concerned they're not roots trying to force a game seven lead four to nothing they're not the only ones who are stunned those guys in the white uniforms are also stunned [Applause] Wakefield got the bunt down laven tries third save the third first and third and still nobody out that's Damon berryhill's call if he sees the runner at second base get a good jump then he tells the pitcher third base if the if the runner does not or if he does get a good jump then he says first base Jose lien had too good a jump it's not a force play must make the tag and that was a bad call by Damon Berryhill Atlanta coming apart at the seams here in the second inning playing like the Pirates did in the first two games here in Atlanta especially Game two you wonder if they are feeling the anxiety that we spoke of at the start of the telecast it has been a relatively easy ride to this point in the series ahead two games to none and dominating the first two then three games to one now it's three games to two and they're on the short end of a four nothing score the infield is in with nobody out and Rita's fouls went out of play we're in the top of the second the Pirates have scored four times and they have runners at first and third the scoring on the ball by Wakefield a sacrifice and he reaches on a fielder's choice notice how close mark Lemke the second baseman is to second base that's because the infield is in and he wants to complete a double play on a ball hit hard to the left side at third base you don't want to break too soon you want to make the infielders think that you've grown a break toward home and then don't do it in that way hold them to one out [Applause] outside a ball 1 & 2 on readers who lined to left on the first pitch of the ballgame last inning you're the runner at third base in this situation and you take off and you're thrown out at home then you have runners at first and second and one out Pittsburgh does not want that situation little bleeder along the right-field line that falls in for a hit everything going the way of the Pirates is lien discord Wakefield the third it's a blue double for Gary reduce [Applause] tane in the series and now tom glavine is starting to hear some boos but in fairness to the left hand who this ending hasn't been all his fault [Applause] most of it has Eevee I mean only the throw by the shortstop Jeff Blauser was the the fault of the defense Tom Glavine made the throw to third too late now we said Berryhill may have called it but it certainly was too late but the Pirates have hit the ball hard and the last one was a little flair but for the most part they hit the ball hard this in some dinning reminiscent of the first inning endured by Glavine in the all-star game in July at San Diego [Music] [Applause] the eighth batter of the inning is Jay Bell two men in scoring position and still nobody out Pittsburgh leads five to nothing for 1 and 1 the count on Bell who was hit by a pitch by Glavine last dinner [Applause] I'll tip in the middle Berryhill two strikes and you'd have to think tender Tom Glavine is one hit away from being out of this ballgame mm-hmm I've taught that for the last two hitters we do have Charlie Leibrandt ready in the bullpen [Applause] still one and two [Applause] usually a manager in a Longman situation will bring in an opposite arm because the lineup is set to hit against left-handed batters I'm a little surprised leibrandt's warming up now as opposed to a guy like Marvin Freeman whom are Pete Smith even though Pete Smith worked two and three and two thirds innings on Sunday when you bring the right-hander in there's a possibility that Reedus McClendon at least could be changed and make Leland maybe make a move early when he doesn't want to [Applause] [Applause] [Music] well in Game five Tom Glavine watched as Steve Avery was knocked out after one third of an inning [Applause] we allowed four hits during that stint before runs rather run five hits and hasn't recorded an out here the second that's a deep drive to lab looking up Gantt that's a home run a three-run homer for Jay Bell and all of a sudden it's eight to nothing Pittsburgh [Applause] eight runs in an inning the most ever allowed by a pitcher in League Championship Series play the old record seven runs allowed by Jerry Royce of Los Angeles against st. Louis in 1985 Bobby Cox heard boos as the fans here thought he was a little bit late in removing Tom Glavine many of the fans behind the dugout on their feet saluting what Glavine has done for this franchise particularly over the last two years ain't nothing to scourge Charlie Leibrandt the new pitchers when we come back [Applause] [Music] well brave fans might have known without looking up that there was a near full moon overhead on the thirteenth day of October I think that's how ball but how big the ball has looked to the pirate hitters so far this evening Charlie Leibrandt on in relief of Tom Glavine eight men have come to the plate here in the second for Pittsburgh and all eight have scored Leibrandt has appeared in one game in this series facing Andy Van Slyke who fouled it away charlie pitched his inning in two-thirds in Game five on Sunday night in Pittsburgh van Slyke hit into a 4-6-3 double play that ended the first this inning started with a home run by Barry Bonds and the blow that knocked Lavin out of the ballgame the three-run homer by Jay Bell Greg Olson the injured catcher I'm looking on with a smile on his face through most of this series the one-two pitch is low after the home run by bonds King and McClendon single slot doubled them in leaning hit a ground ball to short Blauser hip slot with the throw as he was trying to go to third and went by Pendleton and slot scored lien took second Wakefield tried to sacrifice lien the third the throw to third was late Van Slyke strikes out for the first top of the inning and the first strikeout of the night for Atlanta pitching a Wakefield and lean who at first in third respectively than greatest doubled the drive-in lean Wakefield took third and Jay Bell hit a three-run homer and here's the man who started it all Barry Bonds who homered to right centerfield on a 1 2 pitch leading off this inning [Applause] the 36 year old Libra this is outside with the breaking ball [Applause] [Music] Bob walk in the center of the picture he's the man who pitched the Pirates to Game six with his three hit gem in Game five [Applause] [Music] base hit two hits in the inning for Barry Bonds [Applause] we went for games with only one hit but he had two hits in game five and two already tonight Bobby Cox watched his pitcher endure not only the worst inning ever suffered by a pitcher in League Championship Series play but also the worst ending endured by a pitcher in any postseason inning including the World Series this is the homerun off Tommy Glavine to lead it off and this is the single back through the middle by Barry Bonds two for two in this inning [Music] yes King he's single the left field for the second run of this inning it's eight to nothing Pittsburgh bonds has the only stolen base in this series for the Pittsburgh Pirates I saw one of the hooks we're so prevalent in Pittsburgh over the weekend Marvin three men the Braves asked for all those fans doing with those yellow question marks a long run for Gant but he's there so is Nixon the Gant makes the catch for the second out of the inning I'll tell you those hooks those pirate hooks have turned into question marks for the Atlanta Braves Atlanta after this eight run inning I think you're looking out of there a car at that right mirror you know that has it the little note on it objects are closer than they appear he could Pittsburgh Pirates coming out on the right lane well it was so easy for the Atlanta Braves in the first two games of the series [Music] Vons at first with two outs the 12th batter of the inning is Lloyd McClendon base hit eight hits in the inning the throw to third from justice not in time back to first now they have McClendon pop and they almost botched this play they haven't fully yet they have bonds track Pendleton flips to green bonds bowls him over but bream held the ball comes to an end but what attending it was a record eight runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates and after an inning and a half they lead eight nothing [Applause] she's a big girl [Applause] to reiterate no pitcher in post season play has ever given up eight runs in an inning prior to tonight that's what happened to Tom Glavine Barry Bonds the sixth player in League Championship Series history to have two hits in an inning Lloyd McClendon became the seventh Doug Drabek will be the starting pitcher in game 7 if we have one and right now that looms is the distinct possibility still a long way to go and the Braves have shown in this series particularly in Game two that they runs in a hurry 13 on very quickly in game 2 Sid Bream leads on he's just 1 for his last 8 after a hot start to the NLCS Wakefield snuck in the fastball one ball and one strike on bream Ron Gant to follow and then Damon Berryhill Wakefield would not have thought of throwing a 100 fastball to bream in a tie ballgame our close game things have changed now and because of that I wonder if Jim Leyland is thinking about tomorrow night with 8 with an 8 run lead I know the bullpen has had their problems I know Atlanta has scored 13 runs in Game two but I wonder if Jim Leyland is saying if we go a couple more innings I'll take him out of the game regardless of whether he gets a win or not in the bullpen and back the Doug Drabek tomorrow night just a thought I don't know if Jim's thinking that way or not but he could be I think if he is we wouldn't execute that until much deeper in the ball game because as you mentioned the bullpen has been shaky and you have to win this game yeah and and if you do that later in the ballgame well then for the most part you might as well let him complete the ballgame and be effective because you're not going to use him after the leadoff walk to Sid Bream ron gant fouls the first pitch he sees tonight out of play dan dole for his last six and now for for 17 in the LCS plus when we talk about the prospect of Game seven with Jim Leyland we felt very confident that there's no way Doug Drabek would allow to throw his third subpar game in a role in this series [Applause] [Music] there's Drabek me and John Smoltz would pair up again if there is a Game seven right now it's eight nothing Pittsburgh in Game six from the bottom of the second inning go on into the count on game [Applause] and way up on the front of the batter's box to combat the knuckleball [Applause] [Music] [Applause] strike three was bending back to get out of the way but the knuckleball caught the inside part of the play for the first out of the inning in the second strikeout of the night for Tim Wakefield [Music] you could tell by Gant's reaction how much that knuckle ball broke here it is again [Applause] I thought it was going to hit him it darted down and out at the last minute damon berryhill pulled one foul on that last pitch was the best example we've seen tonight of what you mentioned in Game three the home plate umpire can't disappear thinking that the pitch is going to stay on its course ed Montague thought that the path of the ball was going to continue along the same lines Ron Gant did he easily could have called that ball by giving up on it that's an example right there Don slaught had no idea where the ball is and that's another problem that a catcher has that mitt is so big you can't feel the ball in it sometimes you'd think you may have it and then you don't as you can see he left the ball but that big mitt is very difficult to feel the ball the smaller ones obviously very easy to do that because of the smaller pocket that big thing pizza pan flexible pizza pan as well was there any chance to that previous pitch was a trick play on the part of schlotkin yeah convinced the runner that he did know where the ball was when in actuality he did know no pitchers don't have those types of plays I know I know we as announcers tend to talk about those but that's not realistic it's tough enough keep trying to battle that thing back there rather than thinking about tricking a runner 2 & 2 the count on Berryhill mark Lemke on deck that's well hit to right McClendon drifting back lifting from the warning track he makes the catch two away and bream returns to first we're in the second Pittsburgh and Joy's at eight nothing lead though we have had to switch hitters now batting right-handed against the knuckleballer damon berryhill and Terry Pendleton earlier both hit the ball hard pendleton lining up the middle maybe that's what they learned in batting practice batting against Bruce Del Canton and Phil Niekro well though Lemke a switch hitter is going to stay on the left side of the plate after a hot start he has tailed off in this series over his last seven that bounced up there against watt can't find it and bream takes second so it is at five knee operations so third base was not in his mind particularly with his team down by eight runs [Music] that's a wild pitch charged to Wakefield so there's a runner in scoring position now for mark Lemke his wild pitches by the way are the first wild pitches that Wakefield has thrown in a long he had all three wild pitches that he threw on July 31st his first start that was a complete game win over the Cardinals so the pirate caches have done very very well catchy Wakefield's knuckleball there was really starting with that night that the pirates and their fans had the feeling that Wakefield might be something special he went the distance allowed only two unearned runs and struck out ten in that debut against st. Louis three and one now on Lemke the pitcher Leibrandt on deck to bat next for the brave [Applause] one stayed high of all for two walks in the inning first in second with two down [Music] and it appears that Leibrandt will hit for himself there is action in the Atlanta bullpen Pete Smith is throwing out there [Applause] he's going to take a seat some of the fans boo is Leibrandt strides toward the play we'd like to see Bobby Cox take a chance at getting back into this ball game right now yeah maybe employing a left-handed hitter or something a guy like Lonnie Smith but it is early but they're down by 8 [Applause] you have a fully rested staff off day yesterday Leibrandt working a little over an inning on Sunday night and Pete Smith three and two thirds with the most part the bullpen has rested [Applause] a chance to take one for the club if you Charlie Leibrandt not gonna get hurt not gonna hurt to get hit by that knuckleball you wouldn't think [Applause] one ball and two strikes Leibrandt during the regular season went seven for 58 of the plate with no homers and he drove in four [Applause] and he strikes out the brave strand too after two ain't nothing pirates [Applause] CBS Sports coverage of Game six of the 1992 National League Championship Series is brought to you by Bud Light great taste that fills you up and never let you down United come fly the friendly skies and buy the GM card the new financial vehicle we're back in Atlanta and let's check in with Jim Gray all right Shawn the saying in slogan this year in Pittsburgh is we believe and it was started by a radio talk show host by the name of John Cigna one morning in July he woke up when the Montreal Expos were coming into town right on the Pittsburgh Pirates trail and he said I believe and I think we all should believe well he got a supermarket involved they printed up 50,000 posters then the city got involved they started hanging up banners and billboards all across so in 1979 it was we are family and now in 1992 it's we believe Shawn the Pittsburgh Pirates trying to do what the 79 Pirates did in the World Series come from three games to one down to win Willie Stargell and company did that to the Baltimore Orioles Don slaught doubled driving in two runs last inning he also scored as part of the eighth one second that night Tom Glavine on the ball game Charlie Leibrandt has come on and held the Pirates at bay while striking out to now pull one out of the third eight nothing Pittsburgh and Jose lien stands in Fiegel reached on a fielder's choice and scored the fifth Pittsburgh run lasted laying to the plate with Wakefield on deck wowser night's play on the outfield grass then he gets leaned by running death [Applause] Bobby Cox telling us about jeff blauser x' defense and about how important that has been to the braves especially the last couple of months fine play by Jeff blouson tried to believe that at one time he was considered a good hit no field shortstop worked hard on his defense Wakefield with the comebacker Leibrandt throws him out the Pirates go quickly in order to Atlanta Fulton County Stadium after this word from your local station our blimp tonight is Goodyear's Stars & Stripes from Pompano Beach Florida at the controls is Captain Jim Maloney from Vienna Virginia and a beautiful night to be up there it was the perfect day in Atlanta the high temperature today was 77 degrees it was 70 at game time top of the order coming up for the Braves in the third inning Otis Nixon Jeff Blauser and Terry Pendleton who faced Tim Wakefield the count true and all his first time up and then was thrown three straight strikes by Wakefield [Applause] flyball long run for bonds as it slices into the standards [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] slap the left bonds is there one out we're in the third Pittsburgh leads eight to nothing and tomorrow afternoon the American League Championship Series resumes with their game six at 3:00 Eastern Time and this moment from two games ago has ignited some hostilities between the two some of the Toronto Blue Jays a bit upset at the fist pumping of Dennis Eckersley toronto came from 6-1 down to beat Eckersley Jack Morris called out a little league act but then again Roberto Alomar charged de lytx hit a home run and ran around the bases with his arms up over his head in retaliation possibly to what Eckersley had done Eckersley struck out ed Sprague to end the eighth inning and resorted to those histrionics and then Alomar with a two run homer in the ninth inning to tie it in a game that Toronto won I'll tell you that's something that used to be looked upon as something that baseball players shouldn't do but now I think the games played differently I mean guys watch home runs they sit and look at them and then they style around the bases this is the Alomar home run right here a two-run shot and watch Alomar arms up possibly in retaliation to what Eckersley did that tied it and then to run a won it in extra innings the games played differently now though 20 years ago if the pitcher hit after doing something like that it had been knocked down plain and simple you didn't do it but a lot of guys do it now the game's different whether that's right or not it's up to up to the way you really grew up in the games I'm more conservative approach says that that's Bush but there are others that accept it especially the guys who are coming into the game now they don't seem to mind it so if they don't mind it once your fans that's off Wakefield and high in the air handled by Bell now is it an out part of the Pirates Don slaught asking if the ball had been caught in the air yet apparently it got a piece of the ground because Blauser is standing on first base looked like it hit either the rubber or the foot of Wakefield at Wakefield immediately indicated the dugout that he's okay it looked like it hit him on the top of the right foot initially but evidently it hit some ground to thought that were the case it may have hit the sole of the shoe we'll see no I hit the ground yeah clearly hit the ground and then came up to hit the shin and Jay Bell fielded it so it'll be a base hit for Jeff Blauser [Applause] what's the second Atlanta hit Terry Pendleton had the first while batting from the right side of the plate he's a switch-hitter ordinarily bat from the left against the right-handed pitcher but not so against a knuckleball to Wakefield one out in the bottom of the third eight nothing Pittsburgh Pendleton lifts a Papa gleaned two outs I don't think I have ever seen two switch hitters in a lineup that right-handed against the right-handed pitcher in any one game I said Bobby Bonilla did it against John Tudor a couple of years ago at the st. Louis Cardinals he's a switch hitter of course he had left-handed against John Tudor and homered off of him in st. Louis but a two and one lineup to switch hitters batting right-handed damon berryhill the other one this evening David Justice was out on a fly ball to left field his first time up sliced out of play oh and to [Applause] [Music] the game eight to nothing young fan diverting his attention to the souvenir program [Music] there is room if they can get their king and slot its king right in front of the dugout making the play that ends the inning we played three and the Pirates lead eight to nothing game summary is sponsored by AT&T Tom Glavine in the second inning allowed a League Championship Series record eight runs in that inning started with a solo home run by Barry Bonds he also had a single in the frame and the eight run inning capped by the three-run round tripper by Jay Bell pirates came into the game tonight having hit only two home runs in the first five games of this series they hit two and one inning and they're batting with an eight nothing lead in the top of the fourth against reliever Charlie Leibrandt which two innings of shutout relief Gary Rita's double to drive in a run explored in the second one note from baseball today the Seattle Mariners have fired manager Jim Plummer after one year as skipper of the Mariners his coaching staff was fired as well bill Plummer fired today my general manager woody Woodward as manager of the Seattle Mariners [Applause] [Applause] what Jim lefeber go a year ago after the first and only winning season two mary's ago one ball and two strikes on Rita's [Applause] Jay Bell to follow in the nanny vans like Gary Rita's one of the heroes to this point in this series for the Pittsburgh Pirates particularly in games 3 & 5 is that a combined 5 hits and a scored 2 runs also knocked one in tonight five of his six hits for extra bases he has five extra base hits in this series and he had only 10 all year long seven doubles three triples [Applause] we've done an excellent job defensively at first base he is ordinarily an outfield who says I just try not to embarrass myself at first base but he's done much better than that he's the oldest member of the Pirates at 35 the record for extra-base hits in a championship series is six shared by Steve Garvey table Rudovsky and will Clark Harvey at six and seventy-eight lemansky an 87 Clark an 89 he strikes out chasing the fits that appear to be outside one out of the fourth Charlie Leibrandt is already struck out three [Music] [Applause] Jay Bell was hit by a pitch by Tom Glavine in the first and he knocked Glavine out of the ballgame with a three-run homer in the second held at nine home runs during the regular season 17 a year ago with Howard dropped a bid in 1992 and that was only the second home run in the last three League Championship Series that the Pirates have hit with runners on base they have ten over that period that eight have been solo shots the one one who's from Leibrandt is outside Tim gray mentioned he we believe that slogan came to be the motto for the Pittsburgh Pirates this year and that was reinforced when they returned home after the to disastrous games here in Atlanta we're almost buried in the blizzard of banners and cards that arrived from school children throughout the pittsburgh area they were all over the walls leading from the clubhouse to the playing field we have some excerpts from some of those cards that you see on the wall some of them as you might imagine coming from the hucksters desert very entertaining classic young lady named Kristen wrote to Gary Greta's I know you live in Huntington Woods and you moved Bell down to third [Applause] [Music] young lady named Deena broke deer Andy Van Slyke hi how are you I am fine I bet you never knew this I go to your pool [Applause] and Barry Bonds received a letter from Yuri I hope you hit a home run I love you Jerry loves Barry even more tonight after the home run that started the second [Applause] here's Andy then you'll say hello to Dina the next time he's out at the pool children have a way of getting to the point [Applause] eight nothing Pittsburgh Pirates batting with two outs of the board nobody on base van Slyke his bounce do a double play he was the first man to face Leibrandt in the second and struck out [Applause] a little bit low it away [Applause] of course it's also a big political night here in Atlanta the vice presidential debates held earlier this evening just a few miles away on the campus of Georgia Tech doubtedly Andy Van Slyke might have caught a glimpse of it a keen follower of the political scene and often has things to say on that subject but in the interest of equal time we won't share them in this forum Barry Bonds waits on deck one political figure who is here tonight former president of the United States Jimmy Carter watching from the Braves box alongside the senator Sam Nunn on the right of your screen and Braves owner Ted Turner I spoke with Lewis Grizzard who is a columnist with the Atlanta Constitution before the game and he said he was going to do a writers version of Deion Sanders tonight he was going to go to the debate and then come to the ballpark but does he have a shoe contract [Applause] very high and drifting into the stands he opted for the ballgame instead [Applause] it was Lewis Grizzard that wrote by the way that Atlanta going to the World Series last year was about as unlikely as Argentina winning the Falklands War several years ago and I guess it would be about that unlikely if Atlanta loses three in a row to Pittsburgh they're on the bad end of losing two in a row right now with Pittsburgh up eight to nothing van Slyke worked off the one and two hook to draw walk to the first thrown by Leibrandt he's aboard with two down in the fourth certainly Bobby Cox had to feel good about his chances ahead three to one with Avery Glavine and Smoltz yeah lined up with who needed three starting pitchers over the remainder of the series he still has Smoltz on deck for tomorrow night and was still a long way to go in this one with Pittsburgh batting in the pores leading eight to nothing they have eight hits two of them belong to Barry Bonds both hits came in the second a leadoff home run and then a single [Applause] one ball on bonds who came very close to being a member of the Atlanta Braves this year these two teams had serious trade talks in spring training involving Barry Bonds matter of fact when we were here in the middle of the season I asked John Shaw volts how close that was to becoming a reality he said we thought we had a deal done once who a why didn't happen so you'd have to ask Ted Simmons that someone was the general manager of the Pirates the constant dolls before the game today indeed there were very serious discussions between the two two of the players thought to being Bob David Justice the rightfielder and Kent Mercker the left-hander in the bullpen because if the Pirates can't sign him they will lose Barry Bonds and get nothing in return and not on Vaughn's walks on four pitches after retiring the first two with ease here in the fourth Leibrandt has walked Van Slyke and bonds back-to-back and now he'll have to deal with Jeff King Aerys nationally president to bill white he will be retiring next March and we understand that once bill retires for as national league president after serving one term he will be going down to Annapolis to his boat and be fixing up the teakwood down there and he does a lot of fishing bill white a four-year term as national league president Rosi an American League president dr. Bobby Brown have expressed their intention to depart one ball on Jeff King so suddenly Leibrandt cannot find the strike zone Pittsburgh with runners in scoring position 3 for 25 in the first four games now a combined 10 for 17 the last two ballgames [Applause] I think with the firing of Fay Vincent as commissioner the powers the more powers given to the League presidents came too late as far as Bill White is concerned I think that was one of the things that stuck in his craw is that he didn't have enough power the umpiring situation a couple of years ago that he was very very upset about disciplining of Joe West Commissioner Vincent intervened he was livid bill white that is at that intervention and that was one of the things that one of a number of things that has driven him into retirement he said he didn't have the authority and he's retired on many ways the position of league president is largely ceremonial right and a lot of really important responsibilities for the league president and I think an accomplished man like or doc the Bobby Brown that can be frustrating from what the owners say however in the future there will be more power given to lead presidents and as we said that that happened after the firing of Fay Vincent order the president's less to the commissioner King to write justice there the Pirates Tran - we played three and a half in Game six the Pirates try to force a game seven lead by eight [Applause] welcome back to Fulton County Stadium I'm wit bill white the national league president bill there is a report tonight that the new people in San Francisco who want to keep the Giants there are willing to build a stadium what will you do about that situation and how does the Tampa San Francisco situation right now stands well we'll look at both both groups they have a group in Tampa then a MOLLE group we have a group in in San Francisco the McGowan group and we'll look at both of them the Executive Council will look at both bids and decide where baseball wants to go obviously you would rather keep a team in the city where Presley is baseball just can't contain to move around but if if there is no stadium and if there is no proper bit competitive bid and obviously you have to look someplace else well is this bit in your mind proper and competitive it's 95 million dollars about 20 million dollars short than the people in Tampa well the executive council the baseball will decide that I think don't look at both pitch how long will you give the groups in San Francisco if this one cannot come through will you wait for another how long will you detain this move or make a decision on this move how long did the people in San Francisco have we there are a lot of deadlines that we have I think baseball would like to get this done as soon as possible how's that for a political answer that's what I've learned to do since I've been in this job thank you Bill let's go back upstairs Shawn wasn't that a telling final statement we spoke to his frustration with the job and the politics involved in it and we made I think a very direct statement on that subject with that final reminder what I don't understand is how the baseball owners should be allowed to decide that Bob Louie should accept twenty million dollars less for his team Jim great executive council right that's right Jim Gray mention there's a ball that gets by swamp greens card the inning with a single take second that will likely be a passed ball on slot looked like a pitch he could have handled the San Francisco group has offered mr. lurry 95 million in the Tampa Bay group 115 million and how would you feel if you were part of the Tampa Bay group I mean was a deal made obviously it wasn't made in stone but I mean what right do they have legally now if the team decides to stay in San Francisco there will be a lawsuit if that happen lap salutely Ron Gant looked at the ball outside a runner in scoring position with nobody out and now it's 3 & 1 on game Braves will try to claw back into this one they're down eight to nothing and batting in the fourth inning dream at second and nobody out Gant will be followed by Berryhill [Applause] Wakefield has allowed three hits and now he's issued another Rock the third that he is throwing [Applause] [Music] where to Glan of Fulton County Stadium for Game six of the National League Championship Series Atlanta leads this best-of-seven series three games to two but the Pirates lead this one eight to nothing in the bottom of the fourth Berryhill again batting from the right side lifts a pop-up finished shallow right McClendon the catch one out what makes Berryhill a switch hitter batting from the right side against the right-handed pitcher particularly odd is that 9 of the 10 home runs at Berryhill head this year were from the left side I really don't understand it but both he and Terry Pendleton are batting right-handed tonight I understand Pendleton more than I do Berryhill well neither of them had a hit in game three against Wakefield Pendleton went over for Berryhill Oh for three mark Lemke walked his first time up tonight knuckle ball in for strike one one out runners at first and second eight nothing Pittsburgh in the fourth [Applause] the pitchers scheduled to back next the Lonnie Smith has moved into the on deck circle to pinch-hit Marvin Freeman is warming up men if Smith does indeed bat for leibrandt Freeman will be the new pitcher plenty out on strikes let's the second out of the inning in the fourth strikeout of the night for Tim Wakefield or did that knuckleball dance down [Applause] and the hand is for Lonnie Smith nicknamed stretch drive by manager Bobby Cox for his performances in the clutch both in the regular season and postseason one thing Bobby Cox told us was that Lonnie Smith was the man now and you know he is he's their best pinch-hitter but here the Braves are trailing eight to nothing in the fourth inning with two on and one out i I guess Bobby's thinking on this is that he made it get he may not get another chance to use Lonnie Smith with men on base so consider him now and he delivers a base hit to right field bream is being waved around the throw goes to third and the Braves are on the board at 8 to 1 so Lonnie Smith is 2 for 5 in this series now as a pinch-hitter that's his first RBI of this NLCS and the lead is cut to 7 with two men on and two outs [Music] Otis Nixon the hitter he is struck out in line two left [Applause] one strike on Nixon [Applause] and the runner at second Smitha first ball one outside of Nixon could keep the inning alive jeff blauser would bat next breem kind of happy for a guy who seems down by seventh oh yeah just scored one run only run your team has that's all you have sorry you have to be happy time to start somewhere and build on something that's what the Braves are hoping they'll do in this city [Applause] so grim remains the only man the fans here in Atlanta chant suits it Nixon is swing-and-a-miss straight to obvious reason for the we share that reason with him earlier in the series we know everybody watching tonight has been with us for every pitch of the six game today the reason of course is he's the only man named sue now with two outs the runners will get the jump dance from second Smith from first [Applause] [Music] ball four loaded up for jeff blauser I don't agree with that call right there a 3:2 knuckleball with the 7-run lead Otis Nixon is not a power hitter you have two home runs this year from sad in Wakefield he'll probably throw anything puts down there but I think the fastball was the pitch they're not the knuckler jeff blauser barely missed hitting a home run off Wakefield in Pittsburgh in Game three he's a career 375 hitter with the bases loaded and there is action for the first time tonight in the pirate bullpen the right-hander is Roger Mason the lefty Bob Patterson 8:1 Pittsburgh with the Braves with a chance to get right back in it against Jim Leyland club here in the fourth inning knuckle ball in for strike two whoa and two on Blauser when an infield hit his last time up he's 1 for 2 tonight check swing at a ball outside Jim Leyland will tell you that he does not know how to manage a knuckleball before Tim Wakefield came up this year he had never seen him throw a knuckleball obviously very impressed with his confidence his poise more impressed with his knuckleball a pop up Jay Bell makes the catch and the Braves has settled for one run in the fourth inning off Wakefield after for 8 to 1 Pittsburgh McCarver has occasionally referred to Tim Wakefield as bill Wakefield the name of a former Tim McCarver teammate yesterday we asked him Wakefield did you ever think about changing your name to Bill Wakefield I heard that gave me the club off the guys would give me a hard time Tim McCarver just called you bill I said how could he get Tim wrong it's his own first name so uh no stuff like that happens I think he has a point yes he does I thought it was great we walking into the ballpark on Thursday the off day in Pittsburgh and Tim Wakefield was walking into this game at the same time he waved to you and said hey Bill McCarver bill how are you I'm sure bill Wakefield's brought the Tim Wakefield a terrific job in Game three and he has his team hit eight to one with a lot of help from his mates tonight his mates batting in the fifth inning Lloyd McClendon had two hits in that eight runs 2nd inning he's facing reliever Marvin Freeman [Applause] Freeman the six six right-handed making his third appearance of this NLCS with all those three innings of shutout relief from Charlie Leibrandt the starter Tom Glavine if you're just joining us charge for all eight runs in the second inning the most runs ever allowed in any postseason inning by a pitcher including League Championship Series and World Series play Bremen in with a fastball for his first strike three and one on McClendon and that's very understandable because normally pitchers wouldn't be allowed to remain in the game if they gave up that many runs and that's ball four [Applause] so McClendon is on for the third time let's look back at the headlines from the first five games of this series in Game one it was John Smoltz coming out smoking particularly early Sid Bream paced the offense in Game two mark lemke made it five hits over the first two games in the thirteen to five win highlighted by Ron Gant's grand slam in Atlanta head of two games been on leave with another ball Freeman visited by damon berryhill the Pirates returned home and got their wake-up call from Tim Wakefield's who threw a complete game 5 hitter Gary Reedus had three hits and scored the game-winning run in Game four Otis Nixon was indeed the one we had four hits and going for four five and Jeff Reardon came on to save it camping an outstanding performance by the Braves bullpen Game five with the Pirates on the verge of elimination Bob walked a surprise starter through the best game of his career a three hitter and Barry Bonds broke out of his career long postseason slump to make it three games to two in favor of Atlanta and that's where we stand with the Pirates leading this one 8 to 1 and batting in the fifth inning with a runner at first and nobody out and a count of one and O on Don slaught slot double to drive in two runs in the second he scored as well he struck out looking against Leibrandt in the third Don hammering that sinker from Marvin Freeman off his left foot catcher's take enough abuse behind the plate not having to undergo further damage when they hammer one off the foot [Applause] a heavy heavy sinker from the six-six Marvin Freeman it's tougher for a guy that tall to throw a sinker usually sinker ballers are a shorter stature fastball fouled back in our direction as Tim takes cutter [Applause] one ball and two strikes Jose leaned on deck [Applause] [Music] in tonight Tim it's the right hand of hitting the two lineup yeah Jim Leyland that has come up big he's had much more production from this right-handed punch these fellows don't play when the opponent's started a right-handed pitcher as the Braves will tomorrow night if there's a game seven Jim Leyland's charges would be looking at John Smoltz 17 for 34 combined the right-handed platoon trio of Rita's McClendon and slot slots unlikely to be in there tomorrow night right-handers neutralized because of John Smoltz or right-handed pitcher of course the one thing by carrying that game into tomorrow night the Braves will lose John Smoltz is their starter of the World Series if they win it and has provided this game is over here and we still have half the game to play but the Braves trailed by seven the probable rotation if the Braves win it tomorrow night will be Steve Avery Tom Glavine on Sunday and then Smoltz starting against either Toronto or Oakland next Tuesday in those parts but this game as he said earlier long being over although back-to-back walks to start the inning won't help to keep it close first and second and nobody out we're in the fifth eight to one Pittsburgh Chico lino for his last eight he reached on a fielder's choice and scored one of the eight runs in the second bounced to short his last time [Applause] [Music] now Tim there is action in the Pittsburgh it's an interesting thing as you see a Danny Jackson and Randy Tomlin warming and remember earlier we we asked the question if Jim Leyland was thinking maybe about pulling Bill Wakefield with as big a lead as they had and possibly didn't say Billy see you keep telling me that that on camera put that on your mind it put it back I've got I've got my note up here saying say Tim - no that's not quite what it says can I hold it up for that legacy I'm not sure so you can't the know dentally certainly says it's appropriate I think it's appropriate the dr. Tim Wakefield a Tim or bill - it is - yes oh it to the count on leave there are some things that are never sacred in the broadcast that's right here's the note that tim mccarver wrote himself Tim Wakefield uh me want me to tape it right over the monitor shouldn't be that hard a name for you to remember there's a base him lean down into the corner with it that will score at least one now Gantt stumbles on the track SWAT is being waved in the relay throw not in time it's ten to one Pittsburgh Chico lien dens a no parade route with a double into the left-field corner [Music] so the bullpen is down Tomlin in Jackson and now Wakefield will be batting I would imagine he'll be funny [Applause] with lead at second and nobody out Freeman will go to first rule MP it's a sacrifice one the third with one out [Applause] well you know we can do maybe like certain people in sports and entertainment they're known by only one name Madonna cher magic Michael let me just call him Wakefield and nook solve the problem play knucks that's what film Negroes name was white Wilhelm a lot of knuckleball pitchers have been come have become witness to the change your name it was buzz Hannon sitting behind us by the way our stage manager now Berryhill and Freeman are going to get on the same page buzz wave hi to America this is buzz Hannon our stage manager friends norm is bill that's right Tim remembers his name buzz steve hurt our director of statistics off to our left if people who write a similar notes than the one we displayed from time to time Gary Rita's double to drive in to Ronnie scored in the second he's 1 for 3 and you wonder with as well as he has performed again there is a Game seven tomorrow night of Jim Leyland would consider going away from the strict flah tune and keep one or two of these hot right-handed bats in the lineup against Smoltz [Applause] lead us in the holo into the infield in with the Braves down by nine runs Pittsburgh has added two more here in the fifth they lead 10 to one uh neither manager has employed that particular type of offensive strategy yet but Pittsburgh right-handed hitters are so hot to wonder if Jim Leyland's thinking that about tomorrow night whoa now you are the one that moves yes I did see what happens when that ball comes at you Lecky lacking any assistance from bill McCarver I decided to head for safer ground Marvin Freeman with the o2 pits just outside [Applause] there is action in the Atlanta bullpen [Applause] Kent Mercker is throwing out there the left-hander basehead through the drawn in infield it's 11 to 1 Greta's 2 for 4 again the night he is 7 for 15 of the series leaned home from third three runs off Freeman here the fifth inning I wonder if Jim Leyland was going to school on that at bat against a right-handed pitcher if Freitas does start tomorrow night he will be starting against the right-hander John Smoltz [Applause] [Music] we'll be interested in going to Lille in the month of tomorrow we visit with him at half an hour before every game and asking him several questions along those lines whether he's going to start the right-hander's whether he thought about taking out Tim Wakefield earlier tonight that's the pitching matchup for tomorrow night if this score stand it's going to take a major uprising and a half on the part of the Braves to turn this thing around Bell with a check swing roller down to first bream the play two down Marita's moves in a scoring position well whichever one of these two teams makes it to the World Series we have seen in this series that the bullpen could be a big problem for either Atlanta or Pittsburgh if they face either Oakland or Toronto when called upon neither bullpen has really done that great a jump when you think about the starters for either Oakland or Toronto both teams will be facing primarily right-handed starters the only starter for either of those teams that they could face other than a right-handers Jimmy key the left-hander with Toronto if he's inserted as the starter Van Slyke with a hit Greta's will try it and he'll score without a throw 12 the one Pirate's how do you think about taking Wakefield out runs ahead you could use him tomorrow night he's pitched four innings this is kind of on the bubble time well Jim Leyland was asked after he pitched so well in Game three would he consider Greene Wakefield back in Game five it'll be one day's rest he said no I really don't want to do that I don't want to jeopardize the young man with only one day's rest he got the sense Wakefield felt he could do it Jim Leyland tells the story after the win in Game three coming into the park for Game four he was signing autographs for fans who are slapping him on the back for the win the previous night and after he signed all the autographs one fellow said oh how come you're not using Wakefield tomorrow night yeah he waited until he signed the autographs and then he said that that's any second guest and amat cheer goes up for Freeman as Gant makes the catch halfway through the ball game the Pirates lead 12 to 1 Bill McCarver and I will be back in just a moment Bob McDonnell along with bill McCarver and Tom gray here at the gland of Fulton County Stadium where the Pirates lead 12 to 1 as we go to the bottom of the fifth in the inning started by Terry Pendleton space hit again right-handed as he has all three times up tonight against Wakefield when it's worth warm he's two for three after no for four against the knuckleballer in Game three [Applause] [Music] [Applause] and Tim this really is reminiscent of Game three for the Braves they felt they made solid contact against Wakefield they had a lot of chances they just couldn't get runs in they've already left seven men on through the first four innings no hits from ball sharply including that limits Powell says John McSherry it's a big difference hitting ball sharply and a three to two game compared to it to a game where you're down eight to nothing in the second inning he still tried to get you at bat she's still trying to hit balls hard but it's now at 12 to 1 ballgame like the monumental comeback by Atlanta to overcome an 11 run deficit David Justice over to tonight up there were the count of one ball and one strike [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Leland was a bit wary before the game tonight about how Wakefield it again deal with the pressure he was incredibly poised game throughout his 13 Pence's in the regular season there's even more pressure tonight into Game six with his team needing a win to stay alive I thought Tim Wakefield yesterday at the press conference had with most enlightening about his demeanor and he was asked about pressure he said since I was a kid I've always been taught that no matter what happens god will love me my parents will love me and the Sun will come up tomorrow he pitches that way there are some major league players that try to convince you that they're confident they try to convince you that they're secure when they're really not I think Wakefield has convinced himself of those two things he says lie said I be nervous I'm a guy who was almost out of baseball three years ago he started in the pirate organization as a first baseman he was a first baseman in college at Florida Tech and still holds the school record their four home runs in a career with 40 but he had a very tough time in rookie league and the Pirates from the verge of releasing him when his minor league manager woody Heike saw Wakefield fooling around the outfield one day and notice the knuckleball so can you throw that consistently and Wakefield said yes I can Mikey said well show me any through several more good knuckle balls just as a line drive of the base hit Pendleton the second first and second with nobody out in the fifth inning what he hiked he went into the organizational meetings in spring training and said hey before we release Wakefield come on out and take a look at his knuckleball and then general manager Larry Doty did so Jim you're a pitcher and it's back to rookie league as a pitcher he's made the climb all the way up to the National League Championship Series in just three years and he attributes failing as a hitter in 1988 - also his confidence he said failing early in professional baseball really made him realize how important it was to be successful and that failing hardened him it toughened him and he is one tough young man I'll tell you Pendelton that second justice at first receipt bream bream has been on twice tonight he walked in a second and singled and scored the only Atlanta run in the fourth inning pirates leading 12 to 1 at the Braves bat in the fifth [Applause] one ball and two strikes [Applause] [Music] [Applause] now tim wakefield is flooded with letters from people around the country who want to know how to throw the knuckleball in shallow center Vance liked the catch the runners can't take the chance one out why don't we elect him Wakefield explain it himself how and why he is so tough and so popular my maturity I think has a lot to do with his effect it like when I sign my contact and spent that first year in 88 I had to learn how to deal with failure for the first time and had to had to learn how to face death for the first time that summer in 88 was very hard for me my grandfather passed away he was I was very close to and I think I tribute that most to type of person I am now because I didn't want my father to pass away like his father passed away and this gave me just to a growing up type thing I learned how to deal with that [Music] one and all to count on Gant one ball and one strike and a struck out and walked [Applause] what really does put it all in perspective really does [Applause] back to the screen one and two and at the play with Berryhill on Dec 20 ton for Tim Wakefield they answer those questions about the knuckleball because he really can't explain much about his success he doesn't know the physics of why it works and did explain earlier how he throws it his grip was we saw fairies from most of the other pitchers who have thrown the knuckleball and jarred the mask of slot still 1 & 2 [Applause] the Jim Leyland is convinced because of the success of Wakefield and the attention that he's getting particularly here in the postseason but somebody else who's out there in an organization in major league baseball right now and who isn't going to make it as a position player is going to try to use the knuckleball and might have the same kind of path to the major leagues but theythey will do the ant throws the battle in disgust as lien handles the pop up to downs we're in the bottom of the fifth the Pirates lead 12 to one they scored eight runs to take command in a second inning the Goodyear blimp Stars & Stripes is high overhead tonight Stars & Stripes is the most recent addition to the fleet continuing a tradition which started in 1926 and as we look down on Atlanta Fulton County Stadium already we can see a lot of empty seats around this ballpark particularly in the upper deck we had a sellout crowd again when it started scalpers were getting more than $100 per ticket outside the ballpark tonight and as you can see particularly in the upper reaches long empty rows Berryhill great diving stop by King he'll go to first to end the inning the Braves strand two more they've left nine and will return to Atlanta Fulton County Stadium after this word from your local station [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Cox is probably looking to tomorrow night now not that you're going to give away tonight I mean you're trailing 12 doing the one but watch this what takes place right here between John Smoltz and Bobby Cox it looked to me like Bobby Cox said take off so we assumed that John Smoltz go up to Bobby and say can I go home now I've got to get my rest for tomorrow night and Bobby Cox appeared to say yes take off so we think Smoltz is headed home for his start tomorrow night it certainly appeared to be what transpired Jeff King to leadoff the sixth inning Pirates batting with a 12 to 1 lead and scored four of those runs last inning off Marvin Freeman who continues on to pitch the six King McClendon and SWAT coming up many fans are departed but not that young thing [Applause] borderline strike of the knees one ball and one strike King 1 4 3 2 9 he singled and scored in the second [Applause] all of the plate ball and two strikes we said at the start of the series that Jeff King would be a key and he has been particularly in the last two games he was three for four and their win in Game five he singled and keep that inning going in inning two singled right after the home run by bonds and kept them rolling toward the eight runs he's out this time on the fly ball to Center one out of the six 12 to 1 Pittsburgh in up steps Lloyd McClendon who is 2 for 2 tonight with two singles in a walk Dover's last 7 plate appearances dating back to Game five in game 5 his last four times up and double the sacrifice fly a single and a single and tonight a single a single in a walk so that's five hits in his last five official at-bats bidding for an extra-base hit here with Nixon back at the track and that one is gone six hits in his last six official at-bats for Lloyd McClendon the home run his first of the League Championship Series and it's 13 to 1 and once again against the right-handed pitcher does that influence jim leyland thinking tomorrow night if it goes to game seven and the Pirates lead by 12 in terms of a consecutive hit streak in League Championship Series play even though McClendon has six hits in his last six official events in terms of a streak it only counts as five consecutive hits because a sacrifice fly terminates a consecutive hit streak yeah a walk doesn't but a sac fly does right so now he has tied the league championship series record for consecutive hits with five even though officially he's six for his last six he's 3 for 3 tonight and 8 for 11 in the series I don't see how they can keep him on the bench tomorrow night right-hander or otherwise on the mound for Atlanta so a few folks have been keeping score during this series put it in pencil for tomorrow night because it is likely to be different than it has been the first six games less predictable [Music] when Don slaught has been a consistent contributor from the right side of the plate he doubled the drive in two runs his first time up tonight and scored in the second he struck out in the third walked and scored again last inning he's 4 for 10 did that one sharply played by Pendleton on the hop two outs [Music] so the Pirates has two home runs in the first five games they've hit three tonight Barry Bonds hit the first one Jay Bell on the left of your screen hit the second and McClendon with the home run here in the sixth Chico lien one for three with a two-run double you scored twice [Applause] Blauser [Applause] throw gets him the Pirates at a run on the home run by Lloyd McClendon and we go to the bottom of the sixth and rapidly emptying in land of Fulton County Stadium 13 to 1 Pirates [Applause] the Pittsburgh Pirates seemingly comfortably on their way to forcing a game seven they lead Game six thirteen to one as we head to the bottom of the sixth inning [Applause] Bobby Cox was very hoarse before the game tonight he's been fighting off a chest cold and I might serve him well after the game in the Crescent if usually probably won't want to have to say a whole heck of a lot about tonight Mike Lemke has walked and struck out against the knuckle balls of Tim Wakefield the pitcher scheduled to follow but Deion Sanders has grabbed a bat and moved into the on deck circle to bat for Marvin Freeman there's Deion and then Otis Nixon is due wakefield through five is allowed five hits in one run he's walked four and struck out four and if Tim Leland was thinking about the scenario that you proposed you would think that this is about the time yeah he would do it if he was going to do it had his take Wakefield out for the possibility of using him tomorrow and no one is warming up right now so I would imagine Wakefield will try to put pitched a complete game and go for the complete game or at least in the seven or eight innings wakefield trying to become the second he's well on his way toward it Tim Belcher one games too and Game six against make that game five against the Mets that year in 1988 leaned throws Lemke out and all the sudden mark Lemke is really cooled off in this series he's old for his last night as Deion Sanders strides the plate let's check in with Jim Gray thank you very much well Jim Leyland the manager of the Pirates got a very unexpected call today unexpected probably to Atlanta fans he went to high school with Jerry Glanville the coach of the Falcons they went to Perrysburg Ohio high school together and today Glanville called just to wish him good luck and you got to wonder how it's going to be for Jerry Glanville the next time he shows up to the stadium after wishing good luck against the Braves to the Pirates Sean one of Jerry Glanville's defensive back to the plate Deion Sanders it was afeared twice and struck out twice offensively he's also seen some time in the field well be it brief and he's quickly in the hole here Owen to put it in play for the first time in the series and Bell guns him down no he didn't John McSherry says wheatus was off the bag and Sanders is safe a good throw would have had him leading one to believe that that would be scored an error on Jay Bell a good throw would have had him better footwork would have had him possibly by Gary reduce Gary is not you mentioned earlier that he does the best he can defensively [Applause] but that play that throw clearly pulled him off the bag regardless of what footwork he used so it's an error on Jay Bell and a one-out baserunner for Atlanta in the sixth inning Pittsburgh leads 13 to 1 [Applause] gotas Nixon Oh for two of the walk his last time up [Music] he was interesting in talking with Jim Leyland before the game about jerry glanville he remembers him as an outstanding football player and said he played baseball but wasn't very good slapped a short they have won they did not have to nixon hustle to prevent the DoublePlay [Applause] you look at Deion Sanders limping off the field he broke a bone in his left foot in spring training and it has not healed obviously it has had no chance to heal he's been playing baseball for the last seven and at seven months or so and of course just started football a month and a half ago about that a broken bone in his left foot that is not healed blouse around on the ground wall that ends the inning we played 613 to one Pittsburgh [Music] League Championship Series is brought to you by Toyota Toyota I love what you do for me MasterCard master the woman and by the prudential in a changing world one thing remained rock-solid [Music] tim wakefield leads off as we go to the seventh the Pirates leading by two touchdowns and that's an appropriate choice of words with Deion Sanders into the ball game in center field we can run a punt back they can get right back into this one when the new pitcher is left-hander Kent Mercker [Applause] he's the fourth that land a pitcher of the night making just his second appearance in this series he appeared in Game five posting the numbers you saw on your screen justice the catch wakefield the first out of the seven look more like a swing you'd expect to see from a power-hitting first baseman in college went to Florida Tech and had 22 home runs his senior year [Music] he was the first player ever drafted out of Florida Tech [Applause] radis 2 for 4 tonight he is doubled and singled driven in a run with each hit and scored twice sharply to second mark Lemke throws him out and quickly 2 away in the Pittsburgh 7 don't say less than half the seats now are occupied here at atlanta-fulton County Stadium you've heard so often that teams would rather lose by a large score than a one-run game I have always thought that that was a bunch of bump I'd rather have a chance to to win a ballgame and lose a 3-2 game rather than 13 to 1 I think that is the epitome of rationalization when players make comments like that and really this is two games in a row in which the Braves are getting thrashed seven to one in Game five 13 to one tonight and the only game that Atlanta is hammered Pittsburgh was Game two when it was 13 to 5 Jay Bell I'm already hit by a pitch tonight when spinning out of the way and berryhill on the home plate umpire ed Montague dodge the ball Jay hit the three run homer that put the finishing touches on the eighth run Pittsburgh second [Applause] Mercker follows Marvin Freeman to pitch two innings and allowed five runs [Applause] as you can see more empty seats than people and Jay Bell strikes out Mercker works a 1-2-3 seven stretch time at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium 13 to one pirates very few happy fans here in attendance tonight in Atlanta but those wearing the smiles the wives of the Pittsburgh Pirates seated in the section with their yellow pom-poms right behind the home plate screen Pendleton an opposite field fly and the catch made by McClendon and right Pendleton to for for now it really was quite a sight in Pittsburgh with the pom-poms and also the hooks just about everybody in the stands at Three Rivers seemed to have them trying to combat the chop here in Atlanta chop shop and an interesting term for the Pittsburgh hitters tonight I think the crowd that was here at the beginning was ready - oh yeah - that yep boom of a year ago the constant noise and intensity but obviously the eight run inning took them out of the ballgame early justice won 4-3 a single in the fifth inning I was humorous to read an article in the local paper today many of the fans here justice drills one forget about it we're back into the seats of right David Justice with his first home run in the League Championship Series and it's 13 to 2 I remember your question to me early in the game of game two when you asked if there's anything that Pittsburgh hitters could salvage with Atlanta leading 13 to 5 and the same is true here the answer is yes get your stroke down and ready yourself for tomorrow night Smoltz and Drabek game 7 and Jim Leyland definitely thought that even though they lost 13 to 5 in game 2 the fact that they got some runs did set the tone trying 3 which in which they hit and won and certainly it's been the Braves offense the pitching tonight has been subpar but the Braves offense hasn't done anything in the last couple of games either 1 run in Game five off Bob walk and now 2 runs tonight Doug Drabek unlike his opponent tomorrow night John Smoltz has not gone home he is still here in still charting pitchers he said Green bats and the count is two balls and two strikes bream has walked singled and flied to Center and scored a run hunter Lily Kings Kings don't mean a thing on this street of dreams [Applause] took the seventh inning to hear one of your curls of wisdom [Applause] Francis Alfred action this is not the time to sit on those jims you don't save them for a later day this might be perfectly appropriate late for those amount I started to mention just as justice so rudely interrupted with the home run that many of the fans here in Atlanta by blaming the lack of crowd noise on the organist here Carolyn came saying that she had been playing a tomahawk chant song in the wrong key she said consist is wrong it's the same key in which she played it last year like athletes sometimes Ewan fans have excuses when they're being criticized for not coming through ready to come through tonight then threw the pitch and pulled it foul well I'm pretty sure they call Uncle Willie that's uh yeah just leave their uncle Lou aim that's appropriate which one Uncle Willie raves might be just about ready to cry uncle the way this is going 13 to 2 Ron Gant no for his last 8 rare fastball from Wakefield atmost one of the famous songs of Sinatra Street of Dreams I guess another appropriate song of Sinatra tonight would be dancing in the dark because that's what Wakefield's Meckler has been doing for six and a third innings [Applause] now you're on a roll don't stop - it aims to go I like Sinatra I can tell and I've heard you attempt a few of his tools greatest the catch perhaps you'd like to warm up for the last couple of innings we go to the 813 - two pirates [Applause] is sponsored by Budweiser if you're just joining us the Pirates took command early in the second inning they scored eight runs off Tom Glavine the most runs ever scored off one pitcher in an inning in postseason history McClendon three for three tonight including a home run in Wakefield has been wake field again tonight he's allowed only two runs through seven the Pirates bat in the eighth leading 13 to two Andy Van Slyke leading off against Kent Mercker [Applause] and the count is one ball and one strike Steve Avery knocked out after 1/3 of an inning in Game five Tom Glavine knocked out after an inning Plus here tonight 1 & 2 on Van Slyke bonds and King to follow [Music] [Applause] Doug Drabek probably has to be the happiest man of the ballpark tonight because you know he wanted one more chance to pitch in the series with his subpar performances in Games one and four you erased both of those performances if you're successful tomorrow night John Smoltz Doug Drabek had met twice and Smoltz is one too [Applause] clunky throws him out here's Jim Gray all right Shawn I'm here without LaMacchia the vice president of baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays he's here along with four other Scouts scouting for the world series one of these two teams does it make it tough to scout because now the Pirates have come back and maybe you were preparing for the brave not really we felt that either Club was could get hot and win the whole thing and there's still tomorrow night and I think either club that wins is going to be a good representative of National League what exactly is it that you look for in these two teams over these games well basically what they're hitting who's hot and who's not what the pitchers are throwing and what the opposing pitchers are getting heaters out on you know whether they hit and run and things of that nature let me ask you just as an example who do you feel matches up better for the Toronto Blue Jays if you guys advance well really either Club is going to be a good representative for the nationally certainly and like the Pirates are strong in one area and the the Braves in another the Braves have good starting young pitching perhaps the Pirates are a little better defensively so either Club was going to be tough first of all we got to get into the the American League and we got our work cut out for us with the Oakland A's what do you feel we'll win in the seventh game here well it goes down to Drabek and and smoke concerning the way smokes has been pitching of late I would say that the Atlanta Braves has a good shot at tomorrow night you feel that the Blue Jays could handle either one of these two teams I think we'd get a kind of kind of ourselves certainly we've got some pretty good ballplayers on our ballclub we've got some good starting pitching and I'd like to see us get in turn and give it a chat yeah thank you very much let's go back upstairs Deshawn thank you Jim well jim was chatting with a LaMacchia Barry Bonds was out on a fly ball to right field interesting but bill the joy the Atlanta Scout had to say yesterday we'll talk about that in a moment but first we remind you that game 6 of the ALCS comes away tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 Eastern Time enjoying dick Stockton Jim kaat and Lesley Visser with all of the action as Oakland looks to pull even in that series Oakland and Toronto Juan Guzman and Mike Bohr three o'clock tomorrow on CBS I said over to the next inning his King grounds out in the Pirates go in order bottom of the eighth 13 to 2 Pittsburgh [Applause] Sean McDonough with Tim McCarver and Jim Gray back at atlanta-fulton County Stadium the crowd starting to resemble the Braves crowd here of years gone by and they drew very poorly of losing teams so this years they went over the three million mark many folks left early tonight with the score standing at 13 to 2 in favor of Pittsburgh Tim Wakefield facing Javier Lopez who's up for the first time in the series he came in defensively in the top of the inning Lopes a great prospect he's only 21 years old [Applause] [Music] little pop-up leaned tracks it down in shallow center [Applause] this is what that replay looked like from the blimp it's more like a satellite replay you mean well there he catches it I skip all the way have to further review the play stands is called mark lemke the batter over two of the walk [Applause] I'm giel for his last night after his torrid start in the first two games of the series [Applause] van Slyke while both teams going up there now like they're trying to get this one over with a lot of first ball swinging and a lot of very quick outs [Applause] this copyrighted telecast is presented by authority of Major League Baseball to may not be reproduced or retransmitted in any form without the expressed written consent of Major League Baseball Deion Sanders up again he swings of the first pitch and hits a pop-up mom makes the catch in fair territory in 1 2 3 gold the Braves on to the 9 Pittsburgh leads by 11 I started to mention earlier what build with joy who was scouting the American League Championship Series for Atlanta had to say yesterday when he was interviewed by Lesley Visser Lesley asked him which team he felt the Braves matched up better against in the American League Championship Series and he was quick to respond Toronto did not take the politically safe route and not choose one team or the other mark Wohlers on the pitch in the ninth after two perfect innings from Kent Mercker Walters the 5th pitcher of the night for Atlanta now LaMacchia was not going to make that statement himself and don't that's interesting I think a lot of people thought Toronto would be the tougher test in the world series because of the strength of their starting 3 pitchers Morris : Guzman Gary Varsho was batting from ik London even though Jack Mars has had two bad outings in the ALCS and David Cone with a bad outing yesterday [Music] rollers throws hard he's in with a fastball for a strike trying to tomahawk the hook [Applause] our show where the bullet Gantt over to cut it off marshal a long turn around first and he'll retreat with a leadoff single I mean is worthwhile to go back to our opening and when we talked about the importance of the Braves winning tonight they trailed by 11 and this is a rather salient thing that has happened over the last decade or so try to mix it in between the pitches here any one rejected you talked over 1 & 2 of these pitches well this is fascinating of the last 13 postseason series that have gone to a decisive game last 13 postseason series a decisive game that is a game five and a best-of-five series or a Game seven in a best-of-seven series of those 13 series 12 have been won by the team that had won the previous game or as in this case tonight Game six so recent history says the Pirates have a good chance of winning tomorrow night that's at 8 o'clock game is 7 John Smoltz will strike for the Braves against Doug Drabek Smoltz has defeated Drabek twice in their matchups in Game one and Game four an example of that was last year when Atlanta went to Pittsburgh trailing three games to 2 Avery shut out the Pirates one to nothing and then John Smoltz shut out the Pirates four to nothing he has won four straight postseason games against Pittsburgh [Applause] Wohlers misses low and away full count on Don slaught with bar show at first and nobody out in the ninth inning 13 runs on 13 hits for the Pirates two runs seven hits for Atlanta that's a foul tip into the mid of Lopez for strike three our coverage of Game seven tomorrow night begins at eight o'clock with the baseball 92 pregame show hosted by Pat O'Brien [Applause] the first pitch tomorrow night scheduled for 826 team's trailing three games to one in the best-of-seven series 42 of them have trailed three games to one and only seven have gone on to win in seven games but that's what the Pirates will try to do tomorrow night become the alien and nobody no team in National League Championship Series has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit it's been done twice in the American League back in 1985 when the Royals did it in 86 when the Red Sox did it against Toronto in California respectively one ball and two strikes on Chico lien matter of fact Bobby Cox was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985 he knows that that could happen because it's already happened to his club and he's facing the possibility of it happening to his Atlanta club tomorrow night [Applause] one two breaking ball lien called out on strikes back-to-back strikeouts for Wohlers here in the ninth after the leadoff single by partial here comes Tim Wakefield [Applause] [Music] we certainly deserves that tribute from the few pirate fans in attendance here tonight he's on the verge of winning for the second time in the National League Championship Series Pirates lead 13 to 2 with 2 down and Varsha at first in the ninth [Applause] raves have the top of their order coming up in the bottom of the night [Applause] no balls and two strikes on Wakefield [Applause] [Music] [Applause] brain knocked it down it was a one hop smash rollers covers Wakefield hit it hard but he's out onto the bottom of the ninth the Pirates 13 the Braves to [Applause] our thanks to captain Maloney and the crew of the Goodyear blimp Stars & Stripes for the overhead shots tonight courtesy of Goodyear [Applause] last fall for the Braves they need 11 to tie and 12 to win it noticed Nixon the scheduled leadoff hitter he's gotten the hook and Francisco Cabrera is going to pinch-hit [Applause] [Music] Cabrera with his first appearance in this series [Applause] and that's well hit but bonds has it on the track for the first down to the bottom of the ninth in Wakefield since the home run by justice has retired six in a row Francisco Cabrera his first appearance in this postseason you may remember back in 1970 when Pat Corrales was the 25th man on Sparky Anderson Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine as Sparky allowed him to pinch-hit in the last inning of the World Series in pet that his only at-bat then Sparky really did it as as a favor to Pat Corrales Jeff Blauser takes a strike 1 & 1 I mean uh that was the only World Series appearance for Pat Corrales as a matter of fact [Applause] a pop up one has it [Applause] the Pittsburgh Pirates now one out away from game 7 and tomorrow at 3:00 Eastern Time it's Game six of the American League Championship Series from the SkyDome in Toronto the Blue Jays in the Athletics and then at 8:00 tomorrow night begins with Pat O'Brien in the pregame show Game seven of the National League Championship Series for the second straight year the Pirates and Braves go to the wire tomorrow night John Smoltz and Doug Drabek Treadway the line drive foul read has had a chance to end the ballgame if he could have squeezed it but it's ruled foul and a strike on Jeff Treadway it's hard to believe to him but only two pitchers in League Championship Series history have thrown two complete games in the same league championship only been done twice prior to tonight Mike Scott 1986 for Houston against the Mets threw two complete games and danny Cox at 87 through two for st. Louis against San Francisco Tim Wakefield is about to become the third that's toward the gap at end for a hit cut off by bonds holding Treadway to a long single and for the moment the Braves are still alive [Applause] that is their eighth hip [Applause] with 13 runs tonight Tim Wakefield's teammates the tidal league championship series record for runs in a game Braves did it in Game two in this series the 81 Yankees the 84 Cubs we've scored 13 runs in an LCS game [Music] David Justice homered his last time up [Applause] darling for one of the two runs given up by Wakefield [Applause] one ball and one strike on justice [Applause] justise bidding for another deep right-field bar show at the wall home run second round tripper in as many at-bats for David Justice it's 13 before [Applause] [Music] Wakefield gave up only three home runs all season and now two home runs in two at-bats to David Justice Sid Bream at the plate one and one the strike all season consisting of 13 starts dream Wakefield might have gotten a piece of it and bel throws him out Tim Wakefield through 138 pitches tonight in winning for the second time in six games in the National League Championship Series he's the third pitcher in history to throw two complete games in the same League Championship Series and there will be a Game seven the final score in Game six the Pirates 13 in the Braves four will be back in just a moment via sports coverage of Game six of the 1992 National League Championship Series is brought to you by Burger King where you can get it your way right away at Burger King now sprint not just another foreign company and by Lexus luxury automobiles and the newly redesigned 1993 ls400 the final score of tonight's game six the Pirates 13 the Braves for setting up Game seven tomorrow night here on CBS the Chevrolet player of the game is pirate knuckleballer Tim Wakefield he won again for the second time in this series again going the distance on nine hits he allowed four runs two of them cosmetic in the bottom of the ninth Chevrolet will donate $1000 in Tim Wakefield's name to the Special Olympics now let's go down to the field and join Jim Gray Jim okay Sean I'm with Braves general manager Bobby Cox and Bobby you were the manager of the Blue Jays back in 1985 when you were up three games to one and lost that series from that experience what will you tell your team tomorrow to try and avoid that it's nothing you can tell them to avoid anything to be honest or either we have to go out and play a much better ball game than we pitched and I thought Tommy had good stuff but he made some pitches he'd like to get back that's for sure but we will have a little short meeting probably and discuss something you're concerned about John Smoltz just pitching now with three days rest no not at all he's a horse and but for him to pitch good ball game is he hasn't pitched any long pitch counts yet ok Bobby we look forward to tomorrow night we'll return right here to Fulton County Stadium after this now for Tim McCarver and Jim Gray I'm Sean McDonough saying so long from Atlanta Fulton County Stadium where the final score is Pittsburgh 13 in Atlanta for join CBS sports tomorrow at 3 p.m. Eastern time for game 6 of the American League Championship Series between Oakland and Toronto then at 8 p.m. Eastern it's baseball 92 followed by Game seven of the National League Championship Series [Music] you have been watching Major League Baseball on CBS Sports home of the 1992 World Series tonight Barry Bonds home run got the Bucs off and running on their way to a record-setting night under nearly full moon they scored 13 runs on the 13th day of the month and Tim Wakefield's knuckleball has the Pirates dancing to game 7 we'll see you tomorrow night from Atlanta [Applause]

Channel: Quarantined Classics

Views: 3,700

Rating: 4.878788 out of 5

Keywords: mlb, baseball, mlb baseball, pittsburgh pirates, atlanta braves, 1992 pittsburgh pirates, 1992 atlanta braves, 1992 nlcs, 1992 NLCS Game Six, Tim Wakefield, Tim Wakefield Pirates, Barry Bonds, Barry Bonds Pirates, Bobby Cox, Jim Leyland, Tom Glavine

Id: dm8DKvWDqAc

Length: 141min 22sec (8482 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 26 2020