Thursday, 26 April 2012 01:01

Written by Donn Frizzi

21-3K CLEMENTE'S 3,000 HITS
PIRATES LEAVE BASES LOADED IN 9TH
LOSE TO REDS 7-6
CLEMENTE 1-4, SINGLE IN 1ST
Wednesday, April 26th, 1972

PITTSBURGH - The Pirates loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th with only one out but couldn't tie the game. The Reds held on to win, 7-6. 

Roberto Clemente singled in the 1st for his only hit of the game. He was 1-4 with a walk and is 109 hits away from 3,000.
Steve Blass had a rough outing from the start. Pete Rose led off the game with a triple and scored the Reds' 1st run on Bobby Tolan's single. The Reds scored 3 runs in the 6th and left the bases loaded. Tolan drove in his 2nd and 3rd RBI of the game with a homer. Blass (1-1) left the game after 5.2 innings.

Down 7-3 in the 9th, the Pirates scored 3 runs. Al Oliver drove in Rennie Stennett for the second time in the game. Former Pirate Joe Gibbon gave up back to back singles to Richie Hebner and Bob Robertson before Pedro Borbon shut the door.
Don Gullett will face Nelson Briles Thursday.