The #3 seed Pittsburgh Pirates played the #6 seed New York Mets in
a first round best-of-5 playoff series. The first two games were to be
played in New York, while the final three games, if necessary, were
scheduled for Pittsburgh. The winner of the series will play the Cleveland
Indians in a best-of-7 series.
GAME 1
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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
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Pittsburgh 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 10 0
New York(NL) 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 13 1
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Starting Pitchers: Pittsburgh - Erik Hanson
New York(NL) - Curt Schilling
WP - Steve Trachsel (1-0) LP - Willie Blair (0-1)
HR: Pittsburgh - Ken Caminiti
New York(NL) - Chipper Jones, Sammy Sosa
INJURIES: Pittsburgh - None
New York(NL) - Ryan Klesko - 6 days
Highlights: Sammy Sosa hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the 18th
inning to give the Mets a 4-3 win. Ryan Klesko was injured
for the entire series in his first atbat. New York used
seven pitchers while the Pirates used six in the game.
GAME 2
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Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
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Pittsburgh 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 12 0
New York(NL) 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 4 7 1
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Starting Pitchers: Pittsburgh - Jack McDowell
New York(NL) - Tim Worrell
WP - Worrell (1-0) LP - McDowell (0-1) S - Trevor Hoffman (1)
HR: Pittsburgh - None
New York(AL) - Jose Valentin
INJURIES: Pittsburgh - None
New York(NL) - Sammy Sosa - 1 day, Charles Johnson - 1 day
Highlights: Three doubles in the first inning by Edmonds, Sosa, and Grace
plated two for the Mets. New York scored again in the second
and third, and held on to win 4-3. Sosa and Johnson got hurt
for one day (the off-day) for the Mets.
GAME 3
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Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
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New York(NL) 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 5 10 0
Pittsburgh 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 - 6 9 0
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Starting Pitchers: New York(NL) - Joey Hamilton
Pittsburgh - Allen Watson
WP - Omar Daal (1-0) LP - Hamilton (0-1) S - Dan Plesac (1)
HR: New York(NL) - Sosa - 2
Pittsburgh - None
INJURIES: Pittsburgh - None
New York(NL) - Don Slaught - 1 day
Highlights: Pittsburgh scored four runs in the 7th to take the lead
and the bullpen held on for a 6-5 win. Omar Daal was the
recipient of the big rally, and Dan Plesac saved the game
in the 9th. The Mets got another injury. This time it
was Don Slaught for one game.
GAME 4
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Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
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New York(NL) 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 5 8 0
Pittsburgh 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 2 6 10 2
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Starting Pitchers: New York(NL) - Scott Sanders
Pittsburgh - Erik Hanson
WP - Eric Plunk (1-0) LP - Trevor Hoffman (0-1)
HR: New York(NL) - Joe Randa, Chipper Jones, Jose Valentin
Pittsburgh - Brian McRae
INJURIES: Pittsburgh - None
New York(NL) - Sammy Sosa - 1 game, Mark Grace - 1 day
Highlights: Brian McRae hit a game-winning series-saving 2-out homerun
in the bottom of the 9th to even the series at 2. New York
hit three solo HRs in the game, and suffered two more crucial
injuries with both Sammy Sosa and Mark Grace getting hurt for
the final game of the series.
GAME 5
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Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
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New York(NL) 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 6 1
Pittsburgh 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 - 4 9 2
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Starting Pitchers: New York(NL) - Curt Schilling
Pittsburgh - Jack McDowell
WP - Marc Wilkins (1-0) LP - Robb Nen (0-1)
HR: New York(NL) - Jeff Kent
Pittsburgh - None
INJURIES: Pittsburgh - None
New York(NL) - Charles Johnson - rem game
Highlights: Devastated by injuries to Klesko, Sosa, and Grace, the Mets
limped in to game 5. With the score tied at 2 in the 8th,
Robb Nen entered the game for New York. Chili Davis led off
with a single, and went to third on a 1-out single by
Caminiti. Al Martin doubled home Davis, and Merced sac'ed
Caminiti home to give the Pirates a 4-2 lead. The Mets
couldn't get anything going in the 9th as Marc Wilkens shut
down the hitters to win the final game of the series. To
make matters worse, Charles Johnson got hurt in the game for
the remainder.
The Mets suffered 7 injuries in the 5-game series. The Pirates move on to
play the Cleveland Indians.