Metroplex bracket: 1969 Yankees defeat 1961 Pirates in five games

Game One: Pirates 12, Yankees 4
WP: Friend (1-0)
LP: Stottlemyre (0-1)
HR: Hoak (1), Virdon (1)

Game Two: Yankees 5, Pirates 3
WP: Peterson (1-0)
LP: Gibbon (0-1)
Save: Aker (1)
HR: Stuart (1), Hall (1)

Game Three: Yankees 12, Pirates 3
WP: Bahnsen (1-0)
LP: Haddix (0-1)
HR: Clemente (1), Mercer (1)

Game Four: Yankees 5, Pirates 2
WP: Stottlemyre (1-1)
LP: Law (0-1)
Save: Aker (2)

Game Five: Yankees 2, Pirates 0
WP: Peterson (2-0)
LP: Friend (1-1)
Save: Aker (3)

After a rough first game, the 1969 Yankees dominated the series.

Game One, in Yankee Stadium, was all Pirates. Don Hoak hit a three-run homer in a four-run first inning and Bill Virdon hit a two-run shot in the fourth. The Yankees committed seven errors. Virdon scored four runs and Bob Skinner drove in three runs. Bob Friend pitched into the ninth inning for the win.

The Yankees evened the series in Game Two. The Pirates had a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth, but with two out and no one on, New York got a pair of singles followed by a two-run double by Roy White and an RBI single by Thurman Munson to take the lead. Pittsburgh tied it in the top of the seventh, but Jimmy Hall hit a two-run homer pinch-hitting for winner Lindy McDaniel in the bottom of the inning, and Jim Aker retired all six men he faced for the save.

The series moved to Pittsburgh and Forbes Field, and the Yankees drove Harvey Haddix off the mound in two innings. Horace Clarke scored four times for New York, getting three singles, a walk, two steals and an RBI. Bobby Mercer homered and drove in four runs, and Bill Robinson had three RBIs.

Mel Stottlemyre, victimized in the opener, shut out the Pirates for seven innings in Game Four. By the time the Pirates broke through against the Yankee ace, New York had scored five times, with Joe Pepitone driving two runs. Jerry Kenney had three hits and two runs scored.

Fritz Peterson got the ball for Game Five on short rest and throttled the Pirates. The lefty held the Buccos hitless for four innings and left with a three-hitter after seven innings. McDaniel and Aker each threw a perfect inning. Friend was almost as good, holding the Yankees scoreless for seven innings before the visitors broke through in the eighth for the only two runs of the game.

Player availability: All Yankees will be ready for Round Two.

Projected rotation: Stottlemyre-Peterson-Bahnsen-Stottlemyre-(Peterson with penalty)-(Bahnsen with penalty)-(Stottlemyre)