Description

Orioles @ Pirates - World Series Game 5 , 1971

Final Score & Context

• Pirates 4, Orioles 0

• The win gave Pittsburgh a 3–2 lead in the best‑of‑seven series

Key Moments

• Starting Pitchers:

  • Nelson Briles (PIT) started over aces to save them for Games 6–7—a bold move by manager Danny Murtaugh 

  • Dave McNally (BAL) took the loss—Baltimore's veteran lefty struggled, allowing two early runs

• Dominant Pitching:

  • Briles threw a complete-game two-hit shutout, striking out two and allowing zero earned runs

• Scoring Summary:

  1. 2nd inning:

     • Bob Robertson hit a leadoff home run off McNally: 1–0 

     • Manny Sanguillén followed with a single, stole second, and scored on Briles's RBI single: 2–0 .

  2. 3rd inning:

     • A wild pitch with runners on first and third pushed a run across: 3–0

  3. 5th inning:

     • Gene Clines tripled to leadoff and scored when Roberto Clemente delivered his first RBI of the series: 4–0

Why It Mattered

• Briles' complete-game gem was a pivotal moment, shifting momentum firmly to Pittsburgh and putting Baltimore on the brink of elimination 

• The strategic choice to sit Blass and Ellis paid off handsomely.