10/2/79, 1979 NLCS Game 1 Pirates @ Reds (KDKA-TV)

10/2/79 - Game 1, NLCS, Pirates @ Reds The NL East champion Pirates take on the West champion Cincinnati Reds in the first game of their best-of-five series at Riverfront Stadium. The Pirates finished with baseball’s second-best record (behind Baltimore) at 98-64. The Reds went 90-71. Yet, the Reds were the only team against which the Pirates failed to win the season series. Cincinnati won 8 of 12. The Reds outscored the Pirates in those games, 55-46. The Reds’ haven’t changed much since they won the World Series in 1975-76. Tony Perez and Pete Rose are gone, but they’ve been ably replaced by Dan Driessen and Ray Knight. Otherwise, the cast is the same, although older. The Reds’ undoubted ace, and scheduled first-game starter, is Tom Seaver (16-6, 3.14). His team-best win total left him with 235 for his career. The Pirates on paper appear to be a little stronger. They led the NL in runs, with 4.75 per game, while the Reds were third at 4.54. The Pirates were third in staff ERA at 3.41 and the Reds fourth at 3.58. Like the Reds, the Pirates’ lineup is tough throughout. The two big bats are right fielder Dave Parker (310/380/526, 45 2B, 25 HR, 109 R, 94 RBI) and first baseman Willie Stargell (281/352/552, 32 HR). The Pirates got a huge boost when they acquired third baseman Bill Madlock at the end of June. For the season, Madlock hit 298/355/438 with 14 HRs, but with the Pirates he hit 328/390/469. That trade pushed Phil Garner (293/359/441, 11 HR) from third to second; he was one of the team’s best hitters in the second half. Leadoff hitter and center fielder Omar Moreno (282/333/381) led the team with 110 runs. Shortstop Tim Foli (291/335/345), an early-season trade acquisition, had a great season defensively. John Candelaria (14-9, 3.22) was bothered by back problems late in the season, but he led the team in wins and will start the opener. Although the game was televised nationally over NBC-TV, this is the local KDKA-TV broadcast with Pirates announcers Milo Hamilton, Lanny Frattare, and Nellie Briles. (Local radio and TV broadcasts of MLB’s League Championship Series were permitted in 1979). Some pre, in-game and post-game segments include KDKA-TV Eyewitness News news and sports anchors/reporters Patti Burns, Ray Tannehill, John Sanders and Eddie Alexander.