1972 – Pittsburgh’s Steve Blass and Roberto Clemente each close in on a cherished goal: the former, a 20-win season, the latter a 3,000-hit career. Charley Feeney of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports: “Blass notched his 19th victory – and No. 100 of his career – while Clemente rapped two hits in a 5 – 1 breeze over the Phillies here last night… ‘I’ve always looked forward to winning 20 games,’ says Blass. He will get a chance for No. 20 on Sunday in Pittsburgh when he faces the Mets… Clemente is within four hits of becoming the first Pirate in history to collect 3,000 hits. Clemente hit four balls hard last night. He was instrumental in sending Wayne Twitchell to the hospital. Twitchell was hit on the palm of the right hand by Clemente’s vicious smash in the 1st inning. Twitchell retrieved the ball and threw out Clemente, then headed for the hospital where X-rays of the hand were negative. In the 3rd, rookie third baseman Mike Schmidt made a fine stop of Clemente’s hot smash and, with plenty of time to nab Clemente at first base, Schmidt threw low for an error. Clemente singled in the five-run 6th and chopped a hit to third in the 9th. He also fanned.”

On September 26, 1972 — 1972 – Pittsburgh’s Steve Blass and Roberto Clemente each close in on a cherished goal: the former, a 20-win season, the latter a 3,000-hit career. Charley Feeney of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports: “Blass notched his 19th victory – and No. 100 of his career – while Clemente rapped two hits in a 5 – 1 breeze over the Phillies here last night… ‘I’ve always looked forward to winning 20 games,’ says Blass. He will get a chance for No. 20 on Sunday in Pittsburgh when he faces the Mets… Clemente is within four hits of becoming the first Pirate in history to collect 3,000 hits. Clemente hit four balls hard last night. He was instrumental in sending Wayne Twitchell to the hospital. Twitchell was hit on the palm of the right hand by Clemente’s vicious smash in the 1st inning. Twitchell retrieved the ball and threw out Clemente, then headed for the hospital where X-rays of the hand were negative. In the 3rd, rookie third baseman Mike Schmidt made a fine stop of Clemente’s hot smash and, with plenty of time to nab Clemente at first base, Schmidt threw low for an error. Clemente singled in the five-run 6th and chopped a hit to third in the 9th. He also fanned.”

 

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Sources:
Baseball Reference September 26
National Pastime September 26
Retro Sheet
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