Bob Robertson (7) is congratulated by teammates Roberto Clemente, second from left, Willie Stargell
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Robertson misses a sign and blasts a 3 run homer in game 3 of 1971 World Series

 

On October 12, 1971 The Baltimore Orioles took the first games of the World Series outscoring the Pittsburgh Pirates 16-6. Game 3 shifted to Three Rivers Stadium and with Steve Blass available, The Pirates were up 2-1 in the bottom of the 7th as Frank Robinson had just homered to make it a one-run game for the Orioles. But The big blow was about to be provided by Bob Robertson, Robertson had hit 53 homeruns over the past 2 seasons and drove in 150+ runs in less than full-time duty slammed a three-run home run in the seventh off starter Mike Cuellar—after missing the bunt sign. Manager Danny Murtaugh issued the sign to Robertson, who had no sacrifice bunts on the season. Television replays showed Roberto Clemente, who was on second base, appearing to call a timeout, but Cuellar was already in his windup at the time. Blass was sitting next to Murtaugh in the dugout at the time, and told the Pirate manager: “If you fine him (Robertson, for missing the bunt sign), I’ll pay.” Murtaugh didn’t.

 

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Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Baltimore Orioles 1

World Series Game 3 Played on Tuesday, October 12, 1971 (D) at Three Rivers Stadium

BAL A    0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  3  3
PIT N    1  0  0    0  0  1    3  0  x  -   5  7  0
WP: Blass (1-0)
LP: Cuellar (0-1)
HR: F. Robinson (2), Robertson (1)

Play by Play

Umpires: HP - John Rice, 1B - Ed Vargo, 2B - Jim Odom, 3B - John Kibler, LF - Nestor Chylak, 
RF - Ed Sudol
Time of Game: 2:20   Attendance: 50403
Starting Lineups:

   Baltimore Orioles             Pittsburgh Pirates       
1. Buford              lf        Cash                2b
2. Rettenmund          cf        Oliver              cf
3. Powell              1b        Clemente            rf
4. F. Robinson         rf        Stargell            lf
5. Hendricks           c         Robertson           1b
6. B. Robinson         3b        Sanguillen          c
7. Johnson             2b        Pagan               3b
8. Belanger            ss        Alley               ss
9. Cuellar             p         Blass               p

ORIOLES 1ST: Buford flied out to left; Rettenmund grounded out
(shortstop to first); Powell grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Cash doubled to left; Oliver reached on an error by
Powell [Cash to third, Oliver to first]; Clemente forced Oliver
(second to shortstop) [Cash scored]; Stargell walked [Clemente
to second]; Robertson lined into a double play (third to second)
[Clemente out at second]; 1 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 0,
Pirates 1.

ORIOLES 2ND: F. Robinson struck out; Hendricks walked; B.
Robinson popped to first in foul territory; Johnson flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 0, Pirates 1.

PIRATES 2ND: Sanguillen flied out to right; Pagan doubled to
left; Alley grounded out (second to first) [Pagan to third];
Blass grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. 
Orioles 0, Pirates 1.

ORIOLES 3RD: Belanger popped to second; Cuellar lined to right;
Buford flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 0,
Pirates 1.

PIRATES 3RD: Cash lined to center; Oliver flied to left in foul
territory; Clemente grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 0, Pirates 1.

ORIOLES 4TH: Rettenmund flied to right; Powell was called out on
strikes; F. Robinson flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Orioles 0, Pirates 1.

PIRATES 4TH: Stargell walked; Robertson was called out on
strikes; Sanguillen singled to center [Stargell to second];
Pagan flied out to center; Alley walked [Stargell to third,
Sanguillen to second]; Blass forced Alley (third to second); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Orioles 0, Pirates 1.

ORIOLES 5TH: Hendricks struck out; B. Robinson singled; Johnson
forced B. Robinson (shortstop to second); Belanger forced
Johnson (shortstop unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles
0, Pirates 1.

PIRATES 5TH: Cash flied out to center; Oliver walked; Clemente
singled to center [Oliver to third, Clemente to second (error by
B. Robinson)]; Stargell was called out on strikes; Robertson
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Orioles 0, Pirates 1.

ORIOLES 6TH: Cuellar walked; Buford was called out on strikes;
Rettenmund grounded out (pitcher to first) [Cuellar to second];
Powell grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. 
Orioles 0, Pirates 1.

PIRATES 6TH: Sanguillen doubled; Pagan singled to left
[Sanguillen scored]; Alley grounded out (shortstop to first)
[Pagan to second]; Blass grounded out (third to first); Cash was
walked intentionally; Oliver struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. 
Orioles 0, Pirates 2.

ORIOLES 7TH: HERNANDEZ REPLACED ALLEY (PLAYING SS); F. Robinson
homered; Hendricks struck out; B. Robinson struck out; Johnson
grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Orioles 1, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 7TH: Clemente reached on an error by Cuellar [Clemente
to first]; Stargell walked [Clemente to second]; Robertson
homered [Clemente scored (unearned), Stargell scored]; DUKES
REPLACED CUELLAR (PITCHING); Sanguillen flied out to right;
Pagan flied out to left; Hernandez grounded out (third to
first); 3 R (2 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 1, Pirates 5.

ORIOLES 8TH: Belanger struck out; SHOPAY BATTED FOR DUKES;
Shopay grounded out (pitcher to first); Buford grounded out
(first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 1, Pirates 5.

PIRATES 8TH: WATT REPLACED SHOPAY (PITCHING); Blass struck out
(catcher to first); Cash flied out to left; Oliver popped to
second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 1, Pirates 5.

ORIOLES 9TH: Rettenmund was called out on strikes; Powell flied
to center; F. Robinson singled to left; Hendricks grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 1, Pirates 5.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Orioles          1   3   3    4
 Pirates          5   7   0    9

Other Resources & Links

Retro Sheet PBP & Box Score

Baseball-Reference Box Score 

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