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When Sports Were Played: A no-hitter and walkoff homer for Pirates

3 min read

For the “When Sports Were Played” we go back 23 years, to July 12, 1997, when two Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers combined for a no-hitter, but it took a walkoff homer in the 10th inning by Mark Smith to beat the Houston Astros. The Observer-Reporter was there.

PITTSBURGH – The Pirates had their biggest crowd of the season for Saturday’s Central Division showdown with the Houston Astros, and Francisco Cordova, Ricardo Rincon and Mark Smith gave the sellout crowd of 44,119 one of the most memorable performances in the history of Three Rivers Stadium.

Cordova and Rincon combined for the first Pirates no-hitter in 21 years, and Smith provided the winning runs with a dramatic three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning.

“I couldn’t have written a better script,” said Pirates manager Gene Lamont. “It’s just too bad Mark Smith stole the spotlight away from Francisco. It was his night.”

Cordova pitched nine hitless innings and allowed only two batters to reach base, both coming on walks. Rincon (3-4) completed the no-hitter by shutting down the Astros in the 10th inning.

It was the first combined no-hitter in an extra-inning game in major league history.

“It was not a difficult decision,” Lamont said when asked how difficult it was to take Cordova out of the game with a no-hitter on the line.

“He threw a few too many pitches (121). I let him stay in the game to bat in the eighth inning, but felt he had thrown too many pitches to pitch in the 10th.”

It was only the third no-hitter thrown at Three Rivers Stadium. Bob Gibson became the first when he blanked the Pirates Aug. 14, 1971. John Candelaria became the first Pirate to reach the milestone Aug. 9, 1976, against Los Angeles.

“I’m really happy to throw a no-hitter,” said Cordova through translator Esteban Loaiza. It’s the first no-hitter I’ve ever thrown. And to have (fellow Mexican) Rincon finish the game makes it even more special.”

“I wanted to stay in the game would have pitched if he (Lamont) let me, but I was getting a little tired.”

It was quite appropriate that it was Fireworks Night. Smith gave the fans an early display of fireworks with his game-winning home run off John Hudek (0-1).

Jason Kendall drew a walk with one out. Hudek retired the next batter, then walked pinch-hitter Turner Ward. That set the stage for Smith, who hit an 0-1 pitch into the seats in left field.

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” said Smith. “It’s like the whole ballpark went silent when I swung. I know the crowd was cheering very loud, but I didn’t hear anything. It’s an even better feeling than the home run I hit on July 4th to beat St. Louis.”

Cordova didn’t need much help from his defense as he struck out a career-high 10 batters, but first baseman Kevin Young did make two key plays that kept the no-hitter intact.

“Young snagged a hard ground ball that would have gone down the right-field line in the fourth inning and made a nifty running catch of a fly ball in shallow right field in the eighth inning.

Cordova helped his own cause in the seventh inning by fielding a dribbler and barely throwing out Derek Bell.

Houston starter Chris Holt also turned in a superb outing. The 25-year-old righthander allowed only five hits in 7 2/3 innings. Two of those hits came in the eighth inning, but stopper Billy Wagner struck out Tony Womack to end the threat.

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