The Pirates reduced their "magic number" to three in the East Division race by defeating the Cubs, 5-2. The victory increased the Pirates' lead over the runner-up Cubs to 15 games. Bob Moose, who started for the Pirates, pitched 6 1/3 innings before being forced off the mound when Jose Cardenal lined a single off his wrist. The hit was only the third given up by Moose. Ramon Hernandez relieved and held the Cubs hitless the rest of the way.

The Pirates, who were shut out by Rick Reuschel for the first five frames, ripped into the rookie for three runs in the sixth on a double by Al Oliver, single by Manny Sanguillen, double by Gene Alley and single by Moose. Singles by Rennie Stennett and Roberto Clemente, an infield out by Willie Stargell and single by Oliver added the Pirates' final run in the seventh. [The Sporting News]

Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Chicago Cubs 2

Game Played on Thursday, September 14, 1972 (Day game) at Wrigley Field

Pirates 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 - 5 15 3 Cubs 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 - 2 3 0 Pirates AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Cubs AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Clines lf 4 0 1 0 1 0 .338 Kessinger ss 5 0 0 0 0 0 .279 Stennett 2b 5 1 2 0 0 0 .291 Cardenal rf 5 0 1 0 0 1 .289 Clemente rf 5 1 2 0 0 0 .317 Williams lf 4 0 0 0 1 0 .336 Stargell 1b 5 0 1 1 0 0 .313 Hickman 1b 3 2 0 0 1 1 .274 Oliver cf 5 1 3 1 0 1 .318 Santo 3b 3 0 1 0 1 1 .304 Hebner 3b 4 0 2 0 0 0 .306 Monday cf 3 0 1 1 1 0 .248 Sanguillen c 4 1 2 1 0 0 .301 Hendricks c 3 0 0 0 1 1 .150 Alley ss 4 1 1 1 0 0 .246 Fanzone 2b 3 0 0 1 1 0 .225 Moose p 2 0 1 1 0 0 .172 Reuschel p 2 0 0 0 0 0 .128 R. Hernandez p 1 0 0 0 0 0 .167 Hiser ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .267 Bonham p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222 Gura p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 North ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 .168 Totals 39 5 15 5 1 1 Totals 32 2 3 2 7 4 Time of Game: 2:32 Attendance: 4,603 Left on Base: Pirates 9, Cubs 10 DP: Pirates 1, Cubs 2 Errors: Hebner, Alley 2 Doubles: Oliver (23), Alley (12), Monday (18) Triples: Clines (6) Sacrifice Hits: Moose (5) GIDP: Sanguillen (9), Hebner (8), Fanzone (5) Pirates IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Moose W(11-8) 6.1 3 2 1 6 2 0 29 3.08 R. Hernandez SV(13) 2.2 0 0 0 1 2 0 10 1.65 Totals 9 3 2 1 7 4 0 39 Cubs IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Reuschel L(8-8) 6 11 3 3 1 0 0 28 3.13 Bonham 0.1 4 2 2 0 0 0 5 3.57 Gura 2.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 8 5.40 Totals 9 15 5 5 1 1 0 41 Wild Pitches: Moose (6) Umpires: HP - Paul Pryor, 1B - Harry Wendelstedt, 2B - Jerry Dale, 3B - Ed Vargo PIRATES 1ST: Clines grounded out (shortstop to first); Stennett grounded out (second to first); Clemente singled to right; Stargell grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 0. CUBS 1ST: Kessinger grounded out (first unassisted); Cardenal popped to catcher in foul territory; Williams walked; Hickman struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 0. PIRATES 2ND: Oliver flied out to left; Hebner singled to left; Sanguillen grounded into a double play (shortstop to first) [Hebner out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 0. CUBS 2ND: Santo walked; Monday forced Santo (pitcher to shortstop); Moose threw a wild pitch [Monday to second]; Hendricks flied out to right [Monday to third]; Fanzone flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 0. PIRATES 3RD: Alley grounded out (third to first); Moose grounded out (second to first); Clines tripled to left; Stennett flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 0. CUBS 3RD: Reuschel grounded out (second to first); Kessinger flied out to right; Cardenal flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 0. PIRATES 4TH: Clemente flied out to right; Stargell singled to left; Oliver singled to center [Stargell to second]; Hebner grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Oliver out at second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 0. CUBS 4TH: Williams grounded out (second to first); Hickman walked; Santo singled to right [Hickman to third]; Monday doubled to left [Hickman scored, Santo to third]; Hendricks was walked intentionally; Fanzone grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Hendricks out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 1. PIRATES 5TH: Sanguillen singled to left; Alley flied to right in foul territory; Moose out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second) [Sanguillen to second]; Clines walked; Stennett singled to shortstop [Sanguillen to third, Clines to second]; Clemente flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 1. CUBS 5TH: Reuschel popped to first in foul territory; Kessinger grounded out (second to first); Cardenal struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Pirates 0, Cubs 1. PIRATES 6TH: Stargell grounded out (third to first); Oliver doubled to left; Hebner grounded out (second to first) [Oliver to third]; Sanguillen singled to center [Oliver scored]; Alley doubled to left [Sanguillen scored, Alley to third]; Moose singled to first [Alley scored]; Clines grounded out (pitcher to first); 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 3, Cubs 1. CUBS 6TH: Williams grounded out (second to first); Hickman reached on an error by Hebner [Hickman to first]; Santo reached on an error by Alley [Hickman to second, Santo to first]; Monday walked [Hickman to third, Santo to second]; Hendricks popped to shortstop; Fanzone walked [Hickman scored (unearned), Santo to third, Monday to second]; HISER BATTED FOR REUSCHEL; Hiser grounded out (first to pitcher); 1 R (0 ER), 0 H, 2 E, 3 LOB. Pirates 3, Cubs 2. PIRATES 7TH: BONHAM REPLACED HISER (PITCHING); Stennett singled to center; Clemente singled to right [Stennett to third]; Stargell grounded out (second to first) [Stennett scored, Clemente to second]; Oliver singled to center [Clemente scored]; Hebner singled to center [Oliver to second]; GURA REPLACED BONHAM (PITCHING); Sanguillen popped to first in foul territory; Alley flied out to center; 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Pirates 5, Cubs 2. CUBS 7TH: Kessinger flied out to right; Cardenal singled to pitcher; Jose Cardenal's line drive hit Bob Moose's right wrist; R. HERNANDEZ REPLACED MOOSE (PITCHING); Williams flied out to left; Hickman forced Cardenal (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 5, Cubs 2. PIRATES 8TH: R. Hernandez flied out to right; Clines grounded out (pitcher to first); Stennett grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Pirates 5, Cubs 2. CUBS 8TH: Santo struck out; Monday reached on an error by Alley [Monday to first]; Hendricks struck out; Fanzone forced Monday (third to second); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 5, Cubs 2. PIRATES 9TH: Clemente lined to shortstop; Stargell grounded out (second to first); Oliver struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Pirates 5, Cubs 2. CUBS 9TH: NORTH BATTED FOR GURA; North walked; Kessinger popped to first in foul territory; Cardenal flied out to left; Williams grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Pirates 5, Cubs 2.

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