The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the playoffs for the first time since 1992 and after years of suffering losing seasons and disappointing losses, the city is hosting its first home playoff game in over 20 years when they take on the Cincinnati Reds.
The Pirates are hosting the game after finishing with a 94-68 record and they will host the Reds on Tuesday night with Johnny Cueto pitching, while they will counter with Francisco Liriano. The team and the city have suffered heartbreak before and with the game coming in Pittsburgh, it only brings back memories of those days, including the shocking and disappointing loss the team suffered in Game 7 against the Braves in the National League Championship Series in Atlanta, as they lost the game and the series after allowing three runs in the ninth inning.
The last home game for the Pirates was Game 5 of that series, which the team won 7-5 after a game from Bob Walk and they knocked out 13 hits in the game before winning Game 6 on the road. The team was set up for a victory in game 7 with a 2-0 lead against the Braves, but Pirates fans know exactly what happened after that.
The new playoff format gives the Pirates a home game for the first time since they hosted the Braves at Three Rivers Stadium on October 11 and nearly to the date, the team will have another postseason matchup. John Smoltz pitched in Game 7 of that series back in 1992 and Pirates fans were stunned to watch their team lose in dramatic fashion as the Braves tagged the team for three runs in the ninth inning.
The finish of the game is considered to be one of the most dramatic in history, as the Braves were down 2-1 in the game with the series and a chance to advance on the line and the situation had the bases loaded at that moment. In the bottom of the ninth the Braves were able to get a single from Francisco Cabrera and that set up one of the most dramatic moments in playoff history, as the Braves sent avid Justice and Sid Bream to try and score and as Bream made his way around the bases, a young outfielder named Barry Bonds threw the ball in as hard as he could, but it was not in time, giving the Braves the walk off win.
The Pirates obviously are hoping for more of a result like Game 5 on Tuesday night against the Reds, but that remains to be seen. The Pirates have been battling the Reds and the Cardinals all season and now they will get the chance to play a postseason game for the first time in 20 years.