One reason Clemente hit so well in the World Series, and in clutch moments there, is that he was a good "bad ball hitter," so he was very difficult to pitch around in big games. In the decisive 7th game of the 1960 World Series against the heavily favored New York Yankees -- called "the greatest game ever played" -- with the Pirates behind in the late innings Clemente fouled off pitch after pitch, even breaking his bat, before hitting a bad pitch towards first base and then outracing an opponent to the bag. He then scored the go-ahead run.<ref>https://www.espn.com.au/mlb/playoffs/2010/columns/story?id=5676003</ref> In the 1971 World Series, Clemente's two-run homer in the decisive 7th game carried the Pirates to a 2-1 victory and the championship.<ref>https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/playerpost.php?p=clemero01&ps=ws</ref> | One reason Clemente hit so well in the World Series, and in clutch moments there, is that he was a good "bad ball hitter," so he was very difficult to pitch around in big games. In the decisive 7th game of the 1960 World Series against the heavily favored New York Yankees -- called "the greatest game ever played" -- with the Pirates behind in the late innings Clemente fouled off pitch after pitch, even breaking his bat, before hitting a bad pitch towards first base and then outracing an opponent to the bag. He then scored the go-ahead run.<ref>https://www.espn.com.au/mlb/playoffs/2010/columns/story?id=5676003</ref> In the 1971 World Series, Clemente's two-run homer in the decisive 7th game carried the Pirates to a 2-1 victory and the championship.<ref>https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/playerpost.php?p=clemero01&ps=ws</ref> |