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Jim Coates,
     retired the next two batters to end the painful inning.
    By the top of the ninth, the Pirates had jumped ahead 6–2. Four runs is a comfortable lead but not insurmountable, especially
     for a team as powerful as the Yankees. Their first hitter, Gil McDougald, belted out a solid single. A minute later, however,
     he trotted back to the dugout after being forced out at second. Bobby Richardson was still on first, though. Then Elston Howard
     blasted a home run! Suddenly, Pittsburgh's four-run lead had narrowed to two — and when Tony Kubek singled, it seemed possible
     that the Yankees could steal the game from the Pirates.
    They didn't. Despite being outhit 13 to 8, Pittsburgh won, 6–4.
    The next day, Pirates fans flocked to the stadium, hoping to see their team go up by two. Instead, they watched New York ring
     the home team's bell to the tune of sixteen runs, two of which were classic Mantle homers. And the third game was even worse
     —Yankee pitcher Whitey Ford allowed the Pirates only four hits and no runs while New York racked up sixteen hits for ten runs
     to go ahead in the Series two games to one.
    Amazingly, Pittsburgh squeaked out a 3–2 win ingame four to tie the Series. Then they outhit the Yankees the next day on their way to a 5–2 win and their first Series lead.
    Whitey Ford was back on the mound for game six. He confounded the Pirates' batters again to earn his second shutout of the
     Series. The Yankees, meanwhile, crossed home plate twelve times! With the score at three games each, the Series was going
     into a seventh deciding game.
    Statistically, the Series seemed weighted in the Yankees' favor. They had a six-game total of 46 runs; the Pirates had 17.
     The Yankees had 78 hits; the Pirates had 42. The Yankees had eight home runs; the Pirates had one. The Yankees had shut out
     the Pirates twice; in both those games, the Pirates had allowed the Yankees to get into the double digits.
    Yet if the Pirates went into game seven feeling demoralized, they didn't show it. They scored four runs while holding the
     Yankees scoreless. In fact, New York didn't get on the board until the top of the fifth, and then only for one run.
    Then came the sixth inning. After all but shutting down the New York offense, pitcher Vern Law gaveup a single and a walk before being relieved by Roy Face.
    But Face fared no better. While Maris fouled out, Mantle singled, scoring Bobby Richardson and sending Tony Kubek to third.
     Then Yogi Berra clocked a three-run homer. Suddenly, the Pirates were in the hole, 5–4!
    The score was still 5–4 at the top of the eighth. Face retired New York's biggest threats, Maris and Mantle — only to walk
     Berra, give up singles to Bill Skowron and Johnny Blanchard, and then a double to Clete Boyer! The score leaped from a manageable
     5–4 to an unwieldy 7–4 before the inning finally ended.
    Pittsburgh fans at Forbes Field slumped in their seats. Their team had just two at bats to overcome a three-run lead. Given
     their hitting stats, two didn't seem nearly enough.
    First up in the bottom of the eighth was pinch hitter Gino Cimoli. He tapped out a single. Then Bill Virdon plugged a grounder
     right toward shortstop Tony Kubek.
    Kubek crouched for the easy catch.
Thock!
Theball struck something in the grass and ricocheted right into Kubek's neck! As Kubek lay in the dirt, clutching his injury,
     Cimoli charged to second and Virdon reached first.
    Two men on, no outs? Pittsburgh fans sat up a little straighter.
    The third batter, Dick Groat, singled to score Cimoli and send Virdon to second. The score was now 7–5. There were still no
     outs and runners on first and second. One sacrifice bunt later, those runners had advanced to second and third. One good hit
     could score Virdon; a great hit could tie the game.
    But the next batter, Rocky Nelson, flied out. That brought up right fielder Roberto Clemente. Clemente did what Nelson hadn't
     been able to do, namely, rap out