1991 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 110th in franchise history; the 105th in the National League. This was their 22nd season at Three Rivers Stadium. For the second consecutive season, the Pirates won the National League East title with a record of 98–64. The Pirates finished the season with the best record in Major League Baseball. They were defeated four games to three by the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS. During the season, John Smiley won 20 games – the last to do so for the Pirates in the 20th century.Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.98, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York,

Offseason December 6, 1990: Zane Smith was signed as a free agent by the Pirates.Zane Smith at Baseball-Reference February 4, 1991: Mark Huismann was signed as a free agent by the Pirates.Mark Huismann at Baseball-Reference March 21, 1991: Esteban Loaiza was signed as an amateur free agent by the Pirates.Esteban Loaiza at Baseball-Reference March 29, 1991: Steve Carter was traded by the Pirates to the Chicago Cubs for Gary Varsho.Gary Varsho at Baseball-Reference

Regular season

Season standings

Game log

|- style="background:#fbb;" | 1 || April 8 || Expos || 0–7 || Martinez || Drabek || — || 54,274 || 0–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 || April 9 || Expos || 4–3 || Kipper || Frey || Landrum || 6,624 || 1–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 || April 10 || Expos || 6–3 || Smith || Boyd || Belinda || 7,656 || 2–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 4 || April 12 || @ Cubs || 3–1 || Smiley || Boskie || Palacios || 8,704 || 3–1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 5 || April 13 || @ Cubs || 3–7 || Bielecki || Drabek || — || 23,838 || 3–2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 6 || April 14 || @ Cubs || 4–6 || Slocumb || Belinda || Smith || 25,994 || 3–3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 7 || April 15 || Mets || 3–9 || Cone || Kipper || — || 6,785 || 3–4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 8 || April 16 || Mets || 4–2 || Tomlin || Whitehurst || Belinda || 16,963 || 4–4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 9 || April 17 || Mets || 4–0 || Smiley || Darling || — || 14,792 || 5–4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 10 || April 18 || Cubs || 2–3 || Sutcliffe || Drabek || Assenmacher || 9,148 || 5–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 11 || April 19 || Cubs || 5–4 || Belinda || Smith || — || 13,157 || 6–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 12 || April 20 || Cubs || 9–3 || Smith || Maddux || — || 13,179 || 7–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 13 || April 21 || Cubs || 13–12 (11) || Patterson || Bielecki || — || 10,860 || 8–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 14 || April 23 || @ Expos || 7–3 || Smiley || Sampen || — || 7,770 || 9–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 15 || April 24 || @ Expos || 2–1 || Drabek || Martinez || Landrum || 8,592 || 10–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 16 || April 25 || @ Expos || 8–0 || Palacios || Nabholz || — || 7,868 || 11–5 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 17 || April 26 || @ Mets || 0–2 || Viola || Smith || Franco || 30,702 || 11–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 18 || April 27 || @ Mets || 10–1 || Tomlin || Cone || — || 32,062 || 12–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 19 || April 28 || @ Mets || 7–3 || Smiley || Darling || — || 34,141 || 13–6 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 20 || April 30 || @ Reds || 3–4 || Browning || Drabek || Dibble || 20,627 || 13–7

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 21 || May 1 || @ Reds || 6–4 || Belinda || Myers || Landrum || 25,231 || 14–7 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 22 || May 3 || Astros || 1–0 || Smith || Harnisch || — || 24,145 || 15–7 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 23 || May 4 || Astros || 3–8 || Jones || Smiley || Clancy || 19,257 || 15–8 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 24 || May 5 || Astros || 4–6 || Portugal || Drabek || Schilling || 17,727 || 15–9 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 25 || May 6 || Reds || 3–1 || Palacios || Rijo || Landrum || 9,518 || 16–9 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 26 || May 7 || Reds || 7–2 || Tomlin || Hammond || Belinda || 14,258 || 17–9 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 27 || May 8 || Reds || 7–2 || Smith || Charlton || — || 14,594 || 18–9 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 28 || May 10 || Braves || 5–2 || Smiley || Smoltz || Belinda || 23,936 || 19–9 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 29 || May 11 || Braves || 2–3 || Leibrandt || Drabek || Mercker || 33,914 || 19–10 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 30 || May 12 || Braves || 1–6 || Avery || Palacios || Berenguer || 20,287 || 19–11 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 31 || May 14 || @ Astros || 6–3 || Smith || Harnisch || — || 7,846 || 20–11 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 32 || May 15 || @ Astros || 8–7 || Kipper || Schilling || Landrum || 9,577 || 21–11 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 33 || May 16 || @ Astros || 6–4 || Drabek || Clancy || Belinda || 8,419 || 22–11 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 34 || May 17 || @ Braves || 3–9 || Avery || Palacios || — || 32,824 || 22–12 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 35 || May 19 || @ Braves || 1–7 || Glavine || Smith || Berenguer || 27,164 || 22–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 36 || May 21 || Cardinals || 5–3 || Smiley || Moyer || Landrum || 9,226 || 23–13 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 37 || May 22 || Cardinals || 3–5 || Carpenter || Drabek || Smith || 19,630 || 23–14 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 38 || May 23 || Cardinals || 2–8 || DeLeon || Tomlin || Terry || 8,557 || 23–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 39 || May 24 || Phillies || 9–1 || Smith || Mulholland || — || 29,770 || 24–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 40 || May 25 || Phillies || 4–2 (11) || Palacios || Boever || — || 24,358 || 25–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 41 || May 26 || Phillies || 5–2 || Smiley || Grimsley || Landrum || 26,117 || 26–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 42 || May 27 || @ Cardinals || 8–0 || Drabek || Tewksbury || — || 40,667 || 27–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 43 || May 28 || @ Cardinals || 9–8 || Belinda || DeLeon || Landrum || 22,766 || 28–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 44 || May 29 || @ Cardinals || 6–0 || Smith || Smith || — || 27,178 || 29–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 45 || May 31 || @ Phillies || 5–1 || Walk || Grimsley || — || 25,652 || 30–15

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 46 || June 1 || @ Phillies || 5–3 || Smiley || Combs || Landrum || 31,601 || 31–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 47 || June 2 || @ Phillies || 5–3 || Walk || Williams || Patterson || 36,185 || 32–15 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 48 || June 4 || Giants || 3–5 || Burkett || Smith || Righetti || 19,460 || 32–16 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 49 || June 5 || Giants || 7–3 || Walk || Downs || — || 15,461 || 33–16 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 50 || June 6 || Giants || 3–6 || Black || Smiley || Righetti || 23,662 || 33–17 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 51 || June 7 || Padres || 1–0 || Drabek || Hurst || Landrum || 25,095 || 34–17 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 52 || June 8 || Padres || 0–11 || Maddux || Tomlin || — || 51,292 || 34–18 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 53 || June 9 || Padres || 3–5 || Benes || Smith || Lefferts || 33,278 || 34–19 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 54 || June 10 || Padres || 5–3 || Palacios || Rasmussen || Landrum || 10,512 || 35–19 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 55 || June 12 || Dodgers || 2–1 || Drabek || Morgan || Landrum || 21,898 || 36–19 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 56 || June 13 || Dodgers || 2–3 || Gott || Tomlin || Howell || 26,377 || 36–20 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 57 || June 14 || @ Giants || 2–3 || Oliveras || Smith || Righetti || 17,333 || 36–21 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 58 || June 15 || @ Giants || 0–4 || Remlinger || Smiley || — || 31,807 || 36–22 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 59 || June 16 || @ Giants || 4–3 || Walk || Black || Landrum || 27,634 || 37–22 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 60 || June 17 || @ Padres || 3–2 || Drabek || Hurst || Palacios || 15,951 || 38–22 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 61 || June 18 || @ Padres || 3–1 || Landrum || Lefferts || — || 14,697 || 39–22 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 62 || June 19 || @ Padres || 5–6 || Andersen || Heaton || — || 27,272 || 39–23 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 63 || June 20 || @ Dodgers || 2–3 || Gross || Smiley || — || 50,060 || 39–24 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 64 || June 21 || @ Dodgers || 5–1 || Walk || Ojeda || Kipper || 44,085 || 40–24 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 65 || June 22 || @ Dodgers || 1–4 || Morgan || Drabek || — || 42,891 || 40–25 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 66 || June 23 || @ Dodgers || 0–2 || Belcher || Smith || Crews || 46,354 || 40–26 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 67 || June 25 || Cubs || 1–5 || Lancaster || Smiley || — || 31,115 || 40–27 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 68 || June 26 || Cubs || 7–6 || Walk || Maddux || Landrum || 41,389 || 41–27 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 69 || June 27 || Cubs || 4–3 || Palacios || Assenmacher || — || 30,960 || 42–27 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 70 || June 28 || @ Expos || 6–1 || Smith || Haney || — || 14,501 || 43–27 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 71 || June 29 || @ Expos || 2–1 || Heaton || Ruskin || Landrum || 16,961 || 44–27 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 72 || June 30 || @ Expos || 2–1 || Smiley || Martinez || Belinda || 22,920 || 45–27

|- style="background:#fbb;" | 73 || July 1 || @ Cubs || 5–6 (13) || Scanlan || Belinda || — || 32,633 || 45–28 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 74 || July 2 || @ Cubs || 13–4 || Drabek || Boskie || — || 34,332 || 46–28 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 75 || July 3 || @ Cubs || 11–7 || Smith || Lancaster || — || 33,432 || 47–28 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 76 || July 4 || @ Cubs || 8–9 (11) || McElroy || Landrum || — || 31,098 || 47–29 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 77 || July 5 || Expos || 3–4 || Martinez || Smiley || — || 37,807 || 47–30 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 78 || July 6 || Expos || 1–2 || Gardner || Walk || Burke || 34,182 || 47–31 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 79 || July 7 || Expos || 6–1 || Drabek || Boyd || Belinda || 41,995 || 48–31 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 80 || July 11 || @ Reds || 10–6 || Palacios || Myers || — || 35,159 || 49–31 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 81 || July 12 || @ Reds || 7–2 || Drabek || Armstrong || — || 42,181 || 50–31 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 82 || July 13 || @ Reds || 5–2 || Smiley || Browning || Kipper || 48,857 || 51–31 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 83 || July 14 || @ Reds || 10–6 || Walk || Gross || Patterson || 42,573 || 52–31 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 84 || July 15 || Astros || 8–0 || Tomlin || Jones || — || 21,642 || 53–31 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 85 || July 16 || Astros || 6–4 || Smith || Kile || Belinda || 18,028 || 54–31 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 86 || July 17 || Astros || 2–10 || Jones || Drabek || Osuna || 38,736 || 54–32 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 87 || July 19 || Reds || 7–2 || Smiley || Browning || — || 38,318 || 55–32 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 88 || July 20 || Reds || 2–3 || Gross || Walk || Power || 34,805 || 55–33 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 89 || July 21 || Reds || 6–0 || Tomlin || Hammond || — || 34,717 || 56–33 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 90 || July 22 || Braves || 3–7 || Smoltz || Smith || — || 20,549 || 56–34 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 91 || July 23 || Braves || 12–3 || Drabek || Leibrandt || — || 21,664 || 57–34 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 92 || July 24 || Braves || 7–4 || Smiley || Glavine || Belinda || 26,508 || 58–34 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 93 || July 26 || @ Astros || 8–1 || Heaton || Kile || — || 26,185 || 59–34 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 94 || July 27 || @ Astros || 11–5 || Tomlin || Jones || — || 24,447 || 60–34 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 95 || July 28 || @ Astros || 7–9 || Bowen || Smith || Clancy || 20,754 || 60–35 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 96 || July 29 || @ Braves || 5–7 || Glavine || Drabek || Freeman || 0 || 60–36 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 97 || July 29 || @ Braves || 3–5 || Mahler || Smiley || Mercker || 32,292 || 60–37 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 98 || July 30 || @ Braves || 3–10 || Parrett || Landrum || Mercker || 27,099 || 60–38 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 99 || July 31 || @ Braves || 6–8 || Smoltz || Palacios || Stanton || 23,955 || 60–39

|- style="background:#fbb;"