The Phillies–Pirates rivalry, also known as the Keystone Series, is a Major League Baseball (MLB) rivalry between the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates. Both clubs are members of MLB's National League (NL); the Phillies are members of the NL East division, while the Pirates are members of the NL Central division. The rivalry was considered by some to be one of the best in the NL. The rivalry started when the Pittsburgh Pirates entered NL play in their fifth season of 1887, four years after the Phillies.
The Phillies and Pirates had remained together after the NL split into two divisions in . During the period of two-division play (1969–), the two NL East division rivals won the two highest numbers of division championships, reigning almost exclusively as NL East champions in the 1970s and again in the early 1990s, the Pirates 9, the Phillies 6; together, the two teams' 15 championships accounted for more than half of the 25 NL East championships during that span.
After the Pirates moved to the NL Central in , the teams face each other only in two series each year and the rivalry has diminished. However, many fans, especially older ones, retain their dislike for the other team and regional differences between Eastern and Western Pennsylvania still fuel the rivalry. The rivalry is mirrored in the National Hockey League's so-called "Battle of Pennsylvania".
Early history to before 1970 Before 1970, the rivalry seemed to be low-key, because the two teams were seldom equally good at the same time. However, in 1901, the Pirates and the Phillies finished first and second in the standings for the first time respectively, with the Pirates finishing games ahead of the Phillies.
However, afterward, the Phillies would not win their first National League pennant until 1915, thanks to the pitching of Grover Cleveland Alexander and the batting prowess of Gavvy Cravath, who set the major-league single-season record for home runs with 24. During that time, the Pirates dominated the National League, winning three more pennants, in 1902, 1903, when they lost the inaugural World Series, and when they won their first World Series, in , becoming the first team to open a new stadium with a World Series championship, having played their first season at Forbes Field that year.
The Phillies were in the midst of a period of futility from 1918 to 1948 when the Pirates won the 1925 World Series and the 1927 National League pennant. During that time, the Phillies had only one winning season, in 1932. From 1933 to 1948, the Phillies posted 16 consecutive losing seasons, a major league record that stood until 2009 (ironically broken by the Pirates).
After World War II, the Pirates had limited success, despite the presence of a genuine star in Ralph Kiner, who led the National League in home runs for seven consecutive seasons (1946–1952). During that time, the Phillies would have their first winning season in 17 years in 1949, and the following year, the Whiz Kids of the Phillies would win their second National League pennant, though they lost to the New York Yankees in the 1950 World Series. In 1960, the Phillies were in last place when the Pirates won the World Series.
1970s: Exclusive reign of division championships It was during the 1970s that the rivalry became intense. The Phillies and the Pirates made up 10 of the possible 11 National League Championship Series appearances from 1970 to 1980. However, neither team enjoyed success during LCS appearances. The Phillies went 1–3 and the Pirates went 2–4 in NLCS appearances. In most cases, the teams had to face "The Big Red Machine" of the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS. In each of the years the two teams won a pennant, they won a World Series (Pirates in and and Phillies in ).
From 1970 to 1980, the two teams reigned exclusively as National League East champions, except in 1973, when the New York Mets won the National League pennant. The Phillies' success under manager Danny Ozark was attributed to a well-rounded lineup with Greg Luzinski and Mike Schmidt leading the team in homers, Steve Carlton and Tug McGraw leading the pitching, and Larry Bowa and Garry Maddox being the secretaries of Philadelphia's defense. The Pirates, under managers Danny Murtaugh and Chuck Tanner, also had tremendous offense led by Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, and Rennie Stennett, catcher Manny Sanguillén, infielders Bill Madlock and Phil Garner being the defensive specialists, and Dock Ellis, John Candelaria, Steve Blass and Bob Moose leading the pitching.
1970–1972: Pirates three-peat Both teams opened new stadiums in successive years. The Pirates opened Three Rivers Stadium in 1970, while the Phillies opened Veterans Stadium in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex the following year.
During this period, the Pirates won three straight division champions, from 1970 to 1972. However, the Phillies didn't enjoy any success, finishing next-to-last in 1970 and in last place in 1971 and 1972. On June 25, 1971, Willie Stargell of the Pirates hit the longest home run in the history of Veterans Stadium in a 14–4 Pirates win. The spot where the ball landed was marked with a yellow star with a black "S" inside a white circle until Stargell's 2001 death, when the white circle was painted black. The star remained until the stadium's 2004 demolition.
1974–1980 The rivalry was heated as both the Phillies and Pirates reigned exclusively as National League East Division champions. They also played each other 126 times and split the games, 63–63. For four straight years, the team that didn't win the division finished second in the standings.
The Pirates won the division in 1974, 1975, and 1979, while the Phillies won three consecutive division titles from 1976 to 1978 and again in 1980.
During the 1974 season. Phillies' second baseman Dave Cash coined the phrase "Yes We Can" for the team. Indeed, for a while, it looked as if they could. They led the division for 51 days. However, in August and September, the Phillies suffered a minor collapse, going 25–32 and it was "No They Couldn't," giving the Pirates the division title. The Pirates lost in the 1974 National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In 1975, the Pirates won the division championship at home against the Phillies and finished games ahead of the Phillies. In the 1975 National League Championship Series, they were swept by the eventual champion Reds.
In 1976, the two teams opened their season against each other in Philadelphia. Johnny Oates of the Phillies had been designated to platoon alongside catcher Bob Boone in the season. However, in the season opener, Oates cracked his collar bone in a collision at home plate with Dave Parker and missed almost half the season. The Phillies won their first National League East title, eclipsing the century mark for wins in a season for the first time in franchise history with 101 wins, nine games over the Pirates. However, like the Pirates the year before, the Phillies were swept in the National League Championship Series by the eventual champion Reds.
In 1977, the Phillies eclipsed the century mark for wins in a season for the second year in a row with 101 wins, five games over the Pirates. However, they lost in the 1977 National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In 1978, the Pirates came from fourth place and games behind in mid-August to challenge the Phillies for the division title and the teams met in the last regular-season series of the season to decide the division title. The Phillies arrived in Pittsburgh for a four-game series ahead of the Pirates by on September 29. The Pirates swept a double-header to extend their winning streak of home wins to 24 and to trim the gap to games. In the third game of the series, Willie Stargell hit a grand slam home run and it looked like the lead would be cut to half a game. Instead, Phillies pitcher Randy Lerch hit two home runs to help the Phillies come from behind to win the game, 10–8, to win their third straight division title on the next-to-last day of the season. This was the first time that visiting teams won a division title at Three Rivers Stadium. In the postseason, the Phillies lost for the second year in a row to the Dodgers in the 1978 National League Championship Series.
Both teams won World Series in successive years in 1979 and 1980. In 1979, the Phillies acquired infielders Manny Trillo and Pete Rose, but the Pirates were too dominant as Stargell shared MVP honors with Keith Hernandez and won their most recent one that year. The following year, the Phillies won their first one.
The Phillies winning the 1980 World Series was a moment of peace in the rivalry. Moments after Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson of the Kansas City Royals with the bases loaded to preserve the win for Steve Carlton and the Phillies, leaping from the mound to embrace catcher Bob Boone on the field at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh, himself from Pittsburgh, signed a proclamation declaring the next day "World Championship Philadelphia Phillies Day" in the state. During the team's post-parade celebration that day at John F. Kennedy Stadium, the governor said that the rivalry was at peace because "nobody competes with the Phillies today. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, today is the baseball capital of the world. All Pennsylvania is proud of you."
1980s In the 1980s, the rivalry saw a moment of peace twice. The game between the two teams during the Phillies home opener on April 13, 1981, was a moment of peace in the rivalry. When the Phillies received their World Series rings, the team in the visitors' dugout was the Pirates. The Phillies won the game 5–1, giving Phillies starter Steve Carlton his 250th career victory.
In 1982, when Willie Stargell played his final season, both the Phillies and Pirates declared "Willie Stargell Day" in honor of Stargell's last games. The Pirates honored him on September 6 before they won a game against the New York Mets, while the Phillies honored him during a game against the Pirates on September 19, Stargell's final game in Philadelphia.
Both teams finished first and second in the standings with the Phillies finishing six games ahead of the Pirates in their pennant season of 1983.
In the mid to late 1980s, the rivalry was often low-key, as both teams sank in the standings. The only time during that period either team was able to post a winning record was during the playoff years of the New York Mets, and on both occasions, not only finished second in the standings but also the only team in the National League East other than the Mets to post a winning record (Phillies in and Pirates in 1988).
However, the rivalry had some memorable moments during that time. During a Phillies 8–6 win in Pittsburgh, on April 18, 1987, Mike Schmidt of the Phillies hit his 500th career home run in the ninth inning, a three-run home run.
1989: Phillies ten-run comeback
Perhaps the most memorable moment in the rivalry during the 1980s came on June 8, 1989. The Pirates scored 10 runs in the top of the first inning of a game at Veterans Stadium, including three on a Barry Bonds home run. As the Phillies came to bat in the bottom of the first, Pirates broadcaster (and former pitcher) Jim Rooker said on the air, "If we lose this game, I'll walk home." Instead, both Von Hayes and Steve Jeltz hit two home runs (the latter would hit only five during his Major League career) to trigger a Phillies comeback.
The Phillies, trailing now only 11–10 in the eighth inning, scored the tying run on a wild pitch, then took the lead on Darren Daulton's two-run single and went on to win 15–11. The Pirates became the first team to lose a game after scoring 10 runs in the first inning. Rooker had to wait until after the season to make good on his "walk home" promise, conducting a 300-plus-mile charity walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.