Pirates' 1971 World Series pitcher Dave Giusti dies at 86

Dave Giusti, a veteran relief pitcher who played a pivotal role in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 1971 World Series championship, died on Sunday at the age of 86, the team announced, citing information from his family.

The right-hander spent 15 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1962 to 1977, appearing in 668 games across five teams and compiling a 100-93 record with a 3.60 earned-run average. Giusti began his career as a starter with the expansion Houston Colt .45s, making 22 appearances as a rookie in 1962 before spending the entire 1963 season in the minors. He returned to the majors permanently in 1964 and later transitioned to relief pitching after the Pirates acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals in October 1969.

Giusti's most memorable contributions came during his seven seasons in Pittsburgh, where he became a cornerstone of the bullpen. In 1971, he led the National League with 30 saves and delivered 10 and two-thirds scoreless innings in the postseason. Those efforts helped the Pirates defeat the San Francisco Giants in the National League Championship Series and then overcome the Baltimore Orioles in seven games to claim the World Series title. He earned his lone...