Pirates All-Star and World Series champion reliever Dave Giusti died on Sunday in Pittsburgh. He was 86.
In 1971, the right-hander led the National League with 30 saves and helped the Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. He made the NL All-Star team in 1973.
“We are saddened by the loss of such a beloved member of the Pirates family,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a released statement on Monday. “He was a vital member of our World Series-winning team in 1971 and spent seven of his 15 big league seasons with the Pirates before eventually making Pittsburgh his home.”
Giusti began his career as a starter with the Houston Colt .45’s/Astros, winning a career-high 15 games in 1966 and striking out a career-high 186 batters in 1968.
He finished with a 100-93 record and 145 saves with a 3.60 ERA in 668 career games (133 starts) with Houston (1962, 1964-68), St. Louis Cardinals (1969), Pirates (1970-76), Oakland Athletics (1977) and Chicago Cubs (1977). He ranks fourth in Pirates history with 133 saves.
