Sox starter Jim Lonborg was brushing back Cardinal hitters. In Yastrzemski's first at-bat in game three, Briles hit him on the calf with a pitch causing an argument at home plate between the two teams' managers. From there, Briles held Yastrzemski hitless on his way to a 5-2 complete game victory. He also pitched two scoreless innings in game six. Briles won his first four starts of to bring his winning streak to thirteen games (14 including the post-season). He won a career high nineteen games with a career high 141 strikeouts that year to establish himself as a legitimate number two starter behind Gibson. The World Champion Cardinals returned to the World Series in to face the Detroit Tigers. Briles made the game two start against Mickey Lolich, and gave up four earned runs in five plus innings to take the loss. Paired up against Lolich again for game five, Briles left the game in the seventh inning with a 3-2 lead and a runner on first. The bullpen, however, was unable to hold the lead. Briles went 15-13 with a 3.52 ERA in as the Cards slumped to fourth place in the newly formed National League East. He left in the third inning of his May 12, start against the Philadelphia Phillies with a pulled muscle in his right leg. He tried pitching through the injury, but was ineffective, and placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on June 13. He was never able to regain form, and ended the season at 6-7 with a 6.24 ERA. Just as pitchers and catchers were reporting the following season, he and Vic Davalillo were sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Matty Alou and George Brunet. Pittsburgh Pirates Briles spent most of his first season in Pittsburgh in the bullpen, however, was added to the starting rotation in September. Though he pitched very well, (3-1 with two shutouts, a complete game and a 1.74 ERA) he did not make an appearance in the 1971 National League Championship Series against the San Francisco Giants. He did, however, earn a game five start in the 1971 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles. With the series tied at two games apiece, Briles pitched a brilliant two-hitter to carry the eventual World Champions to a 3-2 series lead. He also drove in a run with a second inning single. He