The Orioles won the AL East, and Bumbry batted .285 with 49 RBIs, 80 runs scored, 37 stolen bases, and 7 home runs. Defensively, he started 127 games in the outfield (all but one in center field) and had a .984 fielding percentage. In the ALCS the Orioles defeated the then California Angels in four games – Bumbry was the center fielder in each game, and batted 4-for-16 (.250) in the series. The 1979 World Series went the full seven games, with the Orioles losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates despite leading the series 3–1, as the Pirates won the final three games. Bumbry appeared in center field in all seven games – four as a starter, and entering as a pinch hitter in the other three – for the series he batted .143 (3-for-21).