Monday, August 15, 2016

8/15 Games: Kiner Blasts Highlight the Day & More...

  • 1934 - The Bucs and the NY Giants split a twin bill at Forbes Field. The Giants took the opener 5-4, holding on after a four-run first for the win. Lloyd Waner singled to bring his hitting streak to 22 games. Pittsburgh won a see-saw battle in the second game. NY tied it 3-3 in the eighth; the Bucs answered in their half and won 4-3 behind Schoolboy Hoyt and Arky Vaughan’s homer. The Giants did end Little Poison’s hitting streak in the contest, but he collected knocks in the next nine games to claim a 31-of-32 games hit roll.
  • 1947 - Ralph Kiner hit consecutive home runs off Red Munger in his last two at-bats during a 7-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Forbes Field. Kiner then homered in his first two at-bats in his next game against the Cards Ken Burkhart, tying the record for consecutive home runs.
  • 1950 - The Pirates surrendered six runs in the ninth, then scored a half dozen of their own to beat the Reds 10-9 at Forbes Field. The Bucs put up the six spot with six singles, a walk, and an error, with Clyde McCullough getting the walk-off knock, scoring Wally Westlake from second. The highlight was a fifth-inning homer by Ralph Kiner to left center off Ewell Blackwell that was estimated to travel 480’.
Ralph was bat happy on this date (photo via Pittsburgh Pirates)
  • 1951 - Ralph Kiner banged a homer and triple, scored twice and drove in four runs as the Bucs beat the Chicago Cubs 7-0 at Forbes Field behind Bob Friend’s two-hitter (to go with eight walks) and first career shutout. George Metkovich added three hits.
  • 1964 - Pirate pitchers Tommy Sisk, Frank Bork and Alvin McBean spoiled “Ernie Banks Day” at Wrigley Field, holding Bingo hitless in a 5-4 Bucco win. Donn Clendenon had a pair of RBI (his two-out single in the ninth was the eventual game winner) while Bob Bailey and Roberto Clemente homered. McBean got the win over Lindy McDaniel.
  • 1970 - Jose Pagan homered twice while going 4-for-4 with five RBI as the Pirates beat the Padres, 9-3 at TRS. It was the third career two-homer game for Pagan, who homered just 52 times in 4,032 career plate appearances. Bill Mazeroski also went long and Bob Veale struck out 12 batters while tossing a complete game for the win.
Jose Pagan 1970 Topps
  • 1973 - Tony Perez singled home Joe Morgan in the ninth inning to give the Reds a 1-0 win over the Bucs at TRS as Jack Billingham won his duel with Dock Ellis; both pitchers surrendered just six hits each over the game. It was Billingham’s seventh shutout of the year.

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