Friday, August 26, 2016

8/26 TRS/PNC Era: Hit All Day, Bruce's Granny, HBD Eric, Knucklers, Jay Bay+Ollie, Hero Ike

  • 1975 - The first eight Pirates hit safely against the Braves’ Jamie Easterly and Ray Sadecki - Frank Taveras (triple), Rennie Stennett (single), Al Oliver (single), Willie Stargell (single), Richie Zisk (single), Dave Parker (single), Richie Hebner (single) and Duffy Dyer (single) - before P Larry Demery flied out‚ tying the MLB record. The Bucs scored six runs in the frame on their way to an 8-2 victory at TRS.
  • 1979 - Bruce Kison tossed seven strong innings and smacked a grand slam off Bob Shirley, the first Bucco hurler since Al McBean in 1968 to launch a grannie, to lead the Bucs to a 9-2 win over San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium. He’s one of five Pirates twirlers to hit a grand salami, joining McBean, Deacon Phillippe (1910), Don Robinson (1985) and Denny Neagle (1995). Bill “Mad Dog” Madlock had a big day at the dish with four knocks, a pair of RBI, and two runs.
Bruce Kison 1979 Topps
  • 1985 - C Eric Fryer was born in Columbus. He came to Pittsburgh as part of the Eric Hinske deal in 2009 and got a couple of cups of coffee with the Bucs in 2010-11, getting into 16 games as a C, PH, & OF. He returned in 2016 when injuries cut down the Pirates catching depth.
  • 1992 - Pirate rookie Tim Wakefield defeated Tom Candiotti of the Dodgers 2-0 in the first matchup of knuckleballers in the NL since 1982 when Phil Niekro and Joe Niekro faced off in a Braves-Astros game. Wakefield scattered six hits for the victory. Jose Lind provided the offensive spark with a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored.
  • 2003 - The Pirates shipped Brian Giles to San Diego for Jason Bay, Ollie Perez, and Corey Stewart. Pittsburgh had wanted Xavier Nady in the deal, but SD refused and threw in Bay instead. He worked out pretty well, as Bay ended up the NL Rookie of the Year in 2004 and the Bucs reeled in the X-Man in 2006.
Jason Bay 2004 Rookie of the Year (poster via Sports Collectibles)
  • 2014 - Gerrit Cole pitched six no-hit innings at PNC Park, but a seventh inning St. Louis rally tied the score at 2-2. Things looked bleak when both Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez left the game with injuries soon after, but Ike Davis brightened up the room in the eighth. With Gaby Sanchez and Starling Marte aboard, he crushed a two out, two strike change up from Seth Maness off the back fence in right center 442’ away to lead the Pirates to a 5-2 win. Tony Watson got the win and Mark Melancon earned a save.

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