5/11 From the 60s Forward: Bang-A-Gong,Great Pitching, Frankie's Debut, Blasts & A Bloop, One Man Battery

• 1962 - The Reds' Joey Jay and Al McBean matched zeroes for nine innings at Crosley Field. The Bucs scored twice in the tenth with two outs on knocks by Dick Groat and Bob Skinner, but it wasn’t enough. They fell 3-2 when Frank Robinson singled home Joe Gaines with two away off Elroy Face for the Cincy comeback win.

Candy Man 1978 Topps

• 1977 - The Bucs beat the Braves 2-1 at TRS to stretch their winning streak to 11 games. John Candelaria left runners at second and third in the ninth with two down for Goose Gossage, who K’ed Rowland Office to save the win. The Candy Man was saved by a big hop. Darrel Chaney’s PH, final frame drive to left center hopped over the wall with Pat Rockett at first, and he would have scored easily if the ball had stayed in play, but instead had to stop at third where he died. Dave Parker extended his hitting streak to 22 games with two knocks, including a homer. Atlanta, which lost its 17th straight to Pittsburgh, had owner Ted Turner serving as manager. All the streaks ended the next day as the Buccos lost, Parker was shut down by Max Leon & Rick Camp, and Turner named third base coach Vern Benson manager until Dave Bristol returned a day later.
• 1993 - Ding dong: In the top of the seventh, Jay Bell led off the inning by grounding out to Phillies' shortstop Juan Bell. The Pirate infielder was rung up by first base umpire Wally Bell. Sadly, the 1B’man was John Kruk, who may be dingy but ruined the chime vibe. The Pirates rang up an 8-4 victory at Veterans Stadium.
• 1999 - Down 15-8 to the Astros in the 8th‚ Gene Lamont put C Keith Osik on the hill at the Astrodome. He walked two‚ K’ed one‚ hit a batter and gave up two hits, allowing four runs in his inning. Houston belted out 10 doubles against five Pirate hurlers, with two off Osik. Osik would toss once more to save an arm, and finished his pitching days with a 40.50 ERA to reinforce catcher as a wise career choice.

Ronny Cedeno 2010 Topps Heritage

• 2010 - Johnny Cueto came this close to no-hitting the Bucs; the only knock was a Ronny Cedeno grounder in the third that tipped off the shortstop’s glove in Cincy’s 9-0 laugher at PNC Park. Cedeno was later HBP and caught stealing; he was the only runner Cueto allowed aboard. The Pirates were outhit 15-1.
• 2013 - After sitting out with an off-season broken arm, Francisco Liriano got plenty of help in winning his first game as a Pirate, an 8-2 victory over the NY Mets at CitiField. He lasted 5-⅓ innings and whiffed nine, supported by Jose Tabata’s 4-for-5 day. JT had a homer, double, three runs scored and three driven home. Mike McKenry chipped in with three more RBI and Jordy Mercer banged out a pair of solo homers.
• 2016 - The Pirates rallied to defeat the Reds 5-4 at Great American Ball Park. The Bucs had just four hits after eight innings, but they were all solo homers, launched by Andrew McCutchen, David Freese, Jung Ho Kang and Josh Harrison. Pittsburgh regained the lead in the ninth by going soft on a pair of dink hits, an infield grounder that was thrown away and a bloop into center that barely carried over the second baseman. Tony Watson got the win and Mark Melancon the save of a game started by Juan Nicasio. The Pirates tied a painful modern-era record: the Red pitchers plunked four Buccos during the contest.