Tuesday, August 15, 2017

8/15 Games: Bucs, Giants Split Splits; Kiner Muscles Up; Two For Jose, Game Stories

  • 1910 - In a meeting of two powerhouse rivals, the Pirates and NY Giants split a twinbill at the Polo Grounds by 2-1 scores. The first game went 11 innings before either team scored. Pittsburgh got a pair of runs off Christy Mathewson thanks to a Fred Clarke double; Lefty Leifield was nicked for score in the bottom half but hung on for the win. The Giants scored twice in the first frame of the nightcap off Howie Camnitz, and Hooks Wiltsie made it hold up, with the only Buc run coming via a Hans Wagner double and Doggie Miller single an inning later. However, the game didn’t have much influence on the finish as the Cubs won 104 games and ran away with the pennant. 
Lefty Leifield 1912 T207
  • 1934 - The Bucs and the NY Giants split a twinbill 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’s arm and Arky Vaughan’s homer. The Giants did end Little Poison’s hitting streak in the second 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’. 
  • 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 Milton Bradley
  • 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 (all against different teams), tying him for the Reds’ single-season franchise high mark.

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