6/7 Draft Picks: Cutch, Pittsburgh Kid, Gravedigger, Richie Zisk, Sammy Khalifa, Bix, Steve Pearce, Jamo, Nick Kingham

1966 - The Pirates selected SS Richie Hebner first (#15 overall, $40K bonus) in the draft. He was a solid pick - The Gravedigger played 11 seasons in Pittsburgh, hitting .277 with 128 HR. They had a couple of other future Buccos emerge from the mix in 2B Dave Cash (#5), who played five seasons in Pittsburgh with a .285 BA to begin his 12-year career, and OF Gene Clines (#6) who spent the first five campaigns of his 10-year MLB stint with the Bucs, hitting .287. Pitchers Ron Schueler (#12) & Rich Hand (#38; he was choosy and was drafted three times in four years) had long big league tenures although neither signed with Pittsburgh.

1967 - HS outfielder Joe Grigas was the Pirates first (#16) selection in the draft, and never advanced past Class A ball. They had better luck with OF Richie Zisk in the third round. He spent six of his 13 big league seasons with the Pirates, hitting .299. The second half of his career was spent in the American League, where he earned a pair of All-Star berths.

1969 - Pittsburgh picked HS righty John Morlan as its first (#10) selection in the draft; he won two games over two seasons. The rest of the draft was basically a washout with OF’ers Doug Ault and John Doherty being the only Bucco picks to play 100+ MLB games; they both passed on the Pirates and found their MLB homes in future drafts.

John Morlan - 1974 Topps

1977 - HS outfielder Anthony Nicely was the Pirates first pick (#18). He never made it to the show, but two of his draft mates did - SS Wayne Tolleson (12th round), who spent 10 years in the league mostly as a reserve for Texas and the Yankees, and LHP Dennis Rasmussen (18th round), who pitched 12 seasons of MLB ball for five teams.

1982 - High school SS Sammy Khalifa was the first (#7) Pirate pick in the draft. The good glove, bad bat infielder would play 186 MLB games. They also drafted LHP Joe Magrane in the third round, but he didn’t sign with Pittsburgh, going to the Cards in 1985 as a first-rounder. Several first-rounders from that draft did stop in Pittsburgh during their career beside Khalifa - Shawon Dunston, Bob Kipper, Dale Sveum and John Russell (as skipper).

2004 - In front page news, Pine Richland HS C Neil Walker was drafted in the first round by the Pirates, 11th overall, and signed for a $1.95M bonus. The switch-hitting catcher became the first player selected out of the WPIAL in the first round since Tim Conroy from Gateway High School in 1978. In seven years as the Bucco second baseman, the Pittsburgh Kid hit .272 with 93 HRs; he had a 12-year career with six squads. SS Brian Bixler, the next selection, was the only other player to receive more than a cup of coffee at the MLB level, spending four years with the Bucs, Nats and ‘Stros.

The two #1's show off their 2015 Silver Slugger awards - photo Mark Cunningham/Getty.

2005 - Pittsburgh struck gold as Andrew McCutchen was selected in the first round (#11 overall) of the draft and was signed to a $1.9M bonus, prying the prep star away from a scholarship to Florida. After nine years with Pittsburgh, he bounced around a bit, came back home and is now a FA. Cutch made it a great draft day, even though the only other picks to make it to the show were eighth rounder Steve Pearce, who played for seven teams over 13 seasons, and fourth rounder Brent Lillibridge, who played for four clubs over six years.

2010 - Pittsburgh drafted high school ace RHP Jameson Taillon, inking the second overall pick (Byrce Harper went first and Manny Machado third) for a $6.5M bonus; he’s now with the Cubs. They also signed preppie RHP Stetson Allie in the second round for $2.5M, who fizzled as a pitcher, was converted to a 1B/OF, and is now a real estate agent. Texas prep RHP Nick Kingham was a fourth round pick who was signed to a $485,000 deal and retired in 2023. Later round guys short-circuited by injuries but who appeared in the show were pitchers Brandon Cumpton (last pitched in MLB in 2018) and Casey Sadler, who finished up in 2023. The club didn’t stint: they spent $11.9M on the draft.

6/7 Through the 1960s: Manny's 1st, Bloop & Blast, Big Bob Deals, MVR Hot, Klein Signs, Game Day, No Walk; HBD Bill, Roy, Les & Bones

1863 - SS William “Bones” Ely was born in North Girard, just outside Erie. If you’ve ever wondered who held down the shortstop position before Honus Wagner, wonder no more - Bones is the man. Ely played for the Alleghenys/Pirates from 1896-1901, and was a good glove man who hit .256 for Pittsburgh. He was released in the summer of 1901, the Bucs first pennant-winning year, at the age of 38 and his spot was taken by Hans. If you saw Ely, his nickname’s origin would be apparent - Ely was 6’1” and 155 pounds soaking wet.

1907 - Les Biederman was born in Wilkinsburg. He was the Pittsburgh Press Pirates beat reporter for 31 years (1939-69), penned “The Scoreboard” column and served as The Sporting News' Pittsburgh correspondent. Les was also president of the BBWAA and named “Sportswriter of the Year” in 1960 by a couple of national organizations. He passed on in 1981.

1911 - Talk about pitching to contact: Pirates hurlers had the Giants beating the ball into the dirt all day as Pittsburgh fielders handled 55 total chances for a MLB record 28 assists and 27 putouts. Unfortunately, there were more than a couple that got away, as the Bucs committed seven errors (it was contagious; the Giants chipped in five boots of their own) with miscues charged to five different Pirates on their way to a 9-4 loss to New York at Forbes Field. The Pittsburgh Press lede was “The Pittsburgh Pirates were defeated by the New York Giants...in a genuine comedy of errors. The Buccaneers made as many bungles as bingles while the Giants ran a close second in the foozle column.” Both teams straightened out - John McGraw’s G-Men won the NL with 99 victories while Fred Clarke’s Pirates finished third with an 85-69 slate, 16 games in the dust. 

1926 - C Leroy “Roy” Jarvis was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The Bucs took Jarvis from Brooklyn in the 1944 Rule 5 Draft. He served in the Navy for two years, coming back for two games in 1946 and spending most of 1947 at AA Indianapolis, getting into 18 Pirates games and swatting his first and only MLB home run against the Cincinnati Reds on April 18th, but batting just .156. After that stint, he played for six organizations in the minors through 1955 before retiring at age 29. Per John Dreker of Pirates Prospects, he was given the nickname “Sweet Milk” in the minor leagues after a teammate decided he had to be “nursed” in the ways of a pro ballplayer.

1939 - The Bucs signed former All-Star/triple crown winner and future Hall-of-Famer OF Chuck Klein, who was released by Philadelphia. Klein, 34, hit .300 in 85 games for Pittsburgh and then returned to the Phils as a free agent. The Bucs released another future Hall of Famer at the end of his career, Heinie Manush, to make roster room for Klein.

Chuck Klein - 1939 Play Ball

1940 - LF Maurice Van Robays went 4-for-5 with a 2B, 3B and five RBI to lead Pittsburgh to a 10-5 win over Philadelphia at Forbes Field. Paul Waner and Arky Vaughan added three hits apiece as every Pirates starting position player had a hit plus run scored and/or RBI. Mace Brown, the starter, was chased early and gave up all the Phil scores; Johnny Lanning finished out the final 7-1/3 innings surrendering just three hits; neither Buc hurler registered a K.

1946 - An hour before the game, the Pirates voted against a walkout in support of the American Baseball Guild, which was pushing for a minimum salary of $7‚500‚ arbitration of salary disputes‚ and players sharing in 50 percent of any team sale price. The motion actually carried by a 20-16 vote, but needed a 2/3 majority. The Bucs took out their frustrations on the New York Giants, 10-5, behind a 15 hit attack. Every Pittsburgh starter, including winning pitcher Ed Bahr, reached base via hit/walk and all the boys but C Bill Salkeld either scored and/or chased runs home.

1955 - Ump Bill Hohn was born in Butler. He spent a decade calling games in the minors with a couple of part-time MLB shots, and was hired by the NL full time in 1989. He worked the 1994 All-Star Game, three NLDS sets and was the plate umpire for Hideo Nomo's 1996 no-hitter. Hohn took a hiatus from 1999-2001 when he was part of the umpire gang that resigned in an effort to get a new labor deal, and didn’t get reinstated until the 2002 season. Bill’s last campaign was in 2010; he sat out 2011 with back/neck injuries and retired in 2012. 

1964 - Bob Veale tied Babe Adam’s 1909 record with 12 K against Houston at Forbes Field, but watched the bullpen implode in the ninth inning to give the Colt .45’s a 6-3 win, with the big blows a pair of two-run raps, a single by Rusty Staub followed by John Bateman’s homer, both off Fred Green. Veale’s reaction - “I’m angry at myself for not finishing.” Veale would later shatter his record with 16 strikeouts in 1965. It was the first game of a twin bill, and Vern Law did finish the nightcap, winning 6-1 behind Bill Virdon’s three hits and a Bill Mazeroski homer.

Roberto - 1966 Kahn's Wieners

1966 - Bob Gibson K’ed four Pirates in the fourth inning - Jerry Lynch, Jim Pagliaroni, Bill Mazeroski and Don Cardwell - to tie a record held by several (Maz reached on a wild pitch third strike). Gibson had the Bucs eating out of his hand, going into the eighth with 12 K and a 1-1 score, dueling with Don Cardwell. But that was the end of his rope; the Pirates plated eight times on the way to a 9-1 victory. Roberto Clemente was the boss man with three hits, including a homer, two runs scored and three RBI to back Cardwell, who went the distance by tossing a four-hitter. The game involved a couple of streaks: it was the first time Cardwell had whipped the Redbirds since 1962, and Gibby ended Willie Stargell’s batting streak at nine straight hits, one shy of tying the NL record.

1967 - Roberto Clemente called a team meeting in New York after a twin bill loss left the Pirates six games out of first place. The Great One told Les Beiderman of the Pittsburgh Press: “I called this meeting to talk things out. If you have any gripes about the manager, about me or anybody else now speak up. We can settle it here.” The clan gathering was presumably to smooth the roiling waters between the players and manager Harry Walker, of whom Clemente said “We must stop blaming others and blame ourselves. It’s one thing not to like the manager and another not to play your best for him.” It helped in the short-term as the Pirates won 4-of-5, but not in the long run. The team finished 81-81 and in sixth place, 20-1/2 games behind St. Louis. 

1967 - Tommie Sisk spun a five-hit, complete game 3-0 shutout against the Mets at Forbes Field, backed by a bloop and a blast. The bloop was a two-run flare dropped by Manny Mota in the second and the blast was Willie Stargell’s 100th homer in the sixth, a shot that cleared the 436’ mark in right center field. Though Tommie only had one whiff, he was masterful - three of the hits were infield knocks, another a bad-hop chop and the fifth a line-hugging grounder. It was the third time that Sisk went the distance for the Bucs in eight starts.

1969 - Manny Sanguillen hit his first MLB homer and added a double to drive in three runs as the Bucs dusted the Braves 10-2 at Atlanta Stadium. Roberto Clemente stepped up, too, going  4-for-5 with a three-run homer and triple while Matty Alou chipped in with three raps. Steve Blass went tape-to-tape on the bump, dishing out a six-hitter with six whiffs.

6/7 From 1970: Big & Small Ball, Boom, AVS Day, Zane's #100, Sweep, 2025 Pirates HoF, Game Days HBD Vince & Virgil

1972 - The Bucs can beat ya with a jackhammer or with a pea shooter, as they proved to San Diego in a doubleheader sweep at Jack Murphy Stadium. They won the opener 12-5 behind Willie Stargell’s two homers and five RBI, then took the nitecap 1-0 in 18 innings with two infield singles, a double steal, and two free passes. Maz was walked intentionally to get to Gene Alley, who drew four balls from Mike Corkins to force home Al Oliver with the game’s only run. Bob Johnson, who made his first two relief appearances of the year in the twin bill, got a win and a save. Dock Ellis was brilliant, giving up just two hits and at one point retiring 22 straight Padres in the second contest.

1976 - The Pirates and Reds combined for a swatfest of seven solo homers (out of a total of 12 hits) at TRS. Al Oliver, Willie Stargell and Bill Robinson connected in the seventh off Jack Billingham while Richie Zisk hit the game-winner in the eighth for a 5-4 Buc victory. It was noteworthy for another event, too. The Gunner returned to Three Rivers as part of the crew broadcasting the ABC Monday Night game. In the third inning, when the scoreboard flashed a welcome to Prince, Bob Uecker, and Warner Wolf, Pirates fans gave Prince a long standing ovation as Bruce Kison stepped off the mound to allow The Gunner a moment in the sun. Prince bowed to the fans, waved a babushka to the crowd and then teared up.

1982 - RHP Virgil Vasquez was born in Santa Barbara, California. Virgil got a cup of coffee with the Tigers in 2007 and a better shot to show his stuff with a thin Pirates pitching staff in 2009, going 2-5/5.84 in 14 games (seven starts). He was traded to Tampa, but was hit by a car while driving his scooter and broke both wrists, effectively ending his pitching days. He’s been working as a Twins’ minor league pitching coach since 2015.

1987 - The Pirates outmuscled the Mets 10-9 behind Andy Van Slyke’s two homers and triple (three RBI, three runs scored) and Mike Diaz’s pinch hit, three-run blast. He joined AVS in going deep in the eighth inning, and the six spot the Pirates put up was barely enough to hold off New York at Shea Stadium in the second game of a twin bill. Bobby Bonilla and Sid Bream added three raps each, together banging three two-baggers while chasing home and scoring two tallies. Don Robinson saved the win for Dorn Taylor. Pittsburgh lost the opener 5-4 in 10 innings despite dingers from Van Slyke and RJ Reynolds when Robinson couldn’t close it when former Bucco Lee Mazzilli doubled home the tying and go ahead runs. Mazzilli had five hits and seven RBI against his old mates on the day while AVS homered three times.

Andy Van Slyke - 1987 Topps Traded

1991 - You might think a 1-0 game was quite a pitching duel, but you’d be wrong on this night at Three Rivers Stadium. The Pirates banged out seven hits and stranded seven runners; Don Slaught’s single in the second sent Barry Bonds home with the game’s only run. San Diego collected 10 hits in seven frames against Doug Drabek and added three more in two innings off three Bucco relievers, leaving 10 aboard after Slaught cut down two base stealers, Andy Van Slyke threw out a runner at home and the Friars grounded into a DP. Tim Teufel had an especially frustrating game thanks to AVS. He was the one thrown out at the dish after running through a stop sign and his drive to the wall in the ninth was grabbed by Andy, who crashed heavily into the fence but hung on.

1992 - RHP Vince Velasquez was born in Montclair, California. The Pirates inked the 30-year-old  to a one-year/$3.15M deal and planned to work the swingman in the rotation. He came from the White Sox, going 3-3/4.78 in 32 appearances (nine starts). This was his fifth organization in eight MLB campaigns, with six years spent with the Phils. To date, he’s posted a line of 38-51/4.88 in the bigs and never compiled an ERA under four during an MLB season until his eight-game ‘23 run with the Bucs, when he went 4-4/3.86. His season ended in June with UCL surgery, and then he was released by the Pirates at year’s end with no takers in ‘24. He returned in 2026 with the Cubs.

1996 - Zane Smith earned his 100th MLB victory without much drama as he and the Bucs romped over the Padres 10-0 at San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium. He gave up six hits while going the distance and was backed by Mike Kingery’s bases-loaded, bases-clearing double, one of his three knocks, and home runs from Jeff King (who had four hits) & Orlando Merced. Zane also fanned his 1,000th batter and drove in a run, so he was feelin’ it today. Smith’s first big league win came as a rookie with Atlanta in 1984 when he topped Nolan Ryan 3-1 and today would be his last dub as the Pirates released him on July 6th and he never tossed another MLB game. 

2012 - Clint Barmes and Mike McKenry hit back-to-back doubles off Aroldis Chapman in the 10th inning to give the Pirates a 5-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds at GABP. It was a “who’d thunk it” rally - Chapman hadn't allowed an earned run in 24 appearances covering 29 innings prior to the game and hadn't even allowed a hit since May 17th, while Barmes and McKenry were both batting under .200. It was especially sweet coming right after Joel Hanrahan had blown the save by allowing a homer to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Mark the Shark - 2016 Bowman

2016 - The Bucs swept a twin bill from the New York Mets by identical 3-1 scores at PNC Park. The opener’s storyline was centered on Jon Niese and Neil Walker, traded for one another during the offseason and making their first appearances against their old teammates. Walker was held hitless while Niese spun seven innings of four-hit shutout ball in the first round. Josh Harrison had three hits and Jordy Mercer homered to help send Steven Matz to defeat. The Pirates collected 10 hits and RBIs from John Jaso, Cole Figueroa and Chris Stewart in the nightcap to give Juan Nicasio, with four innings of strong bullpen support, the win over Jacob deGrom. Mark Melancon finished up to complete a two-save day, the Pirates' first since Matt Capps in 2007, and Neftali Feliz worked both eighth innings, earning a pair of holds to set up the Shark.

2025 - The Pirates announced their 2025 team Hall of Fame Class - Kiki Cuyler, Vern Law and Al "Scoops" Oliver. They were inducted on August 22. Cuyler played the first seven seasons of his 18-year career with the Pirates (1921-27/.336 BA), was on the 1925 championship team and his 144 runs scored in 1925 are the most for any Pirate in the Modern Era (since 1900). He's already in the Cooperstown HoF (1968). Law spent all 16 of his MLB seasons with the Bucs (1950-1967). He's one of two pitchers in franchise history to win a Cy Young Award (1960),along with Doug Drabek. The Deacon won 20 games in ‘60, then went 2-0 with a 3.44 ERA in his three World Series outings against the Yankees. Law was also an All-Star twice. Oliver spent the first 10 seasons of his 18-year big league run with Pittsburgh (1968-77), earning three All-Star nods here, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1969 and hit .296 w/135 home runs. He was one of the Pirates’ World Series titleists in 1971.

6/6 Draft Picks: Milt May, Buster, Candy Man, Stuper & Smiley, Brad Lincoln, Cole Train, Josh Bell, Tyler Glasnow, Clay Holmes, Fraze

1968 - The Bucs selected HS outfielder Dick Sharon first (#9) in the draft; he spent three years in MLB as a reserve. They did hit on their 11th rounder, C Milt May, who played six of his 16 big league seasons with the Pirates and 14th rounder RHP Bruce Kison, who spent half (1971-77) of his career with Pittsburgh and won a World Series game in his 1971 rookie season. Pittsburgh also selected RHPs Wayne Garland, who pitched nine years for the O’s and Indians, and Paul Mitchell, who worked six big league years for four teams.

1972 - High school SS Dwayne Peltier was the Bucs first round (#23) pick; he stalled out at AA ball. But the second round pick stuck around - Brooklyn prepster LHP John “The Candy Man” Candelaria, who pitched 12 years for the Bucs and won 124 games. 2B Willie Randolph, who played 18 years, mostly with the Yankees, was a seventh round selection. Shaler grad Ken Macha was picked in the sixth round and had parts of three seasons with the hometown nine.

1978 - The Pirates picked prep first baseman Brad Garnett in the first round (#19) of the draft; he never advanced beyond Class A. In fact, none of their first 17 selections made it to the majors. They did get a couple of MLB keepers in the later rounds - Butler and Point Park RHP John Stuper (18th round), LHP Dave Dravecky (21st round) and SS Vance Law (39th round), Pirates Cy Young winner Vern Law’s kid who played for 11 seasons in the show.

1983 - The Pirates selected high school OF’er Ron DeLucchi first (#12) in the draft, but he never advanced beyond Class A ball. The only notable pick was twelfth rounder LHP John Smiley, who lasted 11 years (six with the Bucs), won 126 games and was twice an All-Star.

Brad Lincoln - 2010 Bowman Prospects

2006 - The Pirates selected RHP Brad Lincoln from the U of Houston as their first round draft pick. The fourth player selected overall, he signed for a $2.75M bonus. RHP Jared Hughes (fourth round) and OF Alex Presley (eighth round) were also members of that draft class. Hughes spent six years as a bridge man here and Presley four seasons as a bench piece of the Bucs. The Pirates really missed the boat with Lincoln in a pitching-rich class - the draft’s following picks were #6: Andrew Miller, #7: Clayton Kershaw, #10: Tim Lincecum and #11: Max Scherzer. OF Travis Snider, who would later join the Pirates in an ironic 2012 swap for Lincoln, was the #14 overall selection of the Toronto Blue Jays.

2011 - The Pirates drafted RHP Gerrit Cole of UCLA first overall and signed him to a record $8M bonus/minor league deal (his agent, Scott Boras, turned down an $8.5M major league deal, saying that Cole would make more in the long run under the MiLB arrangement, and Cole Train did do pretty well financially under the arrangement). The Bucco choice was made after a media debate whether Cole’s college teammate, RHP Trevor Bauer, would be the better choice (he went third to the D-Backs) or if the Pirates should get a hitter like 3B Anthony Rendon (sixth round to the Nats). Pittsburgh then signed high school phenom OF Josh Bell for $5M (now w/the Twins) to lure him away from a commitment to Texas. They also signed California prep pitcher Tyler Glasnow (now a Dodger) in the fifth round (152nd pick) for $600K. OF Alex Dickerson, who was dealt to San Diego for Jaff Decker & Miles Mikolas and is now playing indie ball after six years in the show, was the third round choice. RHP Clay Holmes ($1.2M) was taken in the ninth round and seems to have found his mojo in the Big Apple with the Mets. The Pirates invested a MLB record $17M on its draft 2011 picks before a cap was established in 2012 in response to the Bucs free spending. One fish that they didn’t land was Trea Turner, who they drafted in the 20th round out of high school. He spurned the Bucs offer and instead went to NC State, becoming a 2014 first-rounder of the Padres. 

2013 - There was not much local shelf life for this group. The Pirates picked high school players OF Austin Meadows (#9) and C Reese McGuire (#14) in the first round of the draft. Meadows received slot value to sign, $3,029,600, while McGuire inked a $2,369,000 deal that was $200K under slot. U of Delaware RHP Chad Kuhl was selected in the ninth round and was inked at slot value, $145K. Meadows was sent to Tampa Bay as part of the Chris Archer deal and last played in 2023 while Kuhl last pitched MLB ball in 2023. McGuire was traded to Toronto as part of the Drew Hutchison/Frankie Liriano package, bounced around and was released by the White Sox in April ‘26. Adam Frazier was a sixth round selection who had two Bucco stints and now is with the LA Angels. JaCoby Jones, traded to Detroit for Joakim Soria, was a third-rounder who’s now out of baseball. Shane Carle, a 10th rounder who was sent to Colorado for Rob Scahill, rejoined the team briefly and then was shipped to the Braves. His last season was ‘21.

6/6: Hey J-Hay, Rappin' Russ, Ward Wallop, Basebrawlin', Alley Oop, 27 Runs!, Game Days, Jubilee, Hats On; HBD Doug, Tommy & Jake

1870 - LHP Jake Hewitt was born in Maidsville, West Virginia. He tossed for WVU in 1895, and joined the Pirates for four games (two starts). He worked 13 innings and slashed 1-0-2/4.15, also tossing for Rochester Browns in the Eastern League and Warren of the Iron and Glass League as a teammate of Honus and Butts Wagner in a pretty busy season. Jake’s last stat line was compiled in 1898 hurling for the New Castle Quakers of the Interstate League.

1894 - The Pirates set a still-existing club record when they routed the Boston Beaneaters by a 27-11 final count at Congress Street Grounds. Boston actually led 2-0 in the second inning and was tied 3-3 going into the bottom of the third, until Pittsburgh broke it wide open by scoring 21 runs in the third and fourth innings. Jake Stenzel homered twice in the third inning, a Bucco first that wasn’t duplicated again until 1995 by Jeff King. (The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette cracked “Stenzel made two home runs in the third to relieve the monotony of crackling singles and sharp doubles.”) The Bucs hit four homers and scored 12 times in the that frame, sending 15 players to the dish and setting a homer record of seven bombs in a single game (Stenzel - 2, Lou Bierbauer - 2, Mike Smith, Connie Mack & Denny Lyons) that wouldn’t be matched again until 1947. Tom Colcolough got the win. He was used to big run support, notching eight victories despite a 7.23 ERA.

1902 - 2B Lafayette Fresco “Tommy” Thompson was born in Centerville, Alabama. He first planted his MLB roots in Pittsburgh, playing 14 games and batting .286 for the World Champion 1925 club before spending eight more years in the show, notably with Philadelphia. But Tommy made his name after his playing days, managing in the minors and then becoming a big wheel for the Dodgers, rising from assistant farm director to head of minor league operations under Buzzy Bavasi (he even replaced him as GM briefly) and putting together the 1968 draft that netted Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Bill Buckner, Bobby Valentine, Joe Ferguson and Tom Paciorek. Sadly, he didn’t get to enjoy the fruits of his labor as he passed away a few weeks later. 

1925 - The Pirates held their Golden Jubilee celebration, bring back old stalwarts like Happy Jack Chesbro, Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, Kitty Bransfield, Deacon Phillippe, Ginger Beaumont, CL Zimmer, Tom McCreedy, Jess Tannehill, George Yeager, Jimmie Burke, Wee Tommy Leach and Claude Ritchey. The 1901 team played the 1925 squad in a special pre-game exhibition that lasted three innings, with the young pup club (who, btw, became the NL champs) beating the old timers by a 5-3 score. Pittsburgh’s current crew went to work afterwards, beating the Phils 9-3 at Forbes Field behind Emil Yde in the game that counted. Eddie Moore homered, Pie Traynor had a double and triple and Glenn Wright contributed a pair of knocks, including a two-bagger, to lead the Pirate attack.

Rip Sewell - photo via Sports Memorabilia

1940 - The Bucs fell behind Boston 5-0 in the second, then put up a six-spot of their own in the third and hung on for a 7-6 win at Forbes Field. It was an all-hands-on-deck performance with six of the eight Pirates position players having hits with runs scored and/or RBI on the score sheet. Rip Sewell tossed eight innings for the win in relief; he gave up 10 hits but just two runs. The two-hour game was played before a sparse crowd of 1,165.

1941 - The New York Giants became the first team to wear headgear in a game against the Pirates at the Polo Grounds. They donned the caps during a twin bill that Pittsburgh swept, 5-4 and 4-3. The new lids proved more precautionary than protective; no one was beaned in either contest. The Pirates made batting helmets mandatory a decade later under Branch Rickey’s direction. In the nitecap of the doubleheader, Rip Sewell not only won the game but flashed some golden glovework as he set a NL record with 11 assists as a pitcher. 

1944 - The Pirates joined Brooklyn (the only other MLB game scheduled for the day) by canceling their game against the Reds at Forbes Field in tribute to the D-Day invasion. Pirates president William Benswanger said “...merely asking the audience to rise and offer silent prayer for the Allied armies who have just invaded the enemy’s stronghold would scarcely be sufficient for such a solemn occasion.” The game was pushed back 24 hours, with the Bucs taking a 4-2 decision behind Rip Sewell’s seven hitter and Vince DiMaggio’s game-winning two-run single in the eighth inning. The victory cemented the Pirates hold on second place, where they would finish the year with a 90-63 record, 15 games behind the St. Louis Cards, who went on to take the World Series crown against the St. Louis Browns.

1949 - RHP Kirby Higbe was traded to the New York Giants for RHP Ray Poat and IF Bobby Rhawn. It ended up a minor deal; Higbe was about at the end of his MLB days (he retired after the 1950 season) and the Giant pair played briefly for the Bucs in ‘49 but were gone the following season. Manager Bill Meyer said somewhat tartly but accurately of the deal “We didn’t get anything too much, but we gave away nothing.”  The Bucs were cleaning their house a bit; pitcher Bob Muncrief was waived and sold to the Cubs for $10,000 on the same day.

ElRoy Face - 1954 Topps

1952 - ElRoy Face, a 24-year-old starter for the Brooklyn Dodgers AA club, Fort Worth, tossed a nine-inning no-hitter, giving up a hit in the 10th frame before recording a 3-0 win over Buffalo. Despite that and a 14-11/2.83 line, he was left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft and the Pirates, then under Branch Rickey who had originally signed Face for Brooklyn when he was their GM, snapped him up. The Bucs converted him to the bullpen, Face picked up his signature forkball in 1954, and in ‘55 he joined the big club to stay, pitching for 15 years in Pittsburgh and slashing 100-93-186/3.46 in 802 outings while appearing in three All-Star games. He still leads the franchise in outings made and saves with Kent Tekulve holding down both runner-up spots.

1959 - Ron Blackburn had a good day even if the team didn’t follow his lead. The reliever smacked the only longball of his MLB career while tossing four innings of perfect ball mopping-up in an 8-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field.

1959- OF Doug Frobel was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He played for Pittsburgh from 1982-85 and looked ready to break out after hitting .286 in limited at-bats in 1983, but Doug couldn’t match that pace in following campaigns, ending his Bucco career with a .213 BA. He was sold to the Montreal Expos at the August deadline in 1985 and ended his MLB days with the Cleveland Indians in 1987. Frobel played in the Mexican League and AAA through 1989.

1970 -  The Pirates pulled off a bases loaded 6-3-5-6 triple play, started and finished by Gene Alley, in the third inning to keep the game within reach and it paid off when pinch-hitter Jerry May whacked a two-out walkoff single in the 12th as the Bucs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 at Forbes Field. Pittsburgh was down to its last at bat in the ninth when Bob Robertson doubled home Roberto Clemente, who had earlier in the inning plated Matty Alou to cut the lead to a run. Dave Giusti worked the final four innings scorelessly for the win while Clemente had two hits, including a homer off Don Sutton, two runs scored and two RBI. Alou added two hits, a walk, and scored twice.

Gene Alley - 1970 Pirates Color Pack

1986 - The Bucs split a twin bill with the Mets at TRS but not without a little dancing. Rick Rhoden was cruising on his way to a 7-1 opening game win when ex-Bucco teammate and current New York coach Bill Robinson called him out (Rhoden was often accused of scuffing a ball) after Gary Carter whiffed. Rick snapped back, Robby gave him a good shove and for five minutes the benches grappled at the mound; umpire Joe West even had to drag Jim Leyland away from the nosh pit. Order was restored; apparently the trigger point was when Rhoden threw a ball in the dirt that left a mark, causing Robinson (the only player ejected) to call on the ump to check the pitcher for foreign objects, which he did without success, and setting off Rhoden. RJ Reynolds did the most damage (with his bat, not his knuckles) with three knocks while Barry Bonds had a pair of hits and a homer. The second game took a 180 when NY banged three long balls and won easily by a 10-4 score as Jose DeLeon was chased early. 

1998 - It took the Bucs awhile to rev it up at the dish, but a three-run seventh frame rally knotted the score against the Minnesota Twins at TRS, and after playing a total of four hours and 16 minutes of baseball, the Pirates finally squeezed out a 12-inning 4-3 decision. A Jose Guillen single, Aramis Ramirez triple and Turner Ward homer propelled the big seventh, while four straight singles won the game in the 12th, the first by Chance Sanford and the last by Jason Kendall. Esteban Loaiza, the Bucs fifth pitcher, got the win. The Pirates hurlers seemed to work from the stretch all game; the Twinkies stranded 14 runners. 

2014 - The Pirates scored eight times in the sixth inning to hand the Milwaukee Brewers a 15-5 thumping at PNC Park. It was the biggest Bucco frame since 2012 when they matched the feat against San Diego. The 15 runs were the most scored since 2010, also against Milwaukee. The Bucs parlayed six hits and four walks into their big inning. Seven Pirates had multi-hit outings, led by Russ Martin, who had three hits, four RBI and three runs scored.

2018 - Josh Harrison had two hits and three RBI, including a bases-clearing double, as the Pirates outslugged the LA Dodgers 11-9 at PNC Park. Corey Dickerson had three hits and scored four runs, while David Freese and Gregory Polanco each had a pair of RBI. Steven Brault earned his fifth win after pitching 2-1/3 innings in relief of Trevor Williams; Brault was converted to a starter the following campaign. Felipe Vazquez posted his 11th save. The Dodger staff was a little salty about being banged around; they plunked three Pirates during the match (though that may not have been the result of attitude; they also walked 10 Pirates). It was a bruising week for Pittsburgh all around; the win was bookended by three losses before and three losses afterward.

6/5 Draft Picks: Steve Nicosia, Hot Rod, Jose DeLeon, Paul Wagner, Steve Cooke, Burney, Nate, Ian, El Toro, Mitch, Tuck

1973 - The Pirates selected HS catcher Steve Nicosia first (#24) in the draft. He spent eight years in the show, six as a Bucco reserve, with a Pittsburgh BA of .248. In the third round, they chose 1B Mitchell Paige, who had a couple of strong years for the Oakland Athletics.

1974 - The Bucs selected high school lefty Rod Scurry as their top pick (#11) in the draft. He battled with drug addiction during the eighties when the Pirate clubhouse was nose candy central and became the centerpiece of the Pittsburgh coke trial, and died at age 36. RHP Ed Whitson (sixth round) proved a solid pitcher, mainly for San Diego, and the Bucs also chose a couple of fringe pieces with IF Mike Edwards (7th round) and LHP Bryan Clark (10th round).

1979 - The Bucs spent their second round pick (they didn’t have a first rounder, lost when they signed Lee Lacy to a FA deal) on prep lefty Scott Fiepke, who was injured in the minors and never rose above AA ball. They had better luck in the next round with RHP Jose DeLeon, using a pick they got from the Expos as compensation for FA Duffy Dyer. RHP Mike Bielecki was their top selection in the secondary phase of the draft. Pigskin v Horsehide: Pitt’s Dan Marino was selected in the fourth round of the draft by the Kansas City Royals. For some reason, he stuck with football, as did another KC pick that same year, Stanford’s John Elway. 

Jose DeLeon - 1984 Pirates photo

1989 - The Pirates picked high school SS Willie Greene first (#18) in the draft. He played nine years in the show, though not for Pittsburgh, and was a four-year starter for the Reds, ending up with a .234 lifetime BA. They also signed starting pitchers Paul Wagner and Steve Cooke to bolster the rotation, and they spent the early-to-mid 90s as part of the Pittsburgh rotation.

2000 - High school lefty Sean Burnett was the Pirates top choice (#19 - $1.65M signing bonus) in the draft. He rose quickly and was named the Carolina League's and the Pirates Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2002. He was hurt in 2005 after debuting in ‘04, but still managed to put together a nine-year MLB career. Pittsburgh signed some nice players - RHP Chris Young (third round), OF Jose Bautista (20th round), OF Nate McLouth (25th round), RHP Ian Snell (26th round) and RHP Scott Baker (36th round) in one of their better draft days.

2001 - The Pirates selected RHP John Van Benschoten of Kent State first in the draft (#8 overall) and signed him to a $2.3M bonus. LHP Zach Duke, the twentieth selection, was the only longtime Bucco (nine years, 49-75/4.60) chosen that year. Other notable players signed from that draft were Jeff Keppinger, Rajai Davis, Chris Shelton and Chris Duffy. The Pirates selected a SS out of Georgia’s Lowndes County HS, Stephen Drew, in the 11th round but couldn’t sign him; he instead went to Florida State and was drafted by Arizona in 2004. They also lost their third round pick, Stanford RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who didn’t sign and went in the first round to Cleveland the following season. The ‘01 draft was fairly shallow at the top; Joe Mauer, Mark Prior and Mark Teixeira were the big kahunas up for grabs and were gone before the Bucs got to the table.

Rajai Davis - 2003 Bowman First Year

2008 - Pedro Alvarez was drafted by the Pirates in the first round as the second pick overall of the draft. He signed on September 24th at the midnight hour as Scott Boras and the FO locked horns until the last minute (and maybe beyond) before settling on a $6.335M bonus. The big debate in town leading to the draft was whether to take El Toro, P Brian Matusz, C Buster Posey or P Aaron Crowe (they went #4, #5 and #9); Eric Hosmer was also available. El Toro played for the Bucs and Orioles through the 2018 season, banging 162 long balls. SS Jordy Mercer ($508K) was selected in the third round after SS Chase d’Arnaud while LHP Justin Wilson was snatched in the fifth round for $195,000, signing his deal just two days before the contract deadline. 

2014 - The Pirates had four picks among the top 73 in the draft, starting at #24, and selected SS Cole Tucker ($1.8M), OF Connor Joe ($1.25M), and prep pitchers Mitch Keller ($1M) & Trey Supak ($1M). Jordan Luplow was added in the third round ($500K). Supak was later dealt as part of the Jason Rogers trade with the Brewers and Connor Joe was sent to the Braves for Sean Rodriguez; the Bucs got him back in ‘23 and he’s now with Seattle. Luplow was eventually moved to Cleveland and is currently playing in Mexico. Tuck was DFA’ed, played for the Rox and retired in 2025, so only Keller has remained a career Bucco.

6/5 From 1960: Super Starg, 2-Out Lightning, Stu Lauch, 4th Zero, King Clarke, Game Days, Roberto POTM; HBD Ray, Gene & Happy Jack

1874 - RHP Jack Chesbro (nee John D. Cheesbro) was born in Houghtonville, Massachusetts. The righty spent the first four years (1899-1902) of his career as a Pirate, going 70-38/2.83 with a pair of 20+ win seasons. He jumped from the NL Pirates to the AL New York Highlanders in 1903, and won 41 games in 55 appearances (41-12/1.82 with 14 consecutive wins) in 1904, a record that will never be overtaken. The Old Timers’ Committee voted him into the Hall of Fame in 1946 on the strength of that superb season. Chesbro became “Happy Jack” while working at the Middleton, NY, state mental hospital (he was playing amateur ball for the house team, The “Asylums”) after a patient noted his cheery disposition and friendly grin, per SABR’s Wayne McElreavy.

1890 - UT/PH Gene Madden was born in Elm Grove (now Wheeling), West Virginia. Gene hit .312 at Galveston in 1915, earning a Pirates contract for the next season. He played well in camp and made the Opening Day roster, but after a handful of games was told the Bucs wanted him to play regularly in the minors. Hans Wagner (manager Nixey Hallahan was ejected, leaving Honus in charge) sent him up to pinch-hit on his last day in Pittsburgh, and Madden grounded out. It would be his only MLB game and at bat. He played one more year in the bushes before joining the Marines, and after his discharge, he played for Newark and Syracuse before retiring after the 1921 season. By then, his family was growing (he ended up with seven kids) and Gene eventually opened his own business.

1895 - OF Ray Rohwer was born in Dixon, California. Ray’s MLB career lasted from 1921-22 with the Bucs as a back-up outfielder, hitting .284 over that span. Ray was a west coast kinda guy, playing college ball at the U of California at Berkeley before serving in the Army during WW1. After the Pirates, Rohwer spent nine seasons in the Pacific Coast League, playing for the Seattle Indians, Portland Beavers and Sacramento Senators, where he compiled a career .299 BA. Following his retirement, he stayed in California.

Fred Clarke - Helmar T206

1903 - The Pirates banged out 17 hits against Boston at Exposition Park to run away with a 9-0 victory while spinning Pittsburgh's fourth straight shutout behind Ed Doheny, setting a new MLB record. Fred Clarke went 5-for-5 and Ginger Beaumont 4-for-5 to lead the attack. The Buc pitchers would run their shutout streak to six games before finally yielding a run.

1951 - Buc rookie knuckler Paul “Lefty” LaPalme hurled a 8-0 shutout against Boston at Braves Field in his first major league start. It was his only win of the year, but he lasted seven MLB seasons, four with the Pirates, with a 24-45/4.42 line.

1959 - Dick Stuart banged a ball over the 457’ mark of Forbes Field center field wall, considered the longest homer hit in the ballpark’s history, flying between 475-500’ by various estimates. Dr. Strangeglove's blast came in the first off Glen Hobbie during the Pirates' 10-5 loss to Chicago, and the local papers claimed it was the first ball hit over the center field wall. That may have been true of MLB players (although Rogers Hornsby once hit the flagpole, and Roberto Clemente later hit a light tower) but Josh Gibson lore claimed that he launched balls over the fence in center at least twice during his Negro League career.

1964 - The Colt .45’s were countin’ their chickens, holding a 3-1 lead at Forbes Field with two away in the ninth and the bases empty. But there’s a reason you get 27 outs, and Pittsburgh ripped off five straight hits to stun Houston, 4-3. Jim Pagliaroni started the rally with a double, then Donn Clendenon singled off Hal Woodeshick’s glove into center to plate Pags. Ducky Schofield kept it alive, and Manny Mota’s pinch-hit single knotted the score. The Texans beckoned Gordon Jones to the mound to face Roberto Clemente, described by the Pittsburgh Press as “a man on a mission” after he had failed at a sac bunt effort in the eighth. He didn’t fail this time, lining a knock into right center to make a winner of Bob Priddy. The Bucs' first run came on Willie Stargell’s solo shot.

Pags - 1965 Topps

1965 - The Pirates jumped on the Mets for six first-inning runs, triggered by Willie Stargell’s three-run double and capped by Jim Pagliaroni’s two-out, three-run homer, to cruise to a 9-0 win at Forbes Field. Roberto Clemente added three hits as Vern Law went the distance and shut down New York on two hits. The Deacon was only 3-5 after the victory though sporting a 1.95 ERA, and he finished the year strong with a line of 17-9/2.15 in his last dominant campaign.

1966 - In a 10-5 Bucs win over Houston at Forbes Field, Willie Stargell went 5-for-5 with two homers, a double and four RBI, ringing up nine straight hits in two days against the ‘Stros. Roberto Clemente put a ball in orbit off Turk Farrell, flying over the 436’ mark and landing in Plaza Field, a little league diamond tucked behind the ballyard’s right center field wall. Starter Bob Veale struck out 11 batters in his six frames of work, but Pete Mikkelsen was credited with the win in relief of Big Bob, pitching one-run ball over the final three innings.

1967 - Roberto Clemente was announced as the NL’s Player of the Month. Roberto batted .403 with 29 RBI during the month and went on to win the batting title with a .357 BA to earn an eighth straight All-Star berth. 

1968 - The Bucs lost a tough one when Zoilo Versalles slid home, was called out and then a second later ruled safe as plate ump Bill Jackowski reversed himself to give the LA Dodgers a 2-1 win. The umpire said he saw the ball loose on Zoilo’s leg after the tag; catcher Jerry May claimed it was in his glove all the time. Versalles didn’t hang around for the argument but sprinted straight into the Dodger dugout after the reversal, later explaining “...the umpire not sure, he says out and I yell ‘No, no, safe.’ The ump says ‘Oh, he drop ball, you safe.’” Afterward, Larry Shepard darkly told the media that “This ballpark seems to do something to an umpire,” referring to the number of calls that seemed to go in favor of the hometown nine at Dodger Stadium. LA’s Bill Singer was probably more to blame for the loss than Jackowski as he tossed a six-hit gem against the Bucs with 12 K. Roberto Clemente was the sole Pirate who could solve him with three hits while Alvin McBean, who also tossed a six-hitter, took the hard-luck loss.

6/5 From 1970: Robby Rips, Dunne Debut, KY Grannie, Matt Sixer, Bop Fest, Game Days, Jay POTM, Jose POTW, HBD Heandog

1976 - McKeesport’s Bill Robinson hit three homers and drove home four runs, but the Pirates lost in 15 innings to the San Diego Padres at Three Rivers Stadium, 11-9. Pittsburgh scored three times in the ninth, the rally built around Dave Parker’s triple, to send the game into overtime. The Bucs had 18 hits - Robby had four, Rennie Stennett three, and Parker, Al Oliver, Willie Stargell & Frank Taveras each added a pair. Ramon Hernandez took the loss.

1987 - RHP Mike Dunne, 24, made his major league debut against the New York Mets and Dwight Gooden at Shea Stadium. Mike joined the club as part of the April 1 Tony Pena trade with St. Louis when the Pirates reportedly chose him as the pitching piece over LHP Joe McGrane. He took the loss in a so-so-opener, but the rest of the year was an eye-opener as Dunne’s line was 13–6/3.03. He finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting to Benito Santiago and won The Sporting News NL Pitching ROTY award. But after that blazing start, injuries haunted him for much of the rest of his career. He was dealt to the Seattle Mariners in ‘89, later pitching for the San Diego Padres and then the White Sox. His last big league game was in 1992 with Chicago. 

1991 - LHP Andrew Heaney was born in Oklahoma City. He was a first round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2012 by Miami, and the veteran back end starter (he worked for the Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers) signed with the Bucs shortly before camp in 2025. In 12 MLB campaigns, he posted a 51-62/4.44/95 ERA+ line and was plugged into the rotation. He went 5-10/5.39, was released, joined the Dodgers and retired in 2025. 

1992 - With two gone in the 10th of a 4-4 game at TRS against New York, Jay Bell tripled on a 3-2 pitch by going oppo and kissing the right field line, Andy Van Slyke was worked around, and Barry Bonds was walked intentionally to fill the bases with the pitcher’s spot due up. Jimmy Leyland sent up skipper-to-be Lloyd McClendon to swing, and his liner to left off John Franco walked off a 5-4 Bucco win over their New York nemesis in front of 23,957 fans. Stan Belinda got the win in a game that Zane Smith started, and Zane was a big part of the win, with his two-run double off David Cone being the Pirates biggest hit of the night. It was a clutch dub, with Pittsburgh gaining distance from both the Cards (2-1/2 games back) and the Mets (down three games). 

Zane Smith - 1992 Fleer

2001 - The Pirates snapped a lot of streaks in their 5-2 win over the Marlins at Pro Player Stadium. First, it ended a five-game losing skid with a rare win on the road, where they had the worst record in the majors (7-22 going into the game). Next, it broke a run of 17 games without a loss by the game’s starter, Florida’s Brad Penny. Finally, Kevin Young ended his six-week home run drought with a sixth-inning grand slam that gave starter and winner Jason Schmidt, followed by Jose Manzanillo and Mike Williams, who earned the save, some wriggle room to work with. One streak that stayed alive was Jason Kendall’s hitting spree, which reached 12 straight games. 

2005 - OF Matt Lawton had reached base six straight times without scoring. As Dejan Kovacevich of the Post Gazette wrote “He took it upon himself to get the job done in the most emphatic way he could: Send it for a swim.” Matt cleared the roof in right field, the ball landed on the grassy slope and merrily bounded into the Allegheny during a 5-2 win over the Braves at PNC Park. The big blow was Rob Mackowiak’s two-run homer in the sixth frame to break a tie and put the Pirates up by a pair. Lawton and Mack led with three hits. Ollie Perez, who gave up four raps and fanned seven in seven frames, got the win with a Jose Mesa save. 

2006 - Jason Bay was named the NL Player of the Month and Jose Castillo the Player of the Week. Bay banged away at a .321 clip with 12 HR and 35 RBI while Castillo hit .478 with four homers and 15 RBI and posted an impressive .366 average through May. Jason kept up the good work all season, winning his second straight All-Star berth with a .286 BA, 35 dingers and 109 RBI. Jose, not so much - he finished the year batting .253 with 14 home runs. 

Starling Marte - 2015 Topps Tier One

2015 - Starling Marte went deep with three RBI/three runs scored, Neil Walker swatted a three-run homer, and Fran Cervelli matched his career-high with four hits as Pittsburgh outslugged Atlanta, 10-8, at Turner Field for their fourth straight win. Despite a 14-hit attack, the Pirates had to beat off a game Braves club that also banged out 14 hits off six Corsair pitchers. The Bucs fielders also helped the Bravos stay alive, committing four errors that led to a pair of unearned runs, but the bats overcame the gloves to allow starter Charlie Morton to run his record to 3-0 after Mark Melancon finally closed the contest for save #17. 

2023 - The Pirates were on a five-game winning streak while the visiting Oakland A’s had the worst record in baseball and were on a 14-game road losing streak, but hidden vigorish quickly reared its ugly head as Pittsburgh fell behind 3-0. With the score 3-1 in the sixth, the Bucs rallied to take the lead with a single followed by four straight walks and capped with a sac fly to go up, 4-3. The A’s tied it in the eighth, but Andrew McCutchen answered in the Corsair half with a sac fly to the right field track that scored Ji Hwan Bae with what became the game-winning tally. Colin Holderman was called on to seal the deal (regular closer David Bednar was on a rest day) and gave up three straight hits, but thanks to Austin Hedges throwing out an Oakland larcenist, he escaped with his first MLB save to post Angel Perdomo’s first Pirates victory. The Buccos only had six hits, but ten Oakland walks kept the basepaths occupied. Cutch had a pair of RBI with just one official at-bat; he walked three times with a sac fly. Mark Mathias scored twice with just one knock but two free passes. The win moved the Pirates into first place in the Central Division for the next ten days. And as for the hidden vigorish - it finally kicked in as Oakland won the next two matches. 

2024 - The Pirates piled up seven runs in the second-inning against the Dodgers at PNC Park, and rookie top gun Paul Skenes ran his record to 3-0 as the Bucs took a 10-6 batfest dub in front of 29,716 Wednesday night fans. The Bucs were nothing if not efficient; they only had nine hits, but stranded just four runners over the evening as Nick Gonzales continued to swing a clutch stick with four RBI to help hand James Paxton his first loss of the year. Skenes used 93 pitches in his five frames, giving up three runs on six hits with a walk and eight whiffs; it took five Pittsburgh relievers to get the final dozen outs. It was a U-turn from the previous evening’s series opener when Jared Jones and the pen won a 1-0 gem. The Pirates have taken care of their star rookie; the club had scored 10 runs+ four times so far during the year, and three were during Skenes starts.