8/12 Through the 1970s: Ouch!, 11-HRs, Jose Mark, Roofer Jerry, Al Attack, Streaks, Middle Muscle, Gems, Game Days, HBD Paul, Watty, Andy & Dan

1867 - OF Dan Lally was born in Jersey City. He played two seasons in the majors and had a long minor league career from at least 1887 to 1905 where he put up a .308 lifetime BA. He made two stops in the show, hitting .224 as a Pirate in 1891 and then landing a one-year starting gig at St. Louis where he batted .279 in 1897. After his playing days, Daley became a minor league ump for a season (1907), but sadly ended up in an insane asylum by 1910.

1871 - RHP Andy Dunning was born in New York City. Andy didn’t have much of a career with the Alleghenys, pitching two games (both complete) and losing both, giving up 19 runs on 20 hits with 16 walks and 18 stolen bases in 1889. But he could be excused; at 17, he was the youngest player to appear in a game for Pittsburgh. Dunning’s pro career covered what should have been his prep years; he first tossed professional ball for the Bridgeport Giants of the Eastern League as a 15-year-old, threw his last MLB pitch at 19 for the NY Giants and retired when he was 21 after he was released from the New England League.

1879 - LHP Wyatt “Watty” Lee was born in Lynch Station, Virginia. Lee played three campaigns as a Washington Senator before closing out his career with Pittsburgh in 1904, with a slash of 1-2/8.74 in three starts. He was a hybrid, also playing outfield, and he hit better than he tossed, going 4-for-12. Those eight games were the end of Lee's major league career, but he went on to a long run in the minors. He continued to split his time between pitching and the outfield until 1909, when he returned full time to the bump. He finished his pro career in 1917 with the Richmond Virginians of the International League, but played semi-pro sandlot ball until he was 52.

1895 - RHP Paul Carpenter was born in Granville, Ohio. He pitched for the Bucs in 1916 as a 22-year-old, doing pretty well in five games as a reliever, giving up eight hits and four walks in 7-2/3 IP but yielding only one earned run in his five games. That was the end of his MLB days; he worked in the minors through 1919.

1915 - Al Mamaux tossed a three-hitter in a 4-0 win over the NY Giants at Forbes Field, his eighth shutout of the year. Doug Baird led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Ralph Davis of the Pittsburgh Press noted that Giant skipper John McGraw wasn’t in the coaching boxes and asked a NY writer about his absence. He was told that “Mac is disgusted with the bunch he is piloting this year...who are tied to long term contracts and not hustling.”

Al Mameaux - 1915 colorized photo/Paul Thompson

1918 - Pittsburgh bats boomed in a 12-1 win over the Chicago Cubs at Weeghman Field. The middle of the order (Billy Southworth, George Cutshaw and Fritz Mollwitz) went 9-for-13 with a walk, eight runs scored and four driven home. Southworth had four hits while Cutshaw and Walter Schmidt had three raps. Carmen Hill went the distance, firing a seven-hitter.

1922 - The Pirates won their 13th game in a row by a 6-0 count over the Cincinnati Reds as Charlie Grimm collected three hits and Babe Adams tossed a whitewash at Forbes Field. The streak ended the next day after a struggle when the Redlegs squeaked out a 5-4 win in 10 innings.

1940 - The Bucs won their 11th-of-12 games over the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 at Forbes Field. The Pirates attack was led by Arky Vaughan, Maurice Van Robays and Al Lopez, who had two hits each, to support Max Butcher, who scattered nine hits while going the distance in front of a Monday night crowd of 42,254, setting a new single-game attendance record.

1946 - OF Al Gionfriddo got off the bench and went on a tear, banging out 10 hits in three games for the Pirates, going 4-for-5 once and 3-for-4 twice at Forbes Field. Alas, the streak snapped and four days later, he was back on the pine. He only had three other multi-hit games and 16 more knocks during the campaign. He was traded to Brooklyn in May of 1947 and got his moment in the limelight when he robbed Joe Dimaggio of extra bases in the World Series.

1958 - The red hot Pirates beat the Braves 10-0 behind the two-hit pitching of George “Red” Witt to move into second place, five games behind Milwaukee. 36‚867 Pirate fans jammed Forbes Field to see them win their 17th game of the last 22. Frank Thomas had a homer, a double and three RBI while Bill Mazeroski and Bill Virdon banged out three hits each.

Roberto - 2003 Donruss Team Heroes

1959 - It was 2-2 going into the seventh at Connie Mack Stadium, but Roberto Clemente would change that in a heartbeat. The Phils’ Robin Roberts gave up back-to-back singles and a walk, but after a K and foul pop, he needed just one more out to dodge a seventh inning bullet. But he couldn’t duck Clemente, who rifled a shot into left center for a bases-emptying triple, and then came in on Rocky Nelson’s knock through the left side. Per BR Bullpen, Roberts lamented after the game that “I wish I'd thrown the ball as hard as he hit it." Harvey Haddix went the distance, giving up seven hits during his 6-2 win.

1964 - The Pirates started two of baseball’s primo pinch hitters against the Mets at Forbes Field and the move resulted in a 5-4 win and a record book blast. Manny Mota and Jerry Lynch were in the pasture; Mota had two hits and scored in front of Lynch’s three-run blast that cleared the right field roof, only the ninth ball launched entirely out of the yard. That bomb gave Pittsburgh a 5-0 fifth-inning lead, and though starter Joe Gibbon got roughed up, the Bucco bullpen preserved his win with Al McBean, the fourth twirler, spinning a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

1966 - Pittsburgh beat the Reds 14-11 in 13 innings at Crosley Field, scoring in the ninth, 10th, 11th and 13th frames before finally wresting the win from Cincinnati. Art Shamsky had a day against the Bucs as he hit three homers, one tying it in the ninth and another to knot the score in the 11th. There were 11 long balls slammed by the two teams, tying a MLB record. Going yard for the Bucs were Bob Bailey (2), Willie Stargell, Roberto Clemente, Jesse Gonder, and Jerry Lynch, his 18th pinch-hit bomb, an MLB record. The Pirates sixth pitcher, Tommie Sisk, hurled one-hit ball over the last two innings to earn the victory.

1969 - Jose Pagan's two-run homer against the San Francisco Giant’s Gaylord Perry at Candlestick Park was his second consecutive pinch-hit dinger and tied the then-major league record (broken by Lee Lacy in 1979). It wasn’t nearly enough help as the Bucs fell to the G-Men 6-2.

Dock Ellis - 2021 Topps Project 70 Custom Chinatown Market

1973 - Manager Bill Virdon told Dock Ellis to quit wearing curlers during warm ups, as it was drawing unfavorable notice from the umpires and GM Joe Brown. Ellis ranted a bit about the decree to Charlie Feeney of the Post Gazette and added that “I know the orders came from Bowie Kuhn and I don’t like it.” He was right about that. The image-conscious commissioner threatened to fine and suspend Ellis if he continued to take pre-game practice in curlers in a letter, although it was unclear if it was sent to the club or to Ellis himself. Like it or not, the Docktor relented and limited the curlers to the clubhouse. It didn’t get any better after the game. Richie Hebner, who had been pulled in the ninth inning for Gene Alley during the day’s 5-2 Pirates win, went in Virdon’s office after the game and cussed The Quail; the 42-year-old Virdon chased down The Gravedigger, now sitting in the locker room, and told him “Stand up and say that.” Richie didn’t, and Virdon left, saying that Hebner “...doesn’t have a gut in his body.” Virdon was upset over Hebner’s recent batting slump and lackadaisical play in the field.

1977 - Mets’ 2B Felix Millan suffered a broken collarbone compliments of Pirate catcher Ed Ott during a 6-5 Pirate victory at Three Rivers Stadium, ending Millan's 12-year MLB career (he lost the rest of the season and then took his game to Japan). Ott took out Milan on a hard slide into second, Millan responded with a shot to Ott’s face, and the Pirate catcher body slammed him, earning Felix a bruised body and the Otter a $250 fine. As for the game, the back end of a twin bill, the Bucs won in the 12th when Duffy Dyer chased home Rennie Stennett with two outs after a single and steal. Phil Garner had three hits and a homer in the win, which went to Larry Demery, who tossed two-hit ball over four innings. The opener was hard fought, too, with Jim Rooker hurling the Bucs to a 3-2 win while driving in two runs in the second with a two-out, bases-loaded single after the Mets walked Dyer to get to him.

8/12 From 1980: Big Sticks, Giles - 30 HR, A-Rammin', Bond Bombs, Game Days, '94 Strike, HBD Kyle, Jhan & Jose

1987 - The Pirates had it all going against the first-place Cards at TRS, winning 11-0. Bob Walk tossed his fourth career shutout, a complete game four-hitter. Johnny Ray had three hits, the team banged out four doubles, and Andy Van Slyke collected his 500th MLB knock. Every Pirate but Barry Bonds scored and/or drove in a run and all but Junior Ortiz had a hit, including Walk, whose bases-loaded single became a little league homer after CF Willie McGee let it skitter past him. The shutout snapped the Cardinals’ 145-game streak without being whitewashed, just five short of the modern NL mark set by the 1924-25 Pirates. 

1988 - Jose Tabata was born in El Tigre, Venezuela. JT came over from the Yankees in a 2008 trade featuring Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte, and since 2010 has been in the show with various degrees of success after a promising rookie campaign, hampered by a variety of leg injuries and unfulfilled expectations. He signed a deal that ran from 2011-16 with three option years that the front office rather quickly regretted. He was traded to the Dodger for Michael Morse during the 2015 deadline period. He signed a minor-league deal with Toronto in 2017 and last played in the Latino leagues into 2022.

1988 - RHP Jhan Marinez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Jhan is a journeyman reliever who caught on with the Pirates in 2017 after being waived by Milwaukee, going 0-1/3.18 in 24 games. His peripherals weren’t as shiny as his counting numbers and he was released in August, with Texas picking him up. Marinez has tossed for seven teams in his five big league campaigns and last worked in the MLB for the Orioles in 2018. Jhan tossed until 2021 in the Latin leagues, then played for the White Sox AAA Charlotte club in 2022 and since then has been twirling in the Mexican/Dominican Winter leagues. 

1989 - LHP Kyle Lobstein was born in Flagstaff, Arizona. The Pirates got him in the 2015 offseason from Detroit in a cash deal and he was traded to Baltimore for reliever Zach Phillips. In between, he tossed in 14 games from the pen for the Pirates in 2016, slashing 2-0/3.96. He pitched in Mexico after making three outings for the Nats in ‘21, pitched affiliated ball for a couple of years and is unrostered in '26.

1991 - Barry Bonds drove in all four Pirates runs with a pair of two-run homers, including a dramatic 11th inning two-run walkoff blast against Lee Smith that overcame a 3-2 Redbird lead and rallied the Bucs to a 4-3 victory against the Cards at TRS. Bob Patterson was the winner despite giving up the go-ahead run.

Barry Bonds - 1991 Fleer Pro Visions

1991 - IF Chris Owings was born in Charleston, South Carolina. The Pirates signed the 11-year jack-of-all-trades vet as a free agent in February, 2023. He failed to make the Opening Day roster, but didn’t exercise his opt-out clause and was assigned to Indy. He joined the big club in May, hit .160 in 10 games, and was returned to Indy in early June. He went to the Dodgers in ‘24, and was sent to AAA Oklahoma City. On July 30 he was released, becoming a free agent.

1992 - The Bucs held off the Mets 7-6 at Shea Stadium. It took 10 innings and an unorthodox call by skipper Jim Leyland. After losing the first batter in the 10th on a 3-2 pitch, Stan Belinda went full to the next hitter. Rather than wait for the result, Leyland stomped out to the mound and yanked his closer, bringing in Bob Patterson. As John Mehno of the Beaver County Times noted, Leyland figured Patterson had a better chance of throwing a strike, keeping the runner close and getting a fly ball out to avoid a first-and-third situation. Bob did all three. A later single and walk loaded the sacks for the Mets with two away, but Patterson got Eddie Murray (who to add to the drama was the MLB’s active grand slam leader at the time with 16) on a fly to seal the deal. He earned the save of Denny Neagle’s victory while Jay Bell led the attack by going 2-for-3 with a double, triple, two walks and three RBI. The Pirates were rollin’ - the win was the 12th in their past 13 games as the Corsairs won the division handily.

1993 - Jeff King dropped a liner over a drawn-in infield to give the Bucs a 5-4 walkoff win in the 11th inning against the Cards at TRS. Carlos Garcia opened the frame with a triple that was lost in the lights, and after a pair of intentional walks, King came through against Todd Burns, leaving the unlucky hurler with an 0-8 record. Steve Cooke started the game, relieved by Mark Petkovsek, Denny Nagle and eventual game-winner Joel Johnston. Garcia had four hits, Jay Bell banged out three knocks and Dave Clark added a solo homer.

1994 - The postseason and the last 50 games or so of the season were canceled due to a player's strike called by the MLBPA, led by Don Fehr and spurred by the owners’ desire for a hard salary cap. The World Series wasn’t played for the first time in 90 years. In the off-season, the owners declared an impasse and attempted to implement their own rules. The strike was ended by a ruling from US District Court (and now Supreme Court) judge Sonia Sotomayor at the end of March, 1995, just as the owners were prepared to start the season by using replacement players. She kept the old collective bargaining agreement in place until a new one could be reached. It led to a deal, and though the 1995 season was cut by approximately 20 games, ball games did begin again at the end of April. Ironically, the umpires decided to go on strike just as the union and owners settled, so the 1995 season opened with regular players, but pick-up umpires.

1995 - The Dodgers defeated the Pirates 11-10 in 11 innings thanks to a brain cramp from a rookie. With the winning run at 3rd base, Mitch Webster of the Dodgers swung at a pitch in the dirt to whiff. C Angelo Encarnacion blocked the ball and then scooped it up with his mask. LA manager Tommy Lasorda charged out of the dugout and appealed, citing a rule which awarded a runner two bases if a catcher intentionally touches a thrown ball with his mask. He was right (it’s called a catcher’s balk) and the winning run was waved home.

Angel Encarnacion - 1995 Donruss

2000 - The Bucs rode the bat of Aramis Ramirez to down the Arizona D-Backs 9-6 at Three Rivers Stadium. A-Ram went 3-for-4 with a homer and double, driving in five runs. He was helped by Jason Kendall who added two hits including a home run to earn Scott Sauerbeck the win despite three Snake long balls. The victory came during a rough stretch; the Pirates had lost the previous three games and went on to lose the next four.

2001 - Pittsburgh scored three times in the eighth inning and once again in the ninth frame to snatch a 7-6 win from the San Diego Padres at PNC Park. Light hitting Keith Osik had a big day, going 3-for-4 and driving in four runs, including the game-tying knock in the eighth. Aramis Ramirez homered in the ninth off Rodney Myers to give Josias Manzanillo the win.

2002 - Brian Giles became the third Pirate to hit 30 home runs in four consecutive seasons in a 10-6 loss to the Cardinals with his seventh-inning, two-out solo blast against Steve Kline at PNC Park. He matched Willie Stargell’s mark from 1970-73; both lag behind Ralph Kiner’s six straight seasons with 30+ from 1947-52, with a seventh thrown in during 1953 in a campaign split between Pittsburgh and the Cubs when he launched 35 long balls (seven as a Bucco). Between 1999-2002, Giles swatted 35+ homers/hit .298+/.400+ OPS each year while averaging over 100 walks to 75 Ks.

2007 - Tom Gorzelanny fired a five-hitter and Josh Phelps drove in four runs with a homer and a triple to lead the Bucs to a 5-0 win over the SF Giants at AT&T Park. Phelps had a nice run off the Bucs bench that season, slashing .351/.463/.629 in 95 PAs before moving to St Louis in 2008.

2012 - It was a big day for a couple of Bucco batters as Neil Walker went 5-for-5 with a walk, falling a triple shy of the cycle, while Clint Barmes banged his first and only career grand slam, a fitting penance for committing two prior errors. A nine-run fourth inning pretty much clinched it as the Pirates roared past San Diego at PNC Park 11-5. The Bucs sent 14 batters to the dish in the fourth, their biggest inning since 2010. The victory ended an 11-game home losing streak to the Padres the day after the Bucs had blown a six-run lead to lose 9-8 to SD, prompting Clint Hurdle to say "We kind of felt we got slapped by our girlfriend in front of our mother..." Erik Bedard was credited with the win, even though he lasted just five frames (four relievers put up zeroes behind him) while ex-Buc Ross Ohlendorf suffered the loss.

8/11 Through the 1970s: Otter Leads Rally, Bombin' Bill, Jerry Jam, Fan Fever, Batfest, Game Days, Josh NNL-ASG, TSN Willie, HBD Al, Dorn, Josh Jr, Woody & Dinty

1891 - IF Walter “Dinty” Barbare was born in Greenville, SC. He started 120 games for the Pirates from 1919-20 (he missed part of 1920 with a broken jaw), hitting .273. He was part of the package sent to Boston in the 1921 Rabbit Maranville trade. After his playing days were finished, Barbare remained in baseball by serving as a manager and umpire in the minor leagues.

1907 - LF Forrest “Woody” Jensen was born in Bremerton, Washington. He spent his whole MLB career in Pittsburgh between 1931-39. He hit .285 overall and started from 1935-37. His major league record of 696 at bats (he drew just 16 walks in 731 PAs) in 1936 stood until Matty Alou broke it in 1969 with 698 AB.

1921 - The Pirates tattooed Chicago pitching for 21 hits in a 12-9 slugfest win at Forbes Field, launched by a seven-run first inning. Though Wilbur Cooper was dented for 13 hits, he went the distance for the victory and contributed four knocks. Rabbit Maranville, Dave Robertson, Charlie Grimm and Tony Brottem had three raps while Carson Bigbee and Clyde Barnhart added two each. Everyone in the lineup scored and seven players chased home runs.

1930 - Josh Gibson Jr., the son of legendary slugger Josh Gibson, was born in the North Side and raised in the Hill, graduating from Schenley HS. He started as a Pittsburgh Crawford’s batboy when his dad was a Craw, and eventually played for the Homestead Grays as an IF from 1949-50. Josh broke his ankle playing for Farnham of the Canadian Provincial League the following season and retired. He went to work at Homestead’s US Steel plant, traveled as a black baseball ambassador and helped found the Josh Gibson Foundation with other family members. He passed away in 2003 after a fall at his home.

Josh Gibson - Helmar Oasis

1935 - The East-West Negro League All-Star game drew 25,000 to Comiskey Park. The fans got to watch an 11-inning thriller with the West winning 11-8. C Josh Gibson of the Pittsburgh Crawfords led the West attack with four hits. Pittsburgh was well represented. Besides Josh, Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston and Jimmy Crutchfield were West starters with Chet Williams and P Leroy Matlock as reserves. Charleston not only played, but was the manager.

1958 - The Bucs moved into a tie for second by whipping the league-leading Milwaukee Braves and Warren Spahn by a 6-4 count in front of Forbes Field’s biggest crowd of the year, 38,938. Bob Friend was tough until he faded in the ninth, with ElRoy Face coming on to record the final two outs. Bill Mazeroski had a big day with three hits, including a triple, and chased home three Buccos. Roberto Clemente and Bob Skinner chipped in a pair of knocks. It was the Pirates fifth straight win and their eighth consecutive home victory. The fans had the fever; the turnout was the second largest ever for a night game in Oakland since 1940 when 42,254 fans showed up to watch the Bucs tackle the first-place Reds.

1958 - RHP Dorn Taylor was born in Abington, Pennsylvania. Taylor joined the Pirates in 1981, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Pfeiffer College. He had a couple of tastes with the Pirates in 1987 and 1989, going 3-4/5.63 as a starter who was later converted to the pen. From 1988-90 he was an excellent starter at AAA Buffalo, posting sub-3 ERAs and showed well in spring camp, but never got an extended opportunity in the show. He closed out his career in Baltimore and coached HS baseball after he retired.

1960 - IF Al Pedrique was born in Valencia, Venezuela. He was a utilityman for the Pirates from 1987-88 while batting .259. Al managed in the minors after his retirement, had several MLB coaching stints, and is currently a minor league manager for Reading in the Philadelphia system.

1963 - The Houston Colt .45s were a batter away from victory at Forbes Field, but Roberto Clemente and Jerry Lynch played to the third out to give the Bucs a 2-1 walkoff win. Knuckleballer Skinny Brown, who had scattered six hits through the first eight innings, retired the first two Pirates in the ninth, but The Great One kept Pittsburgh alive with a ground ball single to right. Pinch hitter Lynch took the next flutterer from Brown and planted it in the right field stands to give ElRoy Face the win in relief of Joe Gibbons. The Bucs had the number of the second-year Colts; the win was the 11th in 14 meetings with the Space City nine.

Jerry Lynch - 1964 Topps

1966 - The Pirates scored three times in the ninth to defeat the NY Mets at Forbes Field by a 7-5 tally. Down 5-4 going into their last at-bats, Matty Alou opened with a single and was bunted to second. Roberto Clemente singled him home to tie the game, and Willie Stargell launched a bomb to win it. ElRoy Face won as the last of four relievers who combined to toss six scoreless innings against the Mets.

1977 - Pittsburgh rolled over the NY Mets 9-1 at TRS as Odell Jones tossed a five-hitter. Bill Robinson homered, doubled and drove in four runs. Rennie Stennett went 4-for-4 and Phil Garner 3-for-4. The Cobra, Dave Parker, added a pair of hits to record his second 22-game hitting streak of the season. He had lesser streaks just before and after this one; he banged out hits in 41-of-44 games between July 4th - August 23rd and never went hitless longer than two games during the year. 

1979 - The Pirates overcame an 8-0 deficit in the fifth to rally past the Phillies at Veterans Stadium 14-11. All but one of the Pirates' runs came home with two outs, as did 17 of their 23 hits. Ed Ott had four raps to lead Pittsburgh, including an eighth-inning game-icing grand slam off Tug McGraw & five RBI to go with three knocks from Omar Moreno, Tim Foli, Willie Stargell, John Milner and Bill Madlock. Moreno and Dave Parker also homered for the Bucs. Ott’s salami, his first in MLB, followed a car-crash collision and tag at home with Garry Maddox in the seventh that preserved the lead. 

1979 - Willie Stargell was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Sonic Boomer.” He was a boomer during the ‘79 season, going long 32 times for his highest HR production since 1973 and adding five more homers (and two MVP’s) during the NLCS and World Series. The honors kept coming: Pops was co-winner of the NL-MVP with Keith Hernandez and named co-Sportsman of the Year with Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw by Sports Illustrated.

8/11 From 1980: Cutch Crunch, Freddy Ready, Quick Start, Top Guns, Jamo & Zane Gems, Game Days, Kris Signed, HBD Michael, Andrew & Melky

1981 - In the second game of Part 2 of the strike-split 1981 season, the Bucs were behind, 2-1, to the Montreal Expos in the ninth at Olympic Stadium. But the Pirates bats awoke just in time; they strung together five straight hits with one down (they had just two knocks up to then), the final being a three-run insurance shot into the RF stands by John “The Hammer” Milner, to take a 6-3 victory. Teke, in relief of Rick Rhoden and Enrique Romo, got credit for the win while the loss was hung on old teammate Woodie Fryman, even though most of the damage was inflicted on the following hurler, Elias Sosa. And for the second straight night, ump Dave Pallone called the plate while the bases were covered by three local semi-pro men in blue as travel woes kept the rest of the crew grounded.

1984 - OF Melky Cabrera was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. As a 34-year-old veteran of 14 seasons and seven teams, he signed a minor league NRI deal ($1.15M MLB salary) with the Bucs in 2019 and broke camp as an extra outfielder. His defense was suspect, but the switch hitter’s bat was as steady as ever as he hit .280 for the Bucs in his final MLB campaign. The Melkman last played in the Mets system in 2020, and he was released late in July without reaching the show. Melky then suited up with the Dominican team in the 2021 Olympics and took home a bronze medal, and then retired in 2022.

1986 - The Cubs used a record 10 pitchers in a 17-inning 10-8 loss to the Pirates, which used seven hurlers of their own. The game at Wrigley Field was a continuation of an April 20th game that was postponed due to darkness. Winner Barry Jones, who struck out the side to end the game, and Barry Bonds, who had the game winning RBI, were both still in the minors when the game originally started. The Bucs also took the regularly scheduled match, 10-7, scoring seven times in the second frame to up their early lead to 9-0 before running out the clock to make it nine straight victories over the Cubbies. Mike Diaz and Jim Morrison both homered and teamed up to drive in seven runs (Bonds also went deep) to help lead Rick Rhoden to the winner’s circle.

1988 - OF Andrew Lambo was born in Newbury Park, California. He joined the Bucs at the 2010 deadline in a deal with the LA Dodgers that also netted RHP James McDonald. Lambo got three cups of coffee with the Pirates from 2013-15 and hit .191; though a solid performer in the minors, he could never stay healthy long enough to challenge for an MLB spot. 

1994 - Zane Smith tossed a five-hit 4-0 shutout at TRS without a single strikeout against the Expos, which at the time sported the best record in baseball. But his outing wasn’t the big news flash - the MLBPA went on strike the next day, and MLB canceled the rest of the season a month later.

Zane Smith - 1994 Upper Deck

1995 - 1B/2B/LF Michael Chavis was born in Atlanta, Georgia and was Boston’s 2014 first rounder (26th overall) as a prep player. He had a spotted minor league career, with injuries during the first couple of years, a breakout 2017 season, then a PED suspension in 2018. He debuted for the BoSox in 2019 and hit .254 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs in 95 games. Chavis couldn’t repeat in 2020-21, and the Red Sox sent him to Pittsburgh for P Austin Davis. He got off to a strong start in the minors in ‘21 and was called up in August, then broke camp with the team in 2022. He became a platoon 1B that season, also playing 2B, 3B and DH/pinch hitter while displaying some power. Chavis was DFA’ed at the end of the year; he’s now in the Reds system.

1996 - Clemson’s Kris Benson, the first overall selection in the 1996 draft, became the highest paid draftee to date when he signed with Pittsburgh for $2M. He looked well worth the money after starting his career with strong 1999-2000 campaigns, but he had TJ surgery after the 2000 season and never regained his edge. Kris finished his nine-year MLB tenure with a 70-75/4.42 line and a 43-49/4.26 slash in his five seasons on the bump with the Pirates.

2003 - The top of the Pirates order - Tike Redmond, Jason Kendall and Brian Giles - went 10-for-12 and drew a pair of walks as the Bucs pounded out 17 hits, but 13 stranded runners spelled defeat as they dropped a 6-4 decision to St. Louis at PNC Park. Pittsburgh was slap-happy with 13 singles, had two guys thrown out on the bases and banged into a DP.

2004 - After blowing a two-run lead in the ninth, the Pirates got a two-run homer in the 11th inning from Craig Wilson to walk off the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park by an 8-6 score. Jason Bay was the man of the hour, going 4-for-6 with a homer and four RBI, while Jose Castillo added a long ball. John Grabow, the Bucs sixth twirler, was credited with the victory.

2005 - Nine batters came to the plate in the first inning and scored six runs to lead the Pirates to an 11-3 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field. Pittsburgh pounded out 17 hits in the game and six of the starting position players had at least two hits, with Jason Bay, Ryan Doumit and Jose Castillo collecting three apiece. Brad Eldred homered and Castillo had three RBI to prime the attack while Josh Fogg went six innings to pick up the win against Colorado.

Jose Castillo - 2005 MLB Showdown

2007 - Freddy Sanchez banged out four hits, including a homer and double, while driving in five runs to lead the Pirates to a 13-3 win over San Francisco at AT&T Park. Adam LaRoche had a pair of knocks with a long ball (he and Freddy went back-to-back in the fourth inning) & three RBI; Jose Bautista, Ryan Doumit, Jose Castillo and Jack Wilson joined him with two raps as the Pirates collected 17 hits against rookie Tim Lincecum and four other Giants hurlers. Tony Armas got the win, but it took five Buc pitchers to close out the game. The game wasn’t a runaway until the Buccos put up a six pack in the ninth to ice it.

2009 - Andrew McCutchen was a one-man wrecking crew against the Colorado Rockies, even with just one hit. Cutch went 1-for-2 with a double, walked three times, scored three runs and stole three bases in a 7-3 win at Coors Field. The Bucs hit five doubles and a triple that were involved in six of their runs to earn the win for Ross Ohlendorf, who went six innings.

2014 - The Pirates jumped on Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers for five first inning runs keyed by Starling Marte’s bases-loaded triple and rolled to an 11-6 win at PNC Park in front of 35,314 fans. The Pirates padded their lead with four homers during the game. Two were hit by Travis Snider, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored while Ike Davis and Russ Martin also went long. Josh Harrison added three hits while Martin and Jordy Mercer had a pair of knocks each. Jeff Locke got the win even though he gave up four runs in five innings of work. The Tigers were coming off a 19-inning game, and three of the five pitchers Motown used had just been recalled from AAA Toledo.  

2016 - Jameson Taillon worked eight scoreless innings at PNC Park in his 10th big league start as the Bucs blanked the Padres 4-0 to take the series rubber match. David Freese led the way with a pair of RBI, including an opposite field run-scoring single in the first inning that turned out to be the game-winner. Gregory Polanco added an RBI single in the third while Josh Harrison chased home another run in the fourth. It was the second time Jamo went eight shutout frames; he tamed the Mets by the same score in June on two hits.

Weekly Report: Weak Week, Pen Restocked, Spencer Back & Mitch Out, Comin' & Goin' Moves, Pirates Notes, Ex-Bucs On The Go

The deadline is done and it's officially the dog days...

Pirates Moves 'N' Stuff:

• Well, they made one big move, sending SS Sammy Stafura to the Mets for RHP Luke Weaver. Weaver, 32, has been around - this is his eighth team in 11 MLB campaigns, and this has been the best year of that run with a line of 2-1-1/1.84 in 42 outings. He's been a setup guy for NY, but may get a look at closing for the Pirates; he posted eight saves in '25, so he's been there. Luke makes $9.5M this year and is signed for $12.5M for 2027, so he's not a rental. As a cherry on top, the Mets will cover $2M of Weaver's contract this year and $6M next year. Stafura, 21, was the Pirates #9 prospect and was hitting .302 with 19 HRs at Hi-A Greensboro, albeit in a hitter-friendly yard. With Konnor Griffin at short, he was blocked and available. The Pirates got Sammy from Cincy as part of the '25 KeBryan Hayes deal.

New Closer?

• The next flip was Altoona RHP Kyle Robinson, who was shipped to the Angels for Kirby Yates. 12-year vet Yates, 39, was 0-5-3/3.95 for LAA. Robinson was the return in May from the A's for Alika Williams. The 22-year-old starter was 5-2/4.55 this year in AA/Hi-A.
• They dealt Indy RHP Brandan Bidois (6.32 ERA in 11 '26 MLB outings), Greensboro OF Brian Sanchez and Rookie League SS Hyun Seung Lee to the Marlins for third-year RHP Lake Bachar. Lake's line was 1-2-2/3.84, and he's another multi-role bullpen arm with a ton of control. The 31-year-old still has two options left and another year of pre-arb.  
• The Pirates called up LF Ronny Simon, who's also played middle infield & is hitting .330 w/seven HR at Indy, and released DH Marcell Ozuna who finally ran out of chances. Simon hit .234 in his 2025 MLB debut season, split between Miami and the Bucs. LHP Evan Sisk (elbow inflammation) was also added to the roster after his rehab assignment. RHP Wilber Dotel was optioned to Indy; that move was expected as the Pirates see his long-term value as a starter, not as a bullpen bulk guy. 
• The new bullpen group had reported by Tuesday, and the FO cleared roster space by optioning LHP Brandon Eisert and RHP Noah Murdock to Indy. RHP Ron Marinaccio was DFA'ed and claimed by the Reds. RHP Chris Devenski (illness) finished his rehab and was outrighted to Indy; he opted for free agency. So did RHP Mike Clevinger, who returned to Indy in June from the IL (knee) and on Thursday exercised his opt-out clause, with no takers yet.

Mitch Is Done For The Year...

• The Pirates announced on Monday that Mitch Keller has been placed on the 60-day injured list due to a right arm teres major muscle injury, ending his season. LHP Brandon Eisert was recalled to take his place on the active roster. A day later, he was optioned back to AAA when the new trio of relievers caught up with the club.
• C Endy Rodriguez was pulled from Saturday's lineup with hip discomfort.
• CF Oneil Cruz began his long-awaited rehab assignment on Friday; he can return whenever he feels it as his IL stint ended on 8/7. There's still a while to go on SS Konnor Griffin, though - he's on the IL until 9/4, so still lots of down time ahead. KG will get his finger checked out in mid-August with a rehab date TBD.
• Non-deadline swap: The Bucs acquired AAA-RHP Andrew Moore from San Diego in exchange for DFA'ed RHP Hunter Stratton.
• Indy 2B prospect Termarr Johnson injured his knee Saturday and had to be carted off the field; lotta Bucs biting the dust this year. He'll be examined later in the week.

Pirates Notes 'N' Stuff:

• 3B Nick Gonzales was named to MLB's All-July team; he hit .338 during the month with three HRs.
• With Sunday's defeat, the Pirates lost their sixth series in a row. They were 52-48 on 7/19 before the six sets started; now they're 58-62.
• Pittsburgh has used 24 different position players and 30 different pitchers so far this year.

Josh Retires A Pirate.

• IF Josh Harrison, who hung the spikes up after a 13-year, six-team career, was honored Saturday at PNC Park after retiring as a Pirate the day before at a press conference while signing a one-day contract for the Bucs. It wasn’t his first deal with Pittsburgh - J-Hey played seemingly everywhere in eight seasons (2011-18/.277 BA) with the Pirates, appeared in three playoff campaigns (2013-15/.286), was an MLB All-Star in 2014 & 2017 and the Heart & Hustle Award winner in 2014. As for his farewell game, the team handed out a Josh tee, paid him field & vid honors and then had him toss the first pitch to get the game v the Mets going.
• The Pirates honored John Candelaria on Sunday on the 50th anniversary of his no-hitter. The Candy Man took the bump once again and tossed out the first pitch before the Bucs-Mets match.
• Jake Mangum had a big week - he won the Pirates 2026 Heart & Hustle Award a few days after he stole his 20th base of the season, making him the third Pirate with at least 20 swipes this year (Oneil Cruz - 21 and Konnor Griffin - 20). It's the first time the Pirates have had at least three players with 20 larcenies in a season since 1999, when Jason Kendall (22), Kevin Young (22) and Al Martin (20) did the deed.

Game Stuff:

• OK, Bucs. Spencer Horwitz (welcome back!) banged a two-out, three-run, bases-loaded double and Jake Mangum bunted another run home to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead. Bubba Chandler held onto to that lead until he faced the Brew Crew order for a third time, and that made it a 4-3 game after five. The two pens put up zeroes after that, and Pittsburgh took the opener v Milwaukee at American Family Field, 4-3.

Spencer is back in the lineup.

• Jared Jones was meh, but Jacob Gonzalez & Endy Rodriguez solo shots kept it close at 3-2 after four frames. The retooled pen then did its job, but the bats went quiet as the Pirates were dropped by the Crew, 4-2.
• Endy Rodriguez caught Paul Skenes tonight, not Hank Davis, ending a 51-game streak of the Skenes-Davis battery. Paul still couldn't sync with the strike zone and left after five frames down 3-0. Again, not enough lumber, just Endy's two-run dinger, and the Brewers went up 2-1 in the series with a 4-2 win.
• Another blah start - Braxton Ashcraft went five frames and gave up four runs and the bats continued to be icy as Milwaukee won the finale 5-2. The highlight was Brandon Lowe's solo shot, his 24th HR of the season and the most homers bopped in a single season by a Bucco 2B, passing Neil Walker's 23 bombs launched in 2014.
• The Bucs came home tail 'tween legs after a 2-6 roadtrip and sent Carmen Mlodzinski out to stop the skid v the Mets after having him tread water for a few weeks in a pretty pointless bullpen role. Didn't seem to help him any as a starter either as he gave up a 5-spot in three frames, although he was iced for a while during a rain delay. The Pirates rallied late but fell again, 6-4.

Bubba Chandler - 2026 Topps Chrome Black

• Yay, Bubba - he tossed six three-hit shutout frames while small ball reigned supreme for the Pirates as they snapped out of their doldrums at least for a night, romping 9-0 over the NY Mets. Nick Gonzales & Ronny Simon teamed up for five RBI; Jake Mangum, Brandon Lowe & B-Rey each scored twice, with Lowe also homering.
• Jared Jones spun three innings; he left on the wrong side of an 8-1 count that ended 11-1, losing the game and the series.
• The series ended a stretch of 17 games in 17 days for the Bucs (a couple of rainouts turned into next-day twin bills); the Pirates have Monday off before opening a three-game set in Miami.

MLB Stuff:

• RHP Jose Soriano was traded by LAA to Toronto. Guys with good memories will recall he was a Pirates Rule 5 pick from the Halos in 2020 but was returned after a second TJ surgery.
• The Cubs dealt with the Mets and came away with RHP Clay Holmes, the old Bucco reliever who was reinvented into a pretty effective starter.
• Tampa Bay acquired OF Jack Suwinski from LAD.
• Atlanta flipped Joey Bart to the Chicago White Sox for RHP Duncan Davitt, who had been DFA'ed. Bart hit .188 with a homer in 20 games with the Bravos, and didn't get a shot to do much for the Sox. He broke his hand three days after he arrived and went on the 10-day IL; he's expected to be out for at least a month.
• RHP Caleb Ferguson was sent to the Cards by the Reds. He was serviceable with the Bucs last year and had a 1-0-1/4.01 line for Cincy in 2026.
• Cutch, 39, was released from AAA Gwinnett by the Braves; he was batting .333 with a homer and five RBIs in nine games and reportedly decided to exercise his contract's opt-out clause.
• Philly released SS Liover Peguero, 25, from AAA Lehigh Valley; he had signed with them during the offseason after hitting .227 for the Pirates in 96 games from 2022-25.
• 2B/OF Jihwan Bae, who was a Buc yo-yo from 2022-25 (.223 in 163 games w/37 stolen bases) & went to Mets on waivers, was recently released by NY and has signed a minor league deal with Milwaukee.

8/10: Cutch Eye, Comin' Back, 11 Straight, 2 Games-In-1, Sweep, Player Loan, Bat-tery, Game Days, Jeter-Miller, Maz Way, HBD Anthony, Bob, Willie, John, Elmer, Pat & Truck

1877 - IF Truck Eagan was born in San Francisco. He had a nine game MLB career, taking the field during his last four contests as a Bucco in 1901, going 1-for-12. Truck did have a long shelf life, though, playing minor league ball from 1898-1911, mostly in the Pacific Coast & California Leagues, and was named to the PCL Hall of Fame.

1890 - C Joseph “Pat” Kilhullen was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Pat was playing minor league ball for Fitchburg, MA, when the Bucs were visiting Boston. He had been previously favorably scouted and got a quick tryout with Pittsburgh, a commonplace happening in the old days, both to add manpower to traditionally short travel rosters and the chance for the big league staff to conveniently eyeball a prospect. He passed the test and got into the game, playing behind the dish for a couple of innings (he gave up a stolen base) while going 0-for-1. Fitchburg wanted a hefty sum to sell his contract to the Pirates, and the team passed on adding him despite his solid showing. He never made another appearance in the show and passed away at age 32 from smallpox after the ‘22 season, when he was playing for Denver of the Western League.

1892 - RHP Elmer Jacobs was born in Salem, Missouri. He pitched well for the Bucs from 1916-18 with a 3.03 ERA, but went just 12-30 before he was traded after one start in 1918 to the Phils for Erskine Mayer. Jacobs spun his signature curveball for six more seasons in MLB, with scattered minor league stops, and he ended up with 50 lifetime wins. He spent much of his minor league time in the Pacific Coast League, playing for four teams over nine seasons and was inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame in 2005.

1897 - Pirate owner John Galbreath was born in Derby, Ohio. A building contractor with an interest in horse racing who ran the Darby Dan Farm in Ohio, he was the Bucco owner for 40 years. In 1946, Galbreath, along with Bing Crosby, Tom Johnson, and Frank McKinney, bought the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team won three World Series during his ownership: 1960, 1971, and 1979. He passed the presidency on to his son, Dan Galbreath, in 1970. It was said that Galbreath only hung on as owner (1946-85) of the club until a new one who would keep the franchise in Pittsburgh could be found.

John Galbreath, Bing Crosby & Frank McKinney - 1947 photo/AP

1906 - SS Willie Wells was born in Austin, Texas. “El Diablo” spent a long career in black/Latin baseball playing from 1924-53 and is, along with Pop Lloyd, considered the top shortstop produced by the Negro Leagues. Per Seamheads, he made two brief stops in Homestead with the Grays in 1932 and 1937, getting into 14 games in what were split seasons for him, playing for three clubs in ‘32 and two in ’37. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997.

1922 - Pittsburgh bombed the Phils, 14-4, ripping 16 hits at Shibe Park. It was the fifth game in a row in which every Pirate position player in the lineup collected a hit. Carson Bigbee led the parade, going 5-for-6 and scoring three times with an RBI. Hal Carlson got the dub. It was the Buccaneers 11th consecutive win; the streak would run to 13 games before it was ended.

1923 - RHP Bob Porterfield was born in Newport, Virginia. He finished his 12-year career in Pittsburgh, tossing from 1958-59 and going 5-8-6/3.63. He was a starter-turned-reliever for the Bucs, making 73 appearances with all but six coming from the bullpen. In his pre-Pirates days (he spent 12 years in the show), he was The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year (1953) and an All-Star (1954) with the Washington Senators. When Bob retired, he became a welder and he was later chosen to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

1952 - In a doubleheader at Forbes Field that was swept by the Cubs, Chicago manager Phil Cavarretta made a couple of friends in Pittsburgh with a sportsmanlike move in the second match. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press noted “Cavarretta, who was tossed out of the first game, authored the most magnificent gesture of the season. Catchers Ed Fitz Gerald and Joe Garagiola had already pinch hit when (catcher) Clyde McCullough broke the nail on his middle finger. McCullough had the finger hastily taped and was ready to return, Cavarretta told the Pirates to let Fitz Gerald catch.”

Bill Virdon - 1958 Topps

1958 - The Pirates squeaked out a pair of wins, 3-2 and 4-3, in a twin bill against the Reds to sweep the four-game series at Forbes Field. The Bucs tallied twice in the seventh on Bill Mazeroski’s homer to tie and then won the lid lifter in the 10th when Dick Stuart’s sac fly plated Roman Mejias. Don Gross, the fifth Pirate pitcher, got the win. In the second game, Vern Law couldn’t hang on to a 3-1 lead in the eighth, leaving with a no decision as Roy Face finished and was credited with the victory. Frank Thomas’ force out in the eighth brought home Ducky Schofield with the deciding run. Bucco outfielders saved the day during the nightcap, throwing out four Cincy runners. Bill Virdon tossed out a pair of Redlegs trying for third in the seventh; Bob Skinner and Roman Mejias also gunned out Cincy runners.

1962 - Big Bob Veale gave a glimpse of the future when he set the still-existent International League standard for whiffs in nine innings by fanning 22 hitters while tossing for AAA Columbus at the Buffalo War Memorial. Bob struck out the Bison side in the first, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth innings, and led the IL with 208 K that season. He was called up to the big team in September and spent 11 years here before closing out his career in Boston. 

1964 - Coaches drill “don’t step into the bucket” into batters' minds at an early age, yet one of baseball’s greatest hitters, Roberto Clemente, incorporated the move often. He explained why he used the bucket step in an AP story written by Ed Schuyler, Jr. ("Clemente Unorthodox?" Well, He Gets Results") and released on this day. It had been an early flaw corrected by Puerto Rican League Santurce manager Buster Clarkson ("He put a bat behind my left foot and made sure I didn’t drag my foot") but Clemente later resurrected it as a work-around for back injuries. “In 1956 I was doing good until I hurt my back. Since then I step to the side with my left foot faster so I don't have to twist my body so much.” 

1971 - The Pirates traded prospects RHP Ed Acosta and OF Johnny Jeter to the San Diego Padres for RHP Bob Miller to bolster their stretch run/playoff bullpen. Miller pitched well for the Bucs in 1971-72, compiling a 6-4-6 slate and 2.19 ERA. Jeter ended up a journeyman whose career ended after the 1974 season while Acosta pitched two years for the Padres.

Bob Miller - 1972 Topps

1971 - This is a big day for Pirates fans who can’t satisfy themselves with counting numbers like wins, ERA, batting average and RBI. SABR - The Society for American Baseball Research - was born in Cooperstown, New York. It was the brainchild of L. Robert Davids, who gathered together 15 other baseball researchers at the National Baseball Hall of Fame to form the organization and birth the era of Sabermetrics.

1977 - The Pirates edged the Cubs 2-1 in 18 innings in front of 32,831 faithful at TRS; the game lasted almost five hours and was the longest the Bucs had played on the North Shore. Ed Ott drove in Phil Garner with the winning run on a sac fly; the other Buc run was scored by Dave Parker following a Bill Robinson knock. Larry Demery picked up the win. The two bullpens were brilliant, going 21-2/3 innings, giving up one run on seven hits. For Pittsburgh, Grant Jackson tossed five innings of scoreless relief and Goose Gossage put up four zeroes. The game came with a cost - already down a man after Frank Taveras was banged with a five-day suspension the day before for throwing his bat at a pitcher, Al Oliver’s dust-up with ump Bruce Froemming, who called Scoops out for missing first base while running out a double, and the ensuing heated disagreement cost Oliver four days.

1992 - The Bucs were their own worst enemies, stranding 21 runners, but they persevered to take their 11th game in a row with a 16-inning 4-2 win over the NY Mets at Shea Stadium. Pittsburgh scored three times in the final frame on four singles and a walk; Jeff King’s single plated the game winner. Andy Van Slyke homered and later scored the winning run while Steve Cooke got the win. The Mets, behind Eric Hillman, derailed the streak the next day, taking a 2-0 victory. During that span, the Bucs went from tied for first to a 3-1/2 game lead and kept the pedal to the metal during the last two months of the season with a 40-16 slate to run away with the division, only to be bit by the Braves in the NLCS.

1993 - LHP Anthony Banda was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Brewers drafted him in the 10th round of the 2012 draft from San Jacinto College, and the reliever made his debut with the D-Backs in 2017 (they originally drafted him in 2011 but couldn’t get him to sign). The Bucs claimed him off waivers from the New York Mets in August, 2021 and within a few days, he was moved from Indy to Pittsburgh, his sixth MLB organization. He was DFA’ed by Pittsburgh in 2022, claimed and then also DFA’ed by Toronto and is now with the Twins.

Maz Way - photo Zach Morris

2001 - The Avenue of the Pirates was renamed Mazeroski Way. The cul-de-sac runs from General Robinson to the RF gate and was dedicated by Mayor Tom Murphy and owner Kevin McClatchy. Apparently the dedication ceremony didn’t inspire the Pirates very much as the club then dropped a 3-2 decision to the San Diego Padres in front of 36,588 fans.

2004 - The Bucs defeated the Giants 8-7 at PNC Park, scoring three times in the eighth and then walking off with the win in the ninth. The Bucs tied it in the eighth (it was the third time they had rallied from behind during the contest) when Tike Redman doubled home a pair and took the lead when Humberto Cota brought him home. San Francisco tied it in the ninth when Michael Tucker cracked a two-out long ball off Jose Mesa. With two down and the bases empty, Jack Wilson singled off a glove and came all the way around on Rob Mackowiak’s drive off the right field wall. The Giants’ Barry Bonds set a MLB record during the game when he reached 30 HRs for the 13th straight season, connecting off John Grabow.

2007 - The Pirates erased a 6-2 deficit with a six-run eighth inning to defeat the Giants 8-7 at AT&T Park. The first four Bucs singled in the eighth, and they banged six hits total during the frame, with Freddy Sanchez’s two-out, two-run single being the difference. Matt Morris made the no-decision start against the team that had traded him away 10 days before. The Giants used eight pitchers in the game, including five in the eighth inning. Ryan Doumit fell a homer shy of the cycle while John Grabow got the win and Matt Capps earned the save. 

2011 - Andrew McCutchen put on a show against the Giants with just one hit, as the Bucs won 9-2 at AT&T Park. Cutch homered, walked three times, was HBP, scored four runs, drove in two and stole a pair of bases. Jeff Karstens went six innings for the win, striking out nine.