6/2 - Boots, Shutouts, Bombs, Drafts & Implosions...

Boots, shutouts, bombs away, drafts and implosions...

• 1890 - The Pittsburgh Alleghenys committed 14 errors in a 14-1 loss to Chicago Colts at home. That club finished 28-108, 66-1/2 games behind the NL champion Brooklyn Bridegrooms and 23 games behind the Cleveland Spiders, the team closest to them in the standings.
• 1903 - The Pirates tossed their first of a MLB record six consecutive shutouts as Deacon Phillippe blanked the New York Giants, 7-0. The NL champ Bucs threw 51 straight scoreless innings during the six-game streak, a record that still stands today.
• 1955 - The Pirates defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 12-3 at Forbes Field. Dale Long went 3-for-5 and had five RBI and a home run, including a two-run shot in a five-run third inning. Frank Thomas also went deep while the Pirates banged out a season-high 17 hits.
• 1962 - Roberto Clemente just missed becoming the first right handed batter to hit a ball on Forbes Field’s right field roof, bouncing a shot off the facing a foot shy of the top. The blast was off Houston’s Turk Farrell during a 9-2 Bucco romp over the Colt .45s.
• 1987 - HS outfielder Mark Merchant was the Bucs top pick and second overall in the draft. The Pirates signed him for $165,000, but never played an inning in the majors after a ten year minor league career. Pittsburgh’s seventh round pick, Kittanning SS Mickey Morandini, spent 11 years in MLB, mostly with Philadelphia where he was an All-Star in 1995, and OF Wes Chamberlain and SS Brian Williams also spent a few years in the majors.
• 1987 - Rick Reuschel fired a two-hitter against the Atlanta Braves, ending a six game Pirate losing streak. Andy Van Slyke’s homer accounted for the Bucco runs, and he made a great catch in the ninth to help save the victory. It was Reuschel’s ninth straight win over Atlanta.
• 1994 - HS QB & SS Mark Farris was the Pirates first selection (#11); he left the Bucs after hitting .273 in AA to attend Texas A&M as a football player. It was a sparse draft for the Pirates; only LHP Jimmy Anderson and last round pick UT Brandon Larsen played in the majors.
• 1998 - The Pirates picked LHP Clint Johnston of Vanderbilt first (#15); he ended his career playing indie ball, never advancing past AA. In fact, the Bucs’ first 14 picks never played a MLB game. Later pitching picks Joe Beimel, Jeff Bennett, Dave Williams and Jon Switzer were the highlights of that draft day.
• 1999 - The Bucs picked RHP Bobby Bradley as their first selection (#8) in the draft; he topped out with a cup of coffee in AAA. They had more success in the second round, choosing C Ryan Doumit. They also selected LHP Brian Tallet in the middle rounds; he didn’t pitch for the Bucs but did end up with nine seasons in the show. Pittsburgh even went over slot then; they signed 39th round pick Patrick O'Brien, a big high school RHP, for $500‚000, but he never got past AA.
• 2003 - Lefties Paul Maholm (#8) and Tom Gorzelanny (#45) were the first two Pirate selections of the 2003 draft. Later selections Matt Downs, Jeremy Horst and Josh Sharpless also got time as major league pitchers.
• 2008 - The Bucs beat the Cardinals 5-4 at Busch Stadium. Jason Michaels provided the muscle by blasting a seventh inning, two out pinch hit grand slam on the first pitch he saw from Adam Wainwright. Matt Capps saved the win for Franquelis Osoria.
• 2011 - The Bucs blew a 7-0 lead to the Mets and lost 9-8 at Citi Field as Paul Maholm left with the game tied and Jose Veras self destructed in the eighth, giving up a hit, four walks and a wild pitch.