5/13: Reuss & Necciai Set 'Em Down, Groat 6-for-6, LaRoche Hits One For the Record Books...

• 1886 - RHP Frank Miller was born in in Salem, Michigan. Miller tossed for the Pirates from 1916-19 and put up a 41-49-2/2.75 slash. Miller sat out two full seasons (1920-21) when the Pirates wouldn’t meet his salary demands, working his farm instead. He did eventually return to baseball when the Boston Braves paid the 36 year-old $7,500 in 1922, but hung up the spikes and returned to farming after two more seasons. 
• 1908 - The Pirates topped the Giants and Christy Mathewson 5-1 behind Howie Camnitz, handing Matty his first loss of the year. Tommy Leach led the attack with a pair of triples. The game at Exposition Park took just 85 minutes to play. 
• 1931 - C Jack Shepherd was born in Clovis, California. Signed out of Stanford in 1953, his first full season was the following year when he hit .304 and was a member of The Sporting News All-Rookie team. He played for Pittsburgh through 1956, compiling a lifetime .260 BA; he retired in 1957 to devote his efforts to a career in business. 

Jack Shephard 1955 Topps series

• 1952 - RHP Ron Necciai of Gallatin struck out 27 batters while throwing a 7-0 no-hitter for the Bristol Twins, the Pirates' Class D Appalachian League team, against the Welch Miners. Four hitters reached base against him, via a walk, an error, a hit batsman and a passed ball on a swinging third strike, resulting in a four-strikeout ninth inning. Only two batters put the ball in play: a ground out to first base in the second inning and an error in the ninth. Necciai pitched for the Bucs later in the year, but a torn rotator cuff and recurring ulcers limited him to that one MLB season. 
• 1960 - Dick Groat became the first NL player since Connie Ryan in 1953 to go 6-for-6 as Pittsburgh beat Milwaukee 8-2 at County Stadium. He collected three doubles and three singles. Four other Bucs had two-hit days as Bob Friend cruised to the win. 
• 1975 - Jerry Reuss fanned a career-high 12 batters while tossing a three-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory over the San Diego Padres at Three Rivers Stadium. Frank Tavares tripled home Paul Popovich for the first run, and the Bucco insurance came in when Manny Sanguillen’s sac fly brought home Reuss, who had singled to start the frame. 
• 1988 - Barry Bonds hit a leadoff homer for the second day in a row, a feat accomplished by his dad Bobby in 1973. It came in handy as the Bucs held off the Reds 6-5 at TRS. Bonds scored the winner in the ninth. He led off with a single and came all the way around when 1B Dave Collins threw away Jose Lind’s sac bunt trying for the force at second. 

Barry Bonds 1986 (photo via Atlanta Journal Constitution)

• 1992 - The Pirates coughed up an eight run cushion after leading 10-2 in the fourth inning when the game was tied after a four run Brave eighth. The club saved face in the ninth thanks to a Jay Bell homer off Alejandro Pena to escape with an 11-10 verdict at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. Bell had four RBI, Steve Buechele added three more and Stan Belinda, who gave up a three-run shot to Terry Pendleton the inning prior, worked the ninth for the win. 
• 2009 - The Pirates beat the Cardinals 5-2 at PNC Park. Adam LaRoche made history when he had a first inning home run call reversed by instant replay. It was the first time in 14 reviews that a homer was reversed since instant replay started in 2008. He was instead awarded a double. Ross Ohlendorf got the win and Matt Capps picked up the save.