6/17: Cutch, Pedro, LaRoche Bros Play Long Ball; Joe & Bennie's B-Day, Big Wins...

• 1910 - RHP Joe Bowman was born in Kansas City. He tossed for the Bucs from 1937-41, split between starting and the pen, with a record of 33-38-6 and a 4.35 ERA. Joe knew his way around a batter’s box, too, hitting .281 with 38 RBI as a Pirate.
• 1932 - RHP Bennie Daniels was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He underperformed in his Pittsburgh years, going 8-16-1 with a 5.84 ERA, though his FIP was a more solid 3.98. He was traded to the Washington Senators, where he put up workmanlike numbers for five more seasons.
• 1969 - Richie Hebner was the man of the hour in a twinbill sweep at Forbes Field against the first place Chicago Cubs, driving in the game’s only run in a 1-0 victory in the opener and then plating a walk-off RBI in a 4-3 nightcap win. Bob Veale won the lidlifter with a save by Bruce Dal Canton. Steve Blass won the second game in relief, and helped himself by scoring the winning run.

Richie Hebner - 1969 Topps Rookies series

• 2001 - The Pirates scored with two outs in the ninth when Brian Giles singled and came around on Aramis Ramirez’s double to claim a 1-0 win for Todd Ritchie against the Cleveland Indians at PNC Park. Ritchie went the distance, giving up just four hits to the Tribe.
• 2004 - Tike Redman broke up a pitching duel between Kris Benson and Bartolo Colon by banging homers in the seventh and eighth innings to lead the Pirates to a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Angels at PNC Park. Jack Wilson also went long.
• 2007 - Nate McLouth doubled twice to drive in four runs and Jack Wilson scored three times as the Bucs held off the Chicago White Sox 8-7 at PNC Park. Matt Capps surrendered two runs in the ninth to keep it interesting but hung on for the save of Shawn Chacon’s W.

Matt Capps (photo via Sharing the Victory)

• 2009 - Andrew McCutchen hit his first MLB homer off future teammate Francisco Liriano of the Minnesota Twins at the Mall of America Field in an 8-2 Buc win. He added another knock, marking his sixth multi-hit game in 13 starts. Andy and Adam LaRoche both went yard, the first brother combo to homer in the same game for Pittsburgh since the Waners in 1938.
• 2012 - Pedro Alvarez had a big day at Progressive Field, driving in six runs in a 9-5 win over the Cleveland Indians. El Toro homered twice and doubled, banging his first bomb off future teammate Jeanmar Gomez.