6/23:HBD Bill, Angels Shootout, Spahn Goes Down, Gilbert Bros & More

• 1877 - Jim “Pud” Galvin of the Alleghenys shut out Chicago on three hits‚ 6-0, in International League play. The IL was considered a minor league, and only lasted one more season. The Alleghenys became a major league club in 1882 when they joined the American Association.
• 1890 - 2B Harry and SS John Gilbert became the first brothers to play together for a major league Pittsburgh club when they manned the middle at the Philadelphia Baseball Grounds against the Phillies. The Alleghenys split the twin bill, with Harry going 2-for-8 and John 0-for-8, and they turned a DP in each game. They never teamed up professionally again as that doubleheader was the only time either one of the Pottstown brothers played at the MLB level.
• 1900 - RHP Bill Harris was born in Wylie, Texas. He tossed for the Bucs from 1931-34, with a record of 16-15-7 and a 3.45 ERA. Harris was a baseball lifer - he had seven years in the show, and still earned 257 minor league wins between 1921 and 1945, including two no-hitters.

Bill Harris (photo Retro Image Archive)

• 1919 - The Bucs won their fifth game in a row, 3-2 over the SL Cardinals at Robison Park. Casey Stengel was the man of the hour, hitting a two run homer in the sixth and then making a game-saving catch in the bottom half to back Frank Miller’s complete game effort.
• 1930 - Bucco pitchers Heinie Meine and Leon Chagnon gave up twelve consecutive hits during the sixth inning in a 19-6 loss to the Brooklyn Robins at Forbes Field, tying the record for most consecutive hits allowed.
• 1953 - The Pirates defeated Hall-of-Fame pitcher Warren Spahn and the Braves at County Stadium, 1-0. Spahn, who would be named The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year after the season (23-7, 2.10 ERA), struck out 12 batters and surrendered just two hits. Bucco outfielder Carlos Bernier delivered the game-winner, a two-out single in the eighth inning that scored Preston Ward, who had walked. RHP Bob Hall tossed a six-hit shutout to win the duel against Spahn and Milwaukee.

Preston has a couple of nice days - Topps 1954

• 1954 - The Bucs broke St. Louis’ Harvey Haddix’s string of 37 straight shutout innings when Preston Ward drove home Dick Cole in the sixth, but were still left in the dust at Forbes Field by the Cards 7-1.
• 1961 - The Phillies scored four times in the 8th and added six more runs in the 9th to stun the Pirates 12-11 at Forbes Field. Three errors led to four of the late runs as Clem Labine, ElRoy Face and Earl Francis couldn’t shut the gates on the Phils.
• 1995 - Denny Neagle won a duel with Pedro Martinez as the Bucs beat the Expos 2-0 at Olympic Stadium. Neagle surrendered just a pair of hits, with Mark Johnson and Nelson Liriano chasing home the Bucco runs.
• 2004 - Pittsburgh beat the Astros 7-2 at Minute Maid Park on the strength of a two out grand slam by Jason Kendall in the seventh off David Weathers. Ryan Vogelsong went six innings for the win.
• 2005 - The Pirates jumped out to an 11-2 lead over the Cards and never looked back to take an 11-7 win. Humberto Cota led the way with three RBI, two on sac flies, but St. Louis was its own worst enemy, committing three errors and allowing Pittsburgh seven unearned runs at Busch Stadium. Dave Williams got the victory and Rick White the save after he blunted a Redbird rally in the ninth.

Humberto Cota 2005 Topps Total

• 2013 - It ain’t over ‘til it’s over. Angel pitchers had sat down 16 straight Pirates and went into the ninth with a 6-3 lead at Angel Stadium with closer Ernesto Frieri on the hill. But the battlin’ Bucs tied the game on a double by Russell Martin and single by Starling Marte, both with two strikes and two outs. Then they scored four more in the tenth. But LA decided to not mail it in; they scored three times in their half off Bucco closer Jason Grilli and had runners on second and third with two out and Mike Trout up; Grilli got him swinging. Martin and Andrew McCutchen were scheduled for off days, but played the last two innings, going a combined 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. It was also the MLB debut for a pair of Pirate rookies, C Tony Sanchez, who doubled in his first at bat, and RHP Duke Welker, who worked a frame and got his first big league punch out. It was a series sweep for the Pirates, their first road interleague sweep ever.
• 2015 - The Cincinnati Reds jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, but the Bucs scored seven times in the fourth inning at PNC Park, sparked by homers from Fran Cervelli and Andrew McCutchen, to take a lead they’d never relinquish. The Pirates were kept off the board after that explosion, but hung on to take a 7-6 win. Rob Scahill got the W and Mark Melancon earned the save.