8/24 TRS-PNC Era: 10-In-A-Row, High Hopes & More...

• 1978 - The Pirates won their 10th game in a row by dropping the Braves 5-1 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Bert Blyleven not only pitched his way to victory, but his two-out, bases loaded double in the seventh cleared the sacks to break a 0-0 tie. Pittsburgh dropped the next two games, then started a fresh 11 game winning streak. But in the end, the Pirates couldn’t catch up to the Phils, who won the division by 1-½ games over the 88-73 Buccos. The race went to the wire, with Philly clinching the crown with a 10-8 win over Pittsburgh in the campaign’s next-to-last game.

Bert Blyleven 1978 Hostess

• 1984 - Jose DeLeon went into the seventh against the Reds pitching a no-hitter, but lost it and the game when ex-Buc Dave Parker singled in a run to give Cincy the lead and eventual 2-0 win at TRS behind a three-hitter by Jeff Russell. Parker had the only Red hit; Cincy scored thanks to a walk and two errors.
• 1987 - Peter Gammon wrote in Sports Illustrated that GM Syd Thrift called a team meeting for his young and underachieving Pirate club (53-71) and asked the team to set goals. Reliever Jim Gott suggested aiming for 25 wins in the final 38 games. “Be realistic,” Thrift replied. It ended up that Gott was indeed a bit unrealistic - the team won 27 down the stretch, starting a seven-game winning streak that night with a 5-4 win over the Reds. Gott earned the save.
• 1989 - The Pirates dropped the Houston Astros 3-2 in 14 frames at TRS. Doug Drabek tossed a nine-inning two-hitter but gave up two unearned runs on three Bucco errors. Doug Bair got the win when Jose Lind’s sac fly brought home Gary Redus.

Doug Bair (photo via Mainline Autographs)

• 2007 - The Pirates’ Xavier Nady hit a two-out homer to tie the game in the ninth and then the Bucs erupted for five 15th inning runs to take an 8-3 victory from the Astros at Minute Maid Park. Adam LaRoche’s three-run shot in the 15th off Travis Driskill was the big blow. Shane Youman picked up the win after two innings of scoreless relief with four K against Houston. Six Pirate relievers tossed eight shutout frames, giving up just six hits and striking out eight.