9/6 From the 60s Forward: Dock Sharp, Go-Go Tony, Lots of Zeroes, 21-of-23, Game Stories

• 1965 - The Pirates swept Cincinnati, 3-1 and 4-2, at Crosley Field to close within four games of first-place Los Angeles. Seventh-inning doubles decided both games: Gene Alley's in the opener, driving in Bill Mazeroski with the go-ahead run, and Willie Stargell's bases-loaded, bases-clearing two-bagger in the nitecap. Roberto Clemente threw out Red runners in both ends of the double dip. Bob Veale went the distance to win the first game, striking out 12, and Al McBean tossed six innings in relief to take the second match. 

Dock Ellis 1974 Pirates Picture Pack

• 1974 - Dock Ellis allowed one run on three hits while tossing a complete game in a 2-1 win against the Expos at TRS. Each team scored a run in the first inning before the Bucs scored the game-winner in the second when Ed Kirkpatrick led off the inning with a home run. 
• 1975 - In a game that went back-and-forth between the Pirates and the Expos at Parc Jarry, the Bucs poured it on at the end by scoring seven times in the 11th inning to seal a 12-5 win. The big blow in the opening nine was Willie Stargell’s three-run blast off Steve Rogers. In the 11th, the Pirates strung together three doubles, three singles, two walks and two Expo errors to plate seven times with Al Oliver and Bill Robinson banging out two-run hits. Manny Sanguillen had three hits and Richie Zisk chipped in two knocks and two walks. Pops had two hits and four RBI; Robinson also had a pair of raps and chased home three runners. Ken Brett got the win. 
• 1978 - The Pirates concluded a remarkable streak by winning their 21st game in 23 outings by a 4-1 score over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. It was their 11th straight victory, primed by Don Robinson’s five hit, nine K effort. The red hot finish wasn’t enough, though, as the club finished the season in second, 1-1/2 games behind the Phillies. 
• 1997 - Tony Womack went 4-for-4, scored three runs, drove in another and tied the club record with four stolen bases in Pittsburgh’s 13-4 win at Cincinnati’s Cinergy Field. Womack went on to lead the NL with 60 stolen bases that season. Shawon Dunston and Freddy Garcia added homers for the Bucs. The club scored three runs in the eighth and added four in the ninth to turn a squeaker into a laugher for Francisco Cordova. The Freak Show Pirates moved to within 2-½ games of the division leading Astros with the win. 

Tony Womack 1997 Fleer Ultra

• 2014 - The Pirates got 14 shutout innings from seven different pitchers to take a 5-3 victory in 11 innings in the continuation of a suspended game and then a 5-0 win in the scheduled game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Tony Watson and Mark Melancon each worked a pair of innings in the suspended game, with Mark the Shark getting the win and rookie John Holdzkom picking up the save. The Bucs iced the game, suspended from the previous night at 3-3, on a Josh Harrison single and Tony Sanchez sac fly. The nightcap was largely the work of Francisco Liriano, who worked six shutout frames with nine K, allowing only one runner to reach second. Andrew McCutchen led a balanced attack with three hits and Jordy Mercer had a pair of knocks, including a homer and two RBI. 
• 2016 - The Pirates losing streak reached eight games with a brutal 9-7 loss to the Cardinals at PNC Park. St. Louis jumped ahead 5-0, but the Bucs rallied to take a 6-5 lead after a four-run fourth inning. Both bullpens had some shaky moments, but the score carried over into the ninth, when with two outs and facing an 0-2 count, Matt Carpenter hit a game-tying homer off Tony Watson, who then imploded, giving up a double followed by back-to-back homers. The Pittsburgh bright spot was Jung Ho Kang, who homered twice. The Bucs dropped 5-½ games behind the Redbirds in the race for the final wildcard with 26 games remaining.