10/3 TRS-PNC Park Era: Bucs Win a Couple, Lose a Couple Playoff Games; Roberto & Pops Finales & Game Stories

• 1970 - Dock Ellis and Gary Nolan bent but refused to break at TRS until the Reds put up three runs in the 10th inning to take a 3-0, opening NLCS victory from the Pirates. Tony Perez’s double brought in the first score and the insurance runs were chased home on Lee May’s two out two bagger. Pittsburgh stranded nine runners, but only one Bucco reached third, and that was with two outs. Matty Alou had a tough day on the base paths; he was picked off in the first inning and caught stealing in the ninth, ending both frames. 

Bob Robertson 1971 (Pirates Picture Pack)

• 1971 - 1B Bob Robertson hit three home runs, the first time ever done in a playoff game, and added a double in a 9-4 playoff win over the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. He had five RBI and four runs scored to give Dock Ellis all the offensive support he’d need. The Pirates launched a 15 hit barrage with Roberto Clemente and Dave Cash adding three knocks to square the NLCS at a game apiece. 
• 1972 - Roberto Clemente made a ninth inning appearance in his 2,433rd and final regular season game for the Bucs, tying Honus Wagner for the most games played by a Pirate as Pittsburgh beat St. Louis 6-2 at TRS in the season finale (Roberto played 26 additional games in the post-season, including five in '72). The Bucs had the game in hand thanks to two-run, two RBI performances by Richie Hebner, who homered, and Al Oliver with a double to back the twirling of Bob Moose, Steve Blass and Ramon Hernandez. 
• 1976 - The Pirates shut out the St. Louis Cardinals by identical 1-0 scores in a season-ending doubleheader at Three Rivers Stadium. Jim Rooker threw a seven hitter in the opener and Jerry Reuss followed with a five hitter in the nitecap. The Pirates wouldn’t win back-to-back 1-0 games again until September, 2014, when they blanked the Brewers and then the Braves. The sweep gave them 92 victories for the season, good enough for second place, nine games behind Philadelphia. 

Jerry Reuss 1976 Topps

• 1979 - Pittsburgh won the second game of the NLCS 3-2 over the Reds in 10 innings at Riverfront Stadium. The Bucs nursed a 2-1 lead into the ninth, built on Tim Foli and Bill Madlock RBI. But back-to-back one out doubles by Hector Cruz and Dave Collins off Kent Tekulve tied the match. The Pirates came right back, though. A leadoff single by Omar Moreno, a bunt by Foli and the game winning knock by Dave Parker sent Doug Bair to defeat. Don Robinson got the win and the Pirates went up 2-0 in the series against Cincinnati. 
• 1982 - In his last game, Willie Stargell was penciled in to lead off at TRS by manager Chuck Tanner. Captain Willie beat out a well-placed infield rap against the Expos’ Steve Rogers and was pulled by Tanner, who wanted Pops to end his career with a knock and ovation. It was Pops’ first start since August 9th; he collected fewer than 100 PAs during the season and hit just .233 with three homers during his final MLB lap. The Bucs lost to Montreal 6-1; the team ended the year with 84 wins, good for fourth place, eight games behind the St. Louis Cards. 
• 1990 - The Bucs’ Jerry Reuss‚ in his only start of the year‚ gave up one earned run but had a no decision in a 6-3 loss to the Mets in his last MLB appearance. Reuss joined the MLB’s four decade club (1969-90) and closed out his career claiming 220 wins without a 20 win season‚ a baseball oddity shared only with Milt Pappas and Frank Tanana among 200 game winners. 
• 2010 - The Pirates finished the season with a 17-64 record on the road after suffering a 5-2 loss to the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium, with the defeat going to Brian Burres. The Bucs' away-from-home record equaled the MLB low water mark set by the 1963 Mets. 

AJ Burnett 2013 Topps Allen & Ginter

• 2013 - AJ Burnett was chased in a seven run third inning that saw 11 Cardinals bat as St. Louis took the opener of the NLDS at Busch Stadium by a 9-1 score. Adam Wainwright went seven innings and struck out nine for the Redbirds. The Pirates only mustered four hits, two by Andrew McCutchen, with Pedro Alvarez’s homer providing the lone Bucco tally.