- 1971 - Willie Stargell hit three homers and drove in all four runs in a 5-4 loss in 12 innings to the Braves at Atlanta Stadium. Al Oliver, batting behind Pops, had three hits. Steve Blass pitched nine innings, but with two down in the ninth walked Ralph Garr and then gave up a two-run homer to Hank Aaron to send the game to extra innings, with Nellie Briles taking the loss.
- 1975 - The Bucs were the Home Opener foes at Wrigley Field and flexed some long ball muscle to ruin the day for the Cubs, 8-4. Pittsburgh started off hot with first-inning homers by Richie Hebner and Willie Stargell, then padded the lead with a two-out, two-run rally in the third. Chicago got to Dock Ellis in the fifth with a doubles barrage and tied the game. It stayed at four-all until the eighth when Pops went deep again, Manny Sanguillen tacked on a two-run dinger and Rennie Stennett added the cherry on top with a two-out RBI knock. That was all she wrote as Sudden Sam McDowell (who walked three of five hitters), Larry Demery and game winner Dave Giusti shut the gate. Captain Willie had the hot bat - he went 4-for-5 with two dingers, a walk, three RBI and two runs scored.
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| Willie liked his Aprils - 2017 Topps 65 Years |
- 1975 - RHP Mike Lincoln was born in Carmichael, California. He debuted as a teen for the Twins and pitched for the Pirates from 2001-03. He had two effective years as a reliever, but arm troubles hounded him in 2003 and throughout the rest of his career. As a Bucco, Lincoln went 7-9-5/3.50. His last campaign was in 2010 as a Cincinnati Red.
- 1976 - Milo Hamilton replaced Bob Prince as the voice of the Pirates, marking the first time that an MLB team followed one future Ford Frick winner with another. Prince won the award posthumously in 1986 and Hamilton was recognized in 1992. Milo had a tough go in the Steel City as his quiet, polished style didn’t sit well with the fans who were brought up on the Gunners colorful, folksy delivery. Hamilton moved on to the Chicago Cubs broadcasting team in 1980. Lanny Frattare also made his broadcast debut as Hamilton’s partner. Frattare went on to become the Pirates longest tenured announcer, announcing victories with his tagline "...and there was nooo doubt about it" for 33 seasons before his retirement into academia.
- 1976 - The Pirates defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-4, at Veterans Stadium in the season Opener. Dave Parker scored the winning run in an 11th inning collision at home that cost C Johnny Oates two months of the season with a broken collarbone. Willie Stargell was the batting hero with three hits plus a walk and three RBI while Larry Demery claimed the win after three scoreless innings of work.
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| The Cobra Could Sting 1976 Topps |
- 1983 - John Candelaria was hit hard and the Bucs found themselves down 7-2 to Houston at the Astrodome after three innings. Manny Sarmiento, Jim Winn, Jim Bibby, Kent Tekulve and Rod Scurry allowed just one more run over the last six frames and the Bucs bats kept at it, eventually taking a 10-8 victory from the Texans. The Buccos only had nine hits, led by Jason Thompson’s homer/double combo, but seven ‘Stro walks, four leading to scores, and three steals, with two setting up scores, helped move the runners around. Bibby was the winner, with Scurry getting the save.
- 1987 - The Pirates beat the Cards 4-3 at TRS in the Home Opener in front of 52,119 fans. They did it the hard way, with Don Robinson giving up a 3-1 lead in the ninth via Curt Flood’s two-run double. The Redbirds almost took the lead that frame but 3B Jim Morrison threw out Flood trying to score on a dink to short left. The Bucs weren’t to be denied, though - Morrison scampered home from first on Sid Bream’s two-out double off Dave LaPoint for the walk-off win. Morrison was the game’s hero; he went 4-for-4 with two homers, a double and a walk. It also marked the passing of the torch. PA announcer Art McKennan, 80 years young, announced his last game after 38 years to be replaced by current Bucco broadcaster Greg Brown, who was at that time a member of the Pirates PR department.
- 2006 - The Bucs were dissed by actor Michael Keaton, who threw the first pitch at the PNC Park home opener and then said afterward of ownership "I fear they will take advantage of the goodwill of the people who continue to show up. For my money, that's disrespectful. At some point, you ...have to write the check.” The Pirates validated his claim as the Dodgers bombed Zach Duke and coasted to an easy 8-3 win.
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| Petey 2014 Topps Triple Threats |
- 2014 - The Pirates roared back from a 4-0 hole at Chicago’s Wrigley Field with a five-run seventh inning to squeeze out a 5-4 win over the Cubbies. Travis Snider began Pittsburgh’s comeback with a pinch-hit two-run homer while Pedro Alvarez came through with the game-winner, a three-run, 446’ shot with two outs. It was El Toro’s fifth home run in six games. Gerrit Cole went six innings for the win backed by Tony Watson, Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli, who earned the save but made it exciting by leaving the bases full of Cubs in the ninth.
Ya know what I always said about Alvarez. He's Babe Ruth for two weeks, and then Mario Mendoza for two months. He was the single most extreme, boom or bust player I have ever seen in my entire life. Not even Dave Kingman was that bad. IMO the closest comparison to Alvarez was Rob Deer, though of course Deer "hit" righthanded. (He did manage 200 big league homers, though.)
ReplyDeleteAlvarez has actually been a bit better during his time with the Orioles in terms of his hitting. The O's picked their spots with him a bit more and he has been about a .250 hitter for them---probably good enough with his power. But he still has the throwing yips and doesn't have a position. Honestly I think the guy is a head case.