5/4 From the 50s Forward: Big Innings; Roman Launches Three; Jose's Streak, Bucco Stories; HBD Ken & Jason

• 1951 - Pete Castiglione tripled on the second pitch that NY hurler Sal Maglie tossed and that would be the only hit The Barber surrendered in a 5-1 Giant win at the Polo Grounds. It wasn’t a gem, as Maglie walked five, but he had the Buccos’ number - it was his seventh straight win over Pittsburgh. 

Roberto 1955 Topps

• 1955 - Sweet redemption: After going hitless and making a ninth inning error, Roberto Clemente climbed the wall in right to take away extra bases from George Crowe with Braves on second and third to close out a 5-4 Pirate win over Milwaukee at Forbes Field. Dale Long and Gene Freese had a pair of RBI apiece while Bob Friend saved the game for Max Surkont. 
• 1956 - IF Ken Oberkfell was born in Highland, Illinois. Ken played 16 years in the majors and spent the second half of 1988 and the early weeks of 1989 in Pittsburgh, where he made the transition from a 100-game-per-year player to a utility bench guy. He got into 34 games as a Pirate and hit just .181 before being sent to the Giants. He coached for 14 years in the Mets system, took a break and at last check was coaching a hometown indie league squad while tending to family duties. 
• 1958 - At Seals Stadium‚ Roman Mejias hit three HRs in the nitecap of a DH with San Francisco to lead Pittsburgh to a 6-2 win and a split after losing the opener 4-3. Mejias hit two more homers the rest of the season. His four RBI helped Ronnie Kline to victory, with ElRoy Face coming on in the ninth for the save. 
• 1963 - Another Bucco winner: Chateaugay, owned by Pirates owner John W. Galbreath and bred on his Darby Dan racing farm, won the Kentucky Derby. 

Maz brought his bat 1967 Topps

• 1967 - The Bucs ran away from the Dodgers by scoring seven runs in the seventh to take a 9-3 victory over LA at Forbes Field. They literally pounded Dodger ace Don Drysdale; Roberto Clemente drilled a liner off his hand and Donn Clendenon smacked one so hard off his ankle that it bounced to first for the putout. He had to leave, battered and bruised, after six, and the Bucs rallied for the win the next inning against a trio of LA relievers. Bill Mazeroski had three RBI while Clemente and Maury Wills collected three hits each to help Bob Veale earn the W. 
• 1976 - OF Jason Michaels was born in Tampa, Florida. The outfielder spent 11 seasons and over 1,000 games in the show, playing in Pittsburgh in 2008 and batting .228 while getting into 102 games after the Bucs had claimed him from the Indians in May. Houston picked him up in the off season and he spent his final three MLB years as an Astro. He coached briefly in Washington and now runs a consulting business in Tampa. 
• 1992 - The Bucs scored 11 runs in the sixth inning after falling behind 5-1 to whip the Reds 12-5 at TRS. Don Slaught, Jose Lind and Cecil Espy all had a pair of raps in the frame. Andy Van Slyke led the hit parade with four knocks; Jeff King added three. It was the first time since 1942 that the Pirates scored 11 runs in an inning. Zane Smith gave up five runs in five innings; Dennis Lamp, who got the win, Bob Patterson and Stan Belinda had to finish up. 

• 1992 - Barry Bonds hit the daily double, being featured on the cover of both The Sporting News (“You Thought What?”) and Sports Illustrated (“Bonds Away.”). BB was a fitting selection - Bonds slashed .311/34/103 and won the MVP in his last Pirate campaign. He would be the last Pirate on SI’s cover until 2013, when Jason Grilli won the honor. 
• 2005 - Jose Mesa set a record by earning his 10th save in a 6-4 win over the Astros at Minute Maid Park; it was the longest streak of saving every team win (the Pirates were 10-16 after the victory) to start a season. Pittsburgh fell behind 3-0 and it took them the whole game to get the lead back; they scored three times in the ninth thanks to Jason Bay and Daryl Ward homers to take a 6-3 lead. Jose was tapped for a run on a double that eventually came around but it was plenty good enough a performance to close out a win for Salomon Torres, who came on to spell Mark Redman. Rob Mackowiak had three hits while Bay and David Ross each added a pair. The streak ended the next day when the Pirates beat Arizona 6-2 without any Mesa intervention.  
• 2011 - Ryan Doumit blasted a third-inning grand slam as the Bucs put up six runs in the frame (all unearned; the Friars booted back-to-back balls to start the inning) on the way to a 7-4 win against San Diego at Petco Park. The other run was manufactured via two walks and a stolen base, with Neil Walker scoring when SD couldn’t turn a DP. Kevin Correia got the W with help from Chris Resop, Daniel McCutchen and Jose Veras.