7/12 TRS Era: Cordova/Rincon No-No; Cobra Debut; TRS All-Star Game; HBD Tom, Brad & Phil

• 1973 - Dave Parker made his Bucco debut in right field, replacing Manny Sanguillen, in a 4-0 Pirates win against the Padres at San Diego Stadium. He went 0-for-4, but Willie Stargell homered and had three RBI while Bob Robertson added a solo shot. Luke Walker went the distance for the win, spinning a five hitter. 

Brad Eldred 2005 Topps

• 1980 - OF/1B Brad Eldred was born in Fort Lauderdale. The big banger (he hit 30+ dingers four times in the minors) was drafted by the Pirates in the sixth round of the 2002 draft. He made his MLB bow in 2005, batting just .221 but with 12 homers in 190 at-bats. That was offset by 77 whiffs, and he made it back to Pirates for just a brief 2007 showing, hitting .140 in 47 PAs after missing most of 2006 due to injury. The K rate haunted him and he got two cups-of-coffee with Colorado in 2010 and Detroit in 2012 before continuing his career in Japan where he still rakes and whiffs prodigiously. 
• 1981 - LHP Phil Dumatrait was born in Bakersfield, California. The Pirates claimed him from the Reds, and he worked from 2008-09, getting 11 appearances and six starts with the Bucs, putting up a line of 3-6, 5.50. He became a starter when Matt Morris was released, but had bursitis surgery (his second procedure after TJ surgery in 2004) and never reached his potential. Phil retired in 2012 after a couple of come-back tries. 
• 1982 - Tom Gorzelanny was born in Evergreen Park, Illinois. The lefty was a second round draft pick of the Pirates in 2003, and spent the first 4-1/2 years (2005-09) of his career in Pittsburgh with a 25-26/4.79 line before being traded to the Cubs. Gorzo has tossed for six teams in his career, last with the Indians in 2016. He’s with the Mets now, but has been out with a shoulder injury since camp. 

Gorzo 2008 Topps Co-Signer

• 1987 - The Bucs defeated the San Diego Padres, 4-2, at TRS with a combination of muscle and finesse. The muscle was provided by Bobby Bonilla’s blast into the upper deck of TRS, the first launched that far since 1979. The ball landed in yellow-seat territory previously reached only by Willie Stargell (four times), Bob Robertson and Greg Luzinski. The moon shot off Eric Show just tucked itself inside the RF foul pole and if the seats hadn’t gotten in the way would have traveled an estimated 475-500’. The finesse was provided by four DPs turned by the Pirates (offsetting three errors) and two caught stealings by Spanky LaValliere. Bobby Bo was the offensive sparkplug with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI while Felix Fermin & Johnny Ray each took part in three DPs to help Mike Dunne claim the victory. 
• 1988 - The AL pitchers outdid their senior circuit counterparts in a 2-1 victory in the All Star game at Riverfront Stadium. 3B Bobby Bonilla went 0-for-4 and OF Andy Van Slyke was 0-for-2. Bob Walk pitched to one batter, Carney Lansford, with two outs in the seventh and a runner on second and got him to ground out. 
• 1990 - Barry Bonds hit his 100th career home run off Andy Benes in the first inning in a 4-3, 15-inning win over the San Diego Padres. Jeff King drilled a two-out single to right to score Dan Bilardello for the win at TRS after the Friars bullpen had tossed 9-⅔ innings without giving up a run. Bob Patterson got the victory after tossing three scoreless frames; the Bucco relief corps put up 7-⅓ frames of shutout ball. 

• 1994 - The largest crowd in Pittsburgh baseball history, 59,568, turned out as Three Rivers Stadium played host to baseball's 65th All-Star Game. It was one of the most exciting All-Star games ever held. Fred McGriff’s two-run homer tied the contest in the ninth, then Tony Gwynn led off the 10th with a single and came around to score the game-winning run on a double by Moises Alou as the NL posted an 8-7 victory to snap a six-game losing string. 2B Carlos Garcia was the Pirates lone representative, and went 1-for-2 with a single. Bucco legend Willie Stargell tossed out the ceremonial first ball. 
• 1997 - Mark Smith's pinch-hit, two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th off John Hudek capped a no-hitter by Francisco Cordova (nine innings) and Ricardo Rincon (one inning) against the Houston Astros. (Lanny Frattare’s call: "Home run! No hitter! You've got it all!") It was the first combined, extra-inning no-hitter in MLB history, and the first time that TRS was sold out for a game other than a home opener since 1977, drawing 44,119 fans for Jackie Robinson/fireworks night. The feat was the first Pirates no-hit­ter since John Can­de­laria beat the Dodgers, 2-0, on August 9th, 1976. The win kept the Pirates in a first-place tie with Houston in the NL Central.