9/5 Games: Hans Night; Immaculate Inning; Quail Walks It Off; Double Trouble & More

• 1929 - Pittsburgh banged out a homer, two doubles and four three-baggers in a 10-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Redland Field. Lloyd Waner went 3-for-4 with two triples, two runs, and two RBI. His partner in crime was winning pitcher Erv Brame, who not only went the distance but also batted 3-for-4 with a homer, double, two runs and two RBI. 

Hans Night (Post Gazette photo 9-6-1945)

• 1945 - The Bucs held a Honus Wagner night at Forbes Field. The Gunner MC’ed the pre-game ceremony which included old teammates, his Carnegie Elks buddies and an appearance by Al Schacht, the “Clown Prince of Baseball.” They could have used Hans in the lineup, even if he was 71-years-old, losing to the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-3 in 10 innings in front of 19,504 faithful. 
• 1958 - Bill Virdon hit a leadoff 10th-inning walk-off homer to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 win over Milwaukee in a classic pitching duel between the Braves Carlton Willey and George “Red” Witt, who tossed a five-hitter, at Forbes Field. 
• 1969 - Steve Blass beat the Cubs 9-2. Blass helped his own cause with his only MLB homer‚ a three-run blast off Ken Holtzman‚ and three singles. The win was Pittsburgh's first at Wrigley since July 5th‚ 1968‚ ending a string of 13 straight losses. 
• 1971 - The Pirates flexed their muscles in an 8-2 win over the Expos at TRS. Rennie Stennett was a triple shy of the cycle, Pops had a homer and two-bagger among his three hits, Milt May had a long ball and Richie Hebner doubled and tripled. Billy Maz celebrated his B-Day with a pinch hit rap as Bruce Kison rolled to his fifth win with Ramon Hernandez mopping up. There were a combined 20 hits and seven walks, yet the game was done in 2:20. 
• 1975 - Montreal used a record 15 pinch hitters in their doubleheader split with the Pirates at Parc Jarry. The Expos claimed the opener 4-3 in 10 innings when Kent Tekuluve walked in the winning run (he had a tough inning with two walks, two more intentional passes, a wild pitch and passed ball). Pittsburgh won the nitecap 5-2 behind Richie Hebner’s two RBI, Willie Randolph’s two runs scored and a Captain Willie homer. Les Expos used six pinch-hitters in the first game (but none in the decisive 10th frame) and nine in the second contest. The Bucs burned four bench bats during the twin bill, all in the first match. 

Zane Smith 1991 Topps Stadium Club

• 1990 - The Pirates beat the Mets 1-0 and 3-1 at TRS to open a four-game lead over New York in the NL East. Zane Smith pitched a one-hitter in the twilight DH’er opener for the Bucs and Neal Heaton won the nitecap. Barry Bonds drove in the first game’s only run in the ninth, singling home Gary Redus. Jeff King homered twice in the nightcap to account for all three Bucco runs. Pittsburgh swept all five of its doubleheaders that season. 
• 1992 - The Pirates won for the ninth time in 10 games behind Bob Walk’s six-hitter to defeat the LA Dodgers 6-1 at TRS. Barry Bonds did the heavy lifting with a three-run homer in the third to give Walkie all the runs he’d need. 
• 2009 - In seventh inning of the Pirates' 2-1 loss to St. Louis at PNC Park, Ross Ohlendorf tossed the Bucs’ second-ever “immaculate inning,” striking out the side on nine pitches. He fanned Kevin Greene, Julio Logo and Jason LaRue, all who were thrown out at first after swinging at pitches in the dirt. Jeff Robinson first turned the feat for the Bucs in 1987 against the Cubs Leon Durham, Andre Dawson and Rafael Palmeiro. Juan Nicasio became the third Pirate to toss an immaculate inning in 2016. As for the game, Ohlie’s effort went for naught when Albert Pujols bopped a 10th-inning pinch-hit homer off Matt Capps.