9/9 From the 1980’s Forward: MASH Unit; S-Rod Walk Off; Jay Bell Rings; Cover Boy Cutch & More

• 1987 - The Bucs nipped the Cubs 4-3 when an unlikely suspect, reliever Jeff Robinson, went yard on ace Chicago closer Lee Smith with two out in the ninth at Wrigley Field, smashing the first pitch into the bleachers. Coach Rick Donnelly told Paul Meyer of the Post Gazette that “Jeff Robinson and Lee Smith could stand out there the rest of their lives and not have that happen again.” Robinson agreed - “It was pretty much of a fluke,” he admitted. Jim Leyland told the media that he only let Robinson bat because he thought he had the best shot at retiring the Cubs in the ninth and getting the game to Jim Gott. Well, Robby did get the closer Gott on the mound, a little sooner than expected, and he struck out two for the save. RJ Reynolds provided the offense prior to Robinson, with two hits and two RBI. 

Jeff Robinson 1989 Topps

• 1991 - Jay Bell went 4-for-4 with a home run in Pittsburgh’s 12-10 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Pirates trailed, 10-8, in the ninth inning before rookie Orlando Merced connected off Chicago’s Dave Smith for a three-run, pinch-hit homer, highlighting Pittsburgh’s game-winning four-run frame. 
• 1992 - With the score tied in the bottom of the sixth with two on, one out and first base open, the Cubs intentionally walked Barry Bonds. It was his 28th IBB of the year, breaking the Bucs' single season record, set in 1968 by Roberto Clemente (Bonds finished up with 32 by year’s end). The stratagem backfired, though, when Jeff King hit the first pitch he saw from Ken Patterson over the left field wall for his second career grand slam. Gary Varsho and Jay Bell also went long as Pittsburgh prevailed 13-8 at TRS, with Danny Cox getting the blown save/win combo. 
• 2013 - The Pirates clinched their first winning season since 1992 with a 1-0 win over Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington. Rookie Gerrit Cole went seven innings of three-hit ball, walking a pair and striking out nine, with Tony Watson and Mark Melancon pitching two innings of one-hit ball to seal the deal. The game was scoreless until two outs in the seventh when Marlon Byrd and Pedro Alvarez hit back-to-back doubles to produce the game’s only run. The win broke a four game losing streak and moved the Pirates within a game of first place St. Louis. 
• 2013 - Andrew McCutchen was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as part of Lee Jenkins story “The Bucs Start Here.” It didn’t take Dick Tracy to figure that out; Cutch won the MVP that year with a .317/.404/.508 slash. 

• 2016 - The Bucs were in a bad way, having lost four in a row and 12 of 14, and it looked like more of the same at Citizens Park against the Phils. Despite 11 K and stellar pitching by Ivan Nova, some sloppy fielding and an eighth inning wild spree by reliever Felipe Rivero had them in a 3-2 hole going into the ninth. Fran Cervelli led off with a walk against former Pirate Jeanmar Gomez, and Jordy Mercer, after fouling off a bunt, doubled him to third. Sean Rodriguez came off the bench, got a 2-2 fastball on the outer half and lined it over the RF wall to lead Pittsburgh to a 5-3 win. It was the first time in 140! games that the Pirates had rallied from a ninth inning deficit. It was also the first ninth-inning or later pinch hit dinger to give the Bucs a lead after trailing since Rob Mackowiak’s blast did in the Reds in 2003. 
• 2016 - It was a bad day for Bucco trainers. Gerrit Cole was shut down with elbow inflammation, Josh Harrison’s year was done after a groin injury, catcher Chris Stewart took a trip to see Dr. Andrews with a knee injury that would require off-season surgery and minor league C Elias Diaz, a 2017 roster candidate, was out with cellulitis. In addition, relievers Neftali Feliz (arm) and AJ Schugel were also hors d’ combat and inactive, requiring the Bucs to call up minor league C Jacob Stallings and P Zach Phillips, then deal for pitcher Wade LeBlanc to fill the roster, even with the September call-ups already on hand.