5/4 From 1970: Mesa Saves; Horton Signs; BB Double Decker; Game Stories; HBD Jason

• 1973 - The Pirates had their best two-day offensive output of the year when they bashed the Padres 12-6 the day after blasting the Giants 14-5 while on a west coast swing. Today’s hero was Rennie Stennett, who belted two homers and plated six runs; Bob Robertson and Richie Hebner, batting ahead of him, set the table with three hits apiece while Dave Cash added a three-run big fly. A day earlier, Al Oliver was the man of the hour at the Bay, bashing a pair of dingers and also chasing home six runs with four hits. Manny Sanguillen and Milt May added three knocks. Nellie Briles and Steve Blass were the recipients of the outbursts. 

Jason Michaels 2009 Topps

• 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. 
• 1981 - The Pirates signed 38-year-old free agent Willie Horton after Texas had released him at the end of camp. Over an 18-year MLB career, Horton hit 325 homers and plated 1,163 runs. He spent two seasons in AAA Portland for the Bucs, hitting .302 and .275 with 39 homers, but never got a call up. Willie played briefly in the Mexican League in 1983 and retired, seven hits shy of 2,000. 
• 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. 

Jose Mesa 2005 Topps Total

• 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.