5/8 TRS-PNC Park Era: Up Up & Away; AVS 8-for-9; Capps Suspended; Out of Comebacks; Game Stories

• 1973 - For the second time in his career‚ Willie Stargell drove a ball out of Dodger Stadium. His blast off Andy Messersmith carried over the 50-foot high right field roof, 470’ away, and was one of two four-baggers for Pops, who was the only player to ever launch a ball out of that park. It wasn’t enough as LA took a 7-4 decision. 

Pops 2000 Fleer Greats of the Game

• 1988 - Doug Drabek took a no-hitter into the ninth before allowing a pinch-hit, infield single to Randy Ready and a home run to ex-Pirate Marvell Wynne‚ winning a 6-2 decision over the Padres at TRS. Bobby Bonilla had three hits to lead the Pirate offense. Whether by coincidence or not, SS Al Pedrique, the player who couldn’t convert Ready’s infield hit, was demoted to AAA Buffalo and replaced by hot shot SS prospect Felix Fermin. 
• 1994 - Andy Van Slyke went 8-for-9 (one hit shy of the MLB twin-bill hit record) during the Pirates' 9-2 and 9-3 Mothers Day doubleheader sweep of the Cubs at TRS with a homer, double, five runs scored and four RBI. The Bucs took the first game behind Paul Wagner as Lance Parrish added three RBI. The nightcap was won by Zane Smith with a four RBI outing by Brian Hunter. 
• 1997 - Jason Kendall's bases-loaded double was the big blow in a Bucco eight-run fourth frame as Pittsburgh outlasted Colorado 10-8. Mark Johnson had three hits and Al Martin and Kevin Elster added homers for the Bucs‚ which scored 24 runs on 31 hits in their two games at Coors Field. Love that mountain air! 
• 2007 - Matt Capps was suspended for four days by the league for beaning Prince Fielder three days earlier. Fielder had the misfortune of being the batter who followed JJ Hardy and his three-run homer in a loss to Milwaukee. Capps’ 0-1 pitch was up and in; Fielder’s noggin dodged danger when he managed to turn and take the pitch off his upper arm. Capps was immediately ejected and later suspended. He requested a hearing and his defense was that if he meant to hit him, it would have been with the first pitch, an argument that didn’t move MLB safety guy Bob Watson an inch. As far as Fielder getting a message, well, not so much...he homered in his next at bat, which came in the following game. 

The Mad Capper 2007 Fleer

• 2012 - In a see-saw game at PNC Park, Washington’s Adam LaRoche erased a 3-2 ninth inning Pirate lead by blasting a two-run homer off Joel Hanrahan. But the Bucs had an answer. With two down in their half, Rod Barajas took a 2-0 Henry Rodriguez heater deep to left, scoring Alex Presley ahead of him, to pull out a 5-4 walk-off Pittsburgh win over the Nats. Tony Watson faced two batters to get the victory. 
• 2013 - “The Comeback Kid” ran out rebounds: After being DFA'ed on April 30th, LHP Jonathan Sanchez, who broke camp with the Pirates as a fifth starter after a rash of injuries felled the other back-end contenders, was released. He went 0-3 with a 11.85 ERA and gave up 25 hits, including seven home runs, in 13-2/3 IP during what would be his final MLB posting. 
• 2018 - The Chicago White Sox took a quick 4-0, first-inning lead over Ivan Nova and the Bucs, but don’t blink...Pittsburgh came back with four in the second frame, and roared back to take a 10-6 victory. The Bucs had 16 hits on the night, with Corey Dickerson collecting four of them. Starling Marte had three knocks while Gregory Polanco, Josh Bell and Colin Moran added a pair each. Every Pittsburgh starting position player reached base safely and either plated or chased home a run. Both teams used six pitchers (Tyler Glasnow was credited with the win) in a game that lasted almost four hours.