6/27 From 1990: Grilli-Frieri; Rally Time; Neagle Granny; Game Stories

• 1991 - The Bucs solved rookie Frank Castillo in the ninth (he was making his MLB debut), turning a 3-0 deficit to the Cubs into a 4-3 win at TRS. Castillo and two relievers gave up four singles, two walks, and a two-out wild pitch that allowed Barry Bonds to score from third with the walk-off game winner. Bob Walk took home the win with Bill Landrum earning the save.
• 1993 - It took a couple of comebacks, but the Bucs rallied past the Phils 4-3 in 10 innings at TRS in front of 27,824. Down 2-1 in the eighth, Jeff King banged a two-out single to plate Carlos Garcia with the game-tying run. Stan Belinda gave up a score in the 10th, but the Pirates got him off the hook quickly when the first batter, Don Slaught, took a 3-2 Mitch Williams delivery and tucked it just inside the left field screen and into the seats to knot the score. Jay Bell singled, then a bunt and pair of walks later (one intentional, one not) set up King again, whose knock brought the Pirates all the way back. Zane Smith had started the game against Uniontown’s Terry Mulholland; Garcia had four hits and scored twice during the day to lead the attack. 

King for a day - 1993 Stadium Club

• 1995 - Denny Neagle helped himself to his ninth W by belting a grand slam off Jim Bullinger, the key blow in a 6-5 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Neagle became the first Pirate pitcher to hit a slam since Don Robinson on September 12th, 1985 and just one of five to smack one in franchise history. Not known as a strong batsman, Neagle told Ben Walker of the Associated Press "Something must have been in the coffee." Paul Wagner got a hold and Dan Plesac the save for Neagle. 
• 1998 - Ishmael Valdez was one batter shy of throwing a perfecto against the Bucs at Dodger Stadium, giving up a leadoff eighth-inning single to Kevin Young. Valdez struck out seven and used just 97 pitches to tame Pittsburgh. Francisco Cordova was the hard-luck loser, a victim of temporary loss of control when with two outs and a runner on third in the sixth, an intentional walk was followed by an unintentional pass to set up Raul Mondesi’s two-run single. 
•  2004 - Jason Bay, Jack Wilson and Craig Wilson combined to go 9-for-16 with three walks, three doubles, a triple and homer to score seven runs and drive in seven more as the Bucs romped over the Reds 14-4 at GABP. Josh Fogg got the win. 
• 2014 - Two youngsters, the Bucs’ Brandon Cumpton and the Mets’ Jacob deGrom, pitched strong games and then turned the contest over to the bullpens as the Pirates outlasted NY 3-2 in 11 innings at PNC Park. Pittsburgh was clutch; Jordy Mercer singled in a pair of runs with two outs in the fourth after Pedro Alvarez was worked around and walked, then Josh Harrison chased home Clint Barmes with the game winner with a two-out double to right center; both RBI knocks came on the first pitch. Jared Hughes picked up the win. 

Jason Grilli - 2014 Topps Heritage

• 2014 - In a change of scenery deal, the Pirates and Angels traded struggling closers, with Pittsburgh sending Jason Grilli to LA for Ernesto Frieri. Both had lost their closing gigs in 2014 after being the shut-down guy in 2013, and both moved around since and are currently free agents. 
• 2018 - Zach Wheeler put up seven zeros against the Bucs at Citi Field in a battle with Ivan Nova and left the bullpen a 3-0 lead; it wasn’t enough. The Pirates plated once in the eighth and then put up a four-spot against closer Jeurys Familia in the ninth to rally for a 5-3 win over the Mets. The Corsairs went small ball to win with five singles, a walk and sac fly doing the final frame damage. Felipe Vazquez worked two innings of one-hit, two-whiff ball to claim the victory.