7/9 From 1960 Through the 1990’s: Candy Goes; Triple Play, ASG's; Game Stories

• 1963 - The NL beat the AL 5-3 at Cleveland Stadium in the All Star game. Roberto Clemente came in as a late sub, never batting, and Bill Mazeroski was injured and didn’t play. The NL All Star middle infield combo of Dick Groat and Julian Javier, who was traded because Maz blocked him as a Pirate, may have sported Redbird logos across their chest but were Pittsburgh products. 

Rainmaker Willie - 1967 Topps

• 1967 - Willie Stargell hit a walk off homer against the Reds’ Jim Maloney that carried over the RF roof at Forbes Field in a 2-1 win. Dennis Ribant tossed a complete game six-hitter to earn the W. The Reds Gary Nolan was working on a seven-inning one-hitter when he was lifted for a pinch hitter. It was a tough defeat; the Pirates only score before Pop’s pop was when Cincy botched a two-out grounder to allow Donn Clendenon to score, and the Reds tied it in the top of the ninth on a two-out single by Vada Pinson. 
• 1968 - All Star pitching duels don’t get much better than the NL’s 1-0 win over the AL in the All Star game at the Astrodome as the only run scored in the first inning on a double play grounder. The Bucs didn’t have much to do with the outcome, as Matty Alou singled in his only at bat and Gene Alley was a bench player; he was nursing a shoulder injury. 
• 1971 - The Pirates turned the first triple play of the 1971 season when Atlanta’s Leo Foster hit a grounder to 3B Richie Hebner, who stepped on third and threw to Dave Cash at second for the second out. Cash’s relay to Bob Robertson at first nipped Foster to complete the play as the Pirates rolled past Atlanta 11-2 at TRS. Willie Stargell went 3-for-4 with a homer, three runs and four RBI while Manny Sanguillen went 3-for-5 with a triple and four RBI. Richie Hebner also homered as Nellie Briles went the distance for the win. 
• 1972 - The Bucs raced out to a 6-0 lead over the Braves and took home a 7-4 victory from Atlanta Stadium. All the Pirates runs were the result of long balls swatted by Willie Stargell, Al Oliver, Manny Sanguillen and Bob Robertson, giving Nellie Briles all the support he needed for the complete game win. 

Mario wins one with his bat - 1977 Topps

• 1977 - SS Mario Mendoza smacked the only walk-off hit of his career, a two-out single to right in the 12th off Gene Garber at TRS, for a 9-8 Pirate win over the Phillies. Phil Garner had a good day, going 3-for-6 with a homer, double, two runs and two RBI, while Dave Parker also went downtown. Mendoza, btw, was batting under his own line, hitting just .182 at game time. The run-fest was surprising; the starters were John Candelaria and Lefty Carlton, who both were laboring under a rare bad moon - they gave up 14 runs and 22 hits combined in 13-2/3 IP while Teke blew a two-run, ninth inning lead. And there was a little extra pizazz during the game when The Kissing Bandit, Morganna, made her way onto the field and planted a wet one on the Candy Man. 
• 1982 - John Candelaria, closing in on free agency, told the Pirates that he would not sign a new contract, saying “I’m not happy here. I don’t want to stay here.” He lied, signing for four years at close to $700,000/season after the campaign. However, he soon beefed about that deal (he wanted it renegotiated after Kent Tekulve got more than Candy Man did in his 1983 FA season contract), and was dealt to the California Angels in early August of 1985. 
• 1983 - Larry McWilliams continued his strong season with a two-hit, 3-0 win over LA at Dodger Stadium with nine whiffs to run his record to 9-5/3.02. It was well tossed by both sides; Alejandro Pena gave up just six hits, all singles, and two of the runs against him were unearned. McWilliams ended the year 15-8/3.25 with eight complete games, four shutouts and 199 K. He was strong again in 1984 but not so much in ‘85 & ‘86, and was released before the 1987 season. 
• 1991 - The junior circuit took a 4-2 win from the NL in the All Star game played at the Skydome. Bobby Bonilla started at DH and went 2-for-4 with an RBI. P John Smiley faced one batter, Joe Carter, who singled off him. 

Candy's last hurrah - 1993 Upper Deck

• 1993 - Two Pirates pitchers were let go, and for John Candelaria, it was the end. He was a Bucco for 11 years, then went on an eight-year, seven team odyssey before returning to Pittsburgh as a 39-year-old. The Candy Man slashed 0-3-1/8.24 in 24 relief outings and was waived; it was the end of his career. Wakefield was on the opposite end of his MLB journey. The knuckleballer was sent to AA Carolina (the team wanted Spin Williams, the Mudcats pitching coach, to check under Tim’s hood) and would get a final look as a Buc in September, ending 1993 with a line of 6-11/5.61. The converted infielder was released by Pittsburgh for good in April of 1995 after spending all of 1994 with the AAA Buffalo Bisons (5-15/5.84), and signed a few days later by the Boston Red Sox. Wakefield kicked off a 17-year, 3,000+ IP, 186-win run in Beantown. 
• 1996 - The NL shut down the AL 6-0 at Veteran’s Stadium to take the All Star game. C Jason Kendall was the Pirate AS and came in to catch the ninth.