9/7 From 1940 Through the 1980’s: Robby's Immaculate Inning; Maz Granny; Wood Says No; Game Stories; HBD Gorkys

• 1940 - The Bucs scored eight runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to rally past the Cardinals 14-9. Arky Vaughan‚ Terry Moore‚ and Vince DiMaggio all homered as Vaughan and DiMaggio combined for seven RBI at Sportsman’s Park. 

Vince DiMaggio - photo The Sporting News

• 1942 - The Pirates scored 11 runs in the sixth inning, reaching safely 10 straight times with two outs to top the Cards 11-6 in the first game of a Forbes Field twin bill. The Bucs had a runner on third when the seven-hit, three-walk outburst erupted, setting the franchise mark for most runs in a frame, and Pittsburgh didn't have an inning that big again until 1992. Bud Stewart led the attack with two hits in the frame, three RBI and a pair of runs. Rip Sewell was the fortunate recipient of the big frame, leaving the game on the wrong end of a 5-0 count for a pinch hitter. Apparently the barrage wore them out - they only had three hits during the rest of the game, and dropped the nightcap 6-4 for a Labor Day split. 
• 1948 - The Pirates chased Jim Hearn after two innings on the way to a 6-2 win at Forbes Field. Stan Rojek had twos across the board - two hits, two doubles, two runs, two RBI - to support Fritz Ostermueller. The game was noteworthy as it took Pittsburgh six more years and a dozen losses before they claimed another win against the St. Louis righty. 
• 1953 - The Pirates swept a twinbill for the first time that year‚ beating the NY Giants 9-7 and 5-3 at the Polo Grounds. Eddie Pellagrini had four hits‚ including a HR‚ to back Bob Friend in the opener. Lefty LaPalme was the winner in the nitecap as the Bucs beat Jim Hearn after 12 straight defeats at his hands. His last loss to the Bucs was exactly six years ago to the day. 
• 1962 - Bill Mazeroski hit a grand slam and drove home six runs to prime a 10-1 Bucco win against LA’s Stan Williams at Dodger Stadium. Earl Francis tossed a four-hit, complete game victory against the league-leading Dodgers. LA wasn’t totally left in the dust - with four steals, Maury Wills broke the modern NL record for stolen bases in a season with his 82nd swipe. 

Maz - 1962 TSN All Star

• 1973 - With a runner on first and two outs in the ninth, Al Oliver banged a single, beginning a Bucco run of six straight hits that would produce six runs, turning a one-run deficit into a 10-5 lead. The Pirates weren’t the only team with some rally left in them; the Phils answered with three runs of their own and had the tying run at the plate before Ramon Hernandez could shut the door at the Vet and secure a 10-8 win, with Bob Johnson earning the victory. Willie Stargell had four hits during the contest, including a game-tying, two-strike single against the shift. It was a wild beginning to Danny Murtaugh’s fourth and final stint as Bucco skipper. He had just replaced Bill Virdon, who was fired after the previous game. It was the first time he had won the opening game while managing, and the papers didn’t know whether “...to call it magic or call it luck.” 
• 1974 - The Pirates overcame a 4-0 deficit with a five-run seventh against Montreal at TRS, with seven straight Bucs reaching base. The Expos came back to take the contest into extra innings against Dave Guisti, but Dave Parker’s 12th-inning two-out, walk-off single plated Richie Hebner for a 6-5 Bucco win. Ramon Hernandez worked the last two frames for the win. 
• 1978 - The Pirates tried to set up a homecoming with LHP Wilbur Wood, claiming him off waivers from the White Sox, but the vet, citing his 5 & 10 year rights, vetoed the move. He had been with the Bucs in 1964-65 before being traded to the ChiSox for Juan Pizarro, and spent 12 campaigns with Chicago. Wood had a couple of rough years at the end following arm surgery, with ERA’s in the 5.00 range, and he retired rather hook up with another club. 
• 1982 - Jason Thompson hit his 30th home run of the season off Mike Scott in a 9-5 win over the Mets‚ becoming just the eighth player in history to hit 30 home runs during a season in each league. (He hit 31 home runs for the Detroit Tigers in 1977.) Richie Hebner and Mike Easler also went long at TRS. The day was a double blessing; his baby son arrived the night before. 

Jeff Robinson - 1988 Score

• 1987 - Closer Jeff Robinson tossed an immaculate inning, the first in Bucco history (Ross Ohlendorf and Juan Nicasio would later join him), when he K’ed Cubs Leon Durham, Andre Dawson and Rafael Palmeiro on nine pitches in the eighth. It was the first time since Bruce Sutter in 1977 that an immaculate inning was pitched. Of Robinson’s nine strikes, six were swinging, two called, and one fouled. He worked the ninth without any more punchouts to earn a save for Brian Fisher in a 3-2 win at Wrigley Field. It was his first save as a Pirate after joining the team on August 21st as part of the Rick Reuschel trade with the Giants. The Bucco runs came in on a Terry Harper homer, his first as a Pirate, and Bobby Bonilla’s eighth inning, two-out, two-run double. 
• 1987 - OF Gorkys Hernandez was born in Guiria, Venezuela. He was blessed with good wheels and a great glove, but his bat limited him to a couple of cups of coffee in Pittsburgh in 2012 and 2015, playing for three other organizations in between. He’s been with the Giants since his second Pittsburgh stint.