7/26 From 1970: Meals Game; '08 Yankees Deal; Kendall Inked; Gunner & Possum; Marte Start; Game Stories; HBD Joaquin

• 1977 - The Bucs dodged a bullet when John Candelaria took a liner just below his pitching elbow but only suffered a bruise in a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros at TRS. He was replaced by Goose Gossage, who was pitching for the first time in eight days after a rib pull, and The Goose got the final five outs, one a spectacular leaping catch by Dave Parker at the wall. It was Candy Man’s best season, ending at 20-5/2.34. He led the league in ERA and enjoyed his only 20-win season (and only All-Star selection). Candy’s stellar season wasn’t enough for the Bucs, tho - they won 96 games, but finished five behind the division-winning Phillies. 
• 1977 - RHP Joaquin Benoit was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The last stop in his 16-year career was with the Pirates in 2017 after the FO pulled off a deadline deal with the Phils, getting Benoit for a minor leaguer. He was a season-ending warm body and went 0-2/7.56 in eight games as a 39-year-old. He signed with the Nats for 2018, but spent the season on the DL and never made it back to the show. 

Joaquin Benoit - 2017 photo/Pirates

• 1979 - The Gunner was briefly united with old mate Jim Woods on the United Artists Satellite radio system for a game against the Reds at TRS. The Possum was a regular broadcaster for the network (they featured national Thursday Night games), and it was a one-time deal for Prince. There was plenty of action, but the Bucs fell short, losing 9-7 as Dave Roberts and Joe Coleman were tagged for eight runs in three innings, a deficit that Willie Stargell and Bill Robinson homers couldn’t overcome. 
• 1988 - Doug Drabek carried a two-hit shutout into the ninth against the Cards at Busch Stadium, but was banged for a two-out homer by Willie McGee to add a little drama. Jimmy Leyland yanked him for Jim Gott (“I’ve seen too many guys give up a home run like that, lose a little concentration and boom, someone else has got them” the skipper told Bob Hertzel of the Pittsburgh Press after the game). Gott added to the final theatrics by giving up a single, but closed it out by blowing a fastball past Tom Brunansky to book the victory. The Bucs scored twice in the fourth on a wild pitch and Sid Bream knock, scoring Jose Lind & Andy Van Slyke, to snap a four-game losing streak and stay two games behind the Mets in the division race. 
• 1997 - C Jason Kendall signed a four-year/$7.2M contract extension covering his arbitration years that carried him to 2001. It was well worth the price; the young backstop hit .317 over the life of the deal and earned two All-Star bids. 
• 2008 - OF Xavier Nady and RHP Damaso Marte were traded to the New York Yankees for RHPs Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen & Ross Ohlendorf along with OF Jose Tabata. During their Bucco careers, Karstens tossed for five years (23-35/4.31), McCutchen made 109 appearances in four seasons (8-11/4.77) and Ohlie tossed for four years (13-27/4.61). Tabata was the key prospect; the Pirates locked him up to a long term deal guaranteed for five years/$14.5M. Although he hit .275 for Pittsburgh over six years, injuries and lack of power were his undoing and he was shipped to the Dodgers. 
• 2011 - This was the black day of the Jerry Meals game in Atlanta, heralding the end of the Bucco's improbable pennant run. The ump blew a call at home in the 19th inning, giving the Braves a 4-3 win and starting a downward spiral of epic proportions for Pittsburgh. At 6 hours and 39 minutes, it was the longest game in club history. The Pirates filed a protest (at 2:30 in the morning) but the judgment call was upheld, even though the League Office admitted it was wrong. To add a little salt to the wound, Meals was born in nearby Butler. 

Starling Marte - 2012 Topps Pro Debut

• 2012 - In a rookie-to-rookie match, Starling Marte homered to left center against Houston’s Dallas Keuchel off the first MLB pitch he saw (Keuchel has since rebounded nicely). Pittsburgh won 5-3 at Minute Maid Park as Garrett Jones & Clint Barmes also went long while AJ Burnett took home the victory. Marte became the third Bucco to send his first major league pitch over the wall, joining Walter Mueller (1922) and Don Leppert (1961).