8/29 From 1960 Through the 1990s: Wagner So Close...; Ray Robbery; TSN Dave; RIP Big Poison; Game Stories

• 1965 - Hall of Fame OF’er Paul “Big Poison” Waner died in Sarasota, Florida at age 62. Among his many marks were a .333 lifetime BA, 3,152 hits with eight 200+ hit seasons, and a 1927 MVP award. His #11 was retired by the Pirates in 2007. After his playing days, he owned a batting cage establishment in Harmarville. One of the guys he helped develop there was rookie shortstop Dick Groat of Wilkinsburg.  
• 1970 - Dave Giusti was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Pirate Cutthroat.” He finished his “cutthroat” season 9-3 with 26 saves and a 3.06 ERA, working 66 games/103 IP as a multi-inning finisher.  

• 1978 - Despite a 36-minute rain delay, Bert Blyleven spun a five-hit, complete game shutout with eight strikeouts in a 5-0 win over the Reds at Riverfront Stadium. Willie Stargell led the attack with three hits, including a homer, and three RBI while Dave Parker & Ed Ott anted up a pair of knocks. It was Bert’s 39th whitewash; he would go on to toss 60 over his career.  
• 1983 - The Pirates Rick Rhoden, with late help from Kent Tekulve, edged the Cincinnati Reds 2-1 at Riverfront Stadium to increase the Bucs division lead to 1-1/2 games over the Phils and Expos. Rhoden scattered six hits and fanned nine while helping himself with an RBI knock; the other run came courtesy of a Marvell Wynne homer. Teke tossed two innings of one-hit ball after Rhoden left with a “twinge” in his arm. 1984 - God helps those who help themselves: RHP Don Robinson pitched two scoreless innings of relief, knocked in the go-ahead run and scored the insurance marker as the Pirates beat the Astros, 4-2, at The Astrodome. Robinson broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the 9th inning with a two-out single and touched home for the fourth run after Tony Pena followed with a double.  
• 1987 - Lotta firsts: Andy Van Slyke hit his first (and only) grand slam off Larry Andersen with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to ice an 8-2 win against the Houston Astros at TRS, extending the Bucco win streak to five games. Mike LaValliere went deep for the first time on the season and Mike Bielecki picked up his first win of the campaign while tossing the first complete game of his career. His six-hitter topped Nolan Ryan and Larry Anderson. Bobby Bonilla added three hits, including a double, and chased home three runs. Not all the goodies were first-timers: Ryan passed the 200+ K mark for a record 11th year.  
• 1987 - The Pirates traded 2B Johnny Ray to the Angels for two minor leaguers, 3B Bill Merrifield and LHP Miguel Garcia. With Jose Lind in the wings, the Pirates thought Ray, whose range had diminished noticeably at age 30, was expendable after seven years and a .286 BA. Maybe he was, but the Bucs sure didn’t get much - Merrifield never played for Pittsburgh and Garcia made 13 Pirate appearances with a 7.71 ERA. Meanwhile, Ray won an All-Star berth and hit .296 in four seasons for the Halos before closing his career in Japan. Ray’s agent said that the 2B had demanded the trade after GM Syd Thrift brought up Lind, claiming that Chico would cut into Ray’s playing time and cost him bonus money. The two sides had been cool since spring training when an expected (by Ray) contract extension didn’t happen. 
•  1988 - LHP Dave LaPoint became the first Pirate starter to begin his Pittsburgh career with three one-run or fewer starts when he whipped the Reds 8-1 at Riverfront Stadium. He was obtained for reliever Barry Jones in August from the White Sox, finished the year 4-2, and then signed with the Yankees as a FA the following season. 

 

Dave LaPoint - 1989 Upper Deck

•  1990 - Barry Bonds went 3-for-4 with five RBI to lead the Bucs to a 10-0, rain-shortened seven inning win over the Braves at Atlanta-Fulton Stadium. Jeff King added three RBI, two off sac flies, as Doug Drabek won his 17th game. The game ended a four-game losing streak and followed a clubhouse meeting held by manager Jim Leyland after a lackadaisical 9-0 loss the night before. 
•  1995 - RHP Paul Wagner came within one strike of a no-hitter with a one-hit, 11K, 4-0 win over the Rox at TRS. With two away in the ninth, 1B Andres Galarraga chopped a 3-2 pitch past the mound and over second, where Nelson Liriano made the grab but couldn’t beat The Big Cat to first with his throw. For Wagner, it was just his third win against 13 losses, and the victory snapped a six game Pittsburgh losing string.