9/15 From 1950 Through the 1970s: Granny Garner; Blass Bash; Alou Trio; Game Stories; HBD Dennis & Rich

• 1951 - The seventh-place Bucs defeated the league-leading Brooklyn Dodgers, an oddly regular occurrence in an otherwise down year for Pittsburgh. As Les Beiderman of the Pittsburgh Press wrote “Johnny Merson, playing in just his second major league game, staged a one-man riot at Forbes Field as the Pirates made the league-leading Dodgers dance to an 11-4 tune to the accompaniment of cheers of the 11,098 faithful. The 27 year old Merson...fired two singles, a double and a triple and drove in six big runs as the Pirates became the only team in the league to wind up with a season edge on the Dodgers, 12-10.” Frank Thomas added three hits, including a homer, to back up Mel Queen, who got the win with some strong relief work by Ted Wilks. The Bucs finished the year 64-90 and their showing against da Bums (the Dodgers were one of just two teams the Bucs had a winning campaign against) probably cost Brooklyn the pennant as they finished one game behind the NY Giants after losing the Bobby Thompson “shot heard ‘round the world” playoff game. As for Merson, he hit .360 in 13 games as a September call up, but batted just .246 the following season and after one game in 1953 was out of major league baseball.

Jack Merson - 1952 Topps

• 1962 - The Pirates beat the Giants’ Jack Sanford, 5-1, at Forbes Field to hand the righty his first loss after 16 straight wins. Sanford and Bob Friend were locked in a 1-1 duel until the Bucs broke it open with a four-run eighth inning, with the key blows being a Roberto Clemente double and Bob Bailey triple; the rookie had a three-RBI day. Friend tossed a five-hitter with nine K; Sanford served up a six-hitter, but eight walks eventually sunk him. 
• 1963 - The three Alou brothers, Felipe, Jesus, and Matty, played in the San Francisco Giants’ outfield at the same time. Manager Alvin Dark played the Alou boys together for an inning during the Giants’ 13-5 win over the Pirates at Forbes Field, putting Willie Mays on the bench. Matty would later join the Bucs in 1966 for a five-year run. 
• 1967 - LHP Dennis Moeller was born in Tarzana, California. Moeller was part of the Jose Lind deal with KC in 1992. Pittsburgh used the starter as a reliever in the show, and that didn’t work out so well - in 10 outings, he put up a 1-0, 9.92 line. He mostly was rostered at AAA Buffalo, where he made 24 appearances (11 starts) with a slash of 3-4/4.34. Dennis was non-tendered after the season and signed with the Royals again, but never made it back to the show. 
• 1968 - Steve Blass did it all in a 3-0 win against the Mets at Shea Stadium. He won his 16th game, and seventh in a row, by spinning a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts and more than helped himself at the dish, singling home runs twice. He was supported at the plate by Roberto Clemente, who had three hits, including two doubles, to open both the Bucs run-scoring frames. Manager Larry Shepard said of Blass “He’s come from nowhere to where he’s now our number one pitcher.” Steverino aw-shucked the praise, but did admit “Baseball sure has been a lot of fun for me this summer.” 
• 1968 - LHP Rich Robertson was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. A 1990 draft pick of the Bucs, he was a seldom used mop-up guy for Pittsburgh in 1993-94, getting in 17 games and putting up an 0-1/6.57 slash. The Twins picked him up off the waiver wire, and he had his best MLB season for them in 1995 and started from 1996-97, winning 17 games. He lasted one more campaign and after spending time in the minors, he hung ‘em up in 2000. 

Rich Robertson - 1993 Fleer Final

• 1976 - Dave Parker went 4-for-5 with a homer and double while Bill Robinson and Richie Zisk also went long in a 7-2 win against the Phils at Veterans Stadium. The three amigos accounted for six RBI and six runs scored among them (Duffy Dyer chased home Willie Stargell for the other tally) to support John Candelaria, who went seven innings of two-run, three-hit ball, and Dave Giusti, who put up a pair of zeros to close it out. 
• 1978 - Phil Garner hit his second grand slam in two games. Today’s was in the first inning off Woodie Fryman as the Pirates beat the Expos 6-1 at TRS. Yesterday’s granny came against Bob Forsch in the seventh frame as the Bucs beat the Cards 7-4, also at TRS. Garner was the first player to hit slams in consecutive games since Brooks Robinson in 1962 and in consecutive at bats since Jim Gentile in 1961. Bruce Kison took the win with late help from Ed Whitson and Kent Tekulve; Jim Rooker went wire-to-wire to claim victory against the Cards.