10/2 From 1970: '74 Clicher; '71 & '74 NLCS; Madlock Crown; Lamont Let Go; PA Sale; Game Stories; HBD Victor & Marino

• 1971 - The San Francisco Giants scored four runs in the fifth inning off Steve Blass on a pair of two-out homers by Tito Fuentes and Willie McCovey, and the outburst was just enough to drop the Pirates 5-4 in the opening game of the NLCS at Candlestick Park. Dave Cash scored twice and had an RBI while Al Oliver drove home a pair of runs in the loss. It was the Pirates sixth straight loss in the City by the Bay. 
• 1974 - Bob Smizik’s Pittsburgh Press game story was headlined “Pirates Blunder Into Division Title” and it was right on. The Pirates rallied from a 4-0 hole against the Cubs at TRS to get within a run in the ninth. With two gone and Manny Sanguillen on third, pinch hitter Bob Robertson K’ed on a Rick Reuschel slider. The ball got away from Steve Swisher, and his throw to first hit the plodding Robby on the back and caromed into right, allowing The Roadrunner to score. The Bucs won it in the next inning when Al Oliver tripled and scored on Sangy’s swinging bunt up the third base line. A loss would have given the St. Louis Cardinals, with a rainout to make up, a chance to tie for the lead. The fans didn’t act in championship fashion, tossing bottles at the Cub outfielders, who had to wear batting helmets in the field. Plate ump Shag Crawford told Smizik after the game that “It was the worst I’ve ever seen a big league crowd. I finally gave some thought to forfeiting in the ninth, but (manager Danny) Murtaugh really helped out...” when he went on the field and scolded the crowd into civility. 

Victor Santos - 2006 photo Elsa/Getty

• 1976 - RHP Victor Santos was born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Victor, although he had five years in the league, made it to the Pirates via the Rule 5 draft from KC and spent 2006 as a Bucco, slashing 5-9/5.70 in 25 games (19 starts). He spent one more year in the show, then spent most of his time in the Latin leagues, finally toeing the rubber for the last time in 2012. In his retirement, he became an instructor at Roberto Clemente's Baseball and Softball Academy. 
• 1977 - Kent Tekulve and Rich Gossage each appeared in their 72nd games to break the existing club record for most appearances in relief during a 3-2 Bucco victory over the Cubs in the second game of a twin bill at TRS. Goose got the win after Teke blew the save. Dave Parker clinched his first batting title, finishing with a .338 average after going 1-for-4 in the opener, a 5-1 Bucco win. For the Pirates, it was a red hot finish as they won 12-of-13 games to end the season, finishing second to the Phils with 96 wins. Teke would go on to shatter the record in 1979 by appearing in 94 outings, still the club mark.
• 1979 - In the opening game of the NLCS at Riverfront Stadium‚ Willie Stargell ended a tight pitching battle started by John Candelaria and Tom Seaver by bombing a three-run homer in the 11th inning off Tom Hume to give the Pirates a 5-2 victory over the Reds. Grant Jackson got the win with a Don Robinson save. The Bucs had jumped ahead in the third by a 2-0 count on a Phil Garner homer, Omar Moreno triple and Tim Foli sac fly. The Reds tied it an inning later on George Foster’s two-run shot.
• 1981 - RHP Marino Salas was born in Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic. Salas was traded to the Pirates as part of the Salomon Torres deal with the Brewers. He began 2008 en fuego, going 2-0-2/0.77 in 14 appearances at AAA Indy and was recalled by the Pirates in May. It didn’t quite translate; in 13 appearances for the Bucs in 2008, he slashed 1-0/8.47 in 13 outings. Salas finished out his career by pitching in the Italian League. 
• 1983 - Bill Madlock, finishing the final days of the season gimpy with a calf injury, sat out the Bucs last game but managed to hang on to the batting title, finishing the year at .323 to edge out the Cards’ Lonnie Smith, who finished the campaign at .321. Though it was the the lowest BA to win a NL title since 1919, it was quite a feather in Mad Dog’s cap as he became just the eighth MLB player with four or more batting crowns since 1900 and the first in the senior circuit to pull off the feat since Roberto Clemente in 1967. 

Bill Madlock - 1983 Fleer

• 1985 - The Galbreath family and Warner Communications agreed in principle to sell the Pirates to the Pittsburgh Associates, a group of 10 primarily corporate and institutional investors that kept the team afloat and in Pittsburgh, for $21.8M (the deal was finalized in March, 1986). As part of the agreement, Malcolm “Mac” Prine was named president of the Pirates during the transition and take over. Mac was the CEO of Ryan Homes, which was part of the PA, the first private-public ownership group in pro sports. He brought in Jim Leyland as manager and Syd Thrift as GM; ironically, a power struggle with Thrift led to Prine’s resignation two years later. Mac was replaced by Carl Barger, who had sharper elbows and forced Thrift to walk the plank a year later. 
• 2000 - Gene Lamont was fired as manager. The former White Sox skipper replaced Jim Leyland in 1997 and led the Bucs to a second place finish, but overall his Pittsburgh record was 295-352 (.456). His hitting coach, Lloyd McClendon, was hired to take his spot three weeks later. Lamont returned to coaching with the Red Sox, Astros, and Tigers; he’s now a special assistant in Kansas City. 
• 2005 - Zach Duke, with help from Mike Gonzalez and Salomon Torres, stopped the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 at PNC Park. The Brewers finished at 81-81, and the loss prevented them from their first winning season since 1992, although it did end a long consecutive losing season streak. The Bucco tallies came on a two-run Nate McLouth homer and a solo shot by Craig Wilson. The Brew Crew did win 83 games in 2007 to finally get over the hump; it would take Pittsburgh until 2013 to do the same.