8/11 From 1980: Benson Signs; Jay, Freddy Afire; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Andrew & Melky

• 1984 - OF Melky Cabrera was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. As a 34-year-old veteran of 14 seasons and seven teams, he signed a minor league deal ($1.15M MLB salary) with the Bucs in 2019 and broke camp as an extra outfielder. His defense was suspect, but with a lifetime .286 BA and 103 OPS+, the switch hitter’s bat was as steady as ever. The Melkman signed with the Mets in 2020, but was released late in July without reaching the show. He played with the Dominican team in the 2021 Olympics and took home a bronze medal. 
• 1986 - The Cubs used a record 10 pitchers in a 17-inning, 10-8, loss to the Pirates, which used seven hurlers of their own. The game at Wrigley Field was a continuation of an April 20th game that was postponed due to darkness. Winner Barry Jones, who struck out the side to end the game, and Barry Bonds, who had the game winning RBI, were both still in the minors when the original game started. 

Andrew Lambo - 2014 Topps Trajectory

• 1988 - OF Andrew Lambo was born in Newbury Park, California. He joined the Bucs at the 2010 deadline in a deal with the LA Dodgers that also netted P James McDonald. Lambo got three cups of coffee with the Pirates from 2013-15 and hit .191; though a solid performer in the minors, he could never stay healthy long enough to challenge for an MLB spot. 
• 1994 - Zane Smith tossed a 4-0, five-hit, shutout at TRS without a single strikeout against the Expos, which at the time sported the best record in baseball. But his outing wasn’t the big news flash - the MLBPA went on strike the next day, and MLB cancelled the rest of the season a month later. 
• 1996 - Clemson’s Kris Benson, the first overall selection in the 1996 draft, became the highest paid draftee to date when he signed with Pittsburgh for $2M. He looked well worth the money after starting his career with strong 1999-2000 campaigns, but had TJ surgery after the 2000 season and never regained his edge. Kris finished his nine-year MLB tenure with a 70-75 slate (43-49 w/the Pirates). 
• 2003 - The top of the Pirates order - Tike Redmond, Jason Kendall and Brian Giles - went 10-for-12 and drew a pair of walks as the Bucs pounded out 17 hits, but 13 stranded runners spelled defeat as they dropped a 6-4 decision to St. Louis at PNC Park. Pittsburgh was slap-happy with 13 singles, had two guys thrown out on the bases and banged into a DP. 
• 2004 - After blowing a two-run lead in the ninth, the Pirates got a two-run homer in the 11th inning from Craig Wilson to drop the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park by an 8-6 score. Jason Bay was the man of the hour, going 4-for-6 with a homer and four RBI, while Jose Castillo added a long ball to earn the W for John Grabow. 

Jay Bell - 2004 Topps

• 2005 - Nine batters came to the plate in the first inning and scored six runs to lead the Pirates to an 11-3 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field. Pittsburgh pounded out 17 hits in the game and six of the starting position players had at least two hits, with Jason Bay, Ryan Doumit and Jose Castillo collecting three apiece. Brad Eldred homered, Castillo had three RBI and Josh Fogg picked up the win against Colorado. 
• 2007 - Freddy Sanchez banged out four hits, including a homer and double, while driving in five runs to lead the Pirates to a 13-3 win over San Francisco at AT&T Park. Adam LaRoche had a pair of knocks with a long ball (he and Freddy went back-to-back in the fourth inning) & three RBI; Jose Bautista, Ryan Doumit, Jose Castillo and Jack Wilson joined him with two raps as the Pirates collected 17 hits against rookie Tim Lincecum and four other Giants hurlers. Tony Armas got the win, but it took five Buc pitchers to close out the game. The game wasn’t quite the romp the final score would indicate; the Buccos put up a six pack in the ninth to tie the bow 
• 2009 - Andrew McCutchen was a one-man wrecking crew against the Colorado Rockies, even with just one hit. Cutch went 1-for-2 with a double, walked three times, scored three runs and stole three bases in a 7-3 win at Coors Field. The Bucs hit five doubles and a triple, using big bops to earn the win for Ross Ohlendorf. 
• 2014 - The Pirates jumped on Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers for five first inning runs, keyed by Starling Marte’s bases-loaded triple, and rolled to an 11-6 win at PNC Park in front of 35,314 fans. The Pirates padded their lead with four homers during the game. Two were hit by Travis Snider, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored while Ike Davis and Russ Martin also went long. Josh Harrison added three hits while Martin and Jordy Mercer had a pair of knocks each. Jeff Locke got the win even though he gave up four runs in five innings of work. The Tigers were coming off a 19-inning game, and had to use three pitchers just recalled from AAA Toledo in the contest. 

Jameson Taillon - 2016 Topps Heritage

• 2016 - Jameson Taillon worked eight scoreless innings at PNC Park in his 10th big league start as the Bucs blanked the Padres, 4-0, to take the series rubber match. David Freese led the way with a pair of RBI, including an opposite field run-scoring single in the first inning that turned out to be the game-winner. Gregory Polanco added an RBI single in the third while Josh Harrison chased home another run in the fourth. It was the second time Jamo went eight shutout frames; he tamed the Mets by the same score in June on two hits.