10/11 From 1970: '71, '79 WS, '72, '92 NLCS Splits; Tracy Hired; Big Deal Nixed By Chub; Price Hike; HBD Ty & Shane

• 1971 - In a game that was delayed a day by rain, Brooks Robinson set a World Series record by reaching base five consecutive times (three hits, two walks) against the Pirates as Baltimore won 11-3 in Game Two. Bob Johnson and Bob Moose were hit hard at Memorial Stadium - the O’s scored nine times in the fourth and fifth frames and belted three homers in the laugher. The Bucco runs came in the eighth on Richie Hebner’s three-run shot. 
• 1972 - Bob Moose's wild pitch in the ninth inning allowed George Foster to score the winning run with two outs as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Bucs, 4-3, at Riverfront Stadium to capture the NLCS to earn a World Series berth. The Pirates had entered the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead but couldn’t hold on. Johnny Bench's lead-off solo homer against Dave Giusti tied the game before Foster’s scamper won it. Cincy pitching was the difference. Pittsburgh led the NL with a .274 team BA, but hit just .190 during the NLCS, scoring only 10 runs in the final four games. The Reds lost the World Series to the Oakland A’s in seven games. 

Ty Wigginton - 2005 Fleer

• 1977 - IF Ty Wigginton was born in San Diego. He came over from the Mets as part of the Kris Benson deal and played for the Pirates from 2004-05, primarily at third, but hit just .237. He played 12 seasons before his last game in 2013, making stops at eight different cities. Ty’s now a high school coach, following in his dad’s footsteps. 
• 1979 - Pittsburgh pushed a run across in the ninth to knot the World Series with Baltimore at a game apiece, taking a 3-2 win at Memorial Stadium. Bill Madlock and Ed Ott drove in second inning runs while Eddie Murray homered and doubled to plate a pair. Jim Palmer and Bert Blyleven started the game and left it to the bullpens to decide. Both teams left the bases loaded in the seventh. Bill Robinson singled to start the ninth against Tippy Martinez, and Matt Alexander came in to run, only to be caught stealing. With Don Stanhouse on the mound, Bill Madlock drove one deep to center, but it was a loud out. The Bucs kept on, though, as Ed Ott hit a ground ball single, Phil Garner drew a four pitch walk, and pinch hitter Manny Sanguillen singled to right for the lead. Don Robinson got the win and Kent Tekulve the save, striking out a pair of Orioles in the ninth to ice the victory. 
• 1979 - LHP Shane Youman was born in New Iberia, Louisiana. Shane made 23 appearances (11 starts) in 2006-07 for Pittsburgh with a line of 3-7/5.13, and that was the extent of his MLB career. He spent four years pitching in the indie leagues, another four campaigns in Korea, and spent some winters tossing for Latin clubs, with 2016 split between in the Mexican League and the winter Venezuelan League. He returned to Korea in 2018 at age 37, and now coaches high school players in Texas. 
• 1983 - Pirates beatman Charley Feeney of the Post Gazette wrote that the Bucs and Giants had submitted a big late-August trade for league approval, but were denied by NL President Chub Feeney because of a rules violation. Per the article, the Buccos were going to send 1B Jason Thompson, 2B Johnnie Ray, LHP Rod Scurry and OF Lee Lacy to the Bay for OF Jack Clark and lefty reliever Gary LaVelle. GM Pete Peterson was looking for a power bat to replace OF Dave Parker, who was in the walk year of his contract (and did sign with the Reds after the season). The catch? The Pirates wanted two unspecified players to stay with the team until the end of the season - the Bucs were in a pennant race at the time (they ended up second after the smoke cleared) but that ran counter to a reg that forbid a club from keeping players on their original team after they were announced as part of a deal. The talks had begun back in June, with San Francisco seeking 2B Denny Gonzalez and C Tony Pena as part of the original proposed package. 

Walkie - 1992 Donruss

• 1992 - Pittsburgh stayed alive against the Atlanta Braves at TRS, as they scored four times in the first inning to chase Steve Avery and rode a three-hitter by Bob Walk to a 7-1 win. Lloyd McClendon and Jeff King each had three knocks while the Bucs drilled five doubles among their 13 hits. The Pirates returned to Atlanta down three games to two in the NLCS. Deion Sanders flew to Pittsburgh for the game after playing for the Miami Dolphins that afternoon looking to become the first player to take part in two pro games in different sports on the same day, but even in a blowout didn’t get into the lineup. 
• 2000 - As expected, ticket prices for the new PNC Park went up from the TRS days. The majority of $20 TRS seats jumped to $23-$25 and overall prices ranged from $9-$35, with most fees going up $2-$5. The Pirates prices were still lower than most of the new parks, and the FO cited a view closer to the action and more comfortable seating as the reason for the hike. 
• 2005 - The Pirates hired Jim Tracy as manager, signing him to a three-year deal. It was the first time in two decades, since the hiring of Jim Leyland from the White Sox, that Pittsburgh went outside the organization to select its field boss. He lasted two years, then signed on as a bench coach at Colorado and replaced Clint Hurdle as skipper of the Rox in 2009. Clint returned the favor by becoming the Pirates manager in 2011. May the circle be unbroken...