5/8 From 1970: Matt Capped; A-Ram PoW; AVS Hot; DD Gem; Pops Luvs LA; Game Tales; HBD Jason

• 1973 - For the second time in his career, Willie Stargell drove a ball out of Dodger Stadium. His blast off Andy Messersmith carried over the 50-foot high right field roof, 470’ away, and was one of two four-baggers for Pops, who was the only player to ever launch a ball out of that park. It was impressive but not enough this day as LA took a 7-4 decision. 

Jason Davis - September, 2008 photo George Gojkovich/Getty

• 1980 - RHP Jason Davis was born in Chattanooga. Drafted out of Cleveland State CC (TN) by the Indians in the 21st round of the 1999 draft, he debuted for the Tribe in 2002. They converted him from starter to reliever and traded him to Seattle in 2007. He lasted there for a year, signed and was released in a late cut by Texas and caught on with the Bucs. Jason started at Indy and was called up in July, slashing 2-4/5.29 as a swingman. He spent 2009 at Indy and ended his career following that season after putting up an 0-8/6.06 line. 
• 1988 - Doug Drabek took a no-hitter into the ninth before allowing a pinch-hit, infield single to Randy Ready and a home run to ex-Pirate Marvell Wynne, winning a 6-2 decision over the Padres at TRS. Bobby Bonilla had three hits to lead the Pirate offense. Whether by coincidence or not, SS Al Pedrique, the player who couldn’t convert Ready’s infield hit, was demoted to AAA Buffalo and replaced by hot shot SS prospect Felix Fermin. 
• 1994 - Andy Van Slyke went 8-for-9 (one hit shy of the MLB twin-bill hit record) during the Pirates' 9-2 and 9-3 Mothers Day doubleheader sweep of the Cubs at TRS with a homer, double, five runs scored and four RBI. The Bucs took the first game behind Paul Wagner as Lance Parrish added three RBI. The nightcap was won by Zane Smith, keyed by a four RBI outing by Brian Hunter. 
• 1997 - Jason Kendall's bases-loaded double was the big blow in a Bucco eight-run fourth frame as Pittsburgh outlasted Colorado, 10-8. Mark Johnson had three hits while Al Martin and Kevin Elster added homers for the Bucs, which scored 24 runs on 31 hits in their two games at Coors Field. Love that mountain air! 

Jason Kendall - 1997 Circa (reverse)

• 2001 - 22-year-old 3B Aramis Ramirez was named the NL Player of the Week, batting .361 with three homers, three doubles (.952 slugging %) and eight RBIs. He told the Post Gazette “That’s what I work for. Everything’s about working hard.” Then A-Ram took his leave from the interview to call his mom back home in the Dominican Republic with the good news. 
• 2007 - Matt Capps was suspended for four days by the league for beaning Prince Fielder three days earlier. Fielder had the misfortune of being the batter who followed JJ Hardy and his three-run homer in a loss to Milwaukee. Capps’ 0-1 pitch was up and in; Fielder’s noggin dodged danger when he managed to turn and take the pitch off his upper arm. Capps was immediately ejected and later suspended. He requested a hearing and his defense was that if he meant to hit him, it would have been with the first pitch, an argument that didn’t move MLB safety guy Bob Watson an inch. As far as Fielder getting a message, well, not so much...he homered in his next at bat, which came in the following game. 
• 2012 - In a see-saw game at PNC Park, Washington’s Adam LaRoche erased a 3-2 ninth inning Pirate lead by blasting a two-run homer off Joel Hanrahan. But the Bucs had an answer. With two down in their half, Rod Barajas took a 2-0 Henry Rodriguez heater deep to left, scoring Alex Presley ahead of him, to pull out a 5-4 walk off Pittsburgh win over the Nats. Tony Watson earned the victory. 
• 2013 - “The Comeback Kid” ran out rebounds: After being DFA'ed on April 30th, LHP Jonathan Sanchez, who broke camp with the Pirates as a fifth starter after a rash of injuries felled the other back-end contenders, was released. He went 0-3/11.85 and gave up 25 hits, including seven home runs, in 13-2/3 IP during what would be his final MLB posting. 

The Comeback Kid - 2013 photo Harry How/Getty

• 2018 - The Chicago White Sox took a quick 4-0, first-inning lead over Ivan Nova and the Bucs, but in a blink, Pittsburgh came back with four in the second frame, and roared back to take a 10-6 victory. The Bucs had 16 hits on the night, with Corey Dickerson collecting four of them. Starling Marte had three knocks while Gregory Polanco, Josh Bell and Colin Moran added a pair each. Every Pittsburgh starting position player reached base safely and either plated or chased home a run. Both teams used six pitchers (Tyler Glasnow was credited with the win) in a game that lasted almost four hours.