8/27 From 1960: Byrd-Herrera; Oberkfell-Gregg; Pedro on Hold; Pops on SI; Mega Rally; Game Tales; HBD Nick, Jordy & Mike

• 1961 - RHP Mike Maddux (Greg’s older bro) was born in Dayton, Ohio. Maddux had a 15-year, eight team MLB stay and spent a few weeks with the Bucs in 1995, getting in eight games and going 1-0/9.00. He was released in May and signed with the Red Sox. He retired in 2000 and has since coached in the Astros’ system and on the big league level with the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and currently with the St. Louis Cardinals. 
• 1963 - The Pirates topped the Mets, 2-1, as Bob Friend went wire-to-wire with a seven-hitter while fanning six Mets, to best Grover Powell and Galen Cisco at Forbes Field. NY had a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the ninth when Manny Mota’s little league homer walked off the game. With Ducky Schofield aboard after a one-out walk, Mota singled. The ball scooted past center fielder Duke Carmel, allowing Ducky to score. The ball was run down by right fielder and former Bucco Joe Christopher, who airmailed his peg over the plate. Mota sailed home for the win as Cisco, backing up the play, slipped while chasing down the wayward toss and his throw home was a step late. Ironically, Christopher was a late-inning defensive sub for Duke Snider. 
• 1965 - The Bucs scored six times in the ninth at Forbes Field to take the Astros into extra frames, eventually winning their seventh game in a row in 11 innings, 10-9. Andre Rodger’s one-out knock was the game-winning blow; Harry Walker sent him up to pinch hit for Willie Stargell against lefty Danny Coombs. Al McBean, the Pirates sixth pitcher, took home the win. Roberto Clemente threw out a runner going from first to third the hard way. The Pirates ran a wheel play with runners on first and second, and Bob Lillis rolled the ball through the vacant infield. Bill Mazeroski described what followed to Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press "Roberto raced in from right field, dove for the ball, and with his face in the dirt threw out the (back) runner going to third base!" Walker told Biederman that “Clemente made the doggondest (sic) play I ever saw.” It kept the ‘Stros from running away with the game; Houston banged out two more hits after his play. 

Roberto Clemente - 2019 Topps 150 Years

• 1974 - Dock Ellis went gate-to-gate pitching and swung a mean stick, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored, in Pittsburgh’s 13-2 win over San Francisco at Candlestick Park. The Giants scored two runs in the first inning before the Bucs put the game away with nine runs (on three hits - the rest of the Bucco runners were aboard via five free passes, two HBP and a pair of boots; Giant hurler Ed Halicki walked two guys with the bases loaded) in the third. Al Oliver went 3-for-5 with five RBI and Ed Kirkpatrick added three knocks and two walks, plating three times. Richie Hebner had three RBI without a hit, walking twice with the bases packed and lifting a sac fly. The Bucs had 12 hits (10 were singles) but were helped greatly by 13 gift runners. 
• 1979 - Willie Stargell shared the cover of Sports Illustrated with a gang of grizzled all-stars for the feature “Golden Oldies.” Pops was 39 but still hit .281 with 32 long balls. He won the NLCS & World Series MVP awards, was co-winner of the MVP award with St. Louis' Keith Hernandez and shared SI's "Sportsmen of the Year" award with the Steelers’ Terry Bradshaw. 
• 1983 - Lee Tunnell and Ken Dayley tossed five-hitters at TRS with the Bucs coming out on top 2-0 behind a two-run blast by Bill Madlock in the third inning. Both hurlers were in complete command. Tunnell, who went the distance, faced down his only real threat in the second when he left the bases loaded with an out by whiffing the pitcher and coaxing a Brett Butler bouncer to escape. Lee Lacy had two hits for Pittsburgh and scored ahead of Mad Dog’s dinger. The two teams were leading their divisions at game time but both finished the race in second place, behind the Phils and Dodgers. 
• 1986 - SS Jordy Mercer was born in Seiling, Oklahoma. He was a third-round draft choice in 2008, and the Oklahoma State product also played for Team USA. Mercer rode the pine in 2012, saw more playing time in 2013 and won the starting job the next season. He was a dependable if not particularly rangy fielder with a slow-starting bat (he usually ended the year hitting .255-.260) and occasional pop. Jordy signed with Detroit in 2018, moved to the Yankees briefly and later joined the Nats. He retired after the 2021 campaign after a decade spent in MLB. 

Ken Oberkfell - 1988 Topps

• 1988 - The Atlanta Braves sent IF Ken Oberkfell and cash to the Pirates for OF Tommy Gregg. Oberkfell spent a season and change with the Bucs as a seldom used reserve, batting .181 in 34 games, while Gregg played nine more years, mostly as a reserve/platoon outfielder. 
• 1990 - RHP Nick Tropeano was born in West Islip, New York. He was a fifth-round draft pick of the Astros in 2011 out of SUNY-Stony Brook and debuted in 2012 with Houston. He was sent to LA in 2014 and tossed for parts of four seasons with the Halos with a line of 11-11/4.51 in 38 outings, then had TJ surgery in 2017. Nick signed with the New York Yankees in 2020, was released in early August and claimed by Pittsburgh, getting a call up on August 23rd and tossing four shutout innings in his Bucco debut. He became a FA after the season and joined the Dodger system. He tossed for the Giants and Mets in 2021 and now is pitching AAA ball for Texas. 
• 2008 - Pedro Alvarez was placed on the restricted list after the MLBPA filed a grievance against MLB over draft picks being signed minutes after the August 15th deadline (Petey had made a verbal agreement). On September 22nd, Álvarez and the Bucs settled on a four-year major league deal worth $6.4M that resolved the complaint to the satisfaction of all parties. 
• 2009 - The first and last Bucco hits left the yard, and that was enough for a 3-2 win against the Phils and future Bucco JA Happ at PNC Park. Cutch opened the game with a long ball, and Garrett Jones ended it with a two-run, game-winning shot in the eight. Denny Bautista got the win against Philadelphia in relief of Charlie Morton, with Matt Capps earning a save. 

Garrett Jones - 2009 Topps Heritage

• 2013 - Looking to strengthen the roster down the stretch, the Pirates pulled off a waiver deal with the NY Mets for vets OF Marlon Byrd, C John Buck and $250K for minor league IF Dilson Herrera and a player to be named later (RHP Victor Black). The deal was triggered by Starling Marte’s hand injury, which kept him out of action for three weeks (he returned September 9th) Byrd (.318, three HR, 17 RBI in 30 games) helped the Bucs to a wildcard spot (he last played in 2016 for Cleveland prior to receiving a second PED suspension) while Buck hit well in Pittsburgh (.333 in nine games) before retiring after the 2014 campaign. Dilson has bounced around (he’s playing indie/Latino ball now) and Black, after a good showing with the Mets in 2013-14, has been injury-bitten and ended his career playing indie ball. He’s now a farm coach for the Pirates.