8/5 From 1950: S-Rod Returns; Kontos, Bevacqua Deals; Homer Parker; TSN Ty; What Book?; Glovely HoF Maz; Stargell Lights Up LA; Game Tales; HBD Eric & John

• 1950 - Leadoff hitter Bob Dillinger singled off Jim Hearns to open the game, but that would be the Bucs’ only knock in a 5-0 loss to the NY Giants at the Polo Grounds. Hearns was effectively wild that day, issuing five walks and uncorking a wild pitch. Mel Queen, who gave up a four spot in 4-1/3 IP, took the loss. 
• 1960 - As posted by BR Bullpen: In a game described by Dick Groat as "the greatest I ever played in," the World Series-bound Bucs buttressed their first place margin over Milwaukee by pulling out a 1-0 win over the Giants. The game's only run came in the eighth inning, when Bill Virdon scored from first on an errant throw by pitcher Sam Jones on Groat’s bunt. But it's the fielding plays that were most spectacular: for the Giants, Willie Mays nipped a seventh inning Bucs uprising in the bud with a brilliant throw to cut down Don Hoak going first to third. But the Pirates' Vinegar Bend Mizell was the chief beneficiary of this game's defensive prowess: the "Say Hey Kid" was robbed of a sure extra-base hit by Roberto Clemente in a terrifying catch and crash that knocked the right fielder out of the lineup for a week as he smashed face first into the concrete base of the stands at the 395-foot mark, then collapsed on the warning track. Five stitches were required to close the cut on his chin, and his left knee was banged up. An inning before that, Virdon made a tremendous running grab of Felipe Alou's bomb to the left center light tower, and, in the eighth, Virdon made what Pittsburgh Press writer Les Biederman described as "the play of the season," just missing a leaping grab of Andre Rodgers' drive to the 406’ mark in left center, then recovering almost instantly to make a strong, accurate throw to third. Out by a mile was Rodgers, who made an ill-advised, two-out try for a triple. The defensive showcase was witnessed by 33,301 fans.

Roberto Clemente - 1964 Topps Giant

• 1964 - The Pirates scored once in the eighth and twice in the ninth to rally past Don Drysdale and the Dodgers, 4-3, at Forbes Field. In the eighth, Bill Virdon scored after a Roberto Clemente double and a wild pitch by reliever Ron Perranoski to cut the lead to 3-2. Jim Pagliaroni led off the last frame with a homer, and with two out, Clemente lined a 2-2 pitch into center, his third hit of the game, to bring home Gene Alley with the game winner. Al McBean pitched the last two innings to get the win.
• 1969 - Willie Stargell launched a bomb off LA’s Alan Foster that officially was measured at 507’, the longest - and first - home run ever hit out of Dodger Stadium (other estimates ranged from 480’-512’). The Bucs won, 11-3, with Manny Sanguillen and Bill Mazeroski also going yard. Steve Blass cruised to the win over Don Drysdale in his last MLB game. 
• 1970 - 2B Bill Mazeroski set a modern-era NL record for putouts at his position with the 4,781st of his career in the Pirates 4-0 win over the Phillies at TRS, passing Billy Herman. Maz ended his career with 4,974 putouts, eventually surpassed on the leaderboard by Joe Morgan. Luke Walker spun a two-hitter and Al Oliver provided the muscle with a homer and three RBI. 
• 1971 - The Pirates rolled over Montreal, 7-2, at Parc Jarry behind homers by Willie Stargell, Al Oliver and Jose Pagan plus a pair of Gene Alley triples. The Bucs lost Pagan when his arm was broken by a pitch, but he returned to shine in the Fall Classic. Bruce Kison, who would also earn some World Series limelight, went the distance for the win. 

Jose Pagan - 1971 Pirates Picture Pack

• 1972 - RHP John Wasdin was born in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. John closed out his 12-year career in Pittsburgh, going 1-1/5.95 in 2007 in a dozen appearances from the pen. Wasdin then bumped around for a bit, tossing in AAA and Japan before taking a high school coaching gig. He joined the A’s as a pitching coach in 2011 and in 2017 jumped to the Orioles system and was let go in 2019. He’s now a coach for Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville. 
• 1977 - Utilityman Eric Hinske was born in Menasha, Wisconsin. The 2002 AL Rookie of the Year signed with the Pirates in 2009 as a free agent for $1.5M and hit .255 with one homer before being traded to the Yankees at the deadline. His 12-year career ended in 2013, and since then he’s been a Yankee scout and hitting coach for the Cubs, Angels and D-Backs, who let him go in 2021. He’s semi-retired, although the Yankees considered adding him to their staff this year. 
• 1977 - Cincinnati native Dave Parker became the first player to reach the red seats in right field at Riverfront Stadium when he homered off Fred Norman in a 12-1 win in the opener of a twin bill. Parker added another long ball and had five RBI to back Jerry Reuss’ four-hitter. The match featured a ninth inning fight between Frank Taveras and Joe Hoerner, who was honked that Taveras stole a base while up 7-1. Reds’ catcher Bill Plummer held Taveras while Hoerner slugged him after Frankie was buzzed, then beaned, and retaliated by tossing a bat (way off target) at Hoerner. Both benches emptied, with Parker and Bill Robinson trying to get to Hoerner (Robinson challenged him to a postgame runway meeting, but Joe didn’t show) before order was restored. Reuss didn’t even brush anyone back in the Reds’ ninth because Sparky Anderson had taken out all his regulars. Following a jeremiad to the press following the contest by usually mild-mannered Chuck Tanner, the fired-up Pirates also took the nitecap, winning, 10-6, for Grant Jackson. Taveras banged an inside-the-park grand slam (the first of two homers that he’d hit in the MLB), and Bill Robinson smacked a three-run shot in the win. The sweep gave the Buccos their ninth win against Cincy in 10 games and moved Pittsburgh just one game behind first place Philadelphia. It also cost them Taveras for five games; he was suspended a few days later, with Hoerner escaping with a fine. Additionally, it was the 40-year-old Hoerner’s last MLB outing - it wasn’t the brawl that cost him his job but his 12.71 ERA that got him pink-slipped. 

John Milner - 1979 photo/Getty

• 1979 - Chuck Tanner threw out the book when he sent up lefty John Milner to bat against Phils’ southpaw Tug McGraw to hit for C Steve Nicosia, who was 4-for-4 on the day and RH. Against the book, maybe, but it worked as Milner banged a walk off grand slam on the first pitch to win it, 12-8. Nicosia later said “I'm a .220 career hitter. What were my odds of going 5 for 5?" Hall of Famer Steve “Lefty” Carlton had an 8-3 lead in that game and couldn’t hang on to it. Kent Tekulve got the win in a game started by Bert Blyleven. In the second match of a double dip at TRS, the Bucs prevailed, 5-2, scoring four times in the fourth inning. Omar Moreno and Phil Garner each drove in a pair of runs off Dickie Noles in the frame. Don Robinson started and was chased; Enrique Romo came on for the victory with Teke closing it out. The twin wins gave the Bucs a five game sweep of their cross-state rivals; they would take 3-of-4 from them in Philly a few days later at the Vet on their road to the World Series title. 
• 1980 - The Bucs traded minor league OF Rick Lancellotti and IF Luis Salazar to the San Diego Padres for IF Kurt Bevacqua and RHP Mark Lee. Bevacqua, who had played for the Pirates in 1974, got in 51 games between 1980-81 for Pittsburgh w/.200 BA, then spent four more years with San Diego, all as a bench piece. Lee spent most of his time in AAA, working 16 times for the Bucs in 1980-81. Salazar, who had yet to play a MLB game, was the keeper of the deal, playing for five teams over the next 13 years, appearing at every position but pitcher and catcher with a .261 BA. 
• 1988 - You could forgive OF Tommy Gregg if he didn’t know if he was coming or going. He was sent to AAA Buffalo to make room for RHP Rick Reed, but before he could say adios to the boys in the locker room, he was back when the Pirates placed OF Glenn Wilson on the DL with a bum knee later that day. Tommy didn’t have a very long shelf life in Pittsburgh even with the reprieve; he was sent to Atlanta on September 1st as the PTBNL to complete the Ken Oberkfell deal. As for Reed, he was up and down with the Bucs through 1991 and became the classic late bloomer - in 1997, at age 32, he hit his groove with the Mets and earned two All-Star berths before finishing his career with the Twins in 2003. Rick won 83 of his 93 MLB victories during that seven-year span. 

Tommy Gregg - 1988 Donruss

• 2001 - Bill Mazeroski was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Dave Winfield, Kirby Puckett, and Negro League star Hilton Smith. A teary Maz had a big speech written out, but instead said "I think you can flush these 12 pages down the drain," and delivered 2-1/2 minutes of thanks before leaving the podium. 
• 2005 - Hard-nosed Ty Wigginton was featured on the cover of The Sporting News in a collision at the plate for the story (and issue theme) “How’s That Feel?” 
• 2016 - The Pirates had lost 4-of-5 and looked like they were going to let another game slip through their fingers until Sean Rodriguez's walk off homer in the ninth off ex-Bucco Ross Ohlendorf gave Pittsburgh a 3-2 victory over Cincinnati at PNC Park. Righties Jameson Taillon and the Reds Anthony DeSclafani handed a 2-1 Bucco edge to the bullpens. Cincy scored in the first on three singles; the Bucs tied it with John Jaso’s double (Billy Hamilton almost pulled it in and an Oscar performance earned an out call, but a review gave JJ the hit) the key blow. The Redlegs tied it in the ninth off Tony Watson with a leadoff walk, bunt, stolen base and a sac fly. But before the Bucs could mope, S-Rod sent a 2-0 heater into the left center seats to claim the win. 
• 2017 - The Pirates brought back utilityman Sean Rodriguez by sending Connor Joe to the Atlanta Braves. S-Rod missed most of the year with a shoulder injury suffered in a pre-season car crash. It showed; he was hitting just .167 w/19 K in 47 PA. He was a Bucco glue man in 2015-16, playing everywhere competently, hitting .260 w/22 HR while a popular guy in the clubhouse & among fans before signing a two-year deal w/the Bravos as a FA ($5.75M in 2018). Connor Joe, 24, was a 2014 sandwich pick (39th overall) who was a man without a position (1B, 3B, OF). He was hitting .240 at Altoona. They also snapped up 32-year-old, seven-year vet RHP George Kontos from the Giants to bolster the pen, releasing RHP Jhan Marinez. Although Kontos was on revocable waivers, SF let the Pirates claim stand without working out a deal. The FO had always been high on George; he was one of the players they tried to pry from the Yankees in 2008 before settling on Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf and Daniel McCutchen.