6/29 From 1970: Pops #400; B-Rakes; Cutch, El Toro, Matt Bangin'; Not Jolly Ollie; Roberto Statue; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Tony

• 1972 - Nellie Briles spun a three-hitter (all collected by Boots Day) as the Bucs romped over the Montreal Expos, 9-0, at Three Rivers Stadium. Nellie got all the help he needed from Manny Sanguillen, who had four hits and scored three times, and Richie Hebner, who bopped a two-out, three-run homer. Briles even helped himself by singling in a run and then coming around to score as he ran his record to 6-2 with the complete game victory. 
• 1977 - Pops Stargell became the first Pirates player to hit 400 career home runs when he connected in the fifth frame off Eric Rasmussen in a 9-1 win at Busch Stadium. Bill Robinson had a four-bagger and double while Phil Garner added a long ball against the Cards. Bruce Kison and Goose Gossage combined for a seven-hitter. Captain Willie finished his career with 475 bombs, far and away the most by a Bucco - Ralph Kiner is a distant second with 301. 
• 1977 - RHP Tony McKnight was born in Texarkana, Arkansas. Tony was a first round draft pick and pitched modestly well for Houston (5-1/3.91 in nine starts) in limited work. The Pirates took a dice roll on the 24-year-old by swinging a deadline deal that sent reliever Mike Williams to the ‘Stros for him. They rolled snake eyes; Tony went 2-6/5.19 in 12 starts with a 1.572 WHIP, then ended his career with two years in the minors. He’s now a coach for the Texas A&M at Texarkana Eagles. Williams became a free agent and re-signed with the Bucs in 2002. 
• 1978 - Rennie Stennett, gimpy but game with a bum ankle, came off the bench in the eighth and tripled in Phil Garner to give the Bucs a 4-3 win over the Mets at TRS. The drive gave Grant Jackson the win with a ninth-inning save by Ed Whitson after they took over from Bert Blyleven and Kent Tekulve. Willie Stargell had three knocks, including a homer and double, and Kenny Macha added three more, one a triple, to account for half of the Pirates 12 hits. 

Rennie Stennett - 1978 Hostess

• 2000 - Jason Kendall put on a show with two hits, including a homer, walk, two stolen bases, three RBI and two runs as the Bucs outlasted the Cubs 5-4 in 10 innings at TRS. He capped the game with a walk-off single to bring home Mike Benjamin for the bonus baseball win. Marc Wilkins, the fourth Pirates pitcher, got the victory in a game started by Jose Silva. 
• 2003 - Matt Stairs drove in four runs with a homer and double while Jason Kendall added four knocks to lead the Bucs to a 9-0 whipping of the Rockies at PNC Park. Jeff Suppan pitched a complete-game, four-hit shutout for the win. In the day’s other big news, veteran first baseman Kevin Young was released. He was hitting just .202 and the writing was on the wall, but it was a bittersweet split as KY was a respected clubhouse guy and mentor for many of the players in the organization as the 34-year-old had spent 11 of his 12 big league years with Pittsburgh. 
• 2005 - LHP Ollie Perez was placed on the DL with a broken toe. He kicked a laundry cart in frustration after being pulled from a game in St. Louis on the 26th (an eventual 10-inning, 5-4 Pirate win) and was out of action for 10 weeks. He was traded to the Mets the following year. 
• 2006 - The Pirates edged the Chicago White Sox at PNC Park, 7-6, ending a club-record 13-game losing streak. Freddy Sanchez was the hero with four hits, including a walk-off ninth inning homer. He had help from the tres Jose's - Bautista, Castillo and Hernandez had two hits - and Jack Wilson, who also rapped out a pair of knocks. Mike Gonzalez got the win. 
• 2012 - The Pirates pounded four homers on the way to a 14-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Clint Barmes and Alex Presley all went yard. Cutch had a 4-for-5 day with four runs and three RBI; Alvarez added four RBI. Kevin Correia went five frames for the win; Brad Lincoln and Chris Resop covered the final four innings. It was an early leg of a 24-of-35 winning streak that put them 16 games above .500 in early August, but a late free fall left them at 79 wins for their 20th straight losing season. 

Roberto Clemente - 2013 Topps Greats

• 2013 - A life-size statue of Roberto Clemente was unveiled at the 25-acre Roberto Clemente State Park along the Harlem River in the Bronx. The likeness, sculpted by Maritza Hernandez, was the first in New York to honor a person of Puerto Rican heritage, according to the park's director. The park opened in 1973 as the Harlem River Park before being renamed after Clemente, and holds an annual Roberto Clemente Week to celebrate its namesake. 
• 2021 - The hapless Bucs barely avoided being no-hit when Ka’ai Tom, batting .131 (he was in a 2-for-39 slump), lined a single to right to open the ninth inning against German Marquez at Coors Field for the Pirates sole knock. It was the only highlight of an 8-0 drubbing against Colorado, the second straight night they had been whitewashed by the Rockies. 
• 2022 - Bryan Reynolds set career-highs by banging three homers and driving in six runs to lead Pittsburgh over Washington at Nationals Park by an 8-7 count to end a Pirates five-game losing streak. Daniel Vogelbach also homered and a big run was scored thanks to the rule book. With one out in the fifth inning and the score tied, Hoy Park was on second and Jack Suwinski was on third. Ke’Bryan Hayes’ low liner to 1B Josh Bell was snagged as both runners were off on contact. Bell threw to 3B Ehire Adrianza, who tagged Park and then stepped on the base. He should have stepped on the base first as Suwinski crossed the plate before Park was out, and his run counted. The blue crew invoked the “fourth out” rule because Washington didn’t appeal before leaving the field though Suwinski never retouched third; the two bads added up to a good thing for the Bucs. Both teams burned their pens; the Nats used six pitchers and the Bucs five, with Chase De Jong getting the win and Yerry De Los Santos earning his first MLB save.