8/11 From 1980: Benson Signs; Travis Thumps; Freddy Ready; Bay Howls; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Michael, Andrew & Melky

• 1981 - In the second game of Part 2 of the strike-split 1981 season, the Bucs were behind, 2-1, to the Montreal Expos in the ninth at Olympic Stadium. But the Pirates bats awoke just in time; they strung together five straight hits with one down (they had just two knocks up to then), the final being a three-run insurance shot into the RF stands by John “The Hammer” Milner, to take a 6-3 victory. Teke, in relief of Rick Rhoden and Enrique Romo, got credit for the win while the loss was hung on old teammate Woodie Fryman, even though most of the damage was inflicted on the following hurler, Elias Sosa. And for the second straight night, ump Dave Pallone called the plate while the bases were covered by three local semi-pro men in blue as travel woes kept the rest of the crew grounded. 
• 1984 - OF Melky Cabrera was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. As a 34-year-old veteran of 14 seasons and seven teams, he signed a minor league NRI deal ($1.15M MLB salary) with the Bucs in 2019 and broke camp as an extra outfielder. His defense was suspect, but the switch hitter’s bat was as steady as ever as he hit .280 for the Bucs in his final MLB campaign. The Melkman last played in the Mets system in 2020, and he was released late in July without reaching the show. Melky then suited up with the Dominican team in the 2021 Olympics and took home a bronze medal. 
• 1986 - The Cubs used a record 10 pitchers in a 17-inning, 10-8, loss to the Pirates, which used seven hurlers of their own. The game at Wrigley Field was a continuation of an April 20th game that was postponed due to darkness. Winner Barry Jones, who struck out the side to end the game, and Barry Bonds, who had the game winning RBI, were both still in the minors when the original game started. The Bucs also took the regularly scheduled match, 10-7, making it nine straight victories over the Cubbies. Mike Diaz and Jim Morrison both homered and teamed up to drive in seven runs to help ease Rick Rhoden into the winner’s circle. 

Andrew Lambo - 2014 Topps First Edition

• 1988 - OF Andrew Lambo was born in Newbury Park, California. He joined the Bucs at the 2010 deadline in a deal with the LA Dodgers that also netted P James McDonald. Lambo got three cups of coffee with the Pirates from 2013-15 and hit .191; though a solid performer in the minors, he could never stay healthy long enough to challenge for an MLB spot. 
• 1994 - Zane Smith tossed a 4-0, five-hit, shutout at TRS without a single strikeout against the Expos, which at the time sported the best record in baseball. But his outing wasn’t the big news flash - the MLBPA went on strike the next day, and MLB canceled the rest of the season a month later. 
• 1995 - 1B/2B/LF Michael Chavis was born in Atlanta, Georgia and was Boston’s 2014 first rounder (26th overall) as a prep player. He had a spotted minor league career, with injuries during the first couple of years, a breakout 2017 season, then a PED suspension in 2018. He debuted for the BoSox in 2019 and hit .254 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs in 95 games. Chavis couldn’t repeat in 2020-21, and the Red Sox sent him to Pittsburgh for P Austin Davis. He got off to a strong start in the minors in ‘21 and was called up in August, then broke camp with the team in 2022. He became a platoon 1B this season, also playing 2B, 3B and DH/pinch hitter while displaying some power. Chavis was DFA’ed at the end of the season and elected free agency; he's now with the Nats. 
• 1996 - Clemson’s Kris Benson, the first overall selection in the 1996 draft, became the highest paid draftee to date when he signed with Pittsburgh for $2M. He looked well worth the money after starting his career with strong 1999-2000 campaigns, but had TJ surgery after the 2000 season and never regained his edge. Kris finished his nine-year MLB tenure with a 70-75/4.42 line and a 43-49/4.26 slash in his five years with the Pirates. 

Tike Redmond - 2004 Upper Deck

• 2003 - The top of the Pirates order - Tike Redmond, Jason Kendall and Brian Giles - went 10-for-12 and drew a pair of walks as the Bucs pounded out 17 hits, but 13 stranded runners spelled defeat as they dropped a 6-4 decision to St. Louis at PNC Park. Pittsburgh was slap-happy with 13 singles, had two guys thrown out on the bases and banged into a DP. 
• 2004 - After blowing a two-run lead in the ninth, the Pirates got a two-run homer in the 11th inning from Craig Wilson to walk off the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park by an 8-6 score. Jason Bay was the man of the hour, going 4-for-6 with a homer and four RBI, while Jose Castillo added a long ball to earn the win for John Grabow, the Bucs sixth twirler. 
• 2005 - Nine batters came to the plate in the first inning and scored six runs to lead the Pirates to an 11-3 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field. Pittsburgh pounded out 17 hits in the game and six of the starting position players had at least two hits, with Jason Bay, Ryan Doumit and Jose Castillo collecting three apiece. Brad Eldred homered, Castillo had three RBI and Josh Fogg went six innings to pick up the win against Colorado. 
• 2007 - Freddy Sanchez banged out four hits, including a homer and double, while driving in five runs to lead the Pirates to a 13-3 win over San Francisco at AT&T Park. Adam LaRoche had a pair of knocks with a long ball (he and Freddy went back-to-back in the fourth inning) & three RBI; Jose Bautista, Ryan Doumit, Jose Castillo and Jack Wilson joined him with two raps as the Pirates collected 17 hits against rookie Tim Lincecum and four other Giants hurlers. Tony Armas got the win, but it took five Buc pitchers to close out the game. The game wasn’t a runaway until the Buccos put up a six pack in the ninth to ice it. 

Cutch - 2009 Topps Chrome

• 2009 - Andrew McCutchen was a one-man wrecking crew against the Colorado Rockies, even with just one hit. Cutch went 1-for-2 with a double, walked three times, scored three runs and stole three bases in a 7-3 win at Coors Field. The Bucs hit five doubles and a triple that were involved in six of their runs to earn the win for Ross Ohlendorf, who went six innings. 
• 2014 - The Pirates jumped on Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers for five first inning runs, keyed by Starling Marte’s bases-loaded triple, and rolled to an 11-6 win at PNC Park in front of 35,314 fans. The Pirates padded their lead with four homers during the game. Two were hit by Travis Snider, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored while Ike Davis and Russ Martin also went long. Josh Harrison added three hits while Martin and Jordy Mercer had a pair of knocks each. Jeff Locke got the win even though he gave up four runs in five innings of work. The Tigers were coming off a 19-inning game, and three of the five pitchers Motown used had just been recalled from AAA Toledo. 
• 2016 - Jameson Taillon worked eight scoreless innings at PNC Park in his 10th big league start as the Bucs blanked the Padres, 4-0, to take the series rubber match. David Freese led the way with a pair of RBI, including an opposite field run-scoring single in the first inning that turned out to be the game-winner. Gregory Polanco added an RBI single in the third while Josh Harrison chased home another run in the fourth. It was the second time Jamo went eight shutout frames; he tamed the Mets by the same score in June on two hits.