7/28 Through the 1980s: Gunner Nite, Josh Jack, Tony Rolls 7, Game Days, Gus-Max, SI Frank, Cobra Out, Arky HoF, HBD Carmelo, Chet the Jet, Bill & Duke

1867 - LHP Duke Esper (birth name: Charles H. Esbacher) was born in Salem, New Jersey. Duke spent nine seasons in the show and made a pair of brief stops, once with the Alleghenys (1890, 0-2/5.29) and another with the Pirates (1892, 2-0/5.40). In between those stints, Duke won 36 games, including 20 with Philadelphia in 1891, in 59 outings (both Pittsburgh years were split seasons). He posted a 101-100/4.39 lifetime slash before retiring after the 1898 campaign. 

1867 - RHP Bill Day was born in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. Bill had a 14-game MLB career with the Phils from 1889-90 and the ‘90 Alleghenys, going 0-6/5.52 in six starts after the North Siders sent OF Billy Sunday to the Quakers for him and $1,000 in an early salary dump. He hung around pro ball until 1904, closing out his ballplaying days in the Connecticut League. 

1908 - Vic Willis and the NY Giants Hooks Wiltse battled to a 2-2 tie at the Polo Grounds, working 16 frames before the game was called because of darkness. The Pittsburgh Press called it “A fitting finish to a great baseball series. Willis and Wiltse pitched high class baseball and their comrades supported them in grand style. The twirlers were cheered to the echo on leaving the slab after innings of excitement where they had baffled their foes.” The Pirates took 2-of-3 while drawing 70,000 fans during the four-game series, a huge gate for the era.

1932 - Scout Chet Montgomery was born in Warsaw, Kentucky. The Western Kentucky alum was known as “Chet the Jet” for his speed on the diamond and basketball court, but never played organized pro ball. After graduation, he became a high school hoops coach, then scouted for the Bucs (1963-67), Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians before returning to the Pirates as Special Assistant to the General Manager and Director of Player Development for a decade.

1932 - Pittsburgh swept a twin bill from the New York Giants, winning the matches by 10-7 and 9-1 counts. Earl Grace had three hits and three RBI during the lidlifter to pace the Pirate attack. Paul Waner and Adam Comorosky also had three raps as the Bucs banged out 16 hits, 14 of which were singles. Erv Brame got the win in relief of Steve Swetonic while Larry French picked up the save. In the nitecap, Tony Piet smacked a grand slam and three-run homer to go along with two more hits for a seven RBI, three-run day to allow Heinie Meine to cruise to the win despite giving up 10 hits.

Josh Gibson - 2005 Topps Pristine Legends

1938 - At Zanesville, Ohio’s Mark Grey Park (admittedly a bandbox), Josh Gibson led the Grays to a 17-4 win over the Memphis Red Sox with four home runs (two in one inning), the only four-homer game ever recorded in the Negro Leagues. The Negro National League champion Homestead Grays absolutely dominated the Red Sox, going 10-0 against them, including nine wins in a late July barnstorming series through the Midwest that included this game. Because no official box score or score card has been found, the game wasn’t counted in Gibson’s statistics.

1939 - The Pirates traded veteran 1B Gus Suhr to the Phillies for RHP Max Butcher. Suhr was nearing the end of his career (he was released after playing just 10 games in 1940, his last MLB season), but Butcher became a mainstay for the Bucs. He pitched for seven years, made 154 starts and won 67 games in Pittsburgh before hanging ‘em up after the 1945 campaign.

1940 - The Pirates won their eighth of nine games and fifth in a row by sweeping Boston at Braves Field by 5-2 and 7-3 scores. Maurice Van Robays was the white knight of the opening match, homering and driving in three runs to give Dick Lanahan all the support he needed. The Bucs used a balanced attack to support Max Butcher’s four-hit victory in the nitecap.

1958 - Frank Thomas was featured as the cover story of Sports Illustrated in an article titled “Nobody Knows Him But Everybody Wants Him.” In case you’re among the gang that doesn’t know him, the Pittsburgh native hit 163 homers in eight years as a Bucco (1951-58) and 286 bombs in his 16 seasons in the majors. He was an All Star three times during his Bucco career.

1960 - 1B/OF Carmelo Martinez was born in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Carmelo (he’s Edgar’s cousin) spent parts of the tail end of his nine-year career with the Pirates. The Pirates got him in 1990 as part of the Wes Chamberlain deal with the Phillies and then sent him to Kansas City for Victor Coles in May of the following year. Martinez didn’t see much action in that span, getting in 23 games and hitting .229. He worked in the Cubs system before becoming a Mexican League coach. Carmelo entered the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025 and is a coach with the Senadores de San Juan per Tony Menendez.

Al McBean - 1968 Topps

1968 - Al McBean had one of those can-do-no-wrong Sundays. He gave up 13 hits to the Cards at Forbes Field, but still went the distance for a 7-1 win as the Redbirds stranded a dozen baserunners and went 1-for-14 with RISP. The big blow? McBean’s grand slam, coming with two down after Milt May was walked to get to Alvin. He also had fun on the hill, tossing several blooper pitches to the Giants in the ninth. Donn Clendenon added a two-run blast. McBean became one of six Pirates pitchers in franchise history to bang out a grannie.

1971 - Luke Walker spun a four-hit, complete game whitewash at Los Angeles in a 4-0 win at Dodger Stadium. Bob Robertson homered and had a sac fly to bring home two runs. The Bucs nickeled and dimed the Dodgers; every position player had a hit, four different guys scored and three had RBI as the club put up their runs one at a time in four different frames.

1972 - It was “Bob Prince Night” at TRS and 39,035 fans turned out for the event. As Bob Smizik wrote in the Pittsburgh Press “...he is listened to by just about everyone. And there are some who don’t like him. But many, many more see through his exterior to the man inside.” The Gunner requested that any money raised go to his pet project, the Allegheny Valley School for Exceptional Children, and Pirates nation kicked in over $75,000. The Bucs defeated Tom Seaver and the Mets 3-1 behind Dock Ellis’ complete game seven-hitter, a Willie Stargell homer and a timely DP started by Dave Cash off an Ed Kranepool smash to bail the Docktor out of his biggest jam.

1976 - Richie Hebner cracked a homer in the 13th frame to top the Mets 1-0 at Shea Stadium to cap a 3-for-5 day. The big fly to right decided a pitching duel started by Tom Seaver and Doc Medich and ended with relievers Ken Sanders and Dave Giusti getting the decisions. Hebner was playing out his option year without a new contract after rejecting Joe Brown’s 20% cut offer in March, and it was part of a hot finish that saw the Gravedigger raise his BA from .192 on May 31st to .249 at season’s end. It didn’t bridge the gap as Richie signed a $550,000 multi-year deal with the Phils after the season, a bid that easily beat the Bucs offer.

Bill Robinson - 1977 Burger Chef

1977 - Twelve Bucco batters reached against Dan Larsen of the Astros in the first two innings (Pittsburgh rattled off six straight hits in the first frame) to open up a 5-1 lead and then added on via a Bill Robinson grand slam to claim a 9-4 decision over Houston at TRS. Robinson had three hits while Phil Garner, Dave Parker, Al Oliver and Ed Ott added a pair of knocks to back a sometimes shaky Jim Rooker (he gave up nine hits, including a pair of long balls), who went tape-to-tape for the win. Pittsburgh was en fuego at home; the victory gave them a 38-14 record at Three Rivers for the year. It was also the beginning of a Robby big blast bash - he hit another granny on the 30th, then started off August with a pair of three-run blasts on the 2nd and 5th. 

1982 - The Pirates were dealt a heavy blow when Dave Parker ruptured a thumb ligament while legging out a hustle double against the Phils. The Cobra required surgery and was out of action until September 11th. Even then, he only played two complete games and had little power, getting into just 12 contests and managing 20 at bats, with two doubles and no homers.

1985 - SS Arky Vaughan was enshrined at the Hall of Fame. After missing out on the writers’ vote, the Veterans’ Committee paid Vaughan his dues. Arky was an MVP in 1935 when he hit .385, was a six-time All Star, hit .318 during his decade with the Bucs, never hitting under .300.

1987 - Barry Bonds hit 176 homers while wearing the Bucco colors, but only one was an inside-the-park base circle. In an otherwise blah 5-2 loss to the Phillies at TRS, rookie Bonds drilled a two-out liner to right off Shane Rawley that kicked around, allowing him and Junior Ortiz to score the only Pirates tallies of the day. "Glenn Wilson tried to cut the ball off and missed it," Rawley recalled for the AP. "It rolled around the corner and ricocheted all the way around. By the time he got the ball, there was no way to get Barry." The hit was payback for Bonds, who Rawley had plunked twice. It was the first of three Bonds’ homers that didn’t clear the fence among his 762 long flies, with the other two hit in 1997 with the Giants.

7/28 From 1990: Cutch Long Ballin', Rudy HR Streak, Vanimal, GI Gone Long, Super Supe, Record Rally, A-Ram Jam, Game Days, Wil-Ricky, JJ-David, No Deal

1995 - The Pirates scored twice with two outs in the ninth to outlast the Mets at Shea Stadium, 10-9. NY ran up seven runs in three innings against Esteban Loaiza, but the Bucs fought back to tie it in the sixth. The Metropolitans came back to regain the lead by scoring a pair in the seventh off Jeff McCurry. The Pirates made it a one-run game in the eighth, but had to solve John Franco in the ninth. And they did - with two gone and Steve Pegues on second, Nelson Liriano knotted the score with a single and then came home a batter later when Jacob Brumfield’s double was misplayed in the corner. Jim Gott worked his second scoreless inning to nail down the win. It was a team effort, as seven Corsairs drove in runs and nine scored while banging out 16 hits. It was the sixth straight loss for the NY nine, who then took the next three games of the series.

1996 - Orlando Merced hit two home runs and tallied four RBI while Al Martin & Mark Johnson had four hits each as the Bucs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 12-8 at Three Rivers Stadium. Reliever John Ericks took home the win of the nationally televised ESPN Sunday Night Baseball match in what would be the last SNB appearance for the Bucs until 2014.

2000 - Aramis Ramirez drove in six runs with a pair of homers, Emil Brown went long to plate four more runners and John Vander Wal also went yard in a 16-5 romp over the San Diego Padres at TRS. A-Ram, Jason Kendall, Kevin Young and Vander Wal scored three times each.

2000 - The Bucs sent OF Wil Cordero to the Cleveland Indians for IF Enrique Wilson and OF prospect Alex Ramirez. Cordero played respectably through 2003 while Wilson was traded again in 2001 and Ramirez began a long career as a slugger in Japan after the 2000 season.

2001 - Pittsburgh became the second team in NL history (the Cubs were the first in 1952) to win a game by scoring seven runs with two outs and nobody on base in the ninth inning. Brian Giles capped the scoring with a walkoff grand slam (it was the first grannie ever banged at PNC Park) off Astros ace Billy Wagner, to rally for a 9-8 win. Pat Meares had hit a two-run shot earlier in the frame to ignite the comeback. The game was the opener of the first home day-night doubleheader in franchise history before a crowd of 32,977 at PNC Park. The Buccos used up all their luck in the first contest as Houston rolled to a 12-3 nightcap victory.

Brian Giles - 2001 Topps Finest

2003 - Jeff Suppan won his sixth consecutive start with a 3-0 decision over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, scattering seven hits. He was backed by Reggie Sanders’ homer and three hits from Randall Simon. Suppan was flipped to the Red Sox three days later as part of a recalculated deal that landed IF Freddy Sanchez and LHP Mike Gonzalez from Beantown.

2004 - In one of their more frustrating losses, the Bucs collected 11 hits but were shut out by the Atlanta Braves 1-0 at PNC Park in a contest that saw the Pirates strand 11 runners. Ollie Perez threw a five-hitter with 10 strikeouts, but Chipper Jones’ fourth-inning homer was the difference for the Bravos. John Smoltz came out of the bullpen to save the game for Russ Ortiz.

2005 - The Bucs swapped with the Padres to get IF JJ Furmaniak in exchange for C David Ross. Furmaniak batted 52 times as a big leaguer with a .186 BA while Ross hit .229 but had a long shelf life ahead of him, playing through the 2016 season and managing the Cubs through 2023.

2010 - Bucco first baseman Garrett Jones went 4-for-4 and homered twice with three RBI as Pirates beat the Rockies 6-2 at Coors Field. Leadoff batter Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Sean Gallagher tossed three hitless innings for the win in relief of starter Ross Ohlendorf, who left the game in the first inning after being struck in the temple by a line drive off the bat of Troy Tulowitzki. Ohlie fortunately just suffered a bruise and made his next start, only to be pulled in the first inning after taking a bullet off the leg. 

2012 - The Pirates won for the ninth time in 11 games, taking a 4-3 decision from the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Alex Presley and Neil Walker had solo shots, with Rod Barajas singling in Andrew McCutchen with the game winner with two out in the eighth inning. Chris Resop got the win in relief of ex-’Stro Wandy Rodriguez with Jason Grilli posting the save. The win kept the Bucs two games behind the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central race.

Chris Resop - 2012 Topps

2013 - The final page in a deal that didn’t happen was turned when the Houston Astros passed on the Bucs last and best offer of Luis Heredia & a competitive balance pick for RHP Bud Norris, as reported by Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review. The give and take was released as part of Astro emails leaked by St. Louis Cardinal staffers. The Pirates offered one of Heredia, Tyler Glasnow or Alen Hanson for Norris; Houston GM Jeff Luhnow wanted Glasnow and either Heredia or Nick Kingham as the return package, offers that Neal Huntington rejected.

2014 - The Pirates laid some small ball on Madison Bumgarner in the first inning, and it led to a big frame. The Bucs stirred together three hits, two walks, an error and a pair of sac flies to jump ahead of the San Francisco Giants 4-0 and then added on a final run when Josh Harrison homered. The rest of the night at AT&T Park belonged to Vance Worley, who spun his first MLB shutout and second career complete game. He tossed 100 pitches, allowing just four hits while facing two batters over the minimum, only one of whom advanced past first thanks to three DPs and a caught stealing. It was the Bucs first complete game shutout since AJ Burnett turned the trick in 2012. 

2019 - Starling Marte went 2-for-5 and collected his 1,000th career hit against the Mets at Citi Field. With the milestone, Marte became the 11th player in team history with at least 1,000 hits and 100 home runs. Bryan Reynolds, Jose Osuna and Jake Stallings added homers, but it wasn’t enough as the Bucs fell short 8-7 after the NY nine jumped Chris Archer for six first-inning runs.

2020 - So much for playing six-inning games and handing a lead off to the pen: after blowing a 5-1 ninth-inning lead the night before to the Milwaukee Brewers and losing 6-5 in 11 frames, the Bucs provided their own late lightning to overcome a big Brew Crew bulge by scoring four times in seventh and twice in the eighth innings to rally for an 8-6 win at PNC Park. The Pirates' tying frame was fueled by some sloppy Brewer fielding; Phil Evans knotted the score with a two-out double a couple of batters after the Crew threw away a DP ball to allow two runs to cross the plate. Adam Frazier delivered the game winner an inning later with a two-run homer, triggering a couple of firsts as the blast allowed Geoff Hartlieb to post his first MLB win and gave Nick Burdi his first big league save.

Tyler Anderson - 2021 graphic AT&T SportsNet

2021 - It took two tries, but the Buccos moved LHP Tyler Anderson (5-8/4.35), offered as a two-month rental on an expiring contract, by sending him to Seattle for C Carter Bins, 22, and Panamanian RHP Joaquin Tejada, 18, working out of the DSL (he had just five pro innings under his belt), touted but obviously a project. Anderson was first traded to Philadelphia earlier in the afternoon for a pair of Low A prospects, but that deal fell through when one of the Phils youngsters didn't pass the Pirates physical. Anderson joined the Angels after earning two All-Star bids with the Dodgers and was released in 2025. Bins retired in ‘25 while Tejada is playing at Class A Bradenton.

2021 - On the field, the news wasn’t very cheery as the Brew Crew whupped the Bucs 7-3 at PNC Park. But a bit of history was made when 22-year-old rookie 2B Rodolfo Castro, called up from Altoona after the Adam Frazier trade, banged a pair of homers to account for all three tallies against Milwaukee. Those long balls set an MLB record by making Rudy the first player whose first five big league hits were home runs. His streak ended when he doubled, with the ball clearing the wall but on a hop. After starting 2023 with the Bucs, Castro went to the Phils, then the Blue Jays and is currently playing in Japan. 

2024 - The Pirates were in the wildcard hunt despite an anemic offense, but after dropping a pair to another postseason hopeful, the Arizona Diamondbacks, hopes were dimming. Bryan Reynolds was on leave, Nick Gonzales was on the IL and Rowdy Tellez was limited to bench duty with a balky back. And sure enough, with two outs in the ninth, they were down at Chase Field 2-1, but still had some ball playing spunk left in them. With Alika Williams on second, pinch hitter Joey Bart doubled to tie it, and in the 10th, the Bucs scored four times, using the ghost runner, a hit batter, bunt single, wild pitch, a passel of walks and a chip shot into center. Game over? Nah. The D-Backs got an iffy two-run homer on a fly played a bit nonchalantly by Josh Palacios (who was one of five ninth-inning defensive switches for the Bucs) and deflected off the outstretched glove of a fence-hanging fan. Colin Holderman gave up another run, but held on for a 6-5 win.

2025 - Andrew McCutchen’s seventh-inning long ball gave him double-digit homers in all 17 of his MLB seasons, including the Covid-shortened 2020 season and three days before he tore his ACL in 2019, both with Philadelphia. The two-run blast against the Giants at Oracle Park enrolled Clutch in an 11-man society of guys that consistently delivered while also being the deciding blow in a 6-5 win.

Weekly Report: Weak Week, Kells & Bubba Sharp, O'Hearn BD Slam, More Fringe Moves, Top 5 Picks Signed, Rehab, Fringe Moves

2026 Season, Part II...

Pirates Stuff:

• C Shawn Ross was called up when Rafael Flores went on the 7-day concussion IL and got his first MLB start on Sunday (spoiler alert - he homered). Despite pitching well lately, RHL Jose Urquidy was DFA'ed to clear 40-man roster space and was traded to the White Sox for minor league RHP Felix Doroteo, a 21-year-old reliever in the Rookie League who's a hi K/hi walk lotto ticket.
• The Bucs acquired RHP Ron Marinaccio from San Diego for International Signing Bonus Pool money; RHP Dennis Santana was DFA'd. It's not much of an upgrade at first blush - Santana is 2-5-2/6.05 ERA with 37 strikeouts over 41-2/3 innings after posting a 2.18 ERA in '25. Marinaccio was DFA'ed on Monday after posting a 1-0/4.79 line over 47 IP w/38K. But the Pirates are hoping he reverts: Marinaccio's line is 7-5-2/3.50 in 141 career outings in five MLB seasons with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.   

Endy's rehabbing at Indy - 2026 image Sportsnet.Pgh

• Rehabs: Endy (glute strain) has reported to Indy, Spencer Horwitz (hammy) is at Class A Bradenton as is RHP Chris Devenski (illness) and RHP Michael Darrell-Hicks (undisclosed) was sent to the FCL.
• The Pirates were off last Thursday before reporting for 17 straight games without a breather.
• The Bucs signed their top five picks: No. 1 choice (#5 overall) LSU CF Derek Curiel for $6.2 M (slot $8,336,500), second rounder (#44 overall) SS Aiden Ruiz from Stony Brook HS ($3.5M bonus/$2.28M slot - Vanderbilt commit); second round supplemental pick (#51 overall) 2B Chris Rembert from Auburn for $2.4M (slot $1.94M); third-round pick (#80 overall) UNC RHP Jason DeCaro for $1.3 M (slot value: $1,035,700) and fourth-round pick (#108 overall) OF Andruw Giles ($1M bonus/$725,900 slot - Oregon commit) of Basic Academy. Another HS player (TNXL Academy), 11th round pick LHP Spencer Evans signed for $300K ($150K slot). He was an LSU commit.

Game Stuff: 

• Braxton Ashcraft kicked off the series at Yankee Stadium. A error, a missed challenge of a 3-2 walk and a hung curve to Jazz Chisholm made it 4-0 NYY's in a hurry. But those Buc bats...Esmerlyn Valdez homered to make it 5-4 Pirates in the top of the third. But Brax didn't have it; he left after three, down 8-5 after another Jazz blow. And who woulda thunk it - the next six frames went by quietly except for a little mixer (Dennis Santana and José Caballero traded some verbs; both clubs met at the mound for more chat), and the Yanks took the opener 8-5.
• Tuesday's Game #2 was Bubba Chandler's start, but it was rained out and deja vu, made part of a split doubleheader Wednesday. The opener matched Mitch Keller against ol' matey Gerrit Cole while Bubba faced Max Fried, fresh off the IL, in the nightcap.

Kells - July 2026 photo/Pirates

• Kells outgunned Cole Train, spinning five shutout innings, and Pittsburgh had a 3-0 lead in the seventh built on Jacob Gonzalez & Nick Gonzales homers until Carmen Mlodzinski gave up a three-run bomb. But no prob - Jared Triolo and Jake Mangum, the RBI twins, drove in 10th inning runs and Gregory Soto saved the 5-3 win for Mason Montgomery.
• In Game #2, Bubba was pulled with a shutout duel going on in the seventh; Brandon Eisert came in and got banged for two runs and 2-0 is how it ended. The Bucs got just three hits and fanned 12 times; the pitching held up against the Yanks even if the day ended in a split.
• The Friday night game drew 33,000+, but the Bucs went down to the Cubs in ten innings, 3-2. Yohan Ramirez had gone 19 scoreless innings before giving up a pair in extras, driven in by a two-out single and a bases-loaded walk. The Pirates had a couple of chances to take it in regulation, but left the bases loaded without scoring in the fifth with no outs and a run in, then Hank Davis was gunned down trying to score in the seventh on a nice throw by Ian Happ.
• 39,105 fans showed up Saturday night; unfortunately, the Pirates didnt and were blown out 11-0.

Ryan O'Hearn - 2026 photo Pirates

• Thankfully the Cubs didn't have a third lefty to toss against us on Sunday. Ryan O'Hearn celebrated his BD with a grand slam; Esmerlyn Valdez and Shawn also homered (tho it wasn't their party day) and it was 7-0 after three. Ashcraft got banged around for four runs, but gave the Bucs six frames and Carmen Mlodzinski with Mason Montgomery held the Cubs off from there as the Pirates salvaged the finale, 8-7.
• Busy week comin' up - The Buccos have a three-gamer with Arizona, then go to Cincy for a four game set

MLB Stuff: 

• LHP Justin Lawrence was released by the Nats on Tuesday after 6-1/3 IP & 4.26 ERA. He started out the season in the Pirates pen (0-2-1/5.08), was released and picked up by the Minnesota Twins. They let him go after seven outings and Washington claimed him. He was replaced by a former Bucco farmhand, RHP Eddy Yean, who debuted earlier in the year for the Nationals.
• LHP Marco Gonzales, who hasn't pitched an MLB game since early in 2024 as a Pirate following tendon surgery, has been called up to pitch for the Texas Rangers.
• Congrats to Carlos Beltran, Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent on entering the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.

7/27 Through 1974: Bill Takes Two, Kiki Clutch, Game Days, Skeeter Joins, Buck & NLASG, Matty On TSN, RIP Babe, HBD Enrique, Biz, Irish & Harry

1860 - RHP Henry Jones was born in McKeesport. Henry started playing for McKeesport in 1884 and hopped from one minor/indie team to another, landing with the Alleghenys in 1890. He went 2-1/3.48 in five outings (four starts), though his numbers don’t tell a true tale - he gave up 25 runs, but only 12 were earned, although he did finish with a 3.85 FIP. It ended up as his only big league campaign, and after two more years in the bushes, he was done with pro ball. 

1880 - LHP/OF Henry “Irish” McIlveen was born in Belfast, Ireland. His family later settled in the Pittsburgh area and McIlveen attended Penn State. He got his start in the majors with the Pirates in 1906, pitching two games and slashing 0-1/7.71. He was wisely converted to the outfield and caught on with the New York Highlanders, seeing some action in 1908 and getting into four games the following year before ending his MLB days. He passed away in 1960 at age 80.

1897 - C Biz Mackey was born in Eagle Pass, Texas. The 2006 Hall of Famer played for 24 seasons in the Negro Leagues and he made a brief stop in the area in 1927, playing for the Homestead Grays when they were an independent team. He put together a .329 lifetime BA and is considered one of the two top catchers in black baseball history, along with Josh Gibson.

1908 - Honus Wagner and Chief Wilson led the Bucs to a 4-3 win over the NY Giants and Christy Mathewson at the Polo Grounds. The Flying Dutchman had a pair of doubles good for two runs and an RBI while Wilson had two knocks, including a triple, scored once and drove in a pair. Nick Maddox got the win while Irv Young came on to get the last out in the ninth frame.

Carson Bigbee - Helmar Oasis

1916 - The Pirates bought the contract of 21-year-old Carson “Skeeter” Bigbee from Tacoma (he played his college ball at Oregon). Bigbee spent his 11-year MLB career as a Buc, batting .287 as mainly a LF who also played a bit in center and 2B. He was a hero of the 1925 World Series when his two-out, eighth-inning pinch hit double plated the tying run and he scored the winner against Walter “Big Train” Johnson in the seventh game although health issues had reduced him to a role player. He was part of a Buc brother act as sib Lyle pitched for the 1921 club.

1927 - Vic Aldridge tossed a five-hitter and the Bucs scored twice in the eighth inning to beat Dazzy Vance and the Brooklyn Robins 2-1 at Forbes Field to take over undisputed possession of first place. Kiki Cuyler banged the game winner when his single chased home Paul Waner, who had three hits on the day, and George Grantham for the victory.

1932 - Bill Harris notched a pair of wins in a twinbill against the Giants at the Polo Grounds, tossing three innings in the opening 9-8 win followed by two perfect frames in a 4-2 nitecap victory. In the first game, Lloyd Waner had four knocks while Arky Vaughan and Tony Piet homered. The Pirates scored three in the ninth to take the second match with C Earl Grace knocking home two of his three RBI and Harris singling in another. The Pirates increased their NL lead over the Cubs to five games, but would finish the season four games behind Chicago.

1941 - Homestead Gray 1B Buck Leonard launched a three-run homer at Chicago’s Comiskey Park to lead the East to an 8-3 win over the West in the Negro League All-Star Game. The contest drew a record crowd of 50,256. The NLASG series began in 1933, the brainchild of Pittsburgh Crawfords’ owner Gus Creenlee, and continued through the 1962 season.

Buck Leonard - 1993 Ted Williams

1942 - Pirates owner Bill Benswanger planned a tryout for Negro League players Roy Campanella, Sammy T. Hughes, and David Barnhill as reported by the NY Daily Worker. The August date was pushed back to September while Benswanger added Josh Gibson, Willie Wells, Sam Bankhead, Leon Day and several others to the list of players to audition. But the new September showcase never happened for undisclosed reasons (it was thought that most MLB owners were opposed to the idea and Benswanger didn’t want to go solo, but he never publicly gave a reason for the inaction) and a black ballplayer wouldn’t join MLB until Jackie Robinson suited up in 1947.

1961 - Giants’ Manager Alvin Dark said before the game that "Juan Marichal will go all the way" and kept his bullpen in the dugout to emphasize the point. And to rub it in, he was right. Marichal threw a complete game, five-hit shutout with eight whiffs at Forbes Field before 17,885 fans, winning 2-0 over the Pirates while topping hurlers Vinegar Bend Mizell and ElRoy Face.

1968 - Matty Alou was featured as the cover story of The Sporting News in an article titled “Pistol Packing Pirate.” Mateo was indeed packing - he hit .332 for his third straight .330+ campaign as a Bucco and earned a spot on the National League All-Star team for the first time.

1968 - Charles “Babe” Adams passed away in Silver Springs, Maryland, at age 80. The righty was on the short list of great Bucco pitchers, slashing 194-139-16/2.74 in 18 Pirates campaigns. Babe was the hero of the 1909 World Series, going 3-0/1.33 against Ty Cobb and the Tigers. He later was a farmer and newspaperman, covering local Mount Moriah, Missouri, sports and also serving as a foreign correspondent during World War II and the Korean War.

1973 - IF Enrique Wilson was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The nine-year vet played two half-seasons for the Bucs in 2000-01, hitting .223 and playing 2B, SS & 3B. The Bucs got him at the 2000 deadline as part of the Wil Cordero deal with Cleveland and then sent him to the New York Yankees at the next deadline for Damaso Marte. Two Enrique factoids: he hit .440 lifetime against Pedro Martinez, and in 2001, he was scheduled to be on American Airlines Flight 587 that crashed in Rockaway, killing everyone aboard. But when the Bronx Bombers lost the 2001 World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks, canceling the planned victory parade, Wilson flew home a few days earlier and missed the doomed flight. He’s had a fear of flying ever since.

7/27 From 1975: Freese-Frame, Fort-itude, Jay Day, Gems, Scrappy Sweep, Game Days, Candy POTW, Santana-Severino, Cobra HoF

1977 - Down by a pair to the Astros at TRS and with their six-game winning streak in peril, the Bucs put their nose to the grindstone and scored in three of the final four innings to eke out a 3-2 win. Down 2-0 in the eighth inning, Omar Moreno singled, stole second and came home on Fernando Gonzalez’s pinch hit single. Bill Robinson led off the ninth frame with a game-knotting dinger and scored the game-winner in the 11th. He walked, moved up to second via a sac bunt and continued on to third base when the throw hit him. Bill plated on Rennie Stennett’s walkoff line hugger to right. Kent Tekulve, the Bucs fourth hurler following Odell Jones, Grant Jackson and Goose Gossage, claimed the win. The squad stayed hot and swept Houston the next night, but their streak ended at eight straight at the hands of the Atlanta Braves and Phil Niekro.

1979 - The Bucs swept Montreal in a twin bill at Olympic Stadium in front of 59,260, one of the biggest baseball turnouts in Canada. They took the opener 5-4, three times losing leads to the pesky Expos before Phil Garner’s eighth-inning single scored Dave Parker with the game winner. Scrap Iron had a big game, with three hits and a homer, while Kent Tekulve allowed an inherited runner to score in the seventh to tie the game but still got the win with Enrique Romo picking up the save. Bob Robertson went long and had four RBI while Phil Garner went 3-for-4 again with four runs scored in the Bucs 9-1 win in the nitecap. Bert Blyleven went the distance, scattering five hits and striking out nine as the Bucs moved within 1/2 game of the first-place Expos.

1982 - Larry McWilliams tossed a three-hitter (he took a no-no into the seventh inning) and struck out 11 in a wire-to-wire 4-0 win over Philadelphia at TRS. Jason Thompson drove home a pair and Bill Madlock homered to provide the cushion against the Phils. In more good pitching news, John Candelaria was named the NL Pitcher of the Week after beating Cincy 3-1 and Atlanta 8-0 to run his season slash to 7-4/2.67 while working on a six-game unbeaten streak.

1983 - Jose DeLeon spun a four-hitter while Rennie Stennett & Johnny Ray combined for six hits, three homers and seven RBI to lead a 15-hit attack as the Bucs rolled over San Diego at TRS, 10-1. DeLeon struck out seven Padres and carried a no-hitter through the sixth inning in his second major league start (he beat San Francisco in his debut) and first complete game. 

Jose DeLeon - 1984 Donruss

1988 - The Pirates found a ball but lost their catcher while taking a 3-2, 10-inning decision from the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. In the third inning, Bobby Bonilla at third base lost a foul pop and Junior Ortiz hunted it down, making a diving, tumbling grab. He broke his collarbone in the process and was lost to the team until mid-September with Mike Lavalliere picking up most of the slack along with Tom Prince. The Pirates had an early 2-0 lead thanks to a Barry Bonds third-inning triple sandwiched between a single & grounder, and won it in the 10th frame when Bonds was chased home by Jose Lind’s double. The two-bagger extended Chico’s hitting streak to nine games and kept the Pirates two games behind the New York Mets in the standings. Mike Dunne started the game which was won by Jeff Robinson and saved by Jim Gott.

1991 - Jay Bell had the first two-homer game of his career while going 4-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored in Pittsburgh’s 11-5 win at the Houston Astrodome. Bell opened with a homer in the first frame, then added a three-run shot in the sixth inning to extend the Bucs’ lead to 11-0. Barry Bonds added three RBI and scored twice as Randy Tomlin picked up the win.

1998 - 2B Tony Womack set a record of 888 consecutive at-bats without grounding into a double play in an 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Rox at Coors Field. The previous record had been held by Brooklyn's Pete Reiser, set in the mid-forties. Tony ran the mark to 219 straight games and 918 at-bats without hitting into a twin killing. Jose Guillen had four hits and a homer (he also made one of the great throws in Pirates history, gunning a ball from the warning track in right on the fly to 3B Keith Osik to hose Neifi Perez by five feet) while Kevin Young also went long with three RBI.

1999 - In one of baseball’s weirder promotions, the Pirates defeated the New York Mets 5-1 in the first of MLB's "Turn Ahead the Clock Nights," sponsored by Century 21 Real Estate. Each team wore futuristic uniforms (the Bucs had red jerseys with yellow sleeves and a giant Bucco head logo, costumes better fit for Barnum & Bailey than a ballyard), with the hometown squad becoming the "Mercury" Mets for the night. The pregame welcome was “Greetings, earthlings. Welcome to Shea Station 4C. Blastoff time is 7:40.” The futuristic theme was carried on throughout the evening, with the scoreboard flashing computerized graphics of the players in the MLB space age as each came to the plate. Rickey Henderson, for example, was given three eyes and pointy ears, and played "left quadrant." Al Martin hit the first of his two HRs in the first "sector‚" and rookie Kris Benson went all nine sectors for the win; it was his first complete MLB game.

2009 - In an otherwise unremarkable 4-2 loss to Tim Lincecum at AT&T Park, Delwyn Young added a little spice to the show. Randy Winn’s bloop into right went off right fielder Garrett Jones’ mitt, then he soccer-balled it off his knee and kicked it into the air with his foot for good measure. Young, playing second, dove after the horsehide hacky-sack and made a lunging barehanded grab. Alas, despite the dexterity and degree of difficulty in recording the out, the ump blew the call and gave Winn a hit, which was how the Pirates’ luck ran back then. Regardless of the call on the field, Tribune Review writer Joe Starkey called the catch the “best play of the decade.”

Mike McKenry - 2013 Mike Rebilus/USA Today

2013 - Mike McKenry showed why MLB catchers are a different breed of cat. He caught the final three frames of a 7-4 win against Miami at Marlins Park after tearing the lateral meniscus in his left knee during a slide, an injury that required season-ending surgery three days later. It was hard to tell he was one-legged, as the reserve catcher, who soldiered through the game because starting catcher Russell Martin had tweaked his knee the previous night, went 4-for-5, the only four-hit game of his career. Charlie Morton won with a save by Mark Melancon.

2016 - It took 88 tries, but Gerrit Cole tossed his first complete game, spinning a three-hitter against the Seattle Mariners at PNC Park on the way to a 10-1 Bucco romp. The top of the order was smoking as Jordy Mercer & Andrew McCutchen had three hits apiece while Starling Marte & David Freese added a pair. The foursome went 10-for-17 with four doubles, a homer, two walks and HBP, scoring eight times and chasing home six. And the fifth guy in the order, Jung Ho Kang added a base-loaded double and had four RBI on the night. Ross Ohlendorf, btw, reclaimed the franchise’s title for going the longest without a CG at 64 starts.

2018 - The Bucs had dropped two in a row, coinciding with injuries to Starling Marte and Corey Dickerson, and things looked bleak when Michael Conforto lit up Ivan Nova for a three-run, first-inning homer at PNC Park to give the Mets a quick lead. An inning later, Josh Bell left the game with an oblique injury, but veteran platoon guy David Freese carried the team through the grind to a 5-4 victory. He was aboard five times with three hits, including a homer and two walks, while driving home all five runs, the last a ninth-inning walkoff rap. The Bucco bullpen carried its weight after Nova departed, tossing four innings of scoreless, three-hit ball with five whiffs. Edgar Santana and Kyle Crick held the fort before Felipe Vazquez tossed the ninth inning for the win. 

2023 - The Pirates traded 1B Carlos Santana, 37, to the Milwaukee Brewers for SS prospect Jhonny Severino. “Slamtana” joined his sixth team in five years (now he’s with Cleveland) after slashing .235/12/53 in Pittsburgh with solid leatherwork. The 18-year-old Severino was an international signee in 2022 by the Brew Crew, played in the Dominican Summer League and was promoted to the Arizona Rookie League this year (.250/4 HR in 12 games). The switch-hitter was a Top 25 International Prospect but wasn’t listed among Milwaukee’s Top 30 organizational prospects, and at least six other shortstops in the system were ranked ahead of him, so the FO opted to accept the teen lottery ticket for Santana. Jhonny is now at Greensboro, lighting it up.

2025 - RF Dave “The Cobra” Parker, along with Dick Allen, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Parker entered the Hall as a Bucco (He played for Pittsburgh for 11 of his nineteen big league seasons) and was the 14th HoF’er who spent most of his career with the Pirates, joining Jake Beckley, Max Carey, Fred Clarke, Roberto Clemente, owner Barney Dreyfuss, Ralph Kiner, Bill Mazeroski, Willie Stargell, Pie Traynor, Arky Vaughan, Honus Wagner, Lloyd Waner and Paul Waner. The Cobra’s career resume includes: .290 BA/339 HRs/1,493 RBI/1272 Runs, back-to-back batting titles in 1977/1978 and NL-MVP in ‘78. He also was a seven-time All Star while winning three Golden Glove and three Silver Slugger awards. The Pirates celebrated during the PNC series against Arizona that led up to the ceremony with park displays, throw-back unis and a Cobra patch.

7/26 Through The 1970s: Gunner Reunion, Groat Fiver, Waners Win, Game Days, HBD Joaquin, Jose, Tom, Eddie & Jimmy

1889 - The Alleghenys defeated the Cleveland Spiders, 8-4, at Recreation Park despite giving up a three-run infield homer to ex-Allegheny Jay Faatz, whose hot shot to 3B Jim White bounced off his foot and went into the “free seats” - temporary stands - and couldn’t be dug out in time to stop Faatz from circling the bases. Fred Carroll, Ned Hanlon and Doggie Miller each had three knocks to spearhead a 16-hit Buc attack that easily carried Harry Staley to the win. Miller homered over the left field wall, and the Pittsburgh Press wrote “The crowd went wild as little George trotted over the circuit and lifted his cap at the plate. An enthusiast threw a silver dollar at him, which (Miller) accepted with a smile.” Who said there was no bonus money in early baseball?

1911 - The Brooklyn Infants put as many Pirates on base as the Pirates did themselves (Brooklyn dished out eight walks, a bopped batter and error to match the Buccos 10 hits) and the result was a 12-1 romp by Pittsburgh at Forbes Field. Three of the Buc hits were triples, and Bill McKechnie’s four RBI led the pack; McKechnie would later go on to manage the Pirates for five years (1922-26). Howie Camnitz worked the first seven innings (one run, five hits, one walk, three K) to earn the win while 24-year-old Harry Gardner mopped up the final two frames.

1917 - 2B Jimmy Bloodworth was born in Tallahassee, Florida. Jimmy played for 11 seasons and was a member of the 1950 NL champ “Whiz Kids” Phillies team. Like many of his era, he spent time in the Army from 1944-46. Bloodworth put in one season with the Pirates in 1947, batting .250, just about his career average, appearing in 88 games. 1951 was Bloodworth’s last season in the major leagues. He played in the minors for the following three years, managed in the bush leagues for two more years and then served as a deputy sheriff in Florida.

1920 - IF Joe “Eddie” (his middle name) Bockman was born in Santa Ana, California. He had a brief four-year MLB stay, spending his last two campaigns in 1948-49 with the Pirates, playing second and third while batting .230 in 149 games. He then spent a decade as a Bucco player/coach in the minors, then served for another 30 years as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, where he signed Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Joe Charboneau, Buck Martinez, Ricky Jordan, Randy Lerch, Dick Ruthven, John Vukovich and Bob Walk. In 1992, he became a scout for the expansion Florida Marlins. Eddie passed away in 2011.

Eddie Bockman - 1949 Eureka Sports Stamp

1921 - OF Tom Saffell was born in Etowah, Tennessee. He played for the Bucs from 1949-51, then after spending the next three seasons in the minors, returned in 1955. The speedy OF’er hit .239 for the Bucs. He was a minor celeb, though, as he was the pitcher for the 1960 syndicated TV show “Home Run Derby” that was hosted by Mark Scott. That program was said to inspire the All Star Game’s home run derby and was also part of ESPN’s Classic series.

1927 - The Pirates pushed across two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to edge the Brooklyn Robins 6-5 at Forbes Field to remain tied with the Cubs for the National League lead. They were almost derailed by former matey Max Carey (he moved on to Brooklyn in 1926), who had three hits, three runs, and three stolen bases. But he was countered by the Waner brothers, as Lloyd had three hits and scored twice, both times driven home by Paul. Little Poison’s lumber work allowed him to take over the league lead in hits while Lee Meadows went the distance.

1928 - NY Giant future Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell made his MLB debut against the Pirates at the Polo Grounds. He pitched a scoreless first inning, but the Bucs scored five times in the second to knock him out of the game, winning 7-5 behind Burleigh Grimes. Paul Waner had three hits and two RBI to lead a balanced Bucco attack. But King Carl persisted: he left MLB after 16 years, with 253 wins under his belt and a slash of 49-21/3.07 lifetime against Pittsburgh.

1942 - Utilityman Jose Martinez was born in Cardenas, Cuba. Jose was signed by the Bucs in 1960 and spent 1969-70 with the Pirates, his only stop in the show as a player, hitting .245 in 96 games. He put in 14 years on the farm before his MLB career took off as a bench boss and team administrator. Jose served as a minor league manager and major league coach for the Kansas City Royals from 1980-88 and then coached with the Chicago Cubs from 1988-94. He joined the Atlanta Braves front office in 1995 and worked for them until his death in 2014.

Jose Martinez - 1970 Topps

1952 - The Pirates used the power of persistence to overcome Boston at Braves Field, 6-4. Falling behind 3-0 after an inning, the Bucs, led by rookie Dick Groat’s 5-for-5 day (he broke out of an 0-for-19 funk), chipped away at the Brave lead. Pittsburgh, behind two RBI from Groat and a two-run homer by Gus Bell, climbed back into a tie in the seventh. They went ahead in the ninth inning on George Metkovich’s two-run, two-out double, set up by Clem Koshorek, who had the ball waiting on him as he went from first-to-third on a single but kicked it out of 3B Sibby Sisti’s mitt. Howie Pollet recovered from the rocky first frame (and it didn't get much easier; Boston had runners aboard in eight of the nine frames) for the win, and added three knocks to the attack.

1977 - The Bucs dodged a bullet when John Candelaria took a liner just below his pitching elbow but only suffered a bruise in a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros at Three Rivers Stadium. He was replaced by Goose Gossage, who was pitching for the first time in eight days after a rib pull, and The Goose nailed down the final five outs, one a spectacular leaping catch by Dave Parker at the wall. It was Candy Man’s best season, ending at 20-5/2.34. He led the league in ERA and enjoyed his only 20-win season and sole All-Star selection. Candy’s stellar season wasn’t enough to push the Bucs to the top, though - they won 96 games, but still finished five behind the division-winning Phillies.

1977 - RHP Joaquin Benoit was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The last stop in his 16-year career was with the Pirates in 2017 after a deadline deal with the Phils, who got Benoit for a minor leaguer. He was a season-ending warm body and went 0-2/7.56 in eight games as a 39-year-old. He signed with the Nats for 2018, but spent the season on the DL and was done.

1979 - The Gunner was briefly united with old mate Jim Woods on the United Artists Satellite radio system for a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Three Rivers Stadium. The Possum was a regular broadcaster for the network (they featured national Thursday Night games), and it was a one-time deal for Prince. There was plenty of action to keep the pair from any dead air, but the Bucs fell short, losing 9-7 as Dave Roberts and Joe Coleman gave up eight runs in three innings, outings that Willie Stargell and Bill Robinson homers couldn’t overcome.

7/26 From 1980: 100 For Renegade, Shelty's 1st, Marte Mash, Meals Call, Game Days, Kendall Contract, '08 NYY Swap, Holmes-Castillo, HBD Tsung-Che, J-Hwan & Ryan

1988 - Doug Drabek carried a two-hit shutout into the ninth inning against the Cards at Busch Stadium, but was banged for a two-out homer by Willie McGee to cut the score to 2-1 and add a little drama to the affair. Jimmy Leyland yanked him for Jim Gott (“I’ve seen too many guys give up a home run like that, lose a little concentration and boom, someone else has got them” the skipper told Bob Hertzel of the Pittsburgh Press after the game). Gott added to the final theatrics by giving up a single, but closed it out by blowing a fastball past Tom Brunansky to book the victory. The Bucs scored twice in the fourth frame on a wild pitch and Sid Bream knock that scored Jose Lind & Andy Van Slyke, to snap a four-game losing streak and stay two games behind the New York Mets in the division race. Another notable feat occurred during the game: C Spanky LaValliere stole his first MLB base, one of a single-season high of three swipes in ‘88. He stole two more sacks in 1991 and those five bags were his total big league.

1992 - The Braves were on a 13-game winning streak and weren’t planning on it ending. Down 4-1 in the eighth inning at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Lonnie Smith banged a three-run homer off Stan Belinda to tie the contest. But the Bucs hitters had an answer. Jeff King opened the ninth frame with a single, was bunted up and beat the throw home on Orlando Merced’s single. Jeff had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI on the day; Orlando, who came in as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and stayed on at 1B, went 2-for-2 with two runs chased home (King both times with two outs). Belinda sucked it up and locked it down with a 1-2-3 ninth for the win.

1993 - 1B/RF Ryan O’Hearn was born in Dunedin, Florida. He was drafted in the 8th round of the 2014 lottery by KC from Sam Houston State and debuted with the Royals in 2018. Kansas City was the first of three MLB stops for him before signing with Pirates in January of ‘26 for two years/$29M after breaking out in 2024, then having a career year in 2025 while splitting time with the Baltimore Orioles and and San Diego Padres.

1997 - C Jason Kendall signed a four-year/$7.2M contract extension covering his arbitration years that carried him to the 2001 campaign. It was well worth the price; the young backstop hit .317 over the life of the deal, earned two All-Star bids and his play was amply rewarded later with a club record six-year, $60M deal.

Ji-Hwan Bae - 2023 Topps Golden Mirror

1999 - IF/OF Ji-Hwan Bae was born in Daegu, South Korea. Signed by the Bucs as an international FA in 2018 for $1.25M, he caused a storm when he was suspended 30 days for domestic violence committed in 2017. But he toed the line afterwards, worked through the system and debuted in 2022. Ji-Hwin was versatile, playing some outfield and 2B (his usual spot) while batting .333 in a small sample size. He also showed some speed as he was 3-for-3 on steals, aggressive on the basepaths and could cover center. With the Pirates short of leadoff types and OF’s, Bae was called up to the big team for a long look in '23 and flashed hot-and-cold on the field. He made a couple of other stops in ‘24 and ‘25 at Pittsburgh while spending most of his time in AAA. Ji-Hwan was waived at the end of the 2025 campaign and was claimed by the New York Mets.

2001 - IF Tsung-Che Cheng was born in Pingtung County, Taiwan. He was an international signee in 2019 known for his good wheels and good glove. He lived up to that rep, playing slick middle infield and some third, but hitting just .230 in two seasons with Altoona. “Z” was on Taiwan’s ‘23 WBC team and the Pirates 40-man roster/Top 20 Prospect list by 2025. He had a strong spring camp and was called up in early April, when Jared Triolo, whose profile Cheng fits, went on the IL with back woes. It was a brief stay (three games, 0-for-7) and he was DFA’ed; Tampa Bay claimed him and he’s now with the Red Sox.

2008 - OF Xavier Nady & LHP Damaso Marte were traded to the NY Yankees for OF Jose Tabata and RHPs Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen & Ross Ohlendorf. During their Bucco careers, Karstens tossed for five years (23-35/4.31), McCutchen made 109 appearances in four seasons (8-11/4.77) and Ohlie tossed for four years (13-27/4.61). Tabata was the key prospect; the Pirates locked him up to a long-term deal guaranteed for five years/$14.5M. Although he hit .275 over six years, injuries and lack of power were his undoing and he was shipped to LA. Joey last played in Mexico in 2021.

2011 - This was the black day of the Jerry Meals game in Atlanta, heralding the end of the Bucco's improbable pennant (and .500+ season) run. The ump blew a call at home in the 19th inning, giving the Braves a 4-3 win and starting a downward spiral of epic proportions for Pittsburgh. At 6 hours and 39 minutes, it was the longest game in club history. The Pirates filed a protest (at 2:30 in the morning) but the judgment call was upheld, even though the League Office admitted it was wrong. To add salt to the wound, Meals was born in nearby Butler.

2012 - In a rookie-on-rookie match, Starling Marte homered to left center against Houston’s Dallas Keuchel, hammering the first MLB pitch he saw. Pittsburgh won the contest 5-3 at Minute Maid Park as Garrett Jones and Clint Barmes also went long while AJ Burnett took home the victory against the ‘Stros behind the big boomers. Marte became the third Bucco to send his first major league pitch over the wall, joining Walter Mueller (1922) and Don Leppert (1961).

Derek Shelton - July 2020 photo/Pirates

2020 - It took three tries, but new Bucco skipper Derek Shelton won his first MLB game by a 5-1 count over the St. Louis Cardinals in Busch Stadium. Mitch Keller went five innings, giving up a run, before JT Brubaker, in his first big league outing, Michael Feliz and Nick Burdi nailed it down. Jose Osuna and Colin Moran homered while Phil Evans collected three hits. In a sidebar, with no fans in attendance due to the Covid 19 crowd ban, pitcher Derek Holland decided to soak up some sun and caught the game from the box seats, from whence he was ejected for jawing at the plate umpire to become the first player given the thumb in 2020. It was an abbreviated initiation for Shelton; he debuted during the Covid-shortened 60-game season that had only begun on July 23.

2021 - The New York Yankees acquired RHP Clay Holmes from the Pirates in exchange for IFs Diego Castillo, 23, and Hoy Jun Park, 25. Park was playing AAA ball, went to Indy briefly and was called up on 7/31, while Castillo was in AA and assigned to Altoona; both played 2B/SS (Park also had some time in the pasture). The pair showed some pop on the farm with the sticks, and both were up-and-down, filling in as utilitymen. Park played in the Oakland system and is now a FA while Castillo is a Kansas City farmhand. Holmes flipped from the Yankees closer to joining the Mets’ rotation.

2023 - The Pirates had lost all six series in July, were minus their skipper, Derek Shelton, for the day (suspension), starting a pitcher, Johan Oviedo, who hadn’t won since mid-May and fully committed to their young blood, starting five players with less that two months MLB experience. But thanks to three solo homers and a steely comeback by David Bednar in the ninth frame, they took two out of three at San Diego’s Petco Park by claiming the finale 3-2 to hand bench coach Don Kelly his first win at the helm. The Bucco blasts were provided by Ji Man Choi, Bryan Reynolds & Carlos Santana and the drama by The Renegade. Bednar came in with a two-run lead and got the first out before two walks (the first one scored; the second forced the run home), a hit batter and single made it 3-2 with the bases jammed. But it ended well as he closed it out with a pop and a whiff, and though it took 37 pitches, he notched his 20th save to clinch Oviedo’s dub. The Pirates last series win was a sweep at PNC Park in late June, also v the Friars.

2025 - Pirate bats remained icy despite the July heat, but the pitching was hotter than...well, you know where. Andrew Heaney spun five shutout innings, giving up two hits, and he along with the bullpen bunch made Oneil Cruz’s two-run, second-inning blast hold up as they beat the D-Backs at PNC Park, 2-0. It was a big night for the Renegade. David Bednar walked off the hill after a MLB-leading 23rd straight appearance without yielding an earned run (22-1/3 IP; 10 hits; five walks; 29 K). It was his 16th straight save, and he joined the Pirates 100 saves club as its sixth member, along with ElRoy Face, Kent Tekulve, Mike Williams, Dave Giusti and Mark Melancon.