5/13 From 1970: USA Skenes, B-Rey Fiver, HR Or No?, Barry First & Last, Bell Booms, Jerry's 12, Game Days, Fox Deal; HBD Max & JR

• 1975 - Jerry Reuss fanned a career-high 12 batters while tossing a three-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory over the San Diego Padres at Three Rivers Stadium. Frank Tavares tripled home Paul Popovich for the first run, and the Bucco insurance came in when Manny Sanguillen’s sac fly brought home Reuss, who had singled, was bunted to second and went to third after a stray pickoff throw. 
• 1983 - Mike Easler provided enough offense to help Rick Rhoden and Kent Tekulve (who had to relieve a shaky Rod Scurry in the ninth to clinch the win) to a 2-1 victory over the New York Mets at TRS. The Hit Man had three knocks and both RBI, walking the game off in the ninth with a single off lefty Carlos Diaz that scored Dave Parker. The Cobra showed some fine footwork in the last frame, stealing second after a knock and barely eluding Ron Hodge’s tag at home with a nifty slide to score the game-winner. Easler had more than his bat going; he also threw out Darryl Strawberry trying to score earlier in the game. 
• 1988 - Barry Bonds hit a leadoff homer for the second day in a row, a feat also accomplished by his dad Bobby in 1973. It came in handy as the Bucs rallied against the Reds, 6-5, at TRS. Bonds scored the winner in the ninth when he led off with a single and came all the way around when 1B Dave Collins threw away Jose Lind’s sac bunt trying for the force at second. The game had been tied since the sixth when Sid Bream swatted a two-run, pinch-hit homer. Jeff Robinson tossed two frames of shutout ball to claim the victory; Doug Drabek and Bob Kipper preceded him on the bump. 
• 1991 - C John Ryan Murphy was born in Bradenton, Florida. A second round draft pick of the Yankees in 2009 straight out of high school, he played with NY, Minnesota, Arizona and Atlanta before the Pirates signed him as an NRI for the 2020 campaign. JR made the team from the season’s start after Luke Maile was injured and served as Jake Stalling’s caddy. He became a free agent in October, found no takers and in 2023 joined the Phillies as a minor league coach. 

Jay Bell - 1992 Fleer Ultra

• 1992 - The Pirates coughed up an eight-run cushion after leading 10-2 in the fourth inning when a four-run Brave rally in the eighth inning knotted the score. The club saved face in the ninth thanks to a Jay Bell homer (good timing; it was Jay’s first of the year) to escape with an 11-10 verdict at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. Bell had four RBI, Steve Buechele added three more and Stan Belinda, who gave up a two-run shot the inning prior, worked the ninth for the win. Bell, Andy Van Slyke and Don Slaught had four hits while Buechele added three more raps as the Bucs banged out a season-high 21 knocks. The victory snapped Pittsburgh’s seven-game losing streak to the Braves. 
• 1993 - IF Max Moroff was born in Winter Haven, Florida. He was a 16th round draft pick in 2012 out of high school, and got on the radar in 2015 when he was named an Eastern League & Baseball America AA All-Star while honored as the Pirates Minor League Player of the Year. The switch hitter made his cup-of-coffee Bucco debut in 2016, played on the big club the following season starting in May, and answered the call in 2018 in mid-April when Josh Harrison went down with a broken hand. The Bucs sent him to Cleveland in the 2018 off season as part of the Eric Gonzalez deal, then he later went to the Cards. After shoulder surgery in 2021, Max was released in the off-season by the Redbirds, didn’t catch on with another club and that ended his playing days. 
• 1999 - The Pirates got a welcome financial boost when they and Fox Sports extended their TV contract, which was due to end after the 2000 season, through 2007. The fees weren’t disclosed, but the Bucs were booked to collect $4.5M per year in 2000 and the ante was anticipated to escalate. The games available for broadcast went up from 100 per year to 120, the most TV exposure ever given to the team, and Kevin McClatchy cited that the length of the deal would give the Pirates some financial certainty moving forward. 
• 2007 - Pittsburgh, which had been averaging just 3.2 runs scored per game, erupted against the Braves and rolled to a 13-2 win at PNC Park, defeating Anthony Lerew, who had just been called up from AAA and was making his second major league start. The 18-hit attack (all singles and doubles) was led by Jack Wilson, with three knocks and who reached safely during all five of his plate appearances. Chris Duffy and Freddy Sanchez also had three raps each, and every starting Bucco position player hit safely. The Pirates never had fewer than two runners aboard in any inning (along with the Bucco hit parade, Atlanta issued seven free passes to go with an intentional walk, bopped batter and boot). Ian Snell went seven frames for the win. 

Jack Wilson - 2007 Fleer Ultra

• 2009 - The Pirates beat the Cardinals 5-2 at PNC Park. Adam LaRoche made history when he had a first-inning home run call reversed by instant replay and ruled a double. It was the first time in 14 reviews that a homer had been overruled since instant replay started in 2008. The Bucs didn’t clear the fences that night, but did bang out five two-baggers. Jack Wilson led the hit parade with three knocks while Ross Ohlendorf got the win and Matt Capps picked up the save.
• 2024 - Two grave markers in Pittsburgh's Highwood Cemetery (off Brighton Road in North Side), dedicated to Clarence "Win" Harris and Frank Miller, two Negro League baseball stars, who had been lying at rest in unmarked graves. The Josh Gibson Foundation’s Negro Leagues Memorial Marker Initiative, with help from a middle-school funder, provided the stones. Win was a 1B who played four seasons with the Grays while Miller pitched for the Keystones in 1887.
• 2024 - A couple of the Bucs core players came through when Bryan Reynolds had the first five-hit day of career and Mitch Keller (4-3) tossed six shutout innings, dodging eight hits and whiffing seven in the opener at Milwaukee’s American Family Field. For the remarkably durable Keller, it was a league-leading 40th straight start that he worked at least five frames. Jack Suwinski and Yasmani Grandal chipped in two-run bombs; B-Rey also homered and doubled. The Pirates five-run pad was almost frittered away when Josh Fleming gave up a grannie in the eighth to make it a 7-6 contest, but Reynold’s insurance shot and David Bednar’s eighth save nailed it down in the ninth. 
• 2025 - RHP Paul Skenes was selected as a member of 2026’s Team USA squad, repping America during next year’s WBC tourney. To this point in his career, his line was 14-7/2.16 in 32 starts with 223 K in 188 IP. Paul was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 Draft and the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year. Paul got two outings - he fanned seven in four frames v Mexico, then won again in the semi-final match, going six innings of one-run ball to defeat a powerful Dominican Republic squad.