7/10 All-Stars: Pie Swipes Home; Friend Gets Win; 3 Hits for Roberto; ASGs

• 1934 - 3B Pie Traynor, SS Arky Vaughan and RF Paul Waner represented the Bucs in the second All-Star game held at the Polo Grounds. Traynor went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a RBI and stolen base (he became the first and only player to swipe home in an ASG), while Waner and Vaughan both went 0-for-2 in the NL’s 9-7 victory. It’s known best for Carl Hubbard’s feat - he struck out five future Hall of Famers in a row. After two batters reached in the first, he fanned Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, & Jimmie Foxx, adding Al Simmons & Joe Cronin to open the second. 

Pie Traynor 2007 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts

• 1951 - Exploding for a record four homers‚ the NL trounced the AL 8-3 at the All-Star Game at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Pirate OF Ralph Kiner hit a HR for the third year in a row, a MLB AS record. 
• 1956 - P Bob Friend and 1B Dale Long were the Pirate All-Stars at Griffith Stadium for the NL’s 7-3 victory. Friend got the win thanks to triple threes - 3 IP, 3 hits, 3 K (Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Harry “Suitcase” Simpson) - and without much help from Long, who struck out twice in two at-bats. The 25-year-old Friend spent the last six innings on the bench shooting a home movie of his first ASG. 
• 1962 - Led by OF Roberto Clemente’s three hits, the NL beat the AL 3-1 in the first of two All-Star games, this one at held at Washington’s DC Stadium. SS Dick Groat went 1-for-3, scored and turned a DP while 2B Bill Mazeroski was 0-for-2. 
• 1984 - The NL was used to the windy confines of Candlestick Park and breezed to 3-1 win over the AL in the All Star game. The senior circuit got some terrific tossing. Fernando Valenzuela and Dwight Gooden combined to whiff six batters in a row for a new All-Star Game record. Valenzuela K’ed Dave Winfield, Reggie Jackson, and George Brett in the fourth inning. Then Doc, the youngest All-Star ever at age 19, punched out Lance Parrish, Chet Lemon, and Alvin Davis in the fifth. C Tony Pena was Pittsburgh’s only AS selection and came in to catch the ninth inning. 

Bobby Bo 1990 SCD

• 1990 - Pitching dominated as the AL dropped the NL 2-0 in the All Star game at Wrigley Field. Outfielders Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla both went 0-for-1 and P Neal Heaton didn’t get in. Bobby Bo was shut out in his appearance in the Home Run Derby. 
• 2001 - The American League nine took a 4-1 All Star victory from the NL at Safeco Field. OF Brian Giles, the Pirates only AS, grounded out in his one at bat.  
• 2007 - The AL eked out a 5-4 win over the NL in the All Star game played at AT&T Park. 2B Freddy Sanchez was the only Pirate on the team and didn’t get in the game. 
• 2012 - The senior circuit blasted its way to an 8-0 win over the AL All Stars at Kaufmann Stadium. OF Andrew McCutchen went 1-for-2 after taking part in the home run derby the night before (he hit four homers and bowed out in the opening round) and P Joel Hanrahan faced one batter, Billy Butler, striking him out after tossing a wild pitch.

Bucs Jump to Early Lead Behind Gregory, Pen Seals the Deal 6-3

Ivan Nova whiffed two of the first three Nats; the third out reached on a swing-and-miss passed ball by Cervy that looked close to a foul tip, but no Bucco protest, so... It cost Ivan seven pitches but no damage as he got Bryce Harper to fly out. New leadoff man Corey D greeted Jefry Rodriguez with a rap to right and Starling doubled him to third. They both came home on Gregory's single up the middle. He stole second and came around on Red Beard's oppo field two-bagger. The bats then reverted to Jello with a comebacker, K and foul pop. The first three Nats reached on raps in the second with Adam Eaton's knock chasing home Matt Adams, but Starling cut down Daniel Murphy at third. That seemed to pump Nova; he fanned the next pair. The Bucs went back to work - a Mad Max walk, Corey D triple and two-out homer by Gregory gave the Pirates a nice early pad. The Phils got a two-out knock in the third; the Pirates left runners on the corners.

Ric Rod struck out the side on 11 pitches in the seventh
(photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

In the fourth, another two-out single by DC; Starling singled, stole and was stranded. It wouldn't be an Ivan start without a long ball and Juan Soto banged a solo shot in the fifth off a fat full-count fastball. The Bucs wasted a Freeser double. In the sixth, Bryce Harper went long on a grooved 3-2 heater to make it 6-3; we're sensing a pattern. With two gone, Cervy and Adam Eaton exchanged chirps over Lord knows what; the benches briefly emptied, but no blood was let (peace reigned before the bullpens could even join in). Eaton got the best of it, doubling to end Nova's night as Ric Rod entered to get the final out. Matt Grace took the ball for the Nats; a walk to Gregory was his only ding. Ric Rod fanned a pair in a clean seventh. Shawn Kelley retired the Buccos in order. Edgar Santana worked the eighth and *wow* struck out the side (Anthony Rendon - Harper - Adams) on 11 pitches. Justin Miller spun a 1-2-3 frame.

Felipe Vazquez gave up a bloop single to Murphy to open the ninth, followed by a one-out rap. No sweat; he got red-hot Mark Reynolds on a 6-4-3 DP to send the folks home happy. RTJR!

Felipe celebrated his All Star status with his 19th save
(photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Corey D led off like a boss, Gregory lost a baseball & had four RBI, Starling played center like a gazelle and the bullpen was stellar again as the Bucs took their second straight win. For Ivan, a very meh outing with eight hits and two more homers, but on this night, the good play overcame the not-so-good, yay.

Notes:

• This was Corey D's first shot at leadoff in Pittsburgh, but he's accustomed to the position, having started in the one spot 87 times before joining the Bucs with a .267 BA/.317 OBP. He did a nice job, going 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and a RBI. Gregory had two hits including a homer & four runs chased home, and Freeser chipped in with a pair of raps.
• The Buc backend continues to be fan-tastic; six of the 10 outs they recorded were strikeouts.
• 14,073 were in the house tonight.
• The Nats reinstated C Matt Wieters (hammy) from the 10-day DL today.
• Not only have S-Rod and Clay Holmes gone to Bradenton during the IL All-Star break, but so has Mitch Keller to stay on schedule.
• Buster Posey dropped out of the ASG with hip inflammation; Yadier Molina got the nod over Cervy to replace him.

Washington Rolls In, Nova v Rodriguez & Notes

Today: The game starts at 7:05. The Pirates-Nats are the Monday Night Baseball game on ESPN and can also be heard on 93.7 The Fan. Washington is struggling (though not nearly like the Pirates) and are 45-44, five games off the NL East pace.

Pitchers: RHP Ivan Nova (4-6, 4.48) opens against RHP Jefry Rodriguez (0-0, 5.52). Ivan will try to keep it in the park tonight after being torched for five dingers by the Dodgers in his last outing, ruining a string of solid performances. This maybe not the ideal club to bounce back against; Nova gave up eight runs (five earned) when he faced them in early May. The 24-year-old Rodriguez was called up to the show for the first time in June. His last two appearances have been as a starter and he's given up nine runs in nine innings during that time, with both home run and control issues.

Ivan Nova (photo AT&T SportsNet)

Lineup: Corey Dickerson LF, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco RF, Colin Moran 3B, Fran Cervelli C, David Freese 1B, Josh Harrison 2B, Max Moroff SS & Nova P. Jordy gets a break after going 4-for-27 since June 30th and J-Bell gets a sit-down. Bell far-and-away leads the team in games played (89) while Mercer is second (tied with Corey D and Red Beard at 80). Corey D will replace Bell at leadoff; he's probably the better choice all along.

Notes:

• When Felipe Vázquez was named to the All-Star team, it was the sixth time in the last eight seasons that a Pirates closer has repped the Bucs. He joins Joel Hanrahan (2011-12), Jason Grilli (2013) and Mark Melancon (2015-16) in that gang.
• Starling Marte has eight assists this season, tied for the NL lead among outfielders this season. Starting with the 2014 season, Marte’s 53 assists are tops among all MLB outfielders.
• From Noah Hiles of 93.7 The Fan: During his Sunday show, Neal Huntington said "Some of the moves that we have made haven’t worked the way we anticipated...Ultimately this is the club I put together and I am accountable for it." But NH noted later that "We do have a good young core here."
• WV Power SS Oneil Cruz was named the South Atlantic League's Player of the Month for June. Cruz posted a .375 BA with three home runs and 19 RBI in June with a .606 slugging % and 1.025 OPS.

7/9 Games: Face's 18th; Triple Play; Mendoza Walk-Off; Roof Shot; Offensive Fireworks & Young Guns

• 1912 - In a duel of young guns, the Pirates Marty O’Toole bested the Phils Eppa Rixey 2-0 at Forbes Field. Max Carey provided the big blow, a sixth inning triple that was sandwiched around a pair of singles for all the offense. O’Toole was in the midst of his best season, winning 15 games with a 2.71 ERA and a league-leading six shutouts. 
• 1959 - Starting his first game since injuring his shoulder on May 19th, Roberto Clemente's 10th-inning leadoff single helped Elroy Face to his 18th consecutive win after he blew a save chance with two outs in the ninth. A bunt by Roman Mejias moved Clemente to second and a single up the middle by pinch-hitter Harry Bright completed the Bucs 4-3 win over the Cubs at Forbes Field. 

Willie Stargell 1967 Topps

• 1967 - Willie Stargell hit a walk off homer against the Reds’ Jim Maloney that carried over the RF roof at Forbes Field in a 2-1 win. Dennis Ribant tossed a complete game six-hitter to earn the W. The Reds Gary Nolan was working on a seven-inning one-hitter when he was lifted for a pinch hitter. It was a tough defeat; the Pirates only score before Pop’s pop was when Cincy botched a two-out grounder to allow Donn Clendenon to score, and the Reds tied it in the top of the ninth on a two-out single by Vada Pinson. 
• 1971 - The Pirates turned the first triple play of the 1971 season when Atlanta’s Leo Foster hit a grounder to 3B Richie Hebner, who stepped on third and threw to Dave Cash at second for the second out. Cash’s relay to Bob Robertson at first nipped Foster to complete the play as the Pirates rolled past Atlanta 11-2 at TRS. Willie Stargell went 3-for-4 with a homer, three runs and four RBI while Manny Sanguillen went 3-for-5 with a triple and four RBI. Richie Hebner also homered as Nellie Briles went the distance for the win. 
• 1972 - The Bucs raced out to a 6-0 lead over the Braves and took home a 7-4 victory from Atlanta Stadium. All the Pirates runs were the result of long balls swatted by Willie Stargell, Al Oliver, Manny Sanguillen and Bob Robertson, giving Nellie Briles all the support he needed for the complete game win. 

Mario Mendoza 1977 Topps

• 1977 - SS Mario Mendoza smacked the only walk-off hit of his career, a two-out single to right in the 12th off Gene Garber at TRS, for a 9-8 Pirate win over the Phillies. Phil Garner had a good day, going 3-for-6 with a homer, double, two runs and two RBI, while Dave Parker also went downtown. Mendoza, btw, was batting under the his own line, hitting just .182 at game time. The run-fest was surprising; the starters were John Candelaria and Lefty Carlton, who both were laboring under a rare bad moon - they gave up 14 runs and 22 hits combined in 13-2/3 IP while Teke blew a two-run, ninth inning lead. And there was a little extra pizazz during the game when The Kissing Bandit, Morganna, made her way onto the field and planted a wet one on the Candy Man. 
• 2004 - Jason Bay went 4-for-5 with two homers, a double, four RBI and four runs scored as the Pirates blanked the Expos 11-0 in San Juan’s Estadio Hiram Bithorn, the Expos’ part-time home until their move to Washington. Sean Burnett scattered 10 hits for a complete game shutout. 
• 2005 - Sparked by Jack Wilson’s grand slam, the Bucs broke open a tight game against the NY Mets with a seven-run seventh inning, banging around Heath Bell and Danny Graves, to take an 11-4 win at PNC Park in front of a Saturday night crowd of 36,708. Dave Williams got the win. 

Josh Bell 2016 Topps Now

• 2016 - The Pirates pounded out four homers as they took a 12-6 decision from the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park. Josh Bell, in his second MLB at-bat, crushed a hung change up from Adam Warren over the right field stands and into the Allegheny River for a grand slam and his first MLB long ball while Andrew McCutchen, Sean Rodriguez and Jordy Mercer also left the yard. Starter Chad Kuhl only lasted 2-⅓ frames for Pittsburgh and reliever Juan Nicasio was also nicked (Chi-town starter Jon Lester only managed three frames before being chased), but game winner Arquimedes Caminero and Jared Hughes with the save combined for 4-2/3 shutout innings to finish the book. During a miserable June stretch, the Pirates had fallen 15-½ games behind the Cubs; this win cut the lead to 6-½ with Pittsburgh on a roll of winning 12-of-15 games. 
• 2017 - The Pirates ruined Jon Lester’s day by scoring 10 runs in the first inning off the lefty on the way to a 14-3 victory at Wrigley. The Bucco vibe was shaky before the game when scheduled starter Jameson Taillon was scratched a half-hour before first pitch with the flu, but the bats, sparked by Fran Cervelli’s two-out grand slam, pumped up the mojo. Cervy's five RBI tied his career-best for a single game. Every Pirates starter reached base safely and scored and/or had RBI as Pittsburgh collected 14 hits, seven walks and a pair of plunks to go with two Cubbie errors. AJ Schugel, the third of four Pirates pitchers, got the win. Here’s a whole slew of factoids: The last time the Pirates had a 10-spot in an inning was in the seventh against the Rox in 2007 during an 11-4 win. The last time they plated 10 in the first frame was in 1989 against the Phils; that's the game that Jim Rooker said he'd walk home if they lost, and they did, 15-11. He did, too, going on a charity walk-a-thon between Pittsburgh and Philly after the season. The contest topped the Bucs' previous first-inning mark against the Cubs of nine runs in 1975, when Rennie Stennett collected seven hits during a 22-0 romp. Over 12 years and 334 starts, this was the first time Jon Lester didn't make it through the first inning. He was just the fourth pitcher in the last 100 years to allow 10+ runs and not make it out of the first inning.

7/9 Happenings: Sausage Swat; Ballyard Funders; Dovy Signed; RIP Bill, HBD Coot & More

• 1932 - IF Orville “Coot” Veal was born in Sandersville, Georgia. He spent six seasons playing MLB, with his shortest stay in Pittsburgh in 1962, when he went struck out in his only Bucco at bat as a pinch hitter. The Pirates bought the sweet-fielding Veal’s contract from the Senators during the off season, but he spent most of the spring at AAA Columbus before being traded to the Tigers for a minor leaguer. His last big league year was 1963, and he retired to Macon to become an industrial salesman. Veal’s high school coach gave him the “Coot” tag, telling Veal that he reminded him of a player on a barnstorming team and thought it fit. 

Coot Veal 1962 (photo via Sports Collectibles)

• 1942 - The Bucs drew 29,488 fans to Forbes Field on Army-Navy Relief Fund Night, raising over $36,000 in donations with an extra $10,000+ from the gate and rewarded the patriotic crowd with a 9-0 win over the Phils. It was 1-0 after seven innings, but Philadelphia starter Frank Melton was lifted for a pinch hitter and Pittsburgh then rattled the Philly pen for eight runs. Rip Sewell tossed a five-hitter for the win. 
• 1951 - The Pirates played an exhibition against their alumni as a fundraiser for Hazelwood native Moose Solters, who played in the AL for nine seasons before being blinded when he was hit with a ball during warmups. Organized by Lee Handley & Frankie Gustine, the game featured players like Bullet Bob Feller, Wally Westlake, Stan Rojek, Cliff Chambers, Dixie Howell, Preacher Roe, Billy Cox, Red Ruffing, Johnny Hopp, Bob Elliott, Gene Woodling and others. The Bucs beat the alumni 1-0 in front of 9,553 at Forbes Field and raised around $17,500 for Moose, who left baseball before there was a pension and ran a bar to make ends meet. The prelim was a three inning match between the Greenfield Cubs and Highland Little Leaguers. 
• 1982 - John Candelaria, closing in on free agency, told the Pirates that he would not sign a new contract, saying “I’m not happy here. I don’t want to stay here.” He lied, signing for four years at close to $700,000/season after the campaign. However, he soon beefed about that deal (he wanted it renegotiated after Kent Tekulve got more than Candy Man did in his 1983 FA season contract), and was dealt to the California Angels in early August of 1985. 

The sausage swat (photo MLB Advanced Media)

• 2003 - Inexplicably during a 2-1 Pirate loss, 1B Randall Simon swatted a racing sausage with his bat from the dugout at Miller Park in Milwaukee as it waltzed around the stadium, causing a collision that left the mascots looking like a heaping plate of schnitzel. Simon was questioned by police and later fined $432.10 for disorderly conduct. MLB suspended him for three games and fined him $2,000; the Bucs traded him away a few weeks later. He issued an apology and an autographed bat to Mandy Block, the college student stuffed into the sausage costume. She ended up with a scraped knee, but it concluded well for her. Mandy received a free trip to Curaçao, (Simon's home island) for two from the Curaçao Tourism Board. When Simon returned to Miller Park later that year as a member of the Chicago Cubs, he purchased Italian Sausages for an entire section, and during the race, his teammates playfully held him back until all the sausages raced past the dugout. 
• 2009 - Joel Hanrahan won his first game of the year while sitting in a hotel room in Philadelphia. He was credited with a W when Washington won a game suspended on May 5th by defeating the Astros, 11-10. Hanrahan, since traded to Pittsburgh, was the pitcher of record when the game was postponed. The winning Nat run was scored by Nyjer Morgan, who was one of the Pirates sent to Washington in the Hanny deal. 
• 2009 - RHP Dovydas Neverauskas was signed by the Bucs and international scout Tom Randolph as a 16-year-old. On April 24th, 2017, he became the first Lithuanian-born player to appear in an MLB game. For the record, at least three other Lithuanians have played in the show - Joe Zapustas, who was born in Latvia and raised in Boston, reached the majors in the 1933 for two games, pitcher Joe Krakauskas (1937-42, 1946) was born in Quebec and 1B Eddie Waitkus (1941, 1946–1955) was born of immigrant parents in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Dovy Neverauskas (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

• 2016 - Former Pirates public relations director Bill Guilfoile passed away at the age of 84. After a stint with the NY Yankees starting in 1960, Guilfoile worked for the Pirates from 1970-78 before leaving for greener pastures as the head of the National Baseball Hall of Fame's public relations office from 1979 to 1996. Bill was part of many memorable moments, from World Series to the 1961 Mantle/Maris home run chase, Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th hit and the Hall of Fame’s 50th anniversary.

7/9 All-Stars: Sewell's Eephus v Ted Williams; Cutch Late Pick; Tie Game; ASGs

• 1940 - Pittsburgh was represented by SS Arky Vaughan in the All-Star Game at St. Louis’ Sportsman’s Park. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run in a 4-0 NL victory. 

Sewell v Williams 1946 ASG (photo MLB.com)

• 1946 - Bucco Rip Sewell's most famous blooper pitch came in the All Star game against Ted Williams at Fenway Park. Sewell warned Williams before the game he was going to throw him the blooper (eephus). With the AL ahead 8–0, Williams came to bat, and Sewell nodded to let him know the blooper was coming. Williams fouled it off. Sewell nodded again, and threw another blooper and then another. With the count 1–2, Williams smacked the next one for a home run, the only homer ever hit off Sewell's trick pitch. As The Kid rounded the bases, Sewell followed him, saying, "the only reason you hit it was because I told you it was coming." Williams laughed back, the fans loved it, and Sewell received a standing ovation when he walked off the mound. (from Donald Honig’s 1975 book "Baseball When the Grass Was Real") The kicker was that The Splendid Splinter took a running start toward the pitch before he blasted it, and was out of the batter’s box when he made contact. 3B Frank Gustine was the other Pirate All-Star; he went 0-for-1 with a walk and no comedy routine. 
• 1957 - C Hank Foiles was the Pirate’s rep at the All Star Game at Busch Stadium, a 6-5 win for the junior circuit. Hank batted once, singled and scored. 
• 1963 - The NL beat the AL 5-3 at Cleveland Stadium in the All Star game. Roberto Clemente came in as a late sub, never batting, and Bill Mazeroski was injured and didn’t play. The NL All Star middle infield combo of Dick Groat and Julian Javier, who was traded because Maz blocked him as a Pirate, may have sported Redbird logos across their chest but were Pittsburgh products. 
• 1968 - All Star pitching duels don’t get much better than the NL’s 1-0 win over the AL in the All Star game at the Astrodome as the only run scored in the first inning on a double play grounder. The Bucs didn’t have much to do with the outcome, as Matty Alou singled in his only at bat and Gene Alley was a bench player; he was nursing a shoulder injury. 

Bobby Bo 1991 Upper Deck

• 1991 - The junior circuit took a 4-2 win from the NL in the All Star game played at the Skydome. Bobby Bonilla started at DH and went 2-for-4 with an RBI. P John Smiley faced one batter, Joe Carter, who singled off him. 
• 1996 - The NL shut down the AL 6-0 at Veteran’s Stadium to take the All Star game. C Jason Kendall was the Pirate AS and came in to catch the ninth. 
• 2002 - This was the infamous 7-7 All Star game, when Commissioner Bud Selig and the managers, Joe Torre & Bob Brenly, threw in their towels after burning through the pitchers and accepting an 11-inning draw at Miller Park despite the crowd’s howls of “let them play.” MLB decided the following year to award the WS home field advantage to the winning league, partially to assure the fans that games would be played to a conclusion and partially to insure a game effort by the players. That format lasted through 2016. The Buccos’ only rep, reliever Mike Williams, worked the third inning cleanly, striking out a pair. 

Cutch 2011 Topps Update All Star

• 2011 - Andrew McCutchen, passed over in the voting, was named as a late choice as a first-time NL All-Star, replacing an injured Ryan Braun. The Pirates announced on the PNC Park jumbotron that Cutch was named to the team during the fourth inning, drawing an ovation and a curtain call from the crowd. Unfortunately, he suffered through an 0-fer that night as the Bucs fell to the Chicago Cubs 6-3.

Kingham's Arm & Bat, Bullpen K-Gang Snap the Streak With a 4-1 Win

Nick Kingham gave the Phils a one-out knock; Drew Anderson spun a clean opening to his first MLB start. Three grounders, three outs for Philly in the second. Cervy doubled in his first at bat since June 21st and went to third an out later after a boot. J-Hay's knock up the middle gave the Bucs the first tally. The King gave up a leadoff knock and two-out HBP in the third but kept the plate clean. Starling singled, stole a base and was stranded. Nick Williams put a charge into a Kingham changeup and his 422' blast to right center tied it in the fourth. AM singled to center with one gone and Jordy's two-out rap moved him to third. The King helped himself by lining a two-strike two-bagger to left to send them both home, and J-Bell's blooper ground rule double to right plated Nick. It was a quiet fifth for Philly. Corey D got three straight high heaters, dropping the third into left for a leadoff single, then swiping second before Red Beard walked. It quickly imploded after a 4-6-3 DP from Amore and AM roller.

The King had it all goin' on (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

The Phils opened the sixth with a knock and a walk. The King fell behind Carlos Santana 3-0 but came back to get a pop in a huge at bat, then fanned the next pair. Mark Leiter Jr toed the slab and spun a calm frame. Edgar Santana got the seventh after Kingham's 84-pitch, one run, four-hit, one walk, five K effort. He bopped the first batter, who moved up after a passed ball. Then he came back from 3-0 to fan Maikel Franco, and cruised out. Starling dropped a bunt for a one-out single but didn't advance. Kyle Crick took over in the eighth and K'ed two-of-three; that's six Phils down on strikes in three frames. Austin Davis grabbed the ball and started with a walk of Cervy, who swiped second but died there. Felipe Vazquez climbed the hill and struck out the side. RTJR finally!

Notes:

• Starling continues to look good after his sit-down with two more hits; Amore had a knock and a walk. 
• From the sixth inning on, nine-of-12 Phil outs were whiffs.
• Nick Kingham's two-run double booked his first MLB hit, extra-base knock, & RBIs, and led to his first run scored. Pretty nice rap; we'll bet that ball ends up on the mantle.
• The Pirates opened the scoring in all three games against Philadelphia.
• There were 19,542 at the ballyard on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
• Eli started 14 straight games behind the dish during Cervy's DL stint.
• Clint confirmed that Clay Holmes was sent to Bradenton rather than Indy to keep him on schedule as a pitching option Saturday (although the starter is officially TBD), when the Pirates have a doubleheader against Milwaukee. The 10-day minor league stay requirement after being optioned isn't in effect for the 26th man rule.

Phils-Bucs Close Out, Kingham v Anderson, Notes - Cervy Back, Jake to Indy

Today: The Sunday matinee starts at 1:35 and will be broadcast by AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. Kids 14-and-under get a nerf ball baseball dart game.

Pitchers: RHP Nick Kingham (2-4, 4.70) v RHP Drew Anderson. The King was anything but in his last outing when he couldn't pitch or even catch a ball as the Dodgers ran roughshod over him. Kingham so far has pretty much been a quality start sort of guy with some good and bad mixed in. This will be is first outing against Philadelphia. He does have an ace up his sleeve - his slash is 1-1/2.89 in three starts at PNC Park. Anderson, 24, will make his 2018 debut and first MLB start (he made a couple of brief and brutal appearances in 2017) because of a Monday doubleheader and an injury to Vince Velasquez. He slashed 5-3/4.15 at AAA Lehigh Valley, and it will be his first go against the Pirates.

The King looking for a rebound (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: J-Bell 1B, Starling Marte CF, Corey Dickerson LF, Colin Moran 3B, Fran Cervelli C, Austin Meadows RF, J-Hay 2B, Jordy SS & Kingham P. Welcome back Cervy as the A-Team makes a rare Sunday appearance, with Gregory drawing pine time today.

Notes:

• Fran Cervelli was activated today; Jacob Stallings was sent back to Indy. Jerry DiPaola of the Trib has a piece on Amore; interesting read in that Cervelli admitted he tried to play through his fuzziness for too long and on his health coach - his mom Damelis, who's with him in Pittsburgh.
• Jamo wasn't happy that he was pulled after 77 pitches yesterday, and said he'll have to figure out how to earn Clint's trust to work through late-inning rough patches. Hurdle's defense was that after JT allowed the second run, he thought it was time to call the pen. JT says he'll talk to Clint & Uncle Ray about it before today's game so they can understand each others thinking a little better and move on. Clint had no comment afterward other than to say it was an excellent convo.
• Joe Musgrove threw a bullpen session; he's on schedule to pitch Tuesday, the first day he can come off the DL.
• Jordy Mercer will be tied for seventh in franchise history with 734 games played at shortstop with today's start. He shares the spot with Bones Ely, who played from 1896-1901.

7/8 Games: Walk Off Granny; Wildest 9th Inning; Two Out Lightning; The Fort's First & Game Stories

• 1915 - Al Mamaux pitched a 2-0 shutout, his fifth of the year, over the Phils at the Baker Bowl. He struck out nine, and the Bucs tied a record by recording only two assists the entire game, both by 2B Jim Viox. Mamaux was tough at the end; the Phils loaded the bases with one out in the ninth on three singles, but a whiff and CF Eddie “Zip” Collins running grab at the wall put it in the books. 

Al Mamaux 1916 The Sporting News Blank Series

• 1927 - Johnny Gooch’s two out single in the seventh was the only hit the Bucs got off the Cubs’ Charlie Root as he outdueled Lee Meadows for a 1-0 win at Forbes Field. Meadows scattered eight hits, and the only score he gave up was in the second, when 3B Pie Traynor threw wildly to first with two outs to allow Charlie Grimm to score from second base. 
• 1950 - The Bucs beat the Cards 7-6 at Forbes Field. The Pirates rallied in the ninth when down 6-3, pinch-hitter Jack Phillips' long fly ball just eluded Stan Musial’s leap, grazing off his glove at the 376’ mark and landing in the bullpen for a walk-off grand slam, his first ever. It was also the first time in major league history that a pinch-hit grand slam erased a three-run deficit to end a game; that wouldn’t be done again until 2010. Ralph Kiner and Stan Rojek also homered for Pittsburgh. 
• 1969 - Roberto Clemente homered over the 436’ mark in center at Forbes Field, his third hit of the day, in an 8-1 win over the Expos. Montreal was held to three hits by Steve Blass, while Roberto and Freddie Patek had three hits each for the Pirates. 
• 1977 - The Bucs and Phils had a pair of bench-clearing to-dos after Mike Schmidt and Willie Stargell were beaned. Pittsburgh won the slugfest that counted, 8-7, overcoming a 7-3, eighth inning deficit at TRS. The victory was anti-climatic; after tying the game in the eighth, the Pirates won when pinch hitter Jim Fregosi drew a bases-loaded, ninth inning walk off Warren Brusstar to earn the W for Pittsburgh and Goose Gossage. 

Jason Thompson 1982 Donruss

• 1982 - The Reds entered the ninth trailing the Pirates, 4-2, at Forbes Field, and rattled off a six-spot against Manny Sarmiento and Kent Tekulve to take an 8-4 lead. The Pirates answered with a two-run homer by pinch hitter Willie Stargell and a bases-clearing double by Jason Thompson to show two can play that game and took home a wild 9-8 win. Between Pops long ball and Thompson’s double, the Pirates banged out five straight one-out hits against Tom Hume and Joe Price. Dave Parker had three hits, including two big flies, and Bill Madlock also went deep. Teke got the blown save/win combo after being roughed up for three runs in 2/3 of an inning. Post Gazette writer Charlie Feeney called it “...the wildest ninth inning in the 13-year history of Three Rivers Stadium.” 
• 2003 - The Bucs nosed the Brewers 8-7 in 10 innings at Miller Park to win their fifth game in six outings. Wes Helms hit a two run homer off Mike Williams in the ninth to sent the game to overtime; Jack Wilson answered with a two-run shot in the tenth. It wasn’t quite done; John Vander Wal singled to left center with two out and two on in the Brew Crew half to chase a run home, but Geoff Jenkins was thrown out at third by Kenny Lofton to end the game. Matt Stairs and Jason Kendall had three hits. Stairs, Wilson and Lofton also homered. 
• 2005 - Pittsburgh scored four times in the ninth to send the game into extras, then took a 6-5 win against the Mets in 10 frames at PNC Park. With two gone in the ninth, Tike Redman singled home a pair and Matt Lawton followed with a two bagger to tie it. Then Humberto Cota lined a knock to left after a pair were gone in the 10th, scoring Rob Mackowiak who had reached second on an error. The Mets were just a pitch away; both Redman and Cota’s hits came with two strikes.  

Humberto Cota 2005 Topps Total

• 2008 - The Pirates tallied three times after two outs and the bases empty in the eighth to top the Houston Astros 4-3 at PNC Park. Adam LaRoche started with a homer, then a HBP, single and walk set up Nate McLouth. He dropped a liner into short right to plate Jose Bautista and Luis Rivas with the tying and winning runs. Damaso Marte saved the win for John Grabow. 
• 2011 - Pinch hitter Mike McKenry broke a 4-4 tie with the Cubs in the eighth inning when he took an 0-2 pitch deep with two outs off Carlos Marmol for a three-run bomb to give the Bucs a 7-4 win at PNC Park. It was The Fort’s first MLB homer. The Bucs entered the All-Star break above the .500 mark for the first time since 1992. 
• 2012 - The Pirates kept sole possession of first place in the NL Central for the last time with a 13-2 thumping of the Giants at PNC Park. Neil Walker went 5-for-5 with a double and home run, drove in a pair and scored four times; Andrew McCutchen homered twice while collecting three hits, four RBI and three runs while Casey McGehee added three knocks to give AJ Burnett his tenth win. It was also the club’s tenth win in the past twelve games. The elation was short-lived as the Bucs collapsed in the dog days...but at last, wait ‘til next year wasn’t an empty slogan.

7/8 Happenings: 26 For Hanny; Clemente Statue Unveiled; Owner Concessions; Foul Ball Felony; Cover Boy Bob; ASGs - Arky's 2 HR

• 1921 - A ruling by the City of Pittsburgh allowed fans to keep balls hit into the stands in Forbes Field. Robert Alderdice‚ the Director of Public Safety, made the call following threatened lawsuits against police who had earlier arrested three fans for refusing to return balls to the team. 
• 1935 - SS Arky Vaughan and RF Paul Waner repped the Pirates in the All-Star game at Cleveland Stadium. Vaughan doubled, walked and scored in three at-bats while Waner was 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter in the AL’s 4-1 win. 

Arky Vaughan 1941 Play Ball

• 1941 - At Detroit's Briggs Stadium, SS Arky Vaughan became the first player to hit two home runs in an All-Star Game, cracking a pair of two-run homers in the NL's 7-5 loss. Arky went 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI in his eighth straight (and final) AS appearance. 3B Bob Elliott and C Al Lopez also played, both going 0-for-1. 
• 1946 - Per BR Bullpen, a special meeting of clubs was held to deal with player demands (desertions to the Mexican League were beginning to dilute the MLB product), and the owners did make some concessions. The results were a $5,000 minimum salary, $25-per-week training-camp expenses, a fixed period for spring training, 25 days for post-season barnstorming, and a maximum pay cut of no more than 25 percent. A pension fund aimed at providing $100 a month for retired 10-year players was set, to be funded by World Series broadcast rights and net proceeds from All-Star Games. Each league will also name a player rep to attend the baseball councils. 
• 1947 - Pittsburgh’s All-Star at Wrigley Field was 3B Frank Gustine, who went 0-for-2 in a 2-1 loss to the junior circuit. 
• 1952 - For the fourth straight year, OF Ralph Kiner was the sole Pirate rep for the All Star Game. The NL won 3-2 in a rain-shortened, five-inning game at Shibe Park. Kiner was scheduled to enter the game in the seventh and didn’t get to play.

Ralph was a loner in ASG's 1952 Star-Cal Decal

• 1958 - The Pirates sent a full contingent of P Bob Friend, 2B Bill Mazeroski, OF Bob Skinner and 3B Frank Thomas to the All Star Game at Memorial Stadium, a 4-3 AL win. Bob Friend took the loss, giving up two runs in 2-1/3 innings, with the last score unearned thanks to a boot by teammate Thomas. Skinner went 1-for-3 with a RBI, Thomas 1-for-3 and Maz 0-for-4. 
• 1967 - Bob Veale was featured as the cover story of The Sporting News in an article titled “Bread and Butter Buccaneer.” He went 16-8/3.64 and worked 203 IP, a down year for him as nagging injuries began to take their toll on the big lefty. 
• 1980 - The NL topped the AL 4-2 at Dodger Stadium in the All Star game with Chuck Tanner as manager. 2B Phil Garner went 1-for-2 with a run, walk and stolen base while RF Dave Parker went 0-for-2. Jim Bibby pitched a clean seventh inning, while Kent Tekulve watched the game from the bullpen. 
• 1994 - The statue of Roberto Clemente, located in front of Roberto Clemente Bridge and designed by sculptor Susan Wagner, was dedicated outside of Gate B at TRS. When PNC Park opened in 2001, it was reinstalled just beyond center field. A neat factoid: under glass blocks representing first, second, and third base is soil from Puerto Rico, Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium. 

Clemente Statue (photo Kimberly & Albrecht Powell)

• 1997 - The junior circuit short circuited the NL by a 3-1 score at the All Star game played at Jacobs Field. 2B Tony Womack was the Bucs’ representative and grounded out in his only at bat. 
• 2011 - Joel Hanrahan notched his 26th straight save of the season (although he did suffer a couple of losses in non-save situations) when he pitched a perfect ninth against the Cubs, striking out a pair, in a 7-4 win at PNC Park. He would blow his next save opp 10 days later (the Pirates didn’t have many leads to protect in the latter stages of the 2011 season) when he was tagged with a run-producing double by Houston’s Chris Johnson.