7/12 PNC Park Era: Comeback Kids; ESPN Thrilla; Bombs Away; ASGs

• 2002 - The Pirates rode two-run homers by Brian Giles, Kevin Young and Jack Wilson to a 9-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Sean Lowe got the win in relief of Jimmy Anderson, who was yanked in the third after giving up his seven hits. 

Sean Lowe 2002 Upper Deck 40 Man

• 2005 - The AL whipped the NL at Comerica Park 7-5 in the All Star game. The Pirates sent Jason Bay as their rep and he was the only position player for either side not to play, though Jay did get some swings in as a participant of the home run derby. He used up his 10 outs without a long ball, the only player not to swat a couple of souvenirs during the competition. 
• 2008 - The Pirates scored four times in the ninth and twice in the 10th to outlast the St. Louis Cardinals 12-11 at PNC Park in a game. They were losing 9-3 going into the seventh inning, but scored in that frame, the eighth, ninth and tenth to rally for the victory. Nate McLouth hit a three run homer and Jay Bay later drove in the tying run in the final frame on a first-and-third force out that the Cards couldn’t convert into a DP. Jason Michaels ripped a two-run shot in the 10th to walk off a winner. Bay had two long balls and five RBI to lead the offense. Adam LaRoche also had a dinger, as the Bucs launched five balls over the fence during the game. 
• 2011 - The NL took a 5-1 decision from the AL All-Stars at Chase Field. OF Andrew McCutchen and pitchers Joel Hanrahan and Kevin Correia were named to the team. Cutch went 0-for-1, Hanny pitched to two batters with a strikeout and single, and KC didn’t get in the game. It was the first ASG in a NL ballyard to use a DH. 

Petey 2013 Gypsy Queen

• 2013 - Pittsburgh scored twice in the first on Pedro Alvarez’s homer (he had been selected to play in the All-Star Home Run Derby as an injury replacement just days before by NY’s David Wright, who was booed mercilessly by the PNC Park crowd for ignoring El Toro the first time around) and then went nine more frames before posting another run, but it all worked out as the Bucs took a 3-2, 11 inning win from the Mets. Jordy Mercer singled home Andrew McCutchen after two outs with the winning run to give the Pirates’ sixth pitcher, Vin Mazzaro, the victory. 
• 2014 - The Bucs blew a 4-0 lead to the Reds at GABP after Charlie Morton was touched up for a five-spot in the sixth inning, but managed to tie the game in the ninth on Andrew McCutchen’s solo homer off Jonathan Broxton and won it in the 11th when clutch Cutch homered again off JJ Hoover to deliver a 6-5 victory. McCutchen had three hits, as did Jordy Mercer and Travis Snider. Six Pirates relievers shut the door on Cincinnati, with Justin Wilson picking up the W and Jeanmar Gomez earning his first MLB save. 
• 2015 - In a see-saw game that was tied 3-3 after nine, the Bucs prevailed in dramatic fashion to drop the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 in 10 innings at PNC Park on ESPN. Frankie Liriano, a .057 hitter, drove home a pair of runs and Gregory Polanco one more, countered by a Jhonny Peralta homer and pair of manufactured scores. In the 10th, things turned gloomy when Randal Grichuk banged a bases loaded double off Arquimedes Caminero, scoring two Redbirds although a third was nailed at the plate. That would prove huge. Trevor Rosenthal, who had thrown 27 pitches the day before, came on. He got two outs after Jordy Mercer’s leadoff blooper, and then the Pirates starting coming. A Starling Marte single brought in Jordy, Jung-Ho Kang’s knock moved him up, and Marte sprinted home on Fran Cervelli’s two strike roller inside the first base line to even it up. A walk brought up Polanco, and he dropped the first pitch into right for the game winner and the Pirates second walk-off win in consecutive nights over St. Louis. Caminero, though battered, earned his first MLB win. 

Frankie 2015 Topps Opening Day

• 2016 - Both Bucco reps got in the ASG, a 4-2 AL victory at Petco Field in San Diego. Mark “The Shark” Melancon gave up a walk and then closed out his inning with a grounder while Starling Marte went 1-for-1 with a two-out, first-pitch, pinch-hit single to right and played an inning in center field. It was the last All-Star game that determined home field advantage for the World Series, as had been done since 2003. Home field afterward would be earned by the team with the best regular season record.

Bullpen Finishes What Willy Started + Starling's Blast = 2-0 Bucco Victory To Take The Series

Trevor Williams stranded two walks and Gio Gonzalez left J-Hay, who had singled, aboard in the first. The second frames were clean, although Willy is nibbling; he's gone full on four batters already. The Nats got a leadoff double in the third, but a couple of well-stroked outs kept them off the board. Jordy opened with a two-bagger and was bunted to third. Josh K'ed, but Starling picked him up with a drive into the greenery to give the Bucs a 2-0 edge. A fourth inning walk and single weren't cashed in by DC; Willy has be dodging some raindrops as his velo is 89-90. Maybe some mid-season dead arm is biting him. Freeser and J-Bell had back-to-back knocks with one gone and they died on the basepaths. Two singles left Nats on first and third with two away in the fifth. Trevor fanned Harper to calm the waters. Starling walked but was caught stealing, a rarity, to end the Bucco half.

Willy bent but didn't break today (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Trevor was yanked after 81 pitches with a four-hit, three-walk, three-whiff shutout, a quick hook by Clint tho Willy has labored today, and Ric Rod got the sixth. He got a strikeout, walk and DP ball for a quiet frame. Freeser had a two-out rap, and after the play Gonzalez came up gimpy. He finished the frame, fanning J-Bell. Edgar Santana allowed a single in the seventh. Shawn Kelley took the hill and gave up a Jordy two-bagger with an out, but a whiff and a pop kept the zeros coming. It was smooth sailing for Kyle Crick in the eighth and Justin Miller spun a 1-2-3 inning. Felipe Vazquez toed the slab after a day off yesterday and looked pretty rested. He struck out the side, mixing off speed nicely with 99 MPH heat. RTJR!

20 saves for Felipe after today (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• Freeser and Jordy had two hits; Starling homered and walked.
• Felipe Vazquez now has a 10-game save streak and gone a dozen games without yielding a run. Kyle Crick also has a 12-game zippo run while Edgar Santana has spun seven straight zero-run appearances. 
• Today marked Jordan Luplow's first MLB start; he went 0-for-3.
• There were 21,803 in the park today.
• Chad Kuhl will be shut down for another month due to his forearm strain; the silver lining is that the docs think rest will cure it rather than the scalpel. Jung-Ho Kang, who's been off with a wrist sprain since June 24th, will be reevaluated sometime next week. He's banned from baseball activities until the docs clear him. Indy utility guy Chris Bostick, who's been playing well enough to be considered for a call up, is still down two weeks after an appendectomy but now beginning to work out. AJ Schugel is still TBD though he is throwing some.
• RHP Jeanmar Gomez was called up by the White Sox. He was a Pirate from 2013-14, then a Phil. 

Pirates-Nats Close Out With Rubber Match, Willy v Gonzalez & Notes

Today: It's a getaway day game starting at 12:35. It will be streamed by Facebook at facebook.com/MLB. No other TV outlets will carry the game. 93.7 The Fan will handle the radio call. The Facebook thing is a MLB concept, btw, not a Bucco initiative.

Pitchers: RHP Trevor Williams (6-7, 4.60) finishes the set against LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-5, 3.76). Trevor has been pretty bad lately. He's coming off the shortest start of his career, allowing five earned runs over 2 1/3 innings vs. the Phillies. Willy faced the Nats once this year, taking the loss after giving up three runs and two homers over 5-2/3 frames in a meh outing. Gonzalez has been up-and-down for the past month, and his once ace-like ERA has grown by and run and half in his past seven outings and he hasn't gotten past the fifth inning in his last four outings. He was once kryptonite to Pirate bats, but in his latest efforts, single starts in 2016 and 2017, the Buccos have handled him pretty well.

Willy does today's spinning (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Josh Harrison 2B, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco RF, Fran Cervelli C, David Freese 3B, J-Bell 1B, Luplow LF, Jordy SS & Williams. Clint's lefty lineups are always a sight to behold. Austin Meadows gets another sit down, along with Corey D and Colin.

Notes:

• Next up: The Brewers come to town for a five game set with a double header on Saturday. The set ends Sunday, followed by the All-Star break.
• Corey Dickerson has gone 3-for-8 with a walk and two runs scored in his two games from the leadoff spot.
• The Bucs have swiped 10 bases in their last four games and have been successful 17 times in their last 18 stolen base attempts. Starling Marte currently shares the NL lead with 23 stolen bases.
• Altoona southpaw Taylor Hearn will start tonight for the Western Division in the Eastern League All-Star Game.

7/11 Expo Park-Forbes Field Era: Lefty Hurt; "Delightful Batting"; Rally Triples; Wynn Quits; HBD Otter, Pop, Skeets & Harry

• 1865 - C William “Pop” Shriver was born in Brooklyn. He was a part-time catcher for the 1898-1900 Bucs, hitting .265 toward the end of a 16-year career. He played one more year for St. Louis, then hung them up after 1901. He’s part of early baseball’s folklore when in 1894 he was alleged to have caught a ball tossed from the top of the Washington Monument, over 500’ high, by Clark Griffith, who at the time was a pitcher and Pop’s teammate on the Chicago Colts. The usual tale is that he missed the first ball but snagged the second, although some say (much after the fact) that the ball popped out of his mitt. 

Pop Shriver (photo Moller/Detroit Public Library)

• 1884 - OF Harry Wolter was born in Monterey, California. The seven-year MLB vet started out in 1907, playing for three teams. The Bucs bought his contract from the Reds and he got one appearance for the Bucs as a pitcher (he was converted to an outfielder and sometimes 1B in 1910) and worked two innings, giving up a run before being sold to the Cardinals. The Santa Clara alum played pro ball from 1905-20, with a final bow in as a player/manager 1927. Following his playing career, he coached baseball at Stanford University for 26 years, in 1916, from 1923-1943, and one more time from 1946-49 and also coached the US Olympic team in 1936. 
• 1902 - “Pittsburg won from New York yesterday but at a terrible price. Lefty Davis caught his foot in second base and fell with a fractured leg,” was the Pittsburg Press’ lead. Davis had stolen the bag and bounced up to head to third when the throw got away, but stumbled over the sack, breaking his ankle, passing out and then being carried to the clubhouse. The 27-year-old outfielder never quite recovered his game; Davis was a .287 hitter with 45 steals in 171 big league games to that point, but missed the rest of the campaign and finished his remaining 177 games batting .234 with 20 thefts. The Pirates did win the ballgame at the Polo Grounds 6-3 as five Bucs banged out a pair of hits in support of Deacon Phillippe. 
• 1908 - Per the Pittsburgh Press' Ralph Davis: "In a game filled with pretty fielding plays and delightful batting rallies..." Vic Willis tossed a one-hitter in a 6-2 win over the Giants at Exposition Park. Mike Donlin's triple was the only New York knock. Roy Thomas had three hits for the Bucs (two were triples) and Hans Wagner added a pair of knocks. 

Vic Willis 1909 American Tobacco

• 1921 - RHP Hal “Skeets” Gregg was born in Anaheim, California. He worked for three years (1948-50) for the Bucs after a five-year run in Brooklyn. Skeets tossed mostly from the pen and went 3-6-1 with a 4.85 as a Pirate when he was on the downside of his career, suffering arm and back woes. Quick factoid: Gregg was noted for his fastball, which he honed as a child by rifling oranges at various targets on his parent's orange grove. 
• 1925 - The Bucs managed to blow a five run lead to the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbet’s Field by giving up a six-spot in the eighth, but back-to-back triples by Clyde Barnhart and Pie Traynor in the top of the ninth were the spark that pushed the Pirates to a 7-6 victory, sealed by a running grab of a shot to deep center by Max Carey with the tying run on base. Lee Meadows went the distance for the win. 
• 1951 - Ed Ott was born in Muncy, PA, just east of Williamsport. He caught righty but hit lefty, putting him in a platoon role for Pittsburgh for seven seasons (1974-80), batting .259. He was effective in the 1979 World Series; in three starts, he hit .333 with three RBI in just 12 at-bats. Not too surprisingly, he was nicknamed “The Otter.” He managed Pirates farm teams in 1985-86, was a skipper in the indie leagues for three seasons, and coached for the Houston Astros under former Pirates teammate Art Howe from 1989-93. He later returned to coaching at the indie level, finally retiring in 2014. 

Ed Ott 1981 Fleer

• 1963 - In a 3-0 win over the Colt .45s at Forbes Field, Roberto Clemente’s bullet chased Jim Wynn from the infield to a career in the pasture. As the Toy Cannon, who was a rookie playing SS (it was his second MLB game), told Baseball Digest “Clemente hit a screaming line drive, and I got my glove up just as the ball hit the left field wall. After that, I told the coaches and manager to get me out of the infield.” Wynn was granted his wish, and played 1,810 games in the OF after 21 appearances at short during his rookie campaign. As for the Bucs, Roberto’s scary double was cashed in by Donn Clendenon in the eighth and was the winning run; Don Cardwell went all the way for the win.

7/11 TRS-PNC Park Era: Pops #1; Bo Signed; Jackson Deal; Game Stories; HBD Javier & John

• 1973 - Willie Stargell cracked the 302nd home run of his career to pass Ralph Kiner as the all-time Pirate HR leader in a 10-2 victory over the Padres at San Diego Stadium. Bob Robertson, Al Oliver and Dal Maxvill each had three hits while Nellie Briles went the distance, tossing a seven-hitter with seven punchouts. Willie would pile on to his franchise-leading number of dingers, retiring with 475. 

Javier Lopez (USA Today Sports)

• 1977 - LHP Javier Lopez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lopez signed as a FA with the Pirates in 2010 for $775K after having a horrible year in Boston. The 32-year-old LOOGY rebounded with a slash of 2-2/2.79 and was moved at the deadline to the San Francisco Giants for RHP Joe Martinez and OF John Bowker. He spent seven seasons with the G-Men, working in four playoff runs and two World Series before retiring in 2017. 
• 1981 - 18-year-old Bobby Bonilla was signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent after a Pirate City tryout set up by scouting director and later GM Syd Thrift. He spent five years in their farm system before being lost to the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 draft after the 1985 season. The Pirates got him back quickly in a July trade for pitcher Jose DeLeon and he remained a Bucco until he joined the Mets in 1992 after inking a five year/$29M contract, making him the highest paid player for a bit and dwarfing Pittsburgh’s reported four year/$16.5M offer. 
• 1987 - The Pirates gave away the lead with two outs in the ninth but came back to claim a 6-5 win over San Diego at TRS in 11 innings. The Bucs rallied to take a 5-4 lead after Bob Kipper had been chased, with Doug Drabeck, Doug Jones and John Smiley holding the fort (the starters were available because of the upcoming All-Star break). Jim Leyland yanked Smiley with two outs in the ninth and the bases empty for Don Robinson (the skipper didn’t like the looming Smiley/Bruce Bochy matchup) who gave up a game-tying homer to pinch-hitter John Kruk, bringing down the boos from the 13,109 on hand. Johnny Ray saved his bacon when he doubled home Bobby Bonilla, going the opposite way with two outs, for the win. Andy Van Slyke had a homer and four RBI and Barry Bonds had four raps to lead the Bucco hit parade. 

Danny Jackson 1993 Donruss

• 1992 - The Pirates traded 3B Steve Buechele, made expendable by the emergence of Jeff King, to the Cubs in exchange for LHP Danny Jackson as a stretch run acquisition. Jackson went 4-4/3.36 in 15 starts, lost his only playoff start, and went to the Marlins in the 1992 expansion draft. Buechele played until 1995. King held the hot corner in Pittsburgh for eight years. 
• 1996 - The Pirates defeated the Reds 5-3 at TRS, highlighted by a steal of home by an unlikely suspect, Jeff King. Jay Bell was at bat and King said “I was hoping and praying Jay would see me coming. I wondered if I should yell when I get about halfway?” But no worries. Bell told the Post Gazette “You can’t miss those big feet lumbering down the line.” Smiley, who had a slow delivery, tossed the pitch high and a sliding King got under the tag. Al Martin and Orlando Merced had three hits, with Orlando adding a homer. Denny Neagle got the win - he had been traded for Smiley by the Twins in 1992 - and Dan Plesac earned a save. 
• 1992 - RHP John Barbato was born in Miami. The Pirates sent a minor leaguer to the Yankees for Barbato, and as a depth option who started out at Indianapolis, he still made 24 appearances for the Pirates in 2017, with a 1-1/4.05 line. He was waived at the end of the year and claimed by Detroit. 
• 2002 - Brian Giles was the man of the hour for the Pirates at Miller Park when he homered in the 10th inning to give the Bucs the 3-2 lead and eventual win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Pokey Reese had a two-out, two-run, bases-loaded single in the fourth. Brian Boehringer picked up the win in relief of Josh Fogg. Mike Williams came in for the bottom of the 10th and recorded his 26th save of the season.

Brian Giles 2002 Donruss Diamond Kings

• 2015 - It was a game that the Bucs and Cardinals squeezed for every drop of drama at PNC Park in front of 37,318, shown nationally on Fox Sports. The two best teams in baseball by record, Pittsburgh won a 6-5, 14-inning walk off victory in a contest that lasted into the next day. Mark Reynolds drew first blood when he homered after striking out - he swung and missed for strike three, but plate ump Vic Carapazza miscalled it a foul, and he then belted the reprieve into the LF stands. The Redbirds were up 3-0 before AJ Burnett, the Pirate starter, hit his first homer in a decade. The Pirates tied it in the eighth, fell behind in the 10th, tied it in the bottom half on a Jung-Ho Kang triple and Chris Stewart knock, and fell behind again in the 14th only to win it when Neil Walker singled and Andrew McCutchen homered into the batter’s eye in center (he also extended his hitting streak to 18 games). Vance Worley got the win that cut the Cards’ lead in the NL Central to 3-½ games; it had been a nine-game gap on June 28th.

7/11 All Stars: Forbes Field & PNC Host All-Stars; Friend Win, Law Save; Roberto Walk Off; First TV; ASGs

• 1939 - The Pirates sent SS Arky Vaughan to the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored, but the AL took the game 3-1. To keep things honest, the umpires swapped spots in the middle of the fifth inning – Cal Hubbard of the AL left home for the NL’s George Magerkurth and the other two men in blue traded bases. 

• 1944 - The Pirates hosted their first All-Star Game at Forbes Field, the 12th Midsummer Classic and the first night game in All-Star history. The NL won 7-1 as Phil Cavarretta of the Cubs set an ASG record by reaching base five straight times on a triple‚ single‚ and three walks. Rip Sewell worked three innings, giving up a walk and whiffing a pair. 3B Bob Elliott went 0-3, while OF Vince DiMaggio played in the field but didn’t bat. SS Frank Zak didn’t get into the game at all. 
• 1950 - It was back-and-forth baseball at Chicago’s Comiskey Park during the AS Game. The NL tied the match 3-3 in the ninth on lone Pirate rep Ralph Kiner’s homer (he also had a double, going 2-for-6) before Red Schoendienst's long ball in the 14th inning won it for the NL. As noted by BR Bullpen, it was a game of firsts - the first extra-inning All-Star Game, the first time the NL won at an AL park, and the first All-Star Game ever shown on national television (Jack Brickhouse announced the game on NBC). 
• 1960 - One-hit shutout pitching by Bob Friend over three innings led the NL to a 5-3 win over the AL at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in the first of two All-Star Games. Friend was credited with two of the NL's last three All-Star wins, with this one saved by teammate Vern Law, who got the last two outs. OF Bob Skinner went 1-for-4 with a run, RBI and stolen base while 2B Bill Mazeroski went 1-for-2 with a RBI and HBP. OF Roberto Clemente and C Smoky Burgess both were 0-for-1, and SS Dick Groat got in as a defensive sub. For Clemente, it was his AS debut and his out was a loud one that Jim Lemon ran down his drive at the wall. 

Bob Friend 1960 Topps

• 1961 - In the All-Star game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, OF Roberto Clemente had a coming out party. The Great One tripled and scored the game's first run, drove in another with a sac fly, chased Mickey Mantle to the centerfield fence to corral his next blast, and capped the day when he delivered a walk-off single off knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm in a 5-4, 10-inning NL win. Danny Murtaugh was the skipper of the NL; 1B Dick Stuart belted a pinch-hit double, C Smoky Burgess went 1-for-4 and reliever Roy Face never got the call from the bullpen. The game cemented Candlestick’s rep as a wind tunnel; Stu Miller was blown off the mound and charged with a balk when a sea breeze buffeted him in mid-delivery. 
• 1967 - The NL won another All Star pitching battle against the AL, taking a 2-1 decision at Anaheim Stadium in fifteen innings with Tony Perez’s homer the difference. OF Roberto Clemente went 1-for-6, and the starting middle infield of 2B Bill Mazeroski and SS Gene Alley went a combined 0-for-9 at the plate, although Maz did lay down a successful bunt. The rosters were loaded for this match; 22 players and coaches ended up in the Hall of Fame. The 15 innings was the longest ASG played, later tied by the 2008 contest. 
• 1978 - The NL took a 7-3 win from the AL in the All Star game held at San Diego Stadium. 1B Willie Stargell was the only Pirate on the team and went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter. Three ex-Bucco hands were on the AL’s starting lineup card - 3B Don Money, SS Freddie Patek and OF Richie Zisk, with SS Craig Reynolds on the bench and RHP Goose Gossage in the pen. 

Bobby Bo 1989 Fleer All Stars

• 1989 - The AL rolled on with a 5-3 win in the All Star game at Anaheim Stadium. OF Bobby Bonilla went 2-for-2 as a late inning DH in the first ASG that a DH was allowed. President Ronald Reagan joined Vin Scully for an inning in the broadcast booth. In a fitting farewell, Mike Schmidt of the Phillies, who had retired on May 29th, was elected by the fans as the starting 3B for the NL team. Schmidt opted not to play, but he did join in the game's opening ceremony in his Philadelphia uniform. 
• 1995 - The NL nosed out the AL All Stars 3-2 at the Ballpark in Arlington. P Denny Neagle repped the Bucs and tossed a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and striking out one. The AL out-hit the NL 8-to-3, but all three senior circuit raps left the park. 
• 2000 - The AL All Stars defeated the NL’s best 6-3 at Turner Field. Pirates C Jason Kendall and OF Brian Giles both went 0-for-2 during the contest. Florida fans could be excused for turning their nose at the game. It was originally slated for Pro Player Stadium (built in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium), but NL President Len Coleman reversed the decision and gave it to Atlanta, citing it as a newer park (Turner Field was converted from an Olympic venue to baseball in 1997). The truth was baseball officials were uncertain of the future of the Marlin franchise as owner Wayne Huizenga had the team up for sale while pushing hard for a new ballyard. Some storylines never change. 

• 2006 - The Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the 77th All-Star Game at PNC Park. The Midsummer Classic marked the fifth time that Pittsburgh hosted the All Star game, becoming the first franchise to host the game in three different yards — Forbes Field (1944 & 1959), Three Rivers Stadium (1974 & 1994), and PNC Park (2006). The AL’s 3-2 win kept the junior circuit unbeaten in the contest since 1997. OF Jason Bay went 1-for-3 and 2B Freddy Sanchez went 0-for-2. Vera Clemente was escorted onto the field by Bill Mazeroski to accept the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award on behalf of Roberto between innings while the crowd roared; a video montage was shown and AL manager Ozzie Guillen was reduced to tears during the ceremony. 
• 2017 - The first ASG at Marlins Park ended up a pitching battle with the AL taking its fifth straight win by a 2-1 score. It took 10 innings and was decided on Robinson Cano’s homer off Wade Davis. Josh Harrison, the Pirates only rep, came in as a sub at second base (he played five innings) and fanned twice. Even though the junior circuit has been on a roll, the All-Star series couldn’t be more even after 88 outings with a 43-43-2 record and each league scoring 361 runs.

Bucs Drop Yawner 5-1

The game started 50 minutes late as the ground crew hunkered down for rain that never fell. Weather dudes...anyway:

Busy first for J-Grove; he hit a batter, gave up a single, fanned a pair, issued a walk and then left the sacks packed with another K. Jeremy Hellickson cruised through a clean frame. The Nats stranded a leadoff double in the second while the Bucs managed a two-out walk. It was a quiet third for DC. Corey D singled with two gone and Starling followed with another, but Gregory was caught looking. Musgrove gave up a knock in a two-K fourth. It was a seven-pitch frame for Hellickson. With two gone in the fifth and two strikes, Juan Soto legged out a ball and it cost when Anthony Rendon ripped the next pitch, a cutter up in the zone and mid-plate, into the seats. J-Grove finished up the frame and his night, yielding two runs on five hits with a walk and nine K after 96 pitches. The Bucs made one of their three outs loud when Jordan Luplow drilled one to The Notch, the only part of PNC that would hold his ball.

One mistake cost J-Grove tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Steven Brault got the sixth and it went badly; after an opening strikeout, he gave up three knocks, three walks (two w/the bases loaded), and three runs before Tyler Glasnow got the call. Ty did his job, getting a DP, but it's now a 5-0 hole. The Bucs got a walk and infield single (it took a challenge to get the safe call) against Matt Grace, who was yanked with two gone for Brandon Kintzler. He got a first-pitch grounder to second on a sinker right down the middle from Red Beard. Matt Adams singled in the seventh on a ball deflected by Ty; he would end the inning try to score on Daniel Murphy's double only to be cut down Gregory-to-Mad Max-to-Eli. The Bucs got on the board softly - a J-Bell infield rap, wild pitch, error and grounder finally got someone home. Michael Feliz was back in the saddle for the eighth and put up a zippo, leaving Nats on the corners after two-out singles thanks to a sliding catch by Starling.

Ryan Madson toed the slab and quietly retired the side. Feliz spun a calm ninth. Kelvin Herrera took the hill and Eli greeted him with a knock. With two outs, a Mad Max walk and AM infield knock loaded them up with Amore as the tying run at the dish. But life followed art and the Mighty Cervy struck out (on three pitches).

Michael Feliz came back with a couple of zeros (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Pretty poor at the plate - seven hits, all singles - and one mistake pitch by J-Grove. And it looks like Steven Brault might be on the Jeff Locke track, too, with not enough trust in his stuff to go after guys. 40 walks in 62-1/3 IP isn't big league performance. Huntington won't be hampered by too many untouchables as the deadline approaches.

Notes:

• No Pirate had more than a hit; Eli & Corey D had a knock and a walk.
• J-Grove's nine whiffs were a career high.
• There were 17,103 rooters in the stands tonight.
• The Dodgers are reported to have "some" interest in J-Hay by MLBTR, but he seems pretty far down on their wish list.
• The Nats put closer Sean Doolittle on the DL with a toe inflammation.
• RHP Jhan Martinez has made it back to the show. The Orioles recalled him after a good showing in AAA.

Nats-Bucs Round Two, J-Grove v Hellickson & Notes

Today: First toss is at 7:05 and the game will be on AT&T SportsNet and 93.7 The Fan. It's pups in the park night.

Pitchers: RHP Joe Musgrove (3-3, 3.79) goes against RHP Jeremy Hellickson (2-1, 3.81). After getting paddled in a couple of games, J-Grove tossed a shutout against the Padres before going on the DL with an infected finger, and this is his first game back. He faced the Nats once in 2017 and tossed a scoreless inning in relief. Hellickson has been pitching pretty well, but in his last two starts, he's gone 8-2/3 innings and given up 12 runs (11 earned). In his defense, he gave the team nearly five frames and had his ERA jump by over a run while pitching under the weather and taking a beating from Miami in his last outing, so we'll see if he's back to snuff today. He tossed 5-2/3 innings of shutout ball during a 3-1 Nats win against the Bucs earlier in the year.

J-Grove is back (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Corey Dickerson LF, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco RF, Elias Diaz C, J-Bell 1B, Jordy SS, Max Moroff 2B & Musgrove P. J-Hay, who is batting .179 in July, gets a sit-down, as does Austin Meadows, who is hitting .200 this month. Eli is back in action for Cervy.

Notes:

• Felipe Vazquez is down tonight after working three straight games.
• Welcome to the club: the Nationals have now lost 10 of their last 14 games. Also, their starter yesterday, Jefry Rodriguez, didn't have such a great day at the yard last night and was optioned to AAA.
• Quicker than Starling swiping a base: Joe Musgrove was activated from the DL and Alex McRae has been optioned to Indy.
• Yesterday was the first full day off of the year for J-Bell. He had appeared, either as a starter or pinch hitter, in all 89 of the previous contests.
• Colin Moran was working on fielding bleeders at third - the Bucs give up quite a few infield knocks - and Amore took a few throws at first, a position that should keep his noggin out of harm's way.
• Clayton Holmes' outing at Bradenton yesterday was solid. He went six innings, giving up a run on four hits with eight whiffs and, key for him, without a walk.

7/10 Games: 15-Hit Shutout; Homer Per Inning; 30 For Willie; Long Gone Garrett & More

• 1901 - The Boston Beaneaters collected 15 hits in 12 innings against Pittsburgh, but failed to score in a 1-0 loss at Exposition Field, setting a record for most hits with no runs. It was part of a four-game sweep by the Bucs. The Bucs got four hits off Bill Dineen, who lost to Jack Chesbro. The Pirates won when Honus Wagner reached second on a throwing error, went to third on a bunt single and scored when Dineen’s pickoff toss to first went by 1B Pat Moran. 

Tommy Leach 1909-11 T206

• 1908 - At Exposition Park, the Bucs overcame a 4-0 NY Giants lead to win 7-6 on Tommy Leach’s ninth-inning, walk-off homer to center. Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke and Chief Wilson had triples for the Pirates. Sam Leever, who allowed the Giants to tie the game in the top of the ninth, got the win. 
• 1929 - The Pirates mashed the Phillies, 15-9 at the Baker Bowl. Pittsburgh hit five homers and the Phils banged four. There was one home run hit per inning, an oddity that may never be repeated. George Grantham had a pair for the Bucs, along with Pie Traynor, Lloyd Waner and pitcher Fred Fussell adding to the total.  
• 1936 - The Bucs dropped a 10-inning, 9-6 decision to the Phils at Forbes Field thanks to OF Chuck Klein. The Hoosier Hammer banged four homers, two of which landed on the right field roof, off three different Pirate pitchers and drove in six runs to almost single-handedly beat the Buccos. His three-run homer in the tenth off Bill Swift sealed the deal for Philadelphia. Paul Waner had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run while Gus Suhr added two more knocks good for a pair of RBI to lead the Pirates. Klein, a Hall of Famer, played for Pittsburgh later when he joined the club in 1939. 

Willie Stargell 1971 Topps

• 1971 - The Pirates bested the Braves, 5-4, at TRS behind Willie Stargell's 30th home run of the season and his 10th off Atlanta pitching; it was a two-run blast in the eighth that turned a deficit into the lead. Pops also doubled and was joined in the two-knock club by Vic Davalillo, who scored twice, and Bob Robertson; Al Oliver drove in a pair of runs. Dave Giusti saved the game with Mudcat Grant getting the win for a contest Steve Blass started. Captain Willie would go on to have a career year in long flies, knocking 48 balls out of the yard. 
• 2009 - Garrett Jones joined Ryan Howard as the only player to clear the batter’s eye at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. He mashed the shot off Joe Blanton on the first pitch he delivered to Jones in the opening frame after striking out the first pair of Pirates. It wasn’t enough, though, as the Bucs fell to the Phillies 3-2.

7/10 Happenings: Fred HoF; Divisional Era; HBD Gene & Harvey & More

• 1877 - P Harvey Cushman was born in Rockland, Maine. His one major league campaign came in 1902 as a 25-year-old Pirate, getting four starts with a slash of 0-4/7.36 and managing to walk 31 batters in 25-2/3 IP. Harvey finished out his pro career after the 1905 season with Braddock of the Class C Ohio-Pennsylvania League. He must of liked the area; he died in 1920 in Emsworth. 

Gene Alley 1968 Topps/TSN All-Stars

• 1940 - SS Gene Alley was born in Richmond, Virginia. He played his entire 11-year career (1963–73) with the Pirates. A modest hitter - his BA was .254 - he won a pair of Gold Gloves, was twice selected an All-Star, and set the MLB DP record for middle infielders with Bill Mazeroski in 1966 with 161. Shoulder and knee problems slowed and ultimately ended his career. 
• 1943 - Pittsburgh surrendered a franchise record for most runs given up in the modern era when the Brooklyn Dodgers spanked them 23-6 at Forbes Field. As motivation, the Dodgers only had two players willing to suit up before the game after Leo Durocher suspended pitcher Bobo Newsome. Da Bums, led by ex-Buc Arky Vaughan, were ready to walk out in support of Newsome until GM Branch Rickey stepped in and calmed the seas, leaving Brooklyn to take out its frustrations on the Buccos. Vaughan despised Leo The Lip so much that he sat out the following three seasons and wouldn’t return to Brooklyn until Durocher was gone. 
• 1943 - Homestead Grays owner (and numbers king) Rufus "Sonnyman" Jackson was briefly jailed after a confrontation at Forbes Field with a Mexican baseball agent (actually, the Mexican diplomatic consul AJ Guina) trying to raid his roster. As quoted by Mark Ribowsky in A Complete History of the Negro Leagues, Jackson said “I don’t care if they send Pancho Villa, they’re not getting my ballplayers.” Sonnyman eventually kept his players and he ran the team himself after team co-owner Cum Posey's death, winning the last pennant in Negro National League history in 1948. 

Fred Clarke Ron Lewis Art Card

• 1945 - Fred Clarke was inducted into Hall of Fame. Selected by the Old Timers Committee, Clarke spent 15 years in Pittsburgh (1900-11, 1913-15) and hit ahead of Honus Wagner, batting .299. As a manager, he led the Bucs to the first three modern NL pennants, taking four flags in all, and finished second five times. Clarke won (1,602) and managed more games (2,829) than any other Bucco skipper, and compiled the club’s highest career winning percentage (.576). 
• 1968 - The NL announced that it would split into two divisions next season. The Eastern Division would consist of Chicago, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. It was the beginning of the Divisional Era, where the winners of each division would compete against each other in a League Championship Series to determine the World Series opponents.