7/14 B-Days & All-Stars: HBD Bob, Earl, Tanny, Jose, Joe & Jacks; ASGs: Murry Gets A Save; Clemente Boo'ed; Cutch Homers; Bonds in HR Derby

• 1874 - LHP Jesse “Tanny” Tannehill was born in Dayton, Kentucky. He played six seasons (1897-1902) for Pittsburgh, with a line of 116-58/2.75. Tanny won 20 games or more four times for the Pirates and led the NL in ERA in 1901 (2.18). He was also pretty handy when not hurling, batting .277 and making 71 OF appearances for the Bucs. After six years with the Pirates, he and owner Barney Dreyfuss got into a contract squabble. Tannehill then jumped to the AL New York Highlanders and spent the next seven years of his career in the junior circuit before a last hurrah with Cincinnati. He coached, managed and even umped after his playing days but eventually joined the 9-to-5 crowd as a machinist. 

Jesse Tannehill 1900 (photo The Sporting News)

• 1889 - RHP Joe Conzelman was born in Bristol, Connecticut long before ESPN was a twinkle in an eye. He spent his three year MLB career (1913-15) with Bucs, going 6-8 with a 2.92 ERA. He was a Columbia and Brown graduate and left baseball to pursue his calling as an engineer. 
• 1892 - Utilityman Floyd “Jack” Farmer was born in Granville, Tennessee. Farmer played 2B, SS, 3B, LF & RF for the 1916 Bucs, getting into 55 games and batting .271. He would play big league ball again in 1918 briefly for the Indians and gave up the baseball life after spending the 1920 season at Nashville of the Southern Association. 
• 1929 - RHP Bob Purkey was born in Pittsburgh and was signed by the Bucs right after he graduated from South Hills HS. The knuckleballer spent his first four and his final seasons with the Pirates (1954-57, 1966), going 16-30/4.13. His heyday was with the Reds, where he won 100+ games, appearing in a World Series and three All-Star contests. The Pirates dealt Purkey to Cincinnati in 1957 for relief pitcher Don Gross. Pirates GM Joe Brown often called the transaction "the worst trade I ever made.'' After his retirement, he lived in Bethel Park and ran an insurance agency. 
• 1935 - Earl Francis was born in Slab Fork, West Virginia. The hard throwing righty tossed five seasons (1960-64) for the Bucs, going 16-23/3.77 with his time split between starting and as a long man from bullpen. Francis was the Pirates first African-American Opening Day pitcher in 1963 against the Reds and became the first pitcher that a young Pete Rose ever batted against. His short spell in the show wasn’t because of talent but injuries; Francis battled a sore arm throughout his career. He retired and put that powerful arm to good use - he became a butcher. 

Murry Dickson 1953 Red Man

• 1953 - P Murry Dickson was the Bucco rep at the All Star Game, a 5-1 NL victory at Crosley Field. He tossed the final two innings, giving up a run on three hits and earning a save for Warren Spahn. The relief appearance of the St. Louis Brown’s 46-year-old Satchel Paige in the eighth inning set an All-Star record for oldest pitcher to toss in the contest. 
• 1969 - IF Jose Hernandez was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Jose played for 15 years in the show, making stops in Pittsburgh in 2003 as part of the infamous A-Ram/Kenny Lofton deal with Chicago and again in 2006 as a FA, playing six positions while hitting .240. He signed a minor league deal with the Bucs for 2007 (he was one of Jim Tracy’s favorites) but the 37-year-old’s tank was running on empty and he didn’t make the final cut. He’s been a coach in the Baltimore farm system since 2010. 
• 1970 - Roberto Clemente was booed by the All-Star crowd at Riverfront Stadium (then all of two weeks old) after earlier saying he would only play if the game was held in Pittsburgh instead of Cincinnati. He changed his tune (GM Joe Brown provided a bit of arm twisting), and though resting a chronically sore neck, the Great One was used late in the game. Clemente, the only Buc rep on the roster, hit a sac fly to tie the contest and held Willie Horton to a 375’ single off the wall in right as the NL won 5-4. The game is better remembered for the brutal collision between Pete Rose and Ray Fosse at the plate, with Rose jarring the ball loose to score the winning run. 
• 1987 - The NL used plenty of pitching to take a 2-0 win over the AL in the Midsummer Classic held at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum; it took 13 innings before a run was scored. Tim Raines hit a two-run, two-out triple to win the game and the MVP. Rick Reuschel represented the Bucs and tossed 1-⅓ frames of scoreless ball, giving up a hit and striking out one. 

Rick Reuschel 1987 Fleer

• 1990 - LHP Jack Leathersich was born in Beverly, Massachusetts. After seeing some time with the Mets and Cubs, Leathersich was claimed by the Bucs from Chicago in September, 2017, after recovering from TJ surgery. He tossed well in a short stay (4-1/3 IP, no runs on three hits with six K) but was DFA’d after the season and now spins for the Cleveland organization. 
• 1992 - Lotta lumber being swung at the Midsummer Classic as the AL took a 13-6 victory from the senior circuit at Jack Murphy Stadium. The junior circuit banged out 19 hits with two leaving the yard. Outfielders Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke started; Bonds went 1-for-3 with a double and a run while AVS went 0-for-2 and hit into a DP. Barry also took part in the home run derby, hitting two dingers in the first round. 
• 2009 - The AL continued to snowball over the NL in All Star competition, taking a 4-3 victory at Busch Stadium. P Zach Duke and 2B Freddy Sanchez made the team, but didn’t get into the game. President Barack Obama, wearing a White Sox jacket, threw out the first pitch and later briefly joined Joe Buck and Tim McCarver in the Fox booth. 

Cutch 2015 Donruss Diamond King

• 2015 - Andrew McCutchen started and batted leadoff for the NL in the ASG played at Great American Ballpark. Cutch contributed a home run going 1-for-3, but the AL won their third straight game 6-3. Gerrit Cole tossed a scoreless frame while Mark Melancon struck out a pair in his inning of work but was touched up for a two-out, two-strike homer by the Twins’ Brian Dozier. AJ Burnett, in his first All Star game after 17 years in the show, didn’t get into the fray. Commissioner Bud Selig allowed Pete Rose to be recognized before the game along with former teammates Johnny Bench, Barry Larkin, and Joe Morgan.

J-Bell & Red Beard Lead the Way to 7-3 Win Over Milwaukee

Easy first for Nick Kingham; not so much for Junior Guerra. Corey D doubled and went to third on Starling's knock. Marte stole second before Gregory lifted a sac fly and Amore walked. Colin Moran singled home a second run and J-Bell doubled home another. Red Beard was cut down at home; Joey Cora apparently hasn't quite figured out how slow he is yet. It was 1-2-3 for the Brew Crew in the second; Pittsburgh stranded Corey D, who doubled with two outs. The Brewers used a single, walk, single to get a run back in the third; a well-timed 6-4-3 DP ended the uprising. With two away for the Bucs, Red Beard singled and so did J-Bell; his ball skipped past Lorenzo Cain, allowing Moran to score and sending Bell to third. A Jordy double chased him home before Nick whiffed. Nada for the Brewers in the fourth; the Bucs got a two-out homer from Gregory. There was no Milwaukee noise in the fifth. Pittsburgh got a grounder, J-Bell single, J-Hay DP off Brandon Woodruff. Woodruff then opened the sixth with a homer before The King snapped to attention and cruised through the top of the order.

Josh rang the bell tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Bucs went down without a peep. Travis Shaw took a 3-2 fastball, located down but mid-plate, long with an out in the seventh, just dropping beyond the fence. That was followed by a single on an 0-2 pitch; Kingham's velo has dropped a couple of ticks and Edgar Santana got the ball, finishing off the frame. Nick gave up five hits, a walk, and whiffed nine tonight. The Pirates went quietly again. The Brew Crew got back-to-back, one-out ground ball knocks in the eighth. After a line out, Kyle Crick got the call and retired Jesus Aguilar on a fly. Jacob Barnes was welcomed by a Red Beard rap, and he came home on a J-Bell three-bagger. Three outs later, the Pirates stranded him there. With an out in the ninth, the Brewers got a swinging bunt single followed by another knock. Crick got a K as Milwaukee pulled off a double steal. The Bucs challenged the safe call at third to no avail; Red Beard lifted the tag on an overslide. No prob; it just added four pitches to Kyle's total before a grounder (challenged for no particular reason by the Brewers) closed the book. RTJR!

Kyle nailed it down (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• J-Bell went 4-for-4 with a triple, double, two RBI and a run scored. Red Beard went 3-for-4 with two runs tallied and one chased home while Corey D added two raps.
• Nick's nine whiffs tied his career high, set during his April 29th debut against St. Louis.
• Junior's Jinx: The six runs allowed by Guerra tonight were the most against him this season. His previous high was five, also scored by Pittsburgh, on May 4th.
• There were 21,431 at PNC Park tonight.

Buccos-Brewers, Kingham v Guerra & Notes

Today: The game begins at 7:05 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. It's free-tee Friday for the first 20,000 fans and also Dollar Dog night.

Pitchers: RHP Nick Kingham (3-4, 4.26) takes on RHP Junior Guerra (6-5, 2.79) in a rematch from early May. The King broke a string of meh starts with a strong outing against the Phillies. He's been up and down, not much of a surprise considering he's started all of eight MLB games and been a regular commuter between Indy and Pittsburgh. He beat the Brewers on May 4th, when he gave up four runs on six hits (two left the park) in 5-1/3 innings while punching out seven facing off against Junior. Guerra has been a pleasant boost to the Milwaukee rotation, with a 2.63 ERA in his last 11 starts and giving one or zero runs in 10 of his 17 starts. He surrendered a season-high five tallies against the Pirates in the Kingham matchup, also giving up a pair of long flies in 6-4 loss. Guerra's only soft spot is length; he hasn't tossed more than six innings this campaign.

Ridin' with The King tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Corey Dickerson LF, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco RF, Fran Cervelli C, Colin Moran 3B, J-Bell 1B, J-Hay 2B, Jordy SS & Kingham P. AM looks like an Indy candidate at the break.

Notes:

• Starling is riding an eight-game hitting streak.
• In six games against the Brewers this season, the Pittsburgh pitching staff has struck out 67 batters in 53 innings while posting a 4-2/2.21 slash.
• A small debate broke out on whether or not Tyler Glasnow should have worked a second inning yesterday instead of eventually calling on Felipe Vazquez. Clint put it to bed, saying under most circumstances he would have, but was limiting pitch counts because of the doubleheader on Saturday.
• The Pirates and Brewers will honor Negro League baseball by wearing the uniforms of the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Milwaukee Bears. They also are hosting an exhibit of Crawford/Grays memorabilia that will be displayed under the left field bleachers and open to all fans tonight and during the Saturday games.
• Ivan Nova and Clay Holmes will work tomorrow's twin bill.
• Charlie Morton was added to the AL All-Star team. Congrats, Ground Chuck!

7/13 Expo Park-Forbes Field Era: Double Trouble; Hans on the Hill; Birds Swept; French Zip; HBD Jeep, John, Jiggs & Frank

• 1866 - 2B John O’Brien was born in St. John, New Brunswick. He finished his six-year big league run with the Pirates in 1899, batting .226 after being bought from the Orioles in mid-June. His pro career stretched from 1889-1904 when he played his last campaign for Lawrence in the New England League. 

Jiggs as a White Sox (photo source Chicago History Museum/Getty)

• 1879 - 1B/C John “Jiggs” Donahue was born in Springfield, Ohio. He started his nine-year career with Pittsburgh as a LH catcher from 1900-01, going 2-for-10 before being released and catching on with Milwaukee. Donahue had his best years from 1904 to 1908 after switching to first base for the Chicago White Sox. His glove work was a key to the Sox 1906 World Series championship team (aka the “Hitless Wonders”) as he led AL 1B in fielding %, assists, and putouts from 1905-07; he was by consensus as the best fielder at first of his era and among the best at the spot all-time. He wasn’t lost at the plate, either, batting .267 during that span. Per Mark Miller of SABR, here’s how his moniker came about: As a teen, John worked at a cigar store and when the store wasn’t busy he stepped outside and did dance steps. Customers started calling him Jiggers, after the sand flea known as a jigger (apparently because of the hopping around he did while dancing). The nickname was later shortened to Jiggs. Donahue died young at age 34, the victim of syphilis he had contracted while living in the fast lane during his Chicago years. 
• 1888 - Harry Staley and Pud Galvin of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys became the first pitchers to toss a doubleheader shutout by blanking the Boston Beaneaters 4-0 and 6-0 at Recreation Park in front of 3,000 fans. It was the fifth shutout in six games for the Alleghenys as Staley fired a three hitter and Galvin gave up just an eighth inning knock. The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette wrote the “If the Hubbys (Boston) came up on a goose egg hunt, they were eminently successful.” The paper also reported a pair of occurrences not usually seen in today’s game. Before the matches, the Boston mascot (who doubled as batboy) was found outside the park by Pittsburgh’s Galvin and Mike Donlin, who tossed him over the fence into the field. In the closer “The only mishap was reported by umpire Daniels who says some gentleman, or something else, stole his mask, thus leaving him exposed to the cold charity of the pitchers.” 

Harry Staley 1889 Police Gazette

• 1900 - The Philadelphia Athletics took BP against Sam Leever and Jack Chesbro at Exposition Park and pounded their way to a 20-4 lead after five innings. Fred Clarke then sent his right fielder to the mound, Hans Wagner, to save some Bucco arms. Wagner, who wouldn’t claim the shortstop spot until the following season, had pitched a bit as a semi-pro and did OK for his first MLB outing. He tossed two shutout frames before giving up three runs in the eighth inning (all unearned) and the game was called with the scoreboard reading 23-8. The Flying Dutchman would make one more appearance on the hill in 1902, spinning 5-⅓ IP and giving up two unearned runs. His line wasn’t bad at all for a mop-up guy: 8-⅓ IP, seven hits, six walks and six K. The five unearned scores left him with a 0.00 ERA; he’s the only Hall of Famer with a career zero ERA. 
• 1913 - IF Lee “Jeep” Handley was born in Clarion, Iowa. He was signed to a $20,000 bonus contract by the Pirates and played eight years (1937-46, with 1942-43 off for war duty) for the team. A slick fielder, he mostly played third, but also some middle infield, and hit .269 for Pittsburgh. A tough guy, Jeep survived a serious beaning and a car accident during his career. As for his nickname, the Uniontown Morning Herald in 1938 noted that “Lee (Jeep) Handley came to the National League in 1936, the year of (Eugene the) Jeep's appearance in Thimble Theatre (the original name of the Popeye cartoon strip).” Coincidence? We think not. 
• 1930 - Brooklyn’s Jumbo Elliot tossed a four-hitter against the Bucs, but Larry French scattered nine knocks to earn a 1-0 win over the Robins at Ebbets Field. Charlie Engel opened the seventh with a single, went to third on a hit-and-run and scored on Paul Waner’s bouncer to second for the game’s only run. Brooklyn stranded 12 runners and had two more thrown out on the bases. 

Frank Bork 1964 Topps

• 1940 - LHP Frank Bork was born in Buffalo. He spent his one MLB campaign in Pittsburgh in 1964, getting into 33 games with a slash of 2-2-2/4.07. Bork had been signed by the Bucs in 1960 and remained a Pirate throughout his pro career, last pitching in AA Macon in 1967. He was just 26, but had torn a muscle in his back and opted not to have surgery, effectively ending his career. 
• 1958 - There was some heavy hitting as the Bucs swept the St. Louis Cards 10-8 and 8-6 in a Busch Stadium twinbill. The first game featured 10 pitchers and 24 hits, with Pittsburgh surviving a ninth-inning rally by the Redbirds when Vern Law got Curt Flood, who represented the winning run, to bounce out to second, saving the win for Ron Blackburn. Bob Skinner had a big game with three hits, a homer three RBI while C Bill Hall added two knocks, one a long ball. Maz also had a pair of hits. Pittsburgh jumped out to a 5-0 first inning lead in the nitecap but by the fourth St. Louis had taken the lead at 6-5. Once again it was the Deacon to the rescue, coming on to spin five shutout frames to earn the win. Dick Groat, Mazeroski and Skinner were the batting stars, going 9-for-12 ensemble. Maz homered while Groat & The Hound smacked doubles; the trio chased home six runs and touched the dish six times.

7/13 TRS-PNC Park Era: Hans All-Century; Littlefield Era; Ritchie 1-Hitter; Game Stories; HBD Ryan, Rich, Clint & Casey

• 1971 - 1B/OF Rich Aude was born in Van Nuys, California. Aude began as a second round pick of the Pirates out of HS in 1989, signing for $80K. A big kid at 6’5”, Rich flashed some power in the minors, but during his stints with the Bucs (1993, 1995-96) he hit two homers in 151 AB, with a .225 BA. He hung around in the minors until 1999 and then became a scout for Tampa Day with Delmon Young among his discoveries. 

Rich Aude 1995 Bowman

• 1972 - RHP Clint Sodowsky was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He tossed for the Bucs in the middle of a five-year career, going 2-2, 3.63 in 45 appearances in 1997. It was his best big league season and after struggling at Arizona and St. Louis, he toiled in the minors and indie ball through 2006. 
• 1978 - OF Ryan Ludwick was born in Satellite Beach, Florida. The 32-year-old vet was purchased from San Diego at the 2011 deadline to bolster a playoff run that fizzled badly; he hit .232 with two homers in his brief Bucco stay. He left after the season to join the Reds, where he ended his playing days after the 2014 campaign. Ludwick is now a roving hitting coach for St. Louis’ minor league teams. 
• 1983 - The Bucs raced ahead of the Giants 5-0, but frittered away the lead by the ninth to fall behind 6-5 at Candlestick Park. With two down and Greg Minton on the hill, Johnny Ray bombed a tying homer to right, then the baseball gods smiled. Mike Easler hit a drive the opposite way that would have hit off the wall, but as LF Jeffrey Leonard tried for a leaping catch, the ball ticked off his glove and cleared the fence to give The Hit Man a game-winning four bagger. Kent Tekulve pitched a clean ninth to save the game for Manny Sarmiento. It gave the Pirates a three game sweep of San Francisco on their way to a 9-1 West Coast swing. 

Don Robinson 1984 Topps

• 1984 - The Pirates swept the Giants in a TRS twi-lite (it started at 5:05) double-dipper by 8-2 and 4-3 scores. The first game featured four RBI from Lee Lacy and three hits from Lee Mazzilli as John Candelaria got the win with help from Kent Tekulve. For Candyman, it was his 12th consecutive July win. The second one, well, that W was little tougher to come by - it went 18 innings and five hours, 11 minutes before Jason Thompson’s knock chased Mazzilli home with the game winner. It was Thompson’s second RBI; Jim Morrison also had two RBI while Tony Pena collected three hits and scored twice. The two teams used nine pitchers; Teke gave up runs in the eighth and ninth to let the G-Men knot the score. The bullpens ruled; San Francisco’s pen tossed 10 shutout innings; the Bucco relief corp put up nine zippos, seven by Don Robinson. The game ended at 1:32 AM; the Zambelli fireworks promised were still shot off, much to the dismay of the good ‘Burgers who were try to catch some shuteye - and per the Pittsburgh Press, most of the 22,176 stayed to the end to catch the whole shebang. 
• 1990 - RHP Casey Sadler was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Drafted in the 25th round of the 2010 draft, he worked seven games (one start) for the Pirates in 2014-15, slashing 1-1/6.46. Sadler missed the 2016 season due to TJ surgery and is hurling again at Indy this year after moving through Bradenton & Altoona in 2017 after he recovered. 
• 1999 - Honus Wagner was named a member of the All-Century team selected by fan vote and introduced at the All-Star game. Wagner came in fourth in the vote, but was included as a legend. Local players included on the ballot of the Greatest 100 Players were area Negro League standouts Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell and Josh Gibson, along with Buccos Wagner, Hank Greenberg, Pie Traynor, Barry Bonds, Roberto Clemente, Ralph Kiner, Willie Stargell and Paul Waner. 

Honus Wagner 2009 Topps Legends of the Game

• 2001 - Todd Ritchie lost a no hitter against the Royals when Luis Alicea bounced a one-out ninth-inning single through the infield. In the bottom half of the frame, Aramis Ramirez singled through a drawn-in infield to score Brian Giles for a 1-0 win at PNC Park. It was the Bucs second consecutive shutout win. Jimmy Anderson and Mike Williams had combined for a 2-0 sparkler over KC the day before, with Kevin Young’s two-run homer being the difference maker. 
• 2001 - Dave Littlefield began his term as GM, replacing Cam Bonifay. Hampered by ongoing financial restraints, he was noted for a stretch of losing seasons and the erosion of both the farm system and the Latino player market, although he did have some successes. He drafted Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker and hired Rene Gayo to scout Latin America. Littlefield was fired in 2007 and eventually replaced by Neal Huntington.

7/13 All Stars: Deacon Wins; Vince D, Starg & Roberto Homers; Dock Start; Starling's Debut; First Night Game & More

• 1943 - The AL defeated the NL in the first night All Star game, 5-3, which was broadcast to GIs via shortwave radio from Shibe Park. Pirates' OF Vince DiMaggio starred for the senior circuit with a single, triple and home run while scoring twice and driving in a run. P Rip Sewell and 1B Elbie Fletcher were also on the squad; Sewell pitched a perfect sixth inning and Fletcher went 0-for-2. 

Vince DiMaggio 1942 Play Ball

• 1948 - The Bucs sent 3B Frank Gustine, LF Ralph Kiner and P Elmer Riddle to Sportsman’s Park for the All-Star Game. The AL jumped ahead quickly and won 5-2 as Gustine and Kiner each went 0-for-1 and Riddle never got in the game. 
• 1954 - OF Frank Thomas was the Buc representative in the All Star Game at Cleveland Stadium, an 11-9 AL victory. He struck out in his only at bat. The teams combined for an ASG record 20 runs on 31 hits, which included six home runs. 
• 1960 - P Vern Law became the second Pirate to win a 1960 All-Star Game‚ working two scoreless, one-hit innings in a 6-0 NL victory at Yankee Stadium. He matched P Bob Friend, who won the first game two days earlier at Municipal Stadium in a 5-3 senior circuit victory and then sat this game out. OF Bob Skinner went 1-for-3, OF Roberto Clemente drew a walk in his only at bat, SS Dick Groat went 0-for-1 and C Smoky Burgess and 2B Bill Mazeroski both went 0-for-2. 
• 1965 - The NL beat the AL 6-5 at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium in the 36th All Star game. OF Willie Stargell, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, homered in the second, and recalled it as one of his most memorable long balls, not because of distance or the game situation, but because of its landing spot. He hit the ball into the bullpen area, where the band was seated, and it dropped over the fence and right into a tuba. OF Roberto Clemente went 0-for-2 and P Bob Veale didn’t get a call to work. 

Pops 1965 Topps

• 1971 - The AL jumped on top early, scoring four times off P Dock Ellis in the third inning (Reggie Jackson hit a 520’ HR off the Docktor) and then held on to take a 6-4 win from the NL in the All Star game held at Tiger Stadium. It was the first AL win since the second All-Star Game of 1962, and their last until the 54th All-Star Game in 1983. The AL went 1-19 during that span, but came back with a vengeance afterward. OF Roberto Clemente went 1-for-2 with a solo homer, 1B Willie Stargell 0-for-2 with a run scored after a HBP and C Manny Sanguillen didn’t get into the game. It’s thought that Dock talked his way into the start. At a presser the day before the game, Ellis told the media that NL manager Sparky Anderson wouldn't start two "brothers" (Vida Blue was the AL starter), verbally backing the skipper into a corner. 
• 1976 - The NL put a hurtin’ on the AL by a 7-1 count in the All Star game at Veteran’s Stadium. OF Al Oliver was the only Bucco AS and went 0-for-1. President Gerald Ford threw out the first pitch.
• 1982 - The AL fell 4-1 to the NL in the All Star game at Stade Olympique (Olympic Stadium) in Montreal. C Tony Pena stole a base as a pinch runner and went 0-for-1 at the dish, as did 1B Jason Thompson. Former Bucco Al Oliver, now an Expo, went 2-for-2 with a run scored and double. It was the first All-Star Game ever played outside the United States. 
• 1993 - The AL banged the ball all around the Camden Yards lot in a 9-3 win over the NL. Bucco rep 2B Jay Bell went 0-for-1. Andy Van Slyke was slated to be the NL's starting center fielder but sat out the game with a broken collarbone suffered when he crashed into a wall at Busch Stadium. AL manager Cito Gaston didn’t make any friends in Baltimore. The fans got fired up when the Birds’ Mike Mussina warmed up in the bullpen in the ninth and roared "We Want Mike!", but Gaston held him out. The Camden Yard crowd littered the field after the final out until Moose quieted them down. He said afterward that he warmed up on his own because it was his day to throw (he did pitch on the 16th), but more conspiratorial types believe he was trying to catch Cito’s attention so he could make a hometown appearance. 

Jay Bell 1993 Pinnacle Summit

• 1999 - The AL took a 4-1 win from the NL in the All Star game at Fenway Park. 3B Ed Sprague was the Pirate rep and grounded out softly to third in his only at bat. Pedro Martínez added to his legend when he punched out the first four batters he faced to become the first to begin the All-Star Game by striking out the side. He fanned out five of the six batters he faced and was named MVP. The game began 15 minutes late after Ted Williams came out in a golf cart for the pre-game ceremonies and was mobbed by the AS players who wanted to honor the legend. 
• 2004 - The junior circuit pounded out a 9-4 win over the NL All-Stars at Minute Maid Park. SS Jack Wilson was the lone Bucco representative and went 0-for-2 at the plate. At age 73, Jack McKeon became the oldest All-Star manager after becoming the oldest World Series skipper in 2003 with the Florida Marlins. 
• 2010 - The senior circuit finally solved the AL in the All Star game, taking a 3-1 win at Angels Stadium at Anaheim and snapping a 13-year losing streak. P Evan Meek was the Pirates rep and didn’t get in the game. Matt Capps, non-tendered in 2009 and then with Washington, got the win. It was the first game where the DH was made a permanent lineup fixture (before it only was used in AL parks), although it wouldn’t have any practical effect until the following year when the game was played at Chase Field. 

Starling Marte 2016 Topps Bunt

• 2016 - The AL dropped the NL 4-2 at Petco Park in San Diego in an oddity - the senior circuit was the visiting team because three straight games had gone to NL fields. Starling Marte made his first ASG appearance, singling in his only at bat and playing an inning in CF while Mark Melancon, in his third All-Star outing, got a walk and grounder to close out a frame. This was the last game that would decide home field advantage for the World Series, which had been in effect since 2003.

Jay Day: Jamo, Jordy & the Joshes Lead Bucs to 6-3 Win Over the Brew Crew

Jameson Taillon looks sharp; he opened with two whiffs in a clean frame. Wade Miley got three grounders against the Bucs. The Brew Crew got a two-out knock in the second on a ball deflected by Jamo, followed by a real rap. JT came back from a 3-0 count to fan Erik Kratz looking, so no damage. Freeser rolled one up the middle. Jordan Luplow looked bad, watching a strike and swinging through two change ups off the plate. An out later, J-Hay walked (this is not a drill) and Jordy singled a run home, going to second on a throw that had Harrison dead at third but was serendipitously dropped. Jameson went down on three pitches, but with a 1-0 lead. Jamo struck out the side in the third while Miley had no problems with the top of the order. The Brew Crew evened it up when Jesus Aguilar clobbered his 24th homer in the fourth. J-Bell walked with two away, as did J-Hay. Jordy came through again, lining a two-strike single into left that ticked off the SS's leather to plate Bell before JT K'ed again.

Jamo was strong again tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

A walk (Jamo was squeezed, but today's strike zone has been kinda fluid) and knock put Brewers on the corners in the fifth. Miley fanned and so did Eric Thames, with a stolen base by Kratz setting up the Brewers. No diff; Lorenzo Cain went down on strikes too. Corey D walked and Starling singled. An out later, another free pass juiced the sacks. J-Low hit the horsehide on the nose but it was an at 'em ball to the second baseman, who doubled up Starling to kill the inning. Christian Yelich walked on a borderline call to start the sixth. JT got away with a hung curve to Aguilar; he lasered it to Marte. A couple of grounders got him back in the dugout. Adrian Houser took the hill and gave up a walk and single; a wild pitch moved the Joshes up and Jordy knocked them both home. Jamo was done; he gave up a run on four hits, two walks and 10 K after 96 tosses. Pinch hitter Red Beard singled, but was erased on a Corey D 6-4-3 DP. The Bucs weren't done; Starling's knock plated Jordy before the fun ended.

Ric Rod got the seventh and a leadoff walk created no ado. Jonathan Villar got the ball. His opening walk was erased on a J-Low 6-4-3 DP; tough day for the kid. He gave up another walk (J-Bell's third) and J-Hay doubled him home before the Brewers finally solved Jordy. Tyler Glasnow spun the eighth and got into a two-out jam after a walk & rap, but whiffed his way out of it. Alec Asher claimed the hill and put up a zero, overcoming an error. Michael Feliz got last call and ran into some hard luck with an out thx to an infield single by Kratz and a error by Jordy on a possible DP ball. That was followed by a ground ball single and walk. With the bases loaded, a run in and one out, Felipe Vazquez was handed the ball to face Yelich and Aguilar. Yelich singled after being given new life; the ump missed a pretty obvious strike three call. Suddenly, Aguilar was the lead run at bat. But the drama ended; his shot to third became an around-the-horn DP and for the fourth time in five games, you can RTJR.

Josh was on base four times (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

Notes:

• The Buc's 6-7-8 guys were tonight's generator. J-Bell walked three times and scored three times; J-Hay had two hits, two walks, touched home and chased a run in while Jordy had three knocks and plated four Pirates while scoring once. Jordy's four RBI tied his career high; this was the fourth time he's chased home that many runs. Starling also had two hits and an RBI; Freeser had a knock and two walks. The Bucs had nine hits and drew eight walks tonight.
• Jamo's 10 whiffs are a career high and the season high for the Pirates; he's the first Bucco pitcher to hit double-digit K's this year.
• How rarely does J-Hay draw two walks in a game? It's the second time this year; the first was on Opening Day back in March. He now has 10 free passes for the year.
• There were 17,858 in the house tonight.
• Element of surprise: Kratz's stolen base was his first in the show; it was also his first attempt.
• The Pirates hosted 70 students and teachers from Escuela Dr. Pila, a high school in Ponce, Puerto Rico. They're here as part of a national school convention.

Brew Crew Rolls In, Jamo v Miley & Notes - Let the Meadows Debate Begin

Today: The game starts at 7:05 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan.

Pitchers: RHP Jameson Taillon (5-7, 4.05) kicks the set off v LHP Wade Miley (1-0, 1.42). JT sailed through six innings in his last outing, one of his stronger starts, and then got the hook (a quick one, per Jamo) after getting into a jam and it went downhill after that. We'll see if he can follow up with another good start; he's been much more effective since going to his slider more often. He's faced the Brewers twice this year, giving up four runs in 10 frames on 13 hits. Oddly, he had just one K in his first outing but seven in the second. Miley has been beat up this year physically. He's coming off the 60-day DL to make his first Brewers start since May 8th, when he strained his right oblique against the Indians in his second game back from a groin injury. The lefty's been so-so against the Pirates in seven lifetime starts with a 2-2/3.79 slash.

Jamo opens the Brew Crew set (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Corey Dickerson LF, Starling Marte CF, Elias Diaz C, David Freese 3B, Jordan Luplow RF, J-Bell 1B, J-Hay 2B, Jordy SS & Taillon P. Lefty lineups are always interesting. Austin Meadows is down again and Clint said they're discussing sending him back to Indy for regular playing time; right now they're working with him on swing tweaks. He's hit a wall (.213 BA since 6/23); an Indy stint wouldn't hurt him right now. Fran's down again too; hope they're just easing him back into action. Red Beard looks like he's back in platoon mode.

Notes:

• Starling Marte has a seven-game hitting streak.
• Yesterday was the Bucs' 10th shutout of the season (which puts them among the league leaders behind only the Cubs) despite the Pirates team ERA of 4.41, 22nd in the majors.
• S-Rod is back at Indy now that the AAA-ASG is over and the schedule has resumed.
• Not such a great day for Indy in the AAA All-Star game. The PCL put up four hits and two walks against RHP Tyler Eppler in an inning (all six runners scored) and C Ryan Lavarnway hit into a DP in his only at bat. IF Kevin Newman did go 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Will Craig (photo source MLB Pipeline)

• 1B/DH Will Craig of Altoona won the EL All-Star game for the Western Division yesterday. With the score 4-4 after nine, they went into a special tiebreaker based on a point system for homers, balls to outfield, etc. in modified home run derby format. Craig outpointed Reading's Zach Green, representing the East, 305-275, after going 1-for-4 during the game, fanning twice. He also participated in the pre-game HR derby, hitting 12 long flies, short of qualifying for the finals which took 14 long balls. 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes was 1-for-2 with an RBI & whiff while LHP Taylor Hearn tossed the first inning, putting up a zero with a walk & strikeout.

7/12 Expo Park-Forbes Field Era: Pud to Pgh; Soap Game; 13 Straight; HBD Lee, Dave & Johnny

• 1885 – The Buffalo Bisons sold P Pud Galvin to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for $5,000. Galvin won 138 games pitching for the Alleghenys, Burghers and Pirates. From the HOF (he was inducted in 1965): “Jim ‘Pud’ Galvin was baseball's first 300-game winner. Short and stocky, The Little Steam Engine was a tireless worker with a deceptive pick-off move. Galvin pitched for 14 Major League seasons, earning 20 or more victories 10 times and twice topping the 40-win mark. When he retired in 1892, he was the all-time Major League leader in wins, innings pitched, games started, games completed and shutouts. He was nicknamed Pud because his pitching process supposedly turned opposing batters into pudding.” Galvin also went by "Gentleman Jeems" for his demeanor, and "The Little Steam Engine" because of his build. 

Pud Galvin 1994 American Archives

• 1894 - Lee Meadows was born in Oxford, NC. The righty spent the last seven seasons (1923-29) of his 15 year career with the Pirates, going 88-52/3.50 for the Pirates. He was hardly used his last two seasons, but in the first five was a workhorse, leading the NL with 20 wins in 1926 and winning 19 games twice. Meadows was part of two World Series teams, the winning 1925 club and the losing 1927 squad. 
• 1902 - Jack Chesbro pitched a five hit shutout and struck out 11 Giants to beat Christy Mathewson, 4-0 at Exposition Park despite the Buccos losing five straight runners via baserunning errors. With two outs in the third, Ginger Beaumont was on second base and was tossed out trying to advance to third on a grounder to short. In the fourth, Honus Wagner led off with a triple, but was thrown out at the plate on Kitty Bransfield's grounder to first; Bransfield was then caught trying to steal second. Claude Ritchey drew a walk and got picked off first. Jimmy Burke led off the fifth with a double and tried to stretch it into a triple, but was tagged out by Matty, covering the bag. Holy TOOTBLAN! 
• 1919 - OF Johnny Wyrostek was born in Fairmont City, Illinois. The Bucs bought him from the Cards and he spent 1942-43 as a bench player in Pittsburgh, hitting just .140 in 60 games. After a two-year break for the service, he returned to baseball and played another another nine campaigns for Philadelphia and Cincinnati, ending his career with a solid .271 BA and two All-Star outings. After he retired, he went home to become a deputy sheriff, tradesman, and long-time mayor of Fairmont City. 

Larry French 1933 Conlon/TSN Giant

• 1933 - The Pirates blew an 8-0 lead in the ninth as the Boston Braves rallied to tie the score at Forbes Field, leading to Larry French’s “Soap Game.” Per Bob Fulton’s 1999 Pittsburgh Pirates History: “French figured he could duck out of the bullpen and hit the showers early. Little did he know as he was getting clean that the Braves had rallied to make the score 8-7. When the call came for French to pitch, he didn't even have time to rinse off. He put on his uniform and hustled out to the mound with soap trickling down his neck.” French tossed 1-⅔ IP perfectly and earned the win as the Bucs came back to take a 9-8 decision. Arky Vaughan helped, too - he doubled, banged two triples and drove in five runs.
• 1935 - Dave Ricketts was born in Pottstown. He was a two-way star at Duquesne University, playing on a pair of Dukes NIT basketball teams. He spent most of his MLB career as a back-up catcher for St. Louis, joining the Bucs in 1970. Ricketts retired after that season and coached in Pittsburgh from 1971-74 as part of the World Series team. 
• 1938 - The Pirates won their 13th straight game, 14-6 over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, as C Al Todd homered and drove home five runs. With their 40th victory in their last 54 games‚ the Bucs were in the NL lead for the first time that season. Ed Brandt got the win and Rip Sewell notched a save. That club was in first place by two games on September 25th, then collapsed, losing six of the last seven games to finish two games off the pace. 

Ed Brandt (photo Harwell Collection/Detroit Public Library)

• 1949 - Pittsburgh sent OF Ralph Kiner to Ebbet’s Field for the All-Star Game, won 11-7 by the AL. Kiner went just 1-for-5, but his hit left the park for a two-run homer. A Kiner out made bigger news; Ted Williams fractured his elbow after a fence crash while grabbing one of Ralph’s screamers. Although he finished the game, the Splendid Splinter was operated on the next day and was out until mid-September. This All-Star Game was the first to have black ballplayers in the line-up. Brooklyn’s Jackie Robinson started at 2B while teammates C Roy Campanella and P Don Newcombe also got in. Cleveland Indians' OF’er Larry Doby played the final four innings of the game for the AL. 
• 1955 - OF Frank Thomas was the only Pirate player in the All Star Game at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. He went 0-for-1 in a 6-5 NL overtime win. It was one of the senior circuit’s great rallies as they overcame a 5-0 deficit in the seventh and eighth innings, winning in the 12th frame on Donora’s Stan “The Man” Musial’s first-pitch walkoff homer. 
• 1956 - The Bucs swept a doubleheader at Wrigley Field by 2-1 and 5-4 counts. In the opener, Ronnie Kline kept the Cubbies under control by spinning a six-hitter and was backed by Bill Virdon’s three hits. The nitecap hero was Dale Long, who chased home four runs against Chicago with a bases-loaded triple and a game-winning solo shot in the eighth, his first long ball in over a month. It gave ElRoy Face a well-deserved win. He tossed seven innings of scoreless, five-hit ball in relief of Cholly Naranjo, who was making his first major league start. 

ElRoy Face 1957 Topps

• 1959 - Roberto Clemente kept ElRoy Face’s win streak alive when he cracked a bases loaded single off the right field wall in the 10th to rally the Bucs to a 6-5 win over the Cards at Forbes Field. Face had blown the save in the ninth, but settled down and was on the hill for the win. Dick Groat and Danny Kravitz carried the attack with three hits. 
• 1966 - The NL edged the AL 2-1 at Busch Stadium in the All-Star game on soon-to-be Bucco Maury Will’s 10th-inning rap. OF Roberto Clemente went 2-for-4 with a double, OF Willie Stargell 0-for-1 and P Bob Veale sat. The game not only went into extra innings, but was played in muggy 105 degree heat with the field reaching a toasty 113 degrees.

7/12 TRS Era: Cordova/Rincon No-No; Cobra Debut; TRS All-Star Game; HBD Tom, Brad & Phil

• 1973 - Dave Parker made his Bucco debut in right field, replacing Manny Sanguillen, in a 4-0 Pirates win against the Padres at San Diego Stadium. He went 0-for-4, but Willie Stargell homered and had three RBI while Bob Robertson added a solo shot. Luke Walker went the distance for the win, spinning a five hitter. 

Brad Eldred 2005 Topps

• 1980 - OF/1B Brad Eldred was born in Fort Lauderdale. The big banger (he hit 30+ dingers four times in the minors) was drafted by the Pirates in the sixth round of the 2002 draft. He made his MLB bow in 2005, batting just .221 but with 12 homers in 190 at-bats. That was offset by 77 whiffs, and he made it back to Pirates for just a brief 2007 showing, hitting .140 in 47 PAs after missing most of 2006 due to injury. The K rate haunted him and he got two cups-of-coffee with Colorado in 2010 and Detroit in 2012 before continuing his career in Japan where he still rakes and whiffs prodigiously. 
• 1981 - LHP Phil Dumatrait was born in Bakersfield, California. The Pirates claimed him from the Reds, and he worked from 2008-09, getting 11 appearances and six starts with the Bucs, putting up a line of 3-6, 5.50. He became a starter when Matt Morris was released, but had bursitis surgery (his second procedure after TJ surgery in 2004) and never reached his potential. Phil retired in 2012 after a couple of come-back tries. 
• 1982 - Tom Gorzelanny was born in Evergreen Park, Illinois. The lefty was a second round draft pick of the Pirates in 2003, and spent the first 4-1/2 years (2005-09) of his career in Pittsburgh with a 25-26/4.79 line before being traded to the Cubs. Gorzo has tossed for six teams in his career, last with the Indians in 2016. He’s with the Mets now, but has been out with a shoulder injury since camp. 

Gorzo 2008 Topps Co-Signer

• 1987 - The Bucs defeated the San Diego Padres, 4-2, at TRS with a combination of muscle and finesse. The muscle was provided by Bobby Bonilla’s blast into the upper deck of TRS, the first launched that far since 1979. The ball landed in yellow-seat territory previously reached only by Willie Stargell (four times), Bob Robertson and Greg Luzinski. The moon shot off Eric Show just tucked itself inside the RF foul pole and if the seats hadn’t gotten in the way would have traveled an estimated 475-500’. The finesse was provided by four DPs turned by the Pirates (offsetting three errors) and two caught stealings by Spanky LaValliere. Bobby Bo was the offensive sparkplug with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI while Felix Fermin & Johnny Ray each took part in three DPs to help Mike Dunne claim the victory. 
• 1988 - The AL pitchers outdid their senior circuit counterparts in a 2-1 victory in the All Star game at Riverfront Stadium. 3B Bobby Bonilla went 0-for-4 and OF Andy Van Slyke was 0-for-2. Bob Walk pitched to one batter, Carney Lansford, with two outs in the seventh and a runner on second and got him to ground out. 
• 1990 - Barry Bonds hit his 100th career home run off Andy Benes in the first inning in a 4-3, 15-inning win over the San Diego Padres. Jeff King drilled a two-out single to right to score Dan Bilardello for the win at TRS after the Friars bullpen had tossed 9-⅔ innings without giving up a run. Bob Patterson got the victory after tossing three scoreless frames; the Bucco relief corps put up 7-⅓ frames of shutout ball. 

• 1994 - The largest crowd in Pittsburgh baseball history, 59,568, turned out as Three Rivers Stadium played host to baseball's 65th All-Star Game. It was one of the most exciting All-Star games ever held. Fred McGriff’s two-run homer tied the contest in the ninth, then Tony Gwynn led off the 10th with a single and came around to score the game-winning run on a double by Moises Alou as the NL posted an 8-7 victory to snap a six-game losing string. 2B Carlos Garcia was the Pirates lone representative, and went 1-for-2 with a single. Bucco legend Willie Stargell tossed out the ceremonial first ball. 
• 1997 - Mark Smith's pinch-hit, two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th off John Hudek capped a no-hitter by Francisco Cordova (nine innings) and Ricardo Rincon (one inning) against the Houston Astros. (Lanny Frattare’s call: "Home run! No hitter! You've got it all!") It was the first combined, extra-inning no-hitter in MLB history, and the first time that TRS was sold out for a game other than a home opener since 1977, drawing 44,119 fans for Jackie Robinson/fireworks night. The feat was the first Pirates no-hit­ter since John Can­de­laria beat the Dodgers, 2-0, on August 9th, 1976. The win kept the Pirates in a first-place tie with Houston in the NL Central.