5/3 From 1990: Crash Landing; K-Day; Game Stories; HBD Austin

• 1991 - The Pirates defeated the Astros 1-0 in a one hour‚ 45 minute contest at TRS‚ the NL's shortest nine inning game since 1981. Zane Smith threw a complete game four-hitter while Pete Harnisch went the distance and gave up only two knocks, one being Orlando Merced’s first homer of the year in the third inning. Harnisch threw 89 pitches and Smith 92 during the contest. 

Austin Meadows 2017 Bowman Next Generation

• 1995 - OF Austin Meadows was born in Grayson, Georgia. He was selected in the first round (ninth overall) by the Pirates in 2013, foregoing Clemson for a $3,029,600 signing bonus. He bubbled among the Top 100 Prospects, but had several injuries that delayed his journey to the majors. He got his call in May of 2018 when Starling Marte was placed on the DL and was then shipped to Tampa Bay later in the year as part of the Chris Archer deal. 
• 1998 - Turner Ward literally crashed through the right field wall at Three Rivers Stadium while running down Mike Piazza’s long fly in a 10-5 loss to the Dodgers. And yes, he hung onto the ball in a play that is still considered one of the great all-time MLB catches and an ESPN go-to clip, though he had to leave the game with bruises and some fiberglass splinters. The kid was a gamer; he crashed through the wall while LA was ahead 9-0. 
• 1999 - The Bucs scored four times in the ninth on homers by Warren Morris and Brian Giles and a two-out walk off single by Brant Brown off reliever Robb Nenn to surge past the Giants 9-8 at TRS. Giles had three hits and five RBI while Jason Kendall went 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles. 
• 2012 - The Pirates set a club mark by striking out 17 in nine innings during their 6-3 win over the Cards at Busch Stadium. Erik Bedard did the heavy lifting, whiffing 11 in five frames and setting a franchise record with seven consecutive K’s. Four Pirate relievers added six more K in the final four innings. Jason Grilli and Joel Hanrahan picked up a pair of punchouts apiece in the eighth and ninth. 

Erik Bedard 2012 Topps Update

• 2014 - Despite making four errors and falling behind 5-0, the Pirates scored six times against the Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh and eighth innings to claim an 8-6 victory at PNC Park. Jordy Mercer’s two-out double on an 0-2 pitch tied the game with two outs in the seventh, and Neil Walker’s two-bagger off the top of the center field wall in the eighth chased home the game winners. Mark Melancon picked up the save of Bryan Morris’ third win. 
• 2015 - The Bucs ended one of the most frustrating series in their history by losing their third straight extra-inning, walk-off contest to the Cardinals by a 3-2 score after a pair of 2-1 losses. The Bucs had the lead in the 12th thanks to a Pedro Alvarez homer, but Radhames Liz gave up a run in the St. Louis half and a homer to Kolten Wong in the 14th to absorb the defeat. The Pirates scored just four runs in 35 innings against the Redbirds, stranding 37 runners while going 2-for-25 with RISP. The Cardinals swept a three-game series with all the wins coming in extra innings for the first time in franchise history and became the first team to do so since June of 1925, when the Cincinnati Reds broomed the Boston Braves in overtime.

5/2 Through the 1900s: 1st NL Homer; Alleghenies 1 & 2; Small Ball; HBD George & Freddy

• 1877 - The Alleghenys beat the Boston Red Caps, the eventual International Association champs (the IA was perhaps the first minor league ever formed), 1-0, behind do-it-all Pud Galvin. He tossed a one-hitter and bombed a homer thought to be the first ball to clear the fence at North Side’s Union Park. These Alleghenys, who began as a local independent nine, folded after the 1878 campaign, and were unrelated to the 1882 club that eventually became the Pirates. 

First Bucco box score? (Pgh Commercial Gazette 5-3-1887)

• 1882 - The second coming of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association played their first MLB game (The AA was an alternative major league in the early days; the club would join the NL five years later) against Cincinnati at the Bank Street Grounds. The Alleghenys whipped the Red Stockings by a 10-9 tally, led by Charlie Morton and Jim Keenan combining for seven hits. The Alleghenys’ Jack Leary and Reds’ Will White both went the distance. For Leary, who was a jack-of-all-trades (he only pitched three times in his 60 games with the Alleghenys while batting .286), it was his sole Pittsburgh win (1-0/6.75) before he moved on to Baltimore later in the season. White would end the campaign 40-12 with a 1.86 ERA as Cincinnati ran away with the AA crown. Many consider this game the first in Pirates’ franchise history, although not the team itself, which officially dates its beginnings to its 1887 entry into the NL. 
• 1887 - Fred Carroll of the Alleghenys hit the franchise’s first NL homer off Detroit Wolverine pitcher Lady Baldwin as part of his cycle at North Side’s Recreation Park in an 8-3 win. Motown had won 31 straight exhibition games and three regular season games‚ but met their match in Pud Galvin and Carroll. 
• 1902 - RHP Freddy Sale was born in Chester, South Carolina. His MLB career consisted of an inning’s work in 1924 for the Pirates, giving up two hits but putting a zero on the scoreboard. He was a star at South Carolina, but got on with his life’s work quickly, leaving the game after spending 1925 with Wilson in the Class B Virginia League at age 23. 

Hans had happy feet (photo via MLB.com)

• 1909 - Talk about small ball! Honus Wagner stole second, third and home while his teammates turned three additional stolen bases, two walks, a plunked batter, two errors, and two hits into a five-run first frame in the Bucs' 6-0 victory in the opener of a twin bill. They also won the second game 5-2 against the Cubs at the West Side Grounds. For the Flying Dutchman, the base-stealing feat was the fourth and last time he pulled it off; it’s still the MLB record. 
• 1909 - 1B George Giles was born in Junction City, Kansas. George was a well-traveled Negro League player who was considered an excellent fielder, speedy, and a solid contact hitter. He had a 1932 stint with the Homestead Grays (.301) and a 1938 stop with the Pittsburgh Crawfords (.261). The good glove, contact hitter retired and eventually ran a motel/bar in Manhattan, Kansas. His son George Jr. played in the minors and grandson Brian Giles was an infielder who played for the Mets, Mariners and White Sox through the eighties.

5/2 From 1910 Through the 1950’s: Prez Visit; Double Zeroes; Triple Triples; Walls Five Pack; HBD Hawk & More

• 1910 - President William Taft attended the Pirates 5-2 win over the Cubs. The team set a then-attendance record of 20,265 at Forbes Field due to President’s appearance, but the Pittsburgh Press headline was “Taft Was Cheered, But Thunderous Applause Met Honus Wagner.” Hans had just one hit though he did score twice. The win went to Babe Adams, who was relieved by Lefty Leifield in the seventh. 

• 1925 - The Pirates scored seven times in the first frame and plated 14 runs by the third to romp over the Cincinnati Reds 18-3 at Forbes Field. Clyde Barnhart, Pie Traynor, and Earl Smith combined to drive in 10 runs while the top of the order, Max Carey, Kiki Cuyler, and Eddie Moore, scored nine times. Lee Meadows tossed a five-hitter for the victory. 
• 1941 - RHP Clay “Hawk” Carroll was born in Clanton, Alabama. He ended his 15-year MLB career with two 1978 Pirates outings, giving up a run in four innings at age 37 after spending most of the season at AAA Columbus. He was released after the year and retired in 1979. His heyday was with the Reds, where he was named Fireman of the Year in 1972 with a couple of All-Star appearances. His nickname was a nod to his competitive nature on the field. 
• 1943 - Behind hurlers Wally Hebert and Bob Klinger‚ the Pirates claimed a twinbill from the Cubs‚ 3-0 and 1-0 at Forbes Field. Jim Russell was the hero of the opener; his triple drove in a run and he scored a batter later while Hebert’s six-hitter tamed the Bruins. In the second game‚ Cubs hurlers Dick Barrett and Lon Warneke combined on a one-hit loss: Vince DiMaggio's double in the fourth was the only Bucco knock. The Pirate run was unearned as Elbie Fletcher, who had walked, plated on the two-bagger when the relay to second was thrown away. Klinger answered the bell with a four-hit gem of his own. 
• 1953 - OF Carlos Bernier hit three consecutive triples in a 12-4 win over the Redlegs at Forbes Field‚ the Bucs fourth straight victory. Bernier added a single and a stolen base. In a stretch of 11 at bats‚ Carlos banged four triples‚ two doubles‚ and two singles. It was a great but misleading start to his only MLB season; he finished the year hitting .213. 

Frank Thomas 1954 Dan Dee

• 1954 - The Bucs and Cubs split a DH at Wrigley as Pittsburgh lost the opener 5-3 and won the nitecap 18-10. Frank Thomas had seven straight hits on the afternoon. Bob Friend, winner of the second game, drove in three runs to win his first of the year and set a backhand standard: Not until Vida Blue in 1979 had anyone else allowed 10 runs and still won. 
• 1954 - A sputtering drive to raise funds for a Hans Wagner statue received a shot in the arm when Beechview declared “Honus Wagner Day” with a game between its American Legion club and the “Old Timers” at Alton Field with the proceeds donated to the statue fund. The effort picked up steam from the contest, and on April 30th, 1955, the Frank Vittor bronze was unveiled outside Forbes Field.  
• 1956 - Lee Walls went 5-for-5 in a losing effort against St. Louis at Busch Stadium. The Bucs fell 10-9 in 10 innings despite Wall’s three doubles, three RBI and three runs. Roberto Clemente had two hits and Frank Thomas homered in the loss.

5/2 From 1980: Walk, Duke Goose Eggs; Game Stories; HBD Jose & Neftali

• 1985 - RHP Jose Ascanio was born in Maracay, Venezuela. He joined the Bucco system in 2009 as part of the Tom Gorzelanny/Mike Grabow deal with the Cubs and tossed that year and in 2011 for the Buccos, slashing 0-1/7.00. He was considered a potential closer, but spent all of 2010 and much of 2011 on the DL due to shoulder surgery. He never returned to the majors, but spent several years afterward in the Mexican and Venezuelan Leagues. 

Jose Ascanio 2010 (photo Marc Serota/Getty)

• 1987 - Bob Walk tossed six innings of three-hit ball as the Pirates squeaked by the Giants 1-0 at TRS. Logan Easley, John Smiley (W) and Don Robinson (S) carried Walkie’s torch to finish up the shutout. Sid Bream scored the winner in the eighth when his two-out grounder was booted, followed by back-to-back knocks from Jim Morrison and RJ Reynolds. 
• 1988 - RHP Neftali Feliz was born in Azua, Dominican Republic. The Pirates picked him up in 2016 as a $3.9M FA, and he got into 62 games, compiling a line of 4-2-2/3.52, with 29 holds and 61 K in 53-2/3 IP. The vet signed with Milwaukee in 2017, his fourth team in the past three campaigns, after beginning his career in Texas where he spent six seasons before becoming a bullpen drifter. He's spent the last two seasons in the minors.
• 2006 - Zach Duke tossed a five-hitter for his first MLB complete game and shutout in the Pirates' 8-0 win victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Freddy Sanchez had three hits with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the attack supporting the Zackster.  
• 2012 - AJ Burnett gave up 12 runs in 2-2/3 innings as the Cardinals clocked the Pirates 12-3 at Busch Stadium. AJ had shut them out two weeks earlier, 2-0, at PNC Park. He allowed the most runs by a Pirate hurler in 80 years and surrendered more earned runs in under three innings than anyone else since earned runs were first an official stat in 1913. "I stunk," Burnett told the AP. "There is nothing more I can say.” AJ got over it, going 16-10 with a 3.51 ERA during the season. 

Ouch - AJ 2012 Topps Update

• 2014 - The Bucs rallied from a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 at PNC Park on the strength of a pair of ninth-inning homers. Pedro Alvarez slammed a two-run shot to tie the game and Starling Marte walked it off with a two-out, two-strike solo bomb into left center off Sergio Santos to give Mark Melancon the win. 
• 2016 - In one of the great Jekyll-and-Hyde outings, Tyler Glasnow tossed 36 pitches in the first inning, giving up three walks, two hits (one a moon shot by Joey Votto), two stolen bases, and three runs, then flipped the switch, tossing five shutout frames while surrendering two hits, a walk, and whiffing five on 69 pitches to earn his first MLB win, 12-3, over the Reds at Great American Ball Park. Josh Harrison, a Cincy native, hit his third homer in two nights at GABP, a three-run dinger that capped a six-run fourth inning and gave Pittsburgh a 7-3 lead. The Pirates added five more runs in the seventh as they banged out 10 hits and drew eight walks.

Buc Bats Hold Off Rangers 7-5 In a Game Good to the Last Drop

Shelby Miller and Jameson Taillon traded clean first frames. In the second, the Bucs got a Melky rap; the Rangers banged out back-to-back two-out doubles to take the lead. The Pirates were quiet in the third. Jamo gave up a leadoff rap, followed by a wild pitch and walk, but worked out of it with no damage. Starling singled to open the fourth, with Gregory and J-Bell walking after him. Melky poked a single into left to tie the score. An out later, Bryan Reynolds cleared the bases with a double to left, Melky sliding in with a "I'm gettin' too old for this stuff" look at Joey Cora. Miller was sent to the showers, replaced by Ariel Jurado, who banked the fire. JT gave up a one-out, 3-2 walk but put up another zero. The Bucs returned to their peaceful ways in the fifth; Jamo also tossed a 1-2-3 inning. Wei-Chieh Huang took over in the sixth and J-Bell welcomed him with a two-bagger. A grounder got him to third, but the Bucs couldn't cash him in, allowing Texas to creep within two after red-hot Joey Gallo went long, dinging the foul pole in right with two away. Kyle Dowdy walked Eli to open the seventh. A bunt and bouncer got him to third, and he jogged in ahead of Starling's full-count double. Marte stole third and the count went 3-2 on Gregory with the same result, another two-sacker, to cap a great response inning and make it 6-2.

The big blow again came from Bryan Reynolds (photo Getty Images)

JT came out and gave up a leadoff bomb to Danny Santana on an 0-2 mistake heater. An out later, a dribbler not played very well by Eli (he was charged with an error) put a runner on and brought in Ric Rod. Shin-Soo Choo turned on an inside edge, 3-2 heater and dropped it just over the wall into the first row; nothing is easy. The inning finished without any more noise; the Rangers had a pretty good response, too, and it's a ballgame again. Melky walked to begin the eighth, and Reynolds was issued a four-pitch free pass an out later. JB Shuck came in to run for Melky and scored on Eli's rap to right; the Bucs moved up a base on the throw home. Brett Martin was beckoned to the bump and struck out Cotuck; Fraze couldn't pick him up and the Pirates left their ducks quacking. Kyle Crick took the ball and worked a clean 10-pitch inning. The Bucs went without a peep in the ninth. Felipe Vazquez walked the first batter *sheesh* and a double an out later put the tying runs in scoring position. He fanned Choo and Hunter Pence fouled off a couple of two-strike pitches, finally K'ing by swinging over a full-count change. Felipe then gave the hoodoo sign back to the first row fans who were trying to hex him. Raise the Roger.

The Nightmare added a little drama before putting it to bed (2019 Topps) 

No one ever said it had to pretty. Jamo and Felipe both labored with command today, and Ric Rod gave up his fifth bomb of the young year. But hey, the offense finally won one, and the Pirates come home Friday with two wins from deep in the heart and a 14-14 record despite an injury roster as long as Santa's list.

Notes:

• Melky reached three times with two knocks and a walk; Starling also had two hits. Bryan Reynolds has at least one hit in each of his first nine MLB games, and his three-run double was the linchpin of today's win. The Pirates only had eight hits, but drew five walks (four scored) and were 5-of-15 with RISP.
• Cole Tucker has K'ed in 14 of 41 PA's while drawing just two walks. 
• Melky's fourth-inning single was the Pirates first hit in 20 PA's with the bases loaded.
• Cervy was in the dugout in uniform, so he's hopefully just sitting out a game that he wouldn't have started (day-after-night) anyway.

Jamo v Miller, Lineup & Notes

Game: It's a getaway game starting at 2:05 EDT. The match will be carried by AT&T SportsNet and 93.7 The Fan.

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco DH, Josh Bell 1B, Melky Cabrera RF, Colin Moran 3B, Bryan Reynolds LF, Elias Diaz C, Cole Tucker SS (Jameson Taillon P). Melky has been a key if under-the-radar pickup; imagine the OF w/o him during the past month.

Pitchers: RHP Jameson Taillon (1-3/4.06) close the two-gamer against RHP Shelby Miller (1-1/7.52). Jamo has been up-and-down in April, following a trend - he didn't kick it in until May last season and didn't really take off until the second week of July. He went 9-4/2.20 from that point on. JT has never gone against the Rangers. Miller's had five short and brutal starts this year; 18 walks & four homers in 20 IP have cost him. He's had 10 starts against Pittsburgh with a 2-7/4.88 slash, but he hasn't hurled v the Pirates since 2016 when he was a D-Back.

Notes:

• C Steve Baron is in the clubhouse. Fran's wrist isn't fractured *whew* and with no roster announcement as of 45 minutes before game time, it seems like Baron's call was just a precaution in case Cervy got bad news after the x-ray.
• Nick Burdi is seeking a third opinion re: his biceps pain. The Texas docs had "no concerns" structurally, but no answers apparently for the jolt he felt when he was injured, per Adam Berry of MLB.com. 
• The Pirates are off tomorrow, then return home for a six-day, five-game stand against Oakland and the Rangers again.
• How important is the homer? Baseball Reference calculates that long balls generate 43.6% of the runs scored in MLB, the highest percentage in history, if it holds up through the season. Last night was a good example of how the Pirate attack could look if they lost a few more baseballs.

5/1 Through the 1930’s: Granny Power, Hart 1-Hitter; HBD Heinie, Johnny, George,Two Bills & Tom

• 1859 - IF Tom Forster was born in New York. He played four big league seasons with a stop in Pittsburgh and the Alleghenys in 1884, where he hit .222. Tom had a 10-year pro career, playing his last campaign in 1891 for Hartford of the Atlantic Association at age 31, finishing out his days working for ConEd in NYC. 
• 1860 - SS Bill White was born in Bridgeport, Ohio. He played five years in the big leagues, spending 1884 with the Alleghenys as a bench infielder and hitting .227. He played until 1889 with a rep as a good gloveman, and after his active days ended managed the Wheeling minor league clubs on three different occasions. 

George McQuillan 1916 Tango Eggs

• 1885 - RHP George McQuillan was born in Brooklyn. He was a decent pitcher for low-scoring teams, going 29-33 from 1913-15 with a 3.06 ERA for Pittsburgh. In 1907 he set one of the longest-lived records in MLB history when he pitched 25 innings for the Philadelphia A’s before giving up his first earned run. The record stood for 101 years before being broken by Oakland A’s reliever Brad Ziegler who extended the record to 39-1⁄3 innings. 
• 1886 - C Bill Kelly was born in Baltimore. He came to the Pirates from minor league St. Paul in 1911, becoming their third catcher and serving as the personal caddy for P Marty O’Toole. He played here through 1913, hitting .293 with 20 RBI’s in 102 games with a reputation as a good hit, bad glove backstop. 
• 1895 - Bill Hart hurled a one-hitter in a 4-1 victory over Cincinnati at Exposition Park. CF Jake Stenzel and C Joe Sugden each had a pair of knocks to lead the Pirates while SS Monte Cross made several nice running catches of short outfield flares. As the Pittsburgh Press noted succinctly of the Reds: “One hit will not win many games.” 
• 1896 - RHP Heinie Meine was born in St. Louis. The twirler spent six seasons with Pittsburgh (1929-1934), going 66-50 with a 3.95 ERA. Between 1931-33 he was a workhorse, throwing 663-2/3 frames in 96 games, going 46-30. In 1931, he led the NL in wins (19), innings pitched (284), and was fourth in ERA (2.98). He was an interesting guy, known as "The Count of Luxemburg" because he ran a hometown speakeasy/tavern in the Luxembourg section of St. Louis. 

4/30/1929 Pittsburgh Post Gazette

• 1917 - 2B Giovanni “Johnny” Berardino was born in Los Angeles. He got a couple of cups of coffee with the Bucs in 1950 and 1952 (.187 BA in 59 games), but his claim to fame wasn’t at the ballyard but rather in the back lots as he went on to become a TV soap opera star playing the role of Dr. Steve Hardy of General Hospital. 
• 1933 - The Pirates banged a pair of grand slams to back Bill Swift’s nine-hit, complete game shutout pitching and throttled the Philadelphia Phils 10-0 at the Baker Bowl. Arky Vaughan hit an inside-the-park grannie when his ball caromed wildly off the scoreboard in the third frame, then the Bucs iced the game with a five spot in the seventh, primarily fueled by Earl Grace’s grand slam over the right field wall. Vaughan and Grace became the first pair of Pirates to hit grand slams in the same game (Bill Madlock & Richie Hebner matched the feat in 1982).

5/1 From 1950 Through the 1960’s: Stu Smash; Dee Fondy Deal; Pettit Wins Debut; Game Stories; HBD Chico & Ray

• 1953 - The Pirates defeated the Reds‚ 8-3‚ at Forbes Field for their third win in a row‚ their longest streak since August, 1951. Bonus baby Paul Pettit was the winner in his first MLB start. It was his only win, as he never recovered from arm injuries suffered the previous year in the minors, and spent most of his remaining career as a minor league outfielder. Pete Castiglione had a big day in support of Pettit with three hits, including two homers. 

Paul Pettit 1951 (photo World Wide Sports)

• 1955 - Pirate pitching coach Ray Searage was born in Freeport, NY. The West Liberty State grad coached for the Williamsport Crosscutters in 2003-04, the Hickory Crawdads in 2005, the Altoona Curve in 2006-07 and the Indianapolis Indians in 2008-09. In 2010, he joined the MLB staff during John Russell’s final season, replacing Joe Kerrigan. He was a reliever in his seven year MLB career, spinning the cowhide for four different clubs, and coached for the Marlins & Cards before joining the Pirates. 
• 1957 - The Cubs sent 1B Dee Fondy and 2B Gene Baker to the Bucs for 1B Dale Long and OF Lee Walls. Fondy hit .300 and Baker .266 while Walls and Long combined for 45 Chicago HRs in 1957. 
• 1959 - Dick Stuart hit one of the longest shots ever launched at Forbes Field, carrying well over the scoreboard and landing in the Schenley Plaza parking lot when he caught all of an 0-2 curve off Jim Brosnan. Alas, the almost 500’ two-run, two-out drive in the ninth only made it close as the Bucs went down to the Cards 7-6. Big Stu had three hits, including a double, in the loss. 
• 1960 - The Pirates won their ninth straight game, their longest string since 1945, against the Reds by a 13-2 count at Crosley Field. Roberto Clemente had a grand slam and Maz added a three-run shot to back Vern Law’s pitching. The streak would end the next day against the Cards and ex-Bucco Ronnie Kline by a 4-3 score. 

Jose Lind 1991 Topps Stadium Club

• 1964 - Jose Lind was born in Toabaja, Puerto Rico. In six seasons with the Pirates (1987-92), the 2B hit .255 and appeared in three NLCS bouts. Chico was considered a top flight defender and won a Gold Glove in 1992. A coke addiction drove him out of the game and into several clashes with the law, but Chico came clean and now even participates in the Bucco fantasy camps. 
• 1966 - The Bucs pounded the Mets 8-0 at Forbes Field. Roberto Clemente led the attack with four hits, but it was a true team effort from the batter’s box. Every starter but the pitcher reached base, seven different Buccos scored, and five drove in runs. Of the Pirates 12 hits, five went for two bases and two more were triples. Big lefty Bob Veale went the distance, tossing a four-hitter and fanning nine.

5/1 From 1970: Mad Dog Unchained; Dock Attack; Scoops Clutch: Manny Cover Boy; Game Stories

• 1971 - Manny Sanguillen was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Pirate Treasure.” It was on the nose as The Roadrunner hit .319 and made his first All-Star appearance; he also was a Top Ten MVP finisher.

• 1974 - Dock Ellis hit the Reds’ Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Dan Driessen in the top of the first inning; Tony Perez ducked several times and drew a walk as Ellis tied a MLB record for consecutive beaned batters before Danny Murtaugh yanked him. Ellis later revealed that he was high on pep pills as the Bucs lost 5-3 to the Reds and was trying to counter what he saw as the Reds intimidation of the Pirates.
• 1977 - Al Oliver was awfully clutch on this day - he knotted the game in the ninth and then walked it off in the 10th against the Houston Astros. Down 3-2 at TRS in front of 25,371 fans, Scoops homered to lead off the final frame and send the game into extras, then singled home Omar Moreno with the game-winner in the following frame. That feat would go unmatched for 40 years until John Jaso pulled it off against the Mets in 2017. Goose Gossage gets a big high five too, tossing three scoreless innings of one-hit ball in relief of the Candy Man, John Candelaria, along with Pops Stargell who bombed a pair of solo homers to keep the Bucs afloat.
• 1980 - Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock was fined $5‚000 and suspended 15 games by NL president Chub Feeney for jabbing ump Jerry Crawford in the face with his mitt when he took the field after being called out on strikes with the bases loaded. Madlock appealed‚ but withdrew the protest and accepted his medicine after the NL umpires threatened their own brand of justice by promising to eject him from every game he tried to play while fighting the penalty.

Paul Wagner 1994 Topps

• 1994 - The Pirates completed a three game sweep of the Braves as Paul Wagner defeated Atlanta’s Tom Glavine 4-1 for his second career complete game in front of 30,614 fans at Three Rivers Stadium. Wagner allowed just three hits, losing his shutout bid in the ninth inning on a home run by David Justice. The Bucs scored all four runs in the sixth inning, with Wagner helping himself with a two-out,two-run double.
• 1999 - Brian Giles went 3-for-4 with a home run/three RBI and Kevin Young 2-for-4 with a homer/three runs chased home to back Todd Ritchie in Pittsburgh’s 9-3 win over Colorado at Three Rivers Stadium. Al Martin added three knocks while Scott Sauerbeck and Jason Christenson mopped up the win in front of 18,599 in a game that took 2:38 from first pitch to last.

Down To Last Out, Pirates Rally To Take 6-4, 11-Inning Win From Texas; Reynolds, Marte, Bell Provide the Muscle

Fraze opened the game by rolling a single into right off Adrian Sampson, and an out later, he scooted to third on Gregory's knock. J-Bell lined out to short, and Melky popped out on a hung curve; third base is where Pirates go to die. The Rangers started with a leadoff rap. Jordan Lyles caught a break when Rougned Odor swung at ball four and tapped into a force out. A K was followed by a caught stealing for a quiet frame. Colin Moran singled to leadoff the second, then Cervy was plunked in the hand/wrist and replaced by Elias Diaz. A fly out was followed by a force and Fraze fan; the Bucs are 0-for-5 w/RISP already. Texas got a two-out walk that lead to nothing but to run Lyles pitch count up to 43. It took Sampson seven pitches to put Pittsburgh away in the third. Texas drew a one-out walk followed by two strikeouts; he's got four now. Eli doubled with two away in the fourth to no avail. Elvis Andrus legged out an infield knock to start their half, followed by two walks on nine pitches with one away. A Texas League pop into right fell, plating a pair (Gregory has the arm of a Pony leaguer now) before two grounders ended it.

Jordan pitched well but was bit by bad luck (image Pittsburgh Pirates)

Sampson threw 10 pitches and fanned two in the fifth. Steven Brault took the hill and gave up a rap, but a K and 4-6-3 DP cleaned it up. J-Bell singled on a flare off Andrus' mitt with one out in the sixth and Colin added a two-out knock; Eli whiffed. Steven fanned a pair in a clean frame. Shawn Kelley gave up a Cotuck rap in the seventh; he went nowhere. Michael Feliz got the call and punched out a pair. Chris Martin walked Gregory to open the eighth. J-Bell went down looking at a pair of borderline strikes; ump Ed Hickox behind the plate has a wide zone and Josh, already bitten by it a couple of times, should be aware of it by now. Melky singled and JB Shuck came in to run for him. Colin swung through a two-strike meatball while Eli got five balls down the middle; the only one he could put between the lines was a grounder to second. With an out, a strikeout/passed ball put a Ranger on first; that was followed by a walk. They ran a double steal with two gone followed by a walk, and that brought in Frankie Liriano. He walked in a run, but got a grounder on a 3-1 pitch to finally shut the door.

Welcome back 2017 Topps Heritage New Age

Jose Leclerc got the ball; Bryan Reynolds doubled and Cotuck beat out an infield knock to open the ninth, and holy moly, Fraze singled home a run, sending Tuck to third. Starling struck out and so did Gregory (his was on two called strikes way outside; because of guys like Hickox, robo umps are gonna become a thing), but J-Bell came through, tying the game with a two-out two-bagger, but getting gunned down at trying to take third. Keone Kela gave up a leadoff rap, and a grounder, nicely snagged by Josh, moved Logan Forsythe to second, where KK kept him. Jesse Chavez worked a clean 10th, as did Kyle Crick. Bryan Reynolds fouled off five of the first seven pitches; he liked the eighth and dropped it into the batter's eye, 408' away. Fraze reached on an error an out later and plated when Starling went deep (422' into the Ranger bullpen) off a 3-2 cutter. J-Bell walked with two away, bringing in Ariel Jurado, who got JB on a grounder. Felipe Vazquez took the bump and Joey Gallo greeted him with a dinger. Texas didn't lay down; an out later, they got a knock to bring the tying run to the dish. He went to second on defensive indifference (a Bucco issue all year!). No diff; a fan closed out an improbable win. Seems like a long time since we've raised the Roger.

Notes:

• Bryan Reynolds has an eight-game hitting streak since he's been called up. He kept it alive in the ninth inning and then banged his first career homer in the 11th. He and Starling led the team with two hits, including a homer each. J-Bell, Fraze, Cotuck and Redbeard also added two knocks. The Pirates stranded 11, but came back to finish 4-of-14 w/RISP.
• The Pirates struck out 13 and gave up just seven hits, but seven walks hurt the cause.
• Cervy has "left wrist discomfort." Let's hope it's just a bruise.
• Despite the eight game losing streak, the Pirates finished the month 13-14.
• Hunter Owen, Altoona's Eastern League Player of the Week, homered tonight in a 5-3 win.
• The Tigers place J-Hay on the 10-day IL, retro to April 27th, due to a left shoulder contusion (or maybe his .156 BA, although a .181 BABIP explains a lot of that.)