5/12 From 1950: Killer B's; Hot Heaton; True To Word; Bowman Claimed; Game Stories; HBD Josh & Evan

• 1953 - The Bucs plucked LHP pitcher Roger Bowman off waivers from the New York Giants. It was a case of getting what ya pay for; he spent ‘53 and part of ‘55 with the Pirates, with all of ‘54 and most of ‘55 farmed out to Hollywood. He went 0-7/5.60 in the 37 Bucco games that he got the ball, with 1955 being his last big league campaign. Bowman then worked in the Pacific Coast League and tossed some in Cuba, with his last pro outing in 1961 with the Hawaii Islanders of the PCL. 

Roger Bowman - 1955 (what else?) Bowman

• 1955 - Rookie RHP Sam "Toothpick" Jones of the Cubs no-hit the Pirates 4-0‚ fanning Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente and Frank Thomas in the ninth after walking the bases loaded (he walked seven - two DPs and a caught stealing canceled that out pretty well - and struck out six). It was the first no-hitter in Wrigley Field since 1917 and the first MLB no-hitter tossed by an African-American pitcher. Sadly for Jones and posterity, only 2,918 fans showed up. 
• 1968 - Al McBean left his house for Forbes Field after promising his wife a victory for Mothers Day and kept his word with a complete game, 2-1 win over the Phils, scattering seven hits and fanning five. The Bucs scored both runs in the first when Maury Wills and Roberto Clemente touched home against rookie Jeff James. Three straight Philadelphia singles in the seventh cut the Bucco lead to one, but Matty Alou’s throw-out of Johnny Briggs at third capped the damage. And everyone got to celebrate dinner with mom - no pace of play issues on this day as the game took just one hour and 55 minutes. 
• 1978 - 1B Josh Phelps was born in Anchorage, Alaska. Phelps spent eight years in the show, mostly as a Blue Jay, and split 2007 between the Yankees and Pirates, joining Pittsburgh in June after the NYY waived him, as a replacement for demoted Brad Eldred. He swung it pretty good for the Bucs, hitting .351 with five homers in 77 at-bats, and he signed with the Cards as a free agent after the year. He got into 19 games late in the season for the Redbirds and that was his last MLB stop. Josh’s 64 career homers are the most banged by an Alaskan-born player. 
• 1983 - RHP Evan Meek was born in Bellevue, Washington. The Rule 5 pick spent five years (2008-12) as a Pirate and at one point looked like the closer of the future after an All-Star season in 2010, tossing to a 2.14 ERA in 70 appearances. But various arm injuries took their toll on his promising career. He only made one more MLB stop after his Bucco days, in 2014 with Baltimore. He finished his career pitching indy league after splitting 2015 between the minors and a stint in Korea. 
• 1988 - Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla gave a glimpse into the future when they mashed previously undefeated Dodger ace Orel Hershiser for three homers, four runs scored and six runs plated in a 7-4 Bucco win at Three Rivers Stadium. The B&B boys were in their third MLB campaign and would power the early-nineties Bucco powerhouses to three divisional titles. John Smiley rode their big bats to a complete game win; Chico Lind banged out three hits to aid the cause. 

Barry Bonds & Bobby Bo - 1988 Topps Pirates Leaders

• 1990 - Neal Heaton improved his record to 6-0 after allowing one unearned run on four hits in seven innings of work during a 3-1 win over the Astros at TRS with Ted Power coming in for the save. The lefty won 10 games before the All-Star break and earned his first and only NL All-Star nod, finishing the season 12-9. The Bucs only got four hits off Mark Portugal, but Barry Bonds, Mark LaValliere and RJ Reynolds RBI’s were enough to carry the day. 
• 1994 - The Pirates and Zane Smith lost to the Phillies, 6-4, and were their own worst enemies by stranding 17 runners at Veterans Stadium‚ one shy of the NL record for a nine inning game. The Bucs wasted 14 hits (every Pirate position starter had a rap; five of them had two knocks), nine walks and a Philly error by going 1-for-15 with RISP against four Philadelphia pitchers.

5/11 Through 1955: Cy's Super Season; Satch Returns; 1st Pitch HR; Windy Waco; HBD Rip, Mel &Gene

• 1907 - RHP Truett Banks “Rip” Sewall was born in Decatur, Alabama. Sewall was the creator of the “ol’ eephus” blooper pitch, and in twelve seasons (1938-49) with the Pirates went 143-97/3.48, winning 21 games twice and selected as a member of three NL All-Star teams. Rip had pretty good baseball bloodlines as three of his cousins, Luke, Joe, and Tommy Sewell, also played in the show. He got his nickname from his wife Margaret, who told Buffalo sportswriter Jimmy Dunn to call him "Rip" in a story about his time with the minor-league Bisons, and her nickname stuck, with no reason ever given. 

Rip Sewell - photo undated; Hall of Fame/Getty (filter ColouriseSG)

• 1915 - Pittsburgh Rebel OF Jim Kelly bopped the first pitch of the game over the wall in left at Buffalo’s Federal League Park to defeat the Blues’ (aka Bisons) and pitcher Fred Anderson, 1-0. RHP Clint Rogge, who slashed 17-11/2.55 during the campaign, tossed the shutout for the Rebs. 
• 1920 - OF Gene Hermanski was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Gene spent nine years in the bigs as a bench outfielder, closing his career by batting .177 in 1953 with the Bucs. He came over as part of a big deal with the Cubs featuring Ralph Kiner. Hermanski is mostly noted as a Brooklyn Dodger - he earned a spot by playing for da Bums while on leave from the Coast Guard during WW2 and appeared in two World Series with the Trolley Dodgers. 
• 1928 - Coach Mel Wright was born in Manila, Arkansas. Mel tossed for the Cubs and Cards and became good friends with Bill Virdon. Virdon selected him as his pitching coach (replacing Don Osborn) when he managed the Buccos in 1973, and Mel subsequently followed The Quail to the Yankees, Astro and Expos before passing away in 1983. 
• 1937 - Cy Blanton fired a five-hit shutout as the Pirates beat Boston, 3-0, to increase their winning streak to four games. It was Blanton’s third complete game and second shutout of the year. Cy recorded a career-high 143 strikeouts and compiled a 14-12-4/3.30 slash in his standout season and was named to the NL All-Star team for the only time in his Pirate career. 
• 1953 - The Bucs played the St. Louis Browns (it was their last season before becoming the Orioles) in an exhibition game at Forbes Field for the benefit of Children’s Hospital; the big draw was SL starter Satchel Paige, returning to his old stomping grounds. The Mt. Lebanon Marching Band provided the game’s musical entertainment, and an added highlight was a “long distance hitting contest” between the Pirates Ralph Kiner, Frank Thomas and Joe Garagiola v the Browns Bob Elliott (an ex-Bucco), Vic Wertz and Don Larsen, the future Yankee pitcher who apparently swung a mean bat, too. He and Kiner tied for top honors with two long balls in five swats, each winning a radio. Pittsburgh took the game, 3-2, in front of 5,935 fans (Billy Hunter of the Browns lured 1,000 of them; the Indiana, PA, native was honored before the game) by scoring twice in the ninth, so some competitive ball was played, too. 

Satch made a homecoming stop - 1936 photo via Leon Day Foundation (filter ColouriseSG)

• 1953 - A tornado demolished the Class B Waco Pirates’ Katy Field, also destroying its equipment and offices. The damage was so complete that Pittsburgh’s Big State League club had to finish the season playing its games in Laredo, not returning to Waco until the following season after the field was rebuilt.

5/11 From 1956 Through the 1960’s: Danny's Walk Off Grannie; Tossing Zeroes & Game Stories; HBD Walt, Mark & Mike

• 1956 - Down by three runs in the bottom of the ninth, rookie C Danny Kravitz hit a walk-off grand slam, his first and only MLB granny (he hit just 10 big flies during his career), off Jack Meyer in the ninth to give the Pirates a 6-5 win over Philadelphia at Forbes Field. Losing 5-0 in the sixth, Pittsburgh put up a pair but were otherwise stymied until Danny’s blast. Phil pitchers helped; they walked seven Buccos and three touched home. Dale Long added three hits as newly acquired Luis Arroyo won the game that Vern Law started, with ElRoy Face and Nellie King providing the bridge. 

Danny Kravitz - 1957 Topps

• 1957 - Roberto Clemente hit an inside the park homer that went under the batting cage 457’ away at Forbes Field before CF Richie Ashburn could (almost literally) dig it out. The Phils, 7-2 winners (they were up 6-0 before the Bucs batted), protested at the time, but the umpires ruled that there was no ground rule to cover the situation and so the home run stood, with Philadelphia’s win making it a moot point. The Great One banged his four-bagger off future teammate Harvey Haddix. 
• 1958 - Bob Porterfield, newly acquired from the Red Sox, won a duel with Curt Simmons at Forbes Field to take a 1-0 win over the Phils. RC Stevens drove home Dick Groat in the 11th inning for the walk-off win. It was a twinbill sweep as the Bucs won the opener 10-4 behind Bob Friend, who survived back-to-back first inning home runs. Bob Skinner doubled, scored three runs and drove in a pair. Ted Kluszewski homered with three RBI, Frank Thomas drove in three more, Dick Groat tripled and scored three runs while Roberto Clemente had a double, triple, and plated a pair. 
• 1958 - RHP Walt Terrell was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The 11-year MLB vet tossed for the 1990 Bucs, starting 16 games with a line of 2-7/5.88 after signing an $800K free agent deal in the off season. He was released in July and signed with the Tigers, pitching for Motown through 1992 to finish his career. He was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. 
• 1958 - RHP Mark Huismann was born in Littleton, Colorado. Mark tossed parts of nine seasons for six clubs, closing out his career with the Pirates in 1990-91. He slashed 1-0/7.88 in seven games over those two seasons, spending most of his time as an insurance policy in AAA Buffalo. That was par for the course; Mark spent just one campaign - 1986 with KC & Seattle - with more time on the big team than in the minors. 
• 1962 - The Reds' Joey Jay and Al McBean matched zeroes for nine innings at Crosley Field. The Bucs scored twice in the 10th with two outs on knocks by Dick Groat and Bob Skinner, but it wasn’t enough. They fell 3-2 when Frank Robinson singled home Joe Gaines with two away off Elroy Face for the Cincy comeback win. 

Mike Garcia - 2000 Fleer Tradition

• 1968 - RHP Mike Garcia was born in Riverside, California. Garcia had a 20-game MLB career, spent with Pittsburgh in 1999-2000. He went 1-2/7.36 with three holds over that span. The Bucs had inked him after a two-year run in Korea. He was well-traveled afterwards, tossing in the minors, Korea, Mexico and finally closing it down after spending 2007 playing indy ball.

5/11 From 1970: 11-In-A-Row; Bang a Gong; Wicked Wilson, Bonus Baseball & Game Stories

• 1977 - The Bucs beat the Braves 2-1 at TRS to stretch their winning streak to 11 games. John Candelaria left runners at second and third in the ninth with two down for Goose Gossage, who K’ed Rowland Office to save the win. The Candy Man was saved by a big hop. Darrel Chaney’s final-frame drive to left center hopped over the wall with Pat Rockett at first, and he would have scored easily if the ball had stayed in play, but instead had to stop at third where he died. Dave Parker extended his hitting streak to 22 games with two knocks, including a homer. Atlanta, which lost its 17th straight to Pittsburgh, had owner Ted Turner serving as manager. All the streaks ended the next day as the Buccos lost, Parker was shut down by Max Leon & Rick Camp, and Turner named third base coach Vern Benson manager until Dave Bristol returned a day later. 
• 1988 - Bob Walk and Fernando Villanueva hooked up in a duel at TRS that went 11 frames. The Bucs eventually took a 2-1 decision on Randy “Moose” Milligan’s two-out, two-strike double that chased Bobby Bonilla home for the victory. Pittsburgh tied the score late on Junior Ortiz’s eighth inning single. Both sides had their chances; the Dodgers banged out 10 hits and stranded 10; the Pirates had nine knocks and drew 12 walks while leaving 17 runners on base. Moose had two hits, both two-baggers, and Junior added three raps, with Scott Medved earning the win. It was Buck Night at the ballyard and 26,367 fans showed up for the match. 

Jay Bell was a ringing sensation - 1993 Studio

• 1993 - Ding dong: In the top of the seventh, Jay Bell led off the inning by grounding out to Phillies' shortstop Juan Bell. The Pirate infielder was rung up by first base umpire Wally Bell. Sadly, the 1B’man was John Kruk, who may be dingy but ruined the chime vibe. The Pirates rang up an 8-4 victory at Veterans Stadium. 
• 1999 - Down 15-8 to the Astros in the 8th‚ Gene Lamont put C Keith Osik on the hill at the Astrodome. He walked two, fanned one‚ hit a batter and gave up two hits, allowing four runs in his inning. Houston belted out 10 doubles against five Pirate hurlers, with two off Osik. Osik would toss once more to save an arm, and finished his pitching days with a 40.50 ERA to reinforce catcher as a wise career choice.  
• 2004 - The Pirates had to score five times in the 12th inning to take a 15-10 slugfest victory from the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Craig Wilson was en fuego, with four hits, including two homers and a bases-loaded triple in the 12th, giving him seven RBI on the day. Two unlikely power sources, Bobby Hill and Tike Redman, also went deep for Pittsburgh. The clubs used a total of 15 pitchers who gave up 38 hits. Salomon Torres got the win; his bacon was saved when Jose Castillo knocked down a ball in the 11th, then recovered to throw out Royce Clayton at home to preserve the deadlock.  
• 2010 - Johnny Cueto came this close to no-hitting the Bucs; the only knock was a Ronny Cedeno grounder in the third that tipped off the shortstop’s glove in Cincy’s 9-0 laugher at PNC Park. Cedeno was later HBP and caught stealing; he was the only Pirate Cueto allowed aboard. The Pirates were outhit 15-1. 
• 2013 - After sitting out with an off-season broken arm, Francisco Liriano got plenty of help in winning his first game as a Pirate, an 8-2 victory over the NY Mets at CitiField. He lasted 5-⅓ innings and whiffed nine, supported by Jose Tabata’s 4-for-5 day. JT had a homer, double, three runs scored and three driven home. Mike McKenry chipped in with three more RBI and Jordy Mercer banged out a pair of solo homers. 

Frankie - photo 2013 Associated Press

• 2016 - The Pirates rallied to defeat the Reds 5-4 at Great American Ball Park. The Bucs had just four hits after eight innings, but they were all solo homers, launched by Andrew McCutchen, David Freese, Jung Ho Kang and Josh Harrison. Pittsburgh regained the lead in the ninth by going soft on a pair of dink hits, an infield grounder that was thrown away and a bloop into center that barely carried over the second baseman. Tony Watson got the win and Mark Melancon the save of a game started by Juan Nicasio. The Pirates tied a painful modern-era record: the Red pitchers plunked four Buccos during the contest.

5/10 Through the 1960’s: Blass Debut; AA Alleghenys; Over There; Twin Sighting; HBD Pete, Al & Russ

• 1882 - The Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association, the forefathers of the Pirates, played the first game in franchise history at Exposition Park. Pittsburgh took a 9-5 decision from the St. Louis Cards. Harry Arundel scattered a dozen hits and went the distance for the win. The top of the order provided the spark as Ed Swartwood, Billy Taylor and Jack Leary combined for eight of the Alleghenys 12 hits. 
• 1913 - Utilityman Al Rubeling was born in Baltimore. Rubeling, who was probably noticed by the Bucs after playing minor league ball for Monessen, played for Pittsburgh in 1943-44 and batted .253. He was mostly a bench guy, getting some 70 starts over the two years, and his career ended with the return of the wartime players. 

Russ Bauers - 1936/37 via Out of the Ball Park Developments (filter ColouriseSG)

• 1914 - RHP Russ Bauers was born in Townsend, Wisconsin. He pitched for the Bucs from 1936-41, and in 1937-38 went 26-20, appearing in 74 games with 53 starts and working 430-2/3 IP with an ERA of 2.98. In 1939, he pitched well but only made 15 outings for 53-2/3 innings after hurting his arm in a car accident. The Pirates released him in 1941, and he became a minor league mainstay after the war (he was in the service from 1942-45), pitching briefly at the MLB level in 1946 and again in 1950. 
• 1918 - LHP Earl Hamilton had a sizzling start to the campaign, winning his sixth straight complete game start by a 4-2 tally at Forbes Field over the New York Giants while compiling an ERA of 0.83. But alas for the Bucs, it would be his last start of the season as Earl went off to join the Navy. Hamilton wasn’t alone; 17 Buccos ended up in the Army or Navy before the 1918 season finished. He was back for the following year and tossed until 1923 for the Pirates, going 55-55/3.35 over his six year Pittsburgh run. 
• 1953 - IF Eddie and Johnny O'Brien become the first twins to play for the same team in the same game when Johnny entered the nitecap of a twin bill to play second base and Eddie later pinch ran (and scored). The sibling karma didn’t carry over as the Bucs were swept by the NY Giants 4-0 and 3-2 at the Polo Grounds. The Pirates have had several brother acts: Beside the O’Briens (1953, 55-58), there were Harry & Howie Camnitz (1909), Carson & Lyle Bigbee (1921), Johnny & Phil Morrison (1921), Paul & Lloyd Waner (1927-40), Gene & George Freese (1955) and Andy & Adam LaRoche (2008). The tradition dates back even further - the Pittsburgh Alleghenys featured Henry & John Gilbert in 1890! 
• 1964 - Steve Blass scattered two hits in five scoreless innings of relief while making his MLB debut in the back game of a doubleheader against Milwaukee at Forbes Field. Tommie Sisk started the game but was chased after giving up five runs in the first inning without earning an out. The Bucs scored once in the bottom of the first, twice in the eighth and three times in the final frame for a 6-5 win, capped off with a two-out, walk off single by Willie Stargell. Roberto Clemente had a homer and three RBI while Al McBean claimed the win. The Braves bombed Pittsburgh in the opener, romping to an 11-5 decision. 

Young Steverino - 1965 Topps

• 1966 - The second place Bucs lost 2-1 in 15 innings to the first place Giants at Forbes Field. Tied in the 15th, the G-Men got a Tom Haller single to open the frame off Bob Purkey. A bunt put runners at first and second when the force at second was late, and they were loaded when a swinging bunt rolled into center. A one-out sac fly gave San Fran the lead. The Pirates tried to rally, putting runners on the corners with an out, but Andre Rodgers, pinch hitting for Willie Stargell (lefty/ex-Bucco Joe Gibbon was on the hill, and Pops’ early splits against same siders was pretty poor) banged into a 6-4-3 DP to end the game. It was so cold out that the Giant bullpen started a fire to keep warm. It also marked a rarity for that era: an infield shift, as Harry Walker stationed three of his infielders between second and third against Willie Mays. 
• 1969 - LHP Pete Schourek was born in Austin, Texas. He pitched for the Pirates toward the end of his 11-year career, slashing 4-7/5.34 in 1999 after signing a $2M free-agent deal. He was released during camp the following season and ended his big-league run with a two-year run with the Red Sox. Pete won 18 games for the Mets in 1995, but a series of nagging injuries left him as a journeyman hurler in ensuing campaigns.

5/10 From 1970: Bert & Willie Show; TSN Teke; Game Stories; HBD Tony

• 1978 - Bert Blyleven had his hook working at Candlestick Park, tossing a complete game six-hitter (all singles) and fanning a dozen Giants on the way to a 5-1 victory. It was also a big day for 37-year-old Willie Stargell, who chased home a pair of runs with a double to tie Roberto Clemente for second in Pirate career RBIs with 1,305. Hans Wagner (1,475) was the only Bucco ahead of the pair, and Willie would pass him before he last racked his bat.

Tony Alvarez - 2002 Bowman

• 1979 - OF Tony Alvarez was born in Caracas, Venezuela. A Top Ten prospect in the Bucco system, Alvarez played in both the World Baseball Classic and the Futures Game. But his five-tool resume didn’t carry over in the show. He made two brief appearances in Pittsburgh in 2002 and again in 2004, hitting .250 in 38 games, and that was the sum of his big league career. Tony may have just had too many irons in the fire, marrying three Miss Venezuela’s of various years in succession, and in 2009 he became noted as a reggae artist under the stage name of El Potro Alvarez. In 2014, he was named Venezuela’s Minister of Youth and Sports. Alvarez may not have hit it big in baseball, but he sure has enjoyed a grand post-career. 
• 1980 - Kent Tekulve was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Buc Stopper.” The article didn’t portend a great year by Teke standards. Although he was named to his only All-Star game, he slashed just 8-12-21/3.39 in 78 outings. 
• 1984 - Pittsburgh defeated the Giants 4-2 at TRS behind some clutch bullpen work. Don Robinson inherited a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the eighth from Cecilio Guante and got a pop up and DP. In the ninth, Robinson left the sacks juiced with two out for Teke, who retired Joel Youngblood on a fly to ice the win. Dale Berra homered and drove in three runs to spark the offense. 
• 1989 - In a minor deal, the Pirates sent struggling infielder Ken Oberkfell to the San Francisco Giants for Roger Samuels. Oberkfell was rejuvenated, hitting .319 for the G-Men before finishing his career in 1992 after stops at Houston and California. Samuels worked 3-⅔ IP for the Pirates and was shellacked, never appearing in the show again. 

Wil Cordero - 2000 MLB Showdown

• 2000 - Wil Cordero, Kevin Young and Pat Meares teamed up to lead the Bucs to a 13-9 victory over the Mets at TRS. Cordero went 5-for-5 with four RBI and three runs; Young went 4-for-5 with two runs driven in and four runs scored and Meares went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and runs. Cordero had a HR and double, Young a long ball and Meares banged a three-bagger.

5/9 Through the 1940’s: Plunkin' Pink; Ken H Sold; Bucs Fine w/Fine; Game Stories; HBD Tony, Link & Culley

• 1857 - C Dan “Link” Sullivan was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He spent parts of five campaigns in the show, with his last round being five innings caught for the Alleghenys in 1886, with an 0-for-4 showing at bat and two errors/three passed balls behind the dish. He played in two minor league games afterward and ended his career at age 29. He did have a highlight week in 1882 as a rookie when he caught a pair of no-hitters for Louisville within eight days of one another. 

Pink Hawley - Ars Longa Art Card

• 1896 - RHP Emerson "Pink" Hawley plunked three Washington batters in the seventh inning at Exposition Park, tying a mark he set two years earlier (in justice, Washington hurler Win Mercer bopped three Pirates in the same frame, so frontier justice prevailed). Eight batters were hit in the contest‚ with a NL-record five nicked by Hawley, during the Pirates 14-9 loss. The five Senator batters hit by pitches tied the mark that wasn’t matched again until 1969. Hawley retired in 1900 after nine seasons with a still-standing NL record of 201 hit batters; he also walked 933 hitters. For all of that, he was a capable hurler, winning 31 games in 1895 and 167 over his career. 
• 1901 - The Pirates beat Chicago 8-1 behind Deacon Phillippe to end a marathon series. It was the eighth game in nine days between the two clubs, with the first four in Exposition Park where the teams split a four-game set and the final four at West Side Park where the Bucs swept the Orphans. The Windy City nine probably had about enough of the Pirates by season’s end - they finished 6-14 against them as Pittsburgh won the NL with 90 victories while the Orphans could claim just 53 wins. 
• 1914 - OF Culley Rikard was born in Oxford, Mississippi. Rikard played for the Bucs from 1941-42, took a three-year break during the war (he served stateside and played for a unit team called “The Globetrotters”). He returned for the 1947 campaign, hitting .270 over his three years with the Buccos. In 1949, still a Pittsburgh farmhand, he was traded to the San Francisco Seals for Dino Restelli and ended his pro career after the 1952 season. 
• 1932 - Tony Bartirome was born in Pittsburgh. The slick fielding 1B played one year for the Bucs in 1952, hitting .220. The Hill District native did have a long career with Pittsburgh as their trainer, lasting from 1967-85. One Bartirome tale involves an RBI he earned, not as a player but as a sawbones. As related in John McCollister’s Tales From The Pirate Dugout, Bartirome went out to check on Bill Robinson, who had just been knocked down by a pitch in the seventh game of the 1979 World Series. The bases were loaded in the ninth with two down when he was brushed back. Robinson told Bartirome that he was OK; the pitcher (Dennis Martinez) didn’t hit him. “The hell he didn’t” replied Bartirome, who dug his nail into Robinson’s thumb until it bled. The ump, Jerry Neudecker, saw the crimson trickle and waved him to first to bring home the Bucs’ final run in the 4-1 win. 
• 1932 - The Depression was tough times, but the Bucs tried to make it a little easier. They began a policy of allowing 25 unemployed fans per game in for free through passes distributed through the Welfare Fund. 

Ken Heintzelman - photo George Burke (colorized)

• 1947 - The Pirates sold lefty Ken Heintzelman‚ 33‚ to the Phillies. Heintzelman worked 7-1/2 years (1937-46) for the Bucs, interrupted by the war, and had a 37-43 record with a 4.14 ERA. The swingman wasn’t done; he pitched 5-1/2 more seasons for the Phils, winning 40 games. His son, Tom went on to play major league baseball with the Cardinals and Giants as an infielder between 1973 and 1978. 
• 1948 - In the second game of a Sunday doubleheader at Forbes Field between the Pirates and the Dodgers‚ umpire Jocko Conlan let the game play through a 7PM curfew because he thought Pittsburgh manager Billy Meyer was stalling while sitting on a 5-4 lead. Brooklyn went ahead 7-5‚ but Ralph Kiner hit a three-run HR to give Pittsburgh the 10-8 victory. The Bucs were fined $100 by the City for violating the curfew. Brooklyn romped in the opener, 14-2, and all those Sunday runs were the reason the nightcap pushed past the curfew limits.

5/9 From 1950 Through the 1980’s: Slugfest; Dirtball; Ralph & JT En Fuego; Game Stories; HBD Buddy

• 1950 - Ralph Kiner hit a grand slam, the eighth of his career & second in three days, then added a three-run homer during a 3-for-4, seven-RBI outing as the Bucs beat Brooklyn 10-5 at Forbes Field. Bill Werle tossed 6-⅔ frames of scoreless relief for the win. 

Ralph chased home seven runs - 1950 Bowman

• 1958 - Ted Kluszewski broke up a scoreless tie between starters Robin Roberts and Ron Kline - both hurlers went the distance - by belting a lead-off, first-pitch homer in the 12th to give the Bucs a 1-0 win over the Phils at Forbes Field. It was only the fourth Pirates hit off Roberts while Kline scattered eight knocks. The play of the game may have been Roberto Clemente’s laser beam that cut down Granny Hamner at home in the fourth inning, preserving the scoreless deadlock.
• 1959 - Pittsburgh blasted Philadelphia 9-1 at Forbes Field behind Ron Kline’s eight-hitter. He was backed by Bob Skinner's two homers, three runs scored, and four RBIs. Roberto Clemente added three raps, including a pair of triples. 
• 1963 - Worms beware: The Bucs beat Dick Ellsworth’s slider into the dirt all day as Ernie Banks became the first NL first baseman to post 22 putouts in a game (with an assist). The Cubs whipped Pittsburgh 3-1 at Wrigley Field as Ellsworth allowed Pittsburgh just two singles. 
• 1979 - Four bench-clearing brawls, four beaned batters and two grand slams were the highlights of a 17-9 Bucco victory over the Braves at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. Substitute umps ejected five players‚ both managers and a coach. As for the game itself, the Pirates headed into the ninth inning with a slim 10-9 lead before exploding for seven runs. John Milner’s grand slam off Gene Garber highlighted the big frame. Earlier, Bill Robinson had hit two home runs off Phil Niekro to give the Pirates the lead. Tim Foli added four more RBI. 

Jason Thompson - 1983 Donruss

• 1983 - Jason Thompson picked a fine time to break out of his 3-for-27 slump, banging out a career-best five hits at Jack Murphy Stadium to lead the Pirates to a 5-3, 14-inning win against San Diego, snapping a five game losing string. The Pirates collected 18 hits, but had a tough time cashing in - in the 12th inning, they left runners a second & third with one out and in the 13th, they loaded the sacks with no outs and still couldn’t push a run home. With two gone in the 14th, Johnny Ray doubled and Richie Hebner was intentionally walked, then the Friars brought in lefty Gary Lucas to face JT. Thompson got ahead 2-0 and was hunting a heater; he got it and banged it off the left center wall for a two-run two-bagger. The Bucs fourth pitcher, Manny Sarmiento, got the win while Ray collected four hits and Lee Mazzilli homered. 
• 1988 - LHP Buddy Boshers was born in Huntsville, Alabama. Boshers, who had pitched for the Angels and Twins, was claimed off waivers from the Astros by the Bucs in 2018, and was called up for eight games in August without making an appearance before being optioned back to Indianapolis.

5/9 From 1990: The Kid's Triple Banger; Rally Caps & Game Stories

• 1993 - For the second consecutive time, the Pirates were down by a run with two outs in the ninth and the bases empty against Montreal with closer John Wetteland on the hill at TRS, and for the second consecutive time, they pulled a victory out of that hat. Andy Van Slyke homered in yesterday’s match, then Tom Foley’s single won it in 10 frames by a 10-9 count. Orlando Merced and Carlos Garcia also went long while Stan Belinda got the W. Today, it was Al Martin who went downtown to knot the score and AVS was clutch again, banging a two-out double in the 11th to give the Bucs and Blas Minor a 6-5 victory. The two wins made the Pirates 5-1 in extra innings, but in the first year of their core deconstruction, they sputtered and finished the campaign with just 75 wins and in fifth place in the NL. 

Andy Van Slyke - 1993 Leaf (reverse)

• 1997 - Prior to the game with Atlanta‚ Pirate players had an impromptu meet-and-greet inside the TRS gates to shake hands and pose for pictures with the fans. The up close and personal vibes worked as they proceeded to beat the Braves 9-0 behind Francisco Cordova. Jose Guillen homered and drove in three runs while Al Martin added three knocks. 
• 1999 - Two of Pittsburgh’s bigger disappointments showed what coulda been. The Pirates beat the Cards‚ 12-9, behind SS Pat Meares’ five hits and OF Brant Brown’s three-run, inside-the-park homer at Busch Stadium. Meares ended up on the DL for most of his Pittsburgh stay and never played after 2001, while Brown hit .232, with 2000 being his MLB swan song. Jose Silva was spanked as a starter, but Chris Peters, who got the win, Marc Wilkins, Jeff Wallace, Brad Clontz and Mike Williams, who earned a save, cleaned it up behind him. 
• 2011 - The Pirates beat the Dodgers, 4-1, at PNC Park, to move their record to 18-17, the first time they were above .500 this late in the season since 2004. With the score tied in the eighth, Jose Tabata made a diving catch in left, then doubled a Dodger off first. Jose Uribe and manager Don Mattingly were bounced for arguing that the ball was trapped (and TV replays seemed to agree with them), but the Bucs made it moot by putting up a three-spot in their half with back-to-back-to-back doubles by Neil Walker, Lyle Overbay and Ryan Doumit. Jose Veras got the win in relief of Jeff Karstens with Joel Hanrahan notching the save. 
• 2015 - Neil Walker began and ended the first 4-5-4 triple play in MLB history. He leapt to snag Yadier Molina’s bases-loaded liner and threw to third, doubling off the lead runner. Jung Ho Kang at the hot corner apparently lost track of the outs; he started toward the dugout before a little prompting from his mates got him to toss the ball back to Neil, standing on second, to complete the trifecta. It was a game full of big innings; the Bucs scored three in the second inning, then the Cards answered with a five spot in the fourth frame before Pittsburgh put up another trio of runs in the sixth to take a 7-5 win at PNC Park. The Pittsburgh Kid added a homer while Jordy Mercer chased home three runs to earn Rob Scahill, the first of four Pirate relievers to toss a scoreless frame, the win. 

Neil Walker - 2015 Elite 21st Century

• 2018 - For the second straight game, the Bucs spotted the Chicago White Sox a four run lead at Guaranteed Rate Stadium and came back to claim the win. The Sox jumped on top 4-0 against Trevor Williams and held on to a 5-2 edge going into the ninth. Elias Diaz made it a one-run game when he chased home two runs with a double off Nate Jones and two pitches later, Colin Moran dropped a shot into the right center field stands to give the Bucs the improbable win. Rich Rodriguez earned his first MLB win and Felipe Vazquez picked up the save with Steven Brault adding two scoreless innings to the pot. Jordy Mercer and Gregory Polanco had solo shots to put the Pirates on the board.

5/8 Through the 1960’s: Rizzo-for-Little DiMag; Willie's First; Game Stories; Filipinos; HBD Big O, Eddie & Bill

• 1874 - C Eddie Boyle was born in Cincinnati. After getting into three games in 1896 for the Louisville Colonels, the 22-year-old was traded to Pittsburgh and got into two more, going 0-for-5, and that stay ended his MLB days. He finished the season in the minors, played one more season on the farm and got on with his life’s work at age 23. His brother, “Honest” Jack Boyle, was also a catcher and had a considerably more productive career in the show, playing 13 seasons for six teams. 

Image Pgh Press 4/18/1909

• 1885 - RHP Bill Powell was born in Taylor County, West Virginia. He tossed for the Bucs in 1909-10, compiling a 4-8/2.87 slash. The rest of his MLB career consisted of one appearance for the Cubs in 1912 and another for the Reds in 1913. Bill did work seven minor-league campaigns, retiring in 1916. 
• 1912 - The Pittsburgh Filipinos of the newly formed United States League opened their home schedule at Exposition Park with a 3-2 loss to Cincinnati. The league folded in June but the team affiliated with the Federal League, an outlaw major league that operated from 1913-15 and formed from the ashes of the USL. That squad was first called the Pittsburgh Filipinos after their manager, Deacon Phillippe. They later became the Stogies (Pittsburgh was at one time a big-league cigar-making center) and then the Rebels, a nod to manager Rebel Oakes. 
• 1929 - 26-year-old hurler Carl Hubbell, in his second MLB season, became the first LHP in 13 seasons to throw a no-hitter when he beat the Pirates, 11-0, at the Polo Grounds. Sparky Adams drew a walk for the Bucs and NY committed three errors behind Hubbell to deny him a perfecto. 
• 1930 - New York’s Freddie Lindstrom had his second five-hit game of the season and went for the cycle as the Giants defeated the Pirates, 13-10, at Forbes Field. He took the spotlight from Adam Comorosky, who went 4-for-5 with four RBI, and George Grantham, who had three hits and plated four times in the losing cause. The Buc bosses took notice; they traded for Lindstrom in the 1932 off season. 
• 1940 - The Pirates traded OF Johnny Rizzo to the Reds in exchange for OF Vince DiMaggio, Joe & Dom’s bro. Vince held down center for the Bucs for five seasons and hit .255 with 79 homers and 367 RBI’s in 670 games with All-Star years in 1943-44. It also marked the end of the Waner era in Pittsburgh; Paul was traded to Boston in 1941 and Lloyd followed the next year, bumped by DiMaggio and Maurice Van Robays. Rizzo joined the Navy in 1942 and had one strong season after returning. 
• 1962 - 1B Orestes “Big O” Destrade was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Orestes played for the Bucs in 1988 as a bench bat, hitting .149. He was part of the first Florida Marlins club in 1990 (he hit 20 HR for them and also became the first strikeout victim of The Big Unit, Randy Johnson). The Big O went on to a stellar career in Japan where he was a home run leader, worked for ESPN and is now an announcer for the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Big O - 1988 Score Rookie

• 1963 - Willie Stargell hit his first MLB homer, a three-run shot off Lindy McDaniel at Wrigley Field, during a 9-5 loss to the Cubbies. He had a lot more home runs to come; he ended his career with a franchise-best 475 long flies with several record-setting blasts in stadiums around the league, and all as a Pirate. 
• 1968 - Roberto Clemente’s sac fly in the 14th inning plated Maury Wills and gave the Bucs a 4-3 win against the Braves at Fulton County Stadium. The Great One was originally scheduled to go to Pittsburgh to get a sore shoulder evaluated, but decided to hang with the team in case he was needed. He came in as a defensive sub in the eighth, and sore wing and all, became the hero. Steve Blass started and allowed three unearned runs in the first inning thx to a two-out throwaway by Wills, who made amends by scoring twice and swiping a sack. The Bucs tied it in the eighth on a Willie Stargell RBI single and game-knotting wild pitch, scoring Al McBean who ran for Pops. Ron Kline earned the win after twirling five scoreless innings of relief, with ElRoy Face nailing down the save. Along with Dave Wickersham, the Bucco hurlers held the Bravos to five hits over the last 13 frames.