6/4 Draft: Braxton & Mike, Appel-Sauce, Kris, KY, Caveman, Dale, Cobra, Otter...

• 1970 - The Pirates selected HS pitcher John Bedard with their first pick (#13) of the draft. While Bedard never made it past A ball, the FO hit paydirt later, picking OF Dave “The Cobra” Parker in the 14th round and C Ed “Otter” Ott in the 23rd. Other team’s selections who eventually made a stop in Pittsburgh were Phil “Scrap Iron” Garner, “Goose” Gossage, “Doc” Medich and Rick “Big Daddy” Reuschel. It was a great year for nicknames and players! 
• 1975 - Yogi’s son Dale, a high school SS, was the Bucs first pick (#20) in the draft. They also signed RHPs Don Robinson and Ernie Camacho, who were the only other picks to play in the majors. The Caveman pitched for 15 seasons, with the first 10 as a Pirate (65-69-49/3.85), Dale spent 11 years in the show, the first eight with the Pittsburgh (.238) and Camacho was in MLB for a decade, making seven appearances as a Bucco in 1981. 
• 1980 - SS Rick Renteria (#20) was the Bucs first selection in the draft; he ended up with 186 MLB games, mostly with Seattle and later managed. OF Joe Orsulak, picked in the sixth round, had a 14-year big league run as a reserve OF’er, and third-round RHP Tim Burke carved out an eight-year career in the bullpen with Montreal and then the New York Mets. 
• 1990 - The Bucs picked HS righty Kurt Miller in the first round (#5) of the draft; he went on to win two games in his career. Other guys they signed who were more successful were 1B Kevin Young (seventh round), RHP Brian Shouse (13th round), RHP Rick White (15th round), 1B Mark Johnson (20th round; he was first selected in 1989) and C Keith Osik (24th round). 
• 1996 - Clemson RHP Kris Benson was the Bucs top pick and the overall number one selection in the draft, signing for a $2M bonus. They also inked OF Tike Redman (fifth round), IF Willie Harris (28th round) and OF Rob Mackowiak (53rd round). One that got away was LHP Chris Capuano (45th round), who went to college and signed with Arizona in 1999. LHP Mike “Gonzo” Gonzalez (17th round) was also selected, but didn’t sign; the Pirates got him in the next draft. 

Kris Benson - 1997 Topps Rookie Star

• 2002 - The Pirates selected RHP Bryan Bullington with the first overall pick of the player draft, bypassing BJ Upton, Prince Fielder, Zack Greinke, Khalil Greene, Nick Swisher, Matt Cain, Cole Hamels, David Wright and Jeff Francoeur. Bullington received a $4M signing bonus after four months of negotiations but never left much of an MLB mark. RHP Matt Capps (seventh round) and OF Nyjer Morgan (33rd round) were also members of that draft class. 
• 2012 - The Pirates had pre-draft favorite RHP Mark Appel drop in their laps at the eighth spot because of perceived signability issues. Well, those issues weren’t perceived; they were real as he and agent Scott Boras turned down the Pirates' reported bonus offer of $3.8M, the biggest deal they could tender without losing a first-round draft pick the next year. Appel was the only unsigned first rounder of the draft, and was picked by Houston the following year, signing for $6.3M. He made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Phils but was later released. His pick nullified a reported pre-draft deal with OF David Dahl, who was selected 10th by the Colorado Rockies. The Pirates received a bonus pick for 2013 (which became prep OF’er Austin Meadows the following year), and used their 2012 sandwich pick (#45) to select Texas Tech OF Barrett Barnes, who signed for $1M. Fifth round choice, RHP Adrian Sampson, has played for parts of five seasons with three teams. C Jacob Stallings (7th round) and HS pick SS Max Moroff (16th round) both appeared for the Pirates before moving on. One notable “wrong sport” selection was prep star Hayden Hurst, who played two seasons in the minors, first as a pitcher and then as a first baseman, after signing for $400K as a 17th rounder. He went on to South Carolina to play football, became a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, and is still playing in the pros
• 2018 - The Pirates picked South Alabama OF Travis Swaggerty, who was compared to Austin Meadows, in the first round (#10) and inked him to a $4.4M contract. Injury-bitten, Swags finally got his MLB call up in 2022 and is now playing in the New York Mets organization. At #36 in the Competitive Balance round, they selected Florida prep RHP Gunnar Hoglund and then used the second round (#51) to add Texas high school RHP Braxton Ashcraft. Hoglund turned down a reported $2M offer from the Bucs to pitch at Ole Miss while Ashcraft agreed to a $1.825M payout. Later in the draft, they selected RHP MIchael Burrows in the 11th round, signing him for $500,000, and LHP Cam Alldred, who ended up the first of the class of ‘18 to make an MLB showing (in 2022), in the 24th round. After inking a $100,000 deal, he's now tossing in Mexico.

6/4 Through 1954: Kiner Dump, Game Tales - Lights On At FF, Steel Man Suhr, Top of the Pops, Gus & Kiki Cycles, Forfeits; HBD Larry, Bob, Herb & Doc

• 1873 - C George “Doc” Yeager was born in Cincinnati. Doc put in six MLB seasons, mostly with the Boston Beaneaters. He spent a couple of months in Pittsburgh in 1901 after he was claimed in August following his release by the Cleveland Blues, catching and playing a little corner infield as needed (he played every position but pitcher during his career). He hit .264 while with Pittsburgh (he was a .238 lifetime batter) and was nearing the end of his big league trail, playing 40 games with the NY Giants and Baltimore Orioles in 1902 before embarking on a seven-year minor league journey. 
• 1892 - LHP Herb Kelly was born in Mobile, Alabama. Herb spent his brief MLB career in Pittsburgh, going 1-3/2.95 in 10 outings between 1914-15. Unlike many players of that era, Herb didn’t become a wandering baseball nomad; he hung up the spikes at age 25 after a stint in the minors. 
• 1897 - After losing a game four days prior by forfeit after a disputed call, the Bucs were banged with yet another forfeiture. Down 4-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies/Quakers at the Baker Bowl, the Pirates lost a potential two-run double in the fourth frame on a disputed foul call. Manager Patsy Donovan and the ump discussed the matter between innings, and apparently Patsy was a bit too colorful and/or the Pirates were a little sluggish getting back on the field (although the Pittsburgh Press claims all but a pair were in position, and they were part of the convo at home), so ump McDonald called the game in favor of the Phils. The Press noted that “The fair minded Philadelphia fans (quite a change in culture over the decades) were as indignant as the Pittsburg players and yelled ‘Play ball’ but the Phillies hurried into the clubhouse and McDonald disappeared. The Pittsburgh players remained on the field for 10 minutes afterward...” unaware or disbelieving what had just happened. The paper opined, however, that the affair “...added to the bad reputation the Pirates have acquired in the east.” 
• 1908 - RHP Bob Klinger was born in Allenton, Missouri. He was a multi-role pitcher who could start or close, and went 62-58-9 with a 3.74 ERA in Pittsburgh from 1938-43. Klinger was in the service for two years before closing out his career with the MLB Red Sox between 1946-47. But he didn’t give up on baseball, playing in the minors through 1950. Bob was offered a manager’s job in the bushes, but instead returned home to Missouri and a steady job. 

Bob Klinger - 1940 Play Ball

• 1925 - Kiki Cuyler hit for the cycle plus drawing a walk, driving in three runs and scoring four times as the Bucs rolled over the Philadelphia Phillies, 16-3, at Forbes Field. Every Pirate starter, including pitcher Lee Meadows, had a hit & scored and/or drove home a run. 
• 1930 - Charlie Engel, Fred Brickell and George Grantham batted 1-2-3 for the Bucs, and the top of the order went 8-for-13 with a homer, two doubles, a walk, three RBI and 10 runs scored to propel Pittsburgh to a 12-6 win over the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field. Larry French went the distance, riding the offensive support of the leadoff trio to the victory. 
• 1937 - First baseman Gus Suhr set the Pirates and then-NL record by playing in his 822nd consecutive game, going 1-for-4 in a loss to Boston at Braves Field. The streak ended not because of an injury or slump, but rather when Suhr flew to San Francisco to attend his mother’s funeral services. His mark stood for 20 years before it was topped by Donora’s Stan “The Man” Musial of the Cards and now belongs to the Dodgers’ Steve Garvey at 1,207 games. 
• 1940 - The Pirates played their first home game under the lights at Forbes Field, beating the Boston Bees, 14-2, behind Joe Bowman’s five-hitter in front of 20,319 fans. Maurice Van Robays and Frankie Gustine combined for seven RBI while six different Buccos scored twice. Night games were supposed to be an attraction for the working fans; it ended up that quite a few female fans took in the game, too. The light banks were connected to eight towers, built by the local engineers of Westinghouse. The game wasn’t a league or even ballyard debut: the first night game played at the Oakland lot was back in 1930 when the Homestead Grays and KC Monarchs played under portable lights; the first MLB night game was at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field in 1935. 
• 1943 - Up by a run in the eighth, the Bucs’ Vince DiMaggio singled. New York Giants’ pitcher Bill Sayles’ next pitch got past his catcher, Ernie Lombardi. The slow-footed NY receiver was a bit leisurely in chasing the ball, Sayles pouted on the mound and didn’t cover home, and Vince kept on chugging to score from first on the passed ball. It ended up the winning run as the Pirates took a 9-8 victory at Forbes Field. Vince had two hits including a homer, scored twice and drove three runs home. Max Butcher got the win and Hank Gornicki earned a save. 

Vince DiMaggio - 1941 Topps Look-And-See

• 1948 - In a game described by beat writer Vince Johnson of the Post-Gazette as “...a circus, except the clowns didn’t wear grease paint and weren’t even faintly amusing. An overflow crowd of 37,355 watched what was undoubtedly the silliest and longest spectacle of the season” in reporting on the Bucs 10-7 loss to the Boston Braves at Forbes Field. The umps started the day off when the crew chief overruled a balk call, leading to a lengthy on-field rhubarb and a protest by Beantown. That performance was later outdone in exasperation by a five-walk seventh inning in which Bucco hurlers gave up seven runs. Ralph Kiner and Clyde Kluttz homered for the Pirates during the interminably long (for the era) contest that lasted three hours and 12 minutes. 
• 1951 - Gus Bell hit for the cycle to lead the Pirates to a 12-4 victory over the Phillies at Shibe Park. Bell, Rocky Nelson and Wally Westlake had three RBI apiece; Nelson and Westlake also collected three hits each. Rookie Bob Friend got the win, his first in the majors, going 6-⅓ IP with help from Murry Dickson, who closed out the game after that. Fun fact: In 2004, Gus’ grandson David (then a Phil and future Reds manager) also pulled off the feat; Gus and David are the only grandfather-grandson duo in major league history to hit for the cycle. 
• 1953 - General Manager Branch Rickey traded future Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, the only man to lead the league in home runs for seven consecutive seasons, as the salary dump centerpiece of a huge deal with the Cubs. (After several acrimonious contract battles, the Mahatma reportedly told the slugger "We finished last with you, we can finish last without you.") At least Ralph didn’t have to travel far as the Cubs were at Forbes Field, and the trade was announced after batting practice. The players involved from Pittsburgh were Kiner, C Joe Garagiola, P Howie Pollet, and OF Catfish Metkovich, who were sent to the Cubs for C Toby Atwell, P Bob Schultz, 1B Preston Ward, 3B George Freese, OF Bob Addis, OF Gene Hermanski, and $150,000. 
• 1953 - RHP Larry Demery was born in Bakersfield, California, the son of Negro League outfielder/pitcher Artis Demery. He broke into the Pirate rotation a few days after turning 21 in June of 1974. Demery was mostly a long man, going 29-23-7/3.72, though he did start 46 times. An arm injury in 1977 ended his career after a four-year run with Pittsburgh. Demery came from baseball genes. His dad, Artis (aka “Artist”) Demery played during the final days of the Negro Leagues and then toiled in the minors for three years, through 1955.

6/4 From 1955: Game Tales - Cutch Debut & Anni Party, BB's 1st Bomb, Jerry Gem, Arriba Show, '24 Shuffle; HBD Tony

• 1957 - C Tony Pena was born in Monte Cristi, in the Dominican Republic. Signed in 1975 as an international FA, he spent his first seven years (1980-86) in Pittsburgh, hitting .286 and earning spots on four All-Star teams before he was traded in the 1987 preseason to the St. Louis Cards for P Mike Dunne, C Mike LaValliere and OF Andy Van Slyke. The trade caught Pena, a lifelong Pirate, by surprise; he teared up at the press conference announcing the deal. 
• 1967 - Roberto Clemente hit two homers and drove in all four runs in a 4-1 Pirate victory at Dodger Stadium. Both blasts were launched off Don Drysdale, the first long balls that he yielded on the year. Roberto and the Bucs were bombardiers against DD - the last four-baggers he had given up were against Clemente and Willie Stargell, who went back-to-back on him on September 15th, 1966. Bob Veale threw a five-hitter for the win, with the save earned by ElRoy Face. 
• 1968 - The Bucs were on the wrong end of a record or two during a 5-0 loss at LA. Tossing his sixth consecutive shutout, Don Drysdale topped Doc White's 64-year-old mark of five shutouts, and with 54 scoreless innings, he broke Carl Hubbell's NL string of 49 goose egg frames. In his next game, Drysdale would set the MLB mark at 58-2/3 scoreless frames. Drysdale was on top of his game, tossing a three-hitter and fanning eight. Jim Bunning took the loss. Gary Kolb was the only Bucco to get past first base with a sixth inning double. 
• 1975 - Jerry Reuss didn't give up a hit until the seventh frame, and it hurt - not the Pirates, who held on for a 2-1 win against the Reds at TRS, but Reuss, who took a Dave Conception liner off the leg and had to leave the contest. The Pirates scored on Rennie Stennett’s misplayed fly that eventually led to a run and a Richie Hebner solo shot. Cincy plated off Dave Giusti, who in 2-1/3 IP walked three batters and let one score before Ramon Hernandez came on with an out in the ninth to close the gate, albeit with some drama as he walked the bases loaded with two away before getting the final out. The Pirates had the baseball gods on their side this evening. Reuss served several smoked at ‘em balls while Giusti picked a runner off second base and Al Oliver threw out another at home to limit the damage. 

Jerry Reuss - 1975 Topps

• 1981 - In his first game as a Cub, Bobby Bonds (Barry’s dad) lasted an inning before breaking his hand after tumbling over a loose seam at TRS. The Tim Foli ball he was chasing fell for a triple and became a big run as Foli scored and the Bucs went on to defeat the Chicago club, 5-4, in 10 innings. Lee Lacy tallied the winning run when he tripled and scored on Dale Berra’s bloop to earn a win for Kent Tekulve. Foli had four hits and was a homer shy of a cycle while Dave Parker added three more raps including a home run. The Cobra scored two runs and chased three teammates home. 
• 1986 - Barry Bonds went 4-for-5 and banged his first MLB home run off Craig McMurtry in the fifth to lead the Bucs to a 12-3 romp over Atlanta at Fulton County Stadium. Bonds scored three times and drove in four runs to lead the Bucco barrage. RJ Reynolds had two hits including a long ball as Mike Bielecki, with help from Jim Winn, got the win. BB bopped 761 more of those long balls in his 22-year career to become the all-time MLB home run leader. 
• 1992 - Bobby Bo returned to Three Rivers Stadium for the first time and was not exactly welcomed back with open arms. The Associated Press wrote “Bonilla was booed early, he was booed late and he booed often...” Signs in the park were of the “Bucks, Not Bucs” ilk, he was pinged by a golf ball thrown from the crowd (he then played while wearing a batting helmet in the field) and Vince LaSheid even joined in with a rendition of “Take the Money and Run.” The Pittsburgh fans' combative vibes had an effect as the team ran away with a 7-2 decision, led by Bo’s old running mate Barry Bonds, who homered and doubled. 
• 2009 - Andrew McCutchen, called up after Nate McLouth was traded, made his MLB debut against the New York Mets in front of 20,683 fans at PNC Park during a rain day makeup match. Batting leadoff, he wasted no time, singling off Mike Pelfrey in his first at bat and going 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base in an 11-6 win. Cutch did it all on pure adrenaline; he had spent all day in planes or airport lobbies, arriving less than an hour before first pitch. In his time as a Pirate, Cutch was MVP in 2013, finished in the Top 5 three other times, was named to five straight All-Star games and earned four consecutive Silver Slugger awards. 
• 2014 - Pittsburgh pitchers gave up one hit, a first-inning bunt single, but still managed to lose to San Diego at Petco Park by a 3-2 count. The Padre runs came on a miscommunicated shallow fly, an error and a bases loaded walk, one of nine that Pirate hurlers issued. Francisco Liriano took the loss, walking six batters with a HBP in his first four frames (he went six innings). The last time the Pirates threw a one-hitter and lost was July 25th, 1992, at Atlanta. That hit was a second inning homer by David Justice, the only tally in a 1-0 Bravo win. 

Cutch - 2017 Topps Salute

• 2017 - Andrew McCutchen held an anniversary party for himself eight years after making his Bucco debut, going 3-for-5 while scoring three times and banging a three-run homer to lead the Pirates to an 11-1 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field. Pittsburgh banged out 15 hits as Fran Cervelli and David Freese also collected three knocks to help make a winner of Trevor Williams, who tossed a career-high seven innings while evening his record at 3-3. 
• 2022 - The Pirates showcased a couple of the kids in taking a 2-1 victory from the D-Backs at PNC Park. Roansy Contreras made his fourth career start, allowing one unearned run and four hits in 5-2/3 innings while striking out eight and walking two. But it wasn’t quite strong enough as Pittsburgh was held to just three hits by Arizona’s Zach Davies and were down, 1-0, in the ninth inning. They had to go through ex-Bucco closer Mark Melanchon to rally, and it took just two batters to do just that - Bryan Reynolds led off with a single and 23-year-old rookie outfielder Jack Suwinski dropped a ball over the Clemente Wall after a nine-pitch battle, raising the Jolly Roger with his first walk-off homer. Three Pirates relievers tossed hitless ball after Roansy, with Chris Stratton picking up the win in front of 19,149 sun-drenched Saturday afternoon fans. 
• 2024 - The Bucco homestand started with some big-time player shufflin'. C Henry Davis returned to the show while RHP Ben Heller, OF Jack Suwinski and IF Liover Peguero were all recalled from Indy. UT Ji Hwan Bae went on the 10-day IL (injury undisclosed), C Grant Koch was DFA'ed, LHP Jose Hernandez was optioned back to Indy and CF Michael A. Taylor was placed on the Paternity List. The day before, C Jason Delay (knee) was removed from the IL and optioned to Indy while LHP Marcos Gonzales (left forearm) was moved from the 15-day to 60-day IL. 
• 2024 - Current Padres and former Pirates IF Tucupita Marcano, 24, was permanently banned from MLB after violating the league's gambling policy. It was found that he bet on Pirates games while a member of Pittsburgh’s roster (hence the lifetime curb), albeit inactive on the IL, and also wagering on other big league games. The team response was "We are...fully supportive of Major League Baseball's ruling...(as) protecting the integrity of our game is paramount."

6/3 Through the 1980s: Comorosky-Burwell; Game Tales - Go Mo, Bombs Away, Skinner Roof Shot, Josh Jet, Piet Pizazz, Waner XB Streak, Karger Dealt ; HBD Nelson; BB Drafted

• 1888 - It’s a big day in baseball literature for those who read beyond the stat sheet - “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Thayer was first published in the San Francisco Examiner. Debates over who “Casey” was inspired by and what town “Mudville” represented continue to this day. 
• 1906 - In a deal that didn’t pan out very well, the Pirates sent rookie LHP Ed “Loose” Karger to the St Louis Cardinals for veteran RH hurler Chappie McFarland. Karger pitched well for some bad St. Louis teams and tossed in the show through 1911, going 48-67 with a 2.79 ERA while working for four teams. (Some say Loose’s nickname represented his carefree character; others say it described his fluid delivery) Chappie was waived in August by the Pirates after six outings and pitched once more in the majors as a Brooklyn Dodger in 1906. 
• 1927 - Paul “Big Poison'' Waner homered off the Phils’ Claude Willoughby (Glenn Wright and George Grantham also went deep), in a 11-1 romp at Forbes Field. Waner’s long ball ignited the start of his NL record 14-game streak with an extra base hit (12 doubles, five triples, three homers) that continued through June 19th; he was held to a pair of singles on the 20th. 
• 1928 - The Pirates sent RHP Erv Brame and OF Adam Comorosky to Indianapolis of the American Association for RHP Bill Burwell. Burwell ended up an afterthought as a hurler, getting into just four games, but proved his value later on to Pittsburgh as an organization/big league coach & skipper for six years (he developed Vern Law and managed in 1947). Comorosky returned to Pittsburgh in 1929 and hit .295 over a five-year period before closing out his career with two more campaigns at Cincinnati while Brame was done as a MLB hurler. 

Tony Piet - 1933 Goudey

• 1932 - Behind 5-2, the Pirates scored three times in the bottom of the eighth and then got an inside-the-park homer from Tony Piet in the 11th to defeat the Cubs, 6-5, at Forbes Field. Piet had four knocks and four RBI to prime the attack, with Pie Traynor adding three hits. The Bucs had three triples during the game, two of which got away from Chicago player-manager Rogers Hornsby, who then benched himself. Steve Swetonic went the distance for the win despite giving up 14 hits. It was the first “Knothole Gang” game ever held at Forbes Field, as the team stuffed the right field stands with local youngsters bringing the attendance up to...3,000. 
• 1937 - Homestead Gray C Josh Gibson hit perhaps his most storied homer, reported by The Sporting News to have traveled 580’, catching the back rim at Yankee Stadium in a game against the NY Black Yankees. If accurate, which is a point of considerable debate (no StatCast back then), it would be the longest home run ever hit. Mickey Mantle’s 565’ blast in 1953 off Washington’s Chuck Stobbs at Griffith Stadium is considered the biggest blast. It was literally measured by a tape measure, leading to “tape measure homer” being added to baseball’s lexicon. 
• 1961 - Roberto Clemente had a busy day during a 5-1 win over the Phils at Forbes Field. He opened the scoring with a first-inning homer, threw out a runner in the fourth and then was ejected in the eighth for beefing about a close call at first, firing his helmet over the dugout as he left the field. Don Hoak also went long and Smoky Burgess had three hits to back Bobby Shantz and ElRoy Face, who combined on a five-hitter against the Philadelphians. 
• 1962 - During the nitecap of a double header, Bob Skinner hit a RF roof shot at Forbes Field, the second of his career, off Houston’s Ken Johnson during a 10-3 loss. The Bucs also lost the opener, 10-6, giving the Colt .45s their first DH sweep in franchise history. The opening contest featured an oddity. Roberto Clemente tagged from third on a short fly to right; the throw home flew past Houston catcher Hal Smith but went straight to pitcher Bob Tiefenauer, who was backing up the play, The ball stuck in Tiefenauer’s webbing, so the quick-thinking hurler flipped the ball and mitt to Smith in time for him to tag out The Great One. 

Nelson Liriano - 1996 Fleer Ultra (reverse)

• 1964 - IF Nelson Liriano was born in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. The veteran infielder saw a lot of part-time action for the Bucs in 1995-96, getting in 219 games and hitting .277 after being claimed off waivers from Colorado. His greatest career footnote may be from the 1989 season when with Toronto, he broke up two no-hitters in the ninth inning within a six-day span, spoiling bids by first Nolan Ryan and then Kirk McCaskill. Nelson became a minor league manager and coach when he left the game, mainly with the KC organization. 
• 1969 - The Pirates were dropped, 7-3, by the Cincinnati Reds at Forbes Field, but it was a red-letter day for Roberto Clemente. The Great One drilled a game-tying three-run homer in the sixth (the Bucs quickly lost the lead in the following inning) for Roberto’s 2,417th career hit, moving him into third place on the all-time Pirate hit list ahead of Max Carey and Pie Traynor. Clemente would later pass Paul “Big Poison” Waner (2,868) and then vaulted past Honus Wagner (2,970) to claim the franchise top spot with 3,000 hits in 1972. 
• 1979 - The Bucs hit five home runs, two by Bill Robinson with four RBI, (Omar Moreno, Dave Parker and Lee Lacy hit the others) as the Pirates whipped the Padres, 7-0, at TRS. But the big story was Bruce Kison, an emergency starter who got the nod shortly before the game when Don Robinson couldn’t go. In fact, the start time was delayed 10 minutes so he could warm up. He got loose pretty quickly; he carried a no-hitter into the eighth when with two outs, Barry Evans, a .197 hitter, bounced a ball inside the third base line. Phil Garner, who was playing off the bag, took a couple of steps over, went for the backhand grab and had it tick off his mitt into left for a soft two-bagger. It was ruled a hit. Kison didn’t agree; he walked off the mound after the inning and shook his fist in frustration at the scorer, Dan Donovan, who was perched in the press box. The controversial (to Buster, anyway) grounder was the only hit he surrendered. 
• 1985 - Barry Bonds was drafted by the Pirates in the first round (6th pick overall) of the 1985 draft and signed shortly thereafter for a $125,000 bonus. He was the Bucco prize in the Cracker Jack box; the only Pirates picks to reach the MLB from that year were OF Tommy Gregg and pitchers Brett Gideon & Bill Sampen. And if you’re wondering, BJ Surhoff, Will “The Thrill” Clark, Bobby Witt, Barry Larkin and Kurt Brown were taken ahead of Bonds. Ex-Pirates coach Joey Cora was taken #23 overall in that same draft by the San Diego Padres. 

Jim Morrison - 1887 Fleer

• 1987 - Bucco second baseman Jim Morrison had a career-high three doubles, drove in two runs and tied his personal best of four hits (4-for-4) in Pittsburgh’s 4-1 win over the Braves in front of just 5,368 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Bob Kipper started and got the win. 
• 1988 - The Pirates put up runs in the eighth and ninth frames to edge the Montreal Expos, 2-1, at TRS. John Smiley tossed a one-hit complete game with eight K, but the lone knock was a two-out triple that RJ Reynolds couldn’t corral, followed by a balk. The Bucs knotted the score in the eighth inning on a Jose Lind solo shot. Mike Lavalliere doubled with an out in the ninth; John Cangelosi ran for him and scored on Mike Diaz’s pinch-hit, walk-off knock. In other news, the Bucs swapped shortstops - Rafe Belliard came off the DL and for the second time, Al Pedrique was sent down to AAA Buffalo to clear a spot, leaving second-year infielder Felix Fermin as the backup. They switched bullpen arms, too, bringing up LHP Dave Rucker and sending down RHP Scott Medvin.

6/3 From 1990: McLouth-Morton; Game Tales - A-Ram's 1st Hit, Back On Top, Renegade POTM; HBD Brandon; Draft Days

• 1991 - JC catcher Jon Farrell was the Pirates first selection (#24) in the draft; he got as far as AA ball. The only noteworthy selections of the day was seventh-round pick 2B Tony Womack, who spent 13 years in MLB, five as a Buc, for whom he hit .278 while stealing 122 bases. LHP Matt Ruebel, a third rounder, pitched a couple of years for the Pirates (1996-97: 4-5-1/5.54 in 70 games) and 19th rounder RHP Marc Pisciotta tossed in three MLB campaigns. Some late prep picks made the grade, although not with Pittsburgh. 39th-round pick RHP Dustin Hermanson worked 12 big-league campaigns, 56th-rounder RHP Paul Brower lasted nine seasons and 57th-round selection RHP Paul Wilson hurled for seven years, but none of the trio signed with the Pirates. 
• 1992 - The Bucs took an early 6-2 lead thanks to a four-run third inning and held on to drop the Los Angeles Dodgers at TRS by a 6-5 score. Jeff King brought home three runs and Jerry Gleaton claimed his only Pirate victory, saved by Stan Belinda. With the win, the Pirates reclaimed first place in the National League East from the Cardinals and then held the top spot for the rest of the year, spending just eight days without the lead or a share of it. 
• 1993 - Pittsburgh didn’t write home about this draft. They selected HS OF’er Charles Peterson first (#22/$420K bonus), who never made it to the show, followed by second round OF Jermaine Allensworth (#34/$194K bonus), who played 2-1/2 years for the Bucs, hitting .272 as a reserve. RHP Kane Davis was the only other big league contributor beyond a cup of coffee; his top season was 2001 for Colorado, when he made 57 appearances and went 2-4/4.35. 
• 1994 - LHP Brandon Waddell was born in Houston, Texas. A College World Series hero for Virginia, the Pirates drafted him in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. The lefty toiled in the minors until 2020, looking like an ace at Altoona but not quite getting over the AAA hump. He persevered and got his call up in August of 2020 and worked his first MLB game on the 14th, picking up his first big league K. He played in Korea and China for three years and is now with the NY Mets. 

JJ Davis - 1997 Topps Stars

• 1997 - The Pirates drafted HS OF/1B JJ Davis as their top pick (#8) and signed him to a $1.675M bonus (Davis was a three-sport star and had a football scholarship in hand from USC). He played 67 MLB games, with 106 at-bats and a .179 BA. In a bit of what goes around, comes around, Paul Meyers of the Post Gazette wrote that RHP Jason Grilli was on the Pirates “hot list” of potential picks, but he went off the board before they could get him as the #4 overall selection of the Giants. They found a couple of sturdy bullpen arms later on, selecting LHPs John Grabow in the third round and Mike “Gonzo” Gonzalez in the 30th. 
• 1998 - Sometimes ya do play the whole city. 19-year-old rookie Aramis Ramirez was 0-for-24 when he stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs at TRS when a funny thing happened - the 17,691 rooters stood and gave the struggling rookie some love with an ovation. The vibe had its effect; A-Ram lined a two-run double off Greg McMichaels for his first hit to give the Bucs breathing room in a 3-0 win over the Mets. It wasn’t the only first; Jason Christiansen picked up his first MLB save, finishing off Jon Lieber’s win. The Pirates also announced that they signed their top pick (15th overall), LHP Clint Johnston, to a $1M contract. 
• 2004 - The Pirates lost a 4-2 match to the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park, but not before manager Lloyd McClendon gave the fans their money’s worth. With two away in the top of the ninth inning, Mike Gonzalez buzzed former Bucco Tony Womack. Tony LaRussa barked at Gonzo from the bench, and Lloyd took exception to the chirping, charging out of the dugout after LaRussa. Two umps had to hold Lloyd back after LaRussa stepped out to meet him. Both skippers were suspended for two games and hit with undisclosed fines. The aftermath: After the smoke cleared, the cool and calm Craig Wilson gifted his manager with “The Anger Workbook” and “Getting the Best of Your Anger,” along with a Zen rock garden, per Jerry DiPaolo of the Tribune Review. 

Lloyd McClendon - 2004 Topps

• 2009 - The Bucs traded OF Nate McLouth to Atlanta for OF Gorkys Hernandez, LHP Jeff Locke and RHP Charlie Morton, clearing an everyday spot for Andrew McCutchen, who was called up from the minors that day. Hernandez was later flipped (he’s made several moves and is now playing in the Latin Leagues) for Gaby Sanchez while Morton (who was sent to the Phillies in 2016 & now with the Braves) and Locke (he became a Marlin in 2017 and is now retired after a labrum injury) filled rotation spots. McLouth was a flop for the Braves and during a brief return to Pittsburgh but revived his career with Baltimore. He then signed with Washington, but a shoulder injury cost him the year and 2014 was his last season. 
• 2011 - It took Pittsburgh 12 innings, but they eked out a 2-1 win over the Phillies at PNC Park. Jose Tabata drove in the first run on a sac fly and the second with a two-out walk off rap. With the bases empty in the 12th and two away, Xavier Paul singled, stole second, and came in on JT’s grounder through the right side. Danny Moskos got the win, his first MLB victory. He was one of five Pirate pitchers that scattered six hits to Philadelphia hitters. 
• 2019 - Pittsburgh drafted a couple of high school kids 1-2, RHP Quinn Priester (#18 - $3.4M) and OF Sammy Siani (#37 - $2.15M), and then picked a pair of college bats next to balance the checklist on the first night: OF Matt Gorski of Indiana (#57 - $1M) and 3B Jared Triolo of Houston (#82 - $870,700). The next selection was a return to the prep ranks with OF Matt Fraizer (#95 - $525,000), taken in the third round. Triolo has been on the MLB roster since 2024, and Gorski is in the high minors with a taste of the bigs. Siani has been a disappointment for a top pick and trying to establish himself in Altoona while Priester was dealt and is now with Milwaukee. 
• 2022 - Righty closer David Bednar, 27, was named the National League Reliever of the Month for May. In 12 outings, he posted a 2-1-7/1.65 line, holding opponents to a .170 BA and whiffing 21 batters with two walks in 16-1/3 IP. The Mars HS grad joined the Pirates in 2021 as part of the Joe Musgrove deal with the San Diego Padres. He was one of the underdog makes good tales of the MLB - Bednar was a 35th round draft pick in 2016 from Easton’s Lafayette College. A former Pirates product, RHP Clay Holmes, won the Junior Circuit award.

6/2 Through the 1960s: Game Tales - Pops Tops, The Law, 7 In-A-Row, Dale Dong, TPs, DPs & Boots, Streak Starts HBD Darnell, Jeff, Gene, Tom & Rowdy Jack

• 1866 - C John “Peach Pie”/“Rowdy Jack” O’Connor was born in St. Louis. He served as a backstop for the Bucs from 1900-02, hitting .239 as a Bucco, but could plug in anywhere, spending considerable time in the OF and 1B during his 21-year career. He skipped to the AL’s NY Highlanders after the ‘02 season. He may be best known as the St. Louis Brown manager in 1910 who tried to steer the batting title to Nap Lajoie through a couple of different underhanded ploys, and was blackballed from MLB for his efforts. According to Charles Faber’s “Baseball Prodigies,” Jack became Peach Pie because as a teen, he played for a local semi-pro club called the Peach Pies. The “Rowdy” nickname was thanks to his aggressive, spikes-up style of play. 
• 1869 - C/IF Tom Leahy was born in New Haven, Connecticut. Tom spent four part-time years in the show, starting with a dozen games for the Pirates in 1897, where he hit .269 splitting time between catching and third base. He caught at Holy Cross in his college days, but David Nemac, compiler of the book “Major League Ballplayers Profiles 1871-1900,” suggested that because of his average arm, he may have had more longevity if he came up as a second baseman, a better fit for his skill set. His last MLB game was in 1905 after he had gone through five teams, and he then caught on at Yale, serving as their athletic trainer for 32 years. 
• 1890 - The Pittsburgh Alleghenys committed 14 errors in a 14-1 loss to Chicago Colts at home. The Pittsburgh Press wrote of the match that “The people who witnessed the National League game at Recreation Park...left disgusted and many of them promising not to return...Indeed, there are several amateur clubs about the city that may be relied on to play better ball…” That Pittsburgh ball club finished 28-113, 66-1/2 games behind the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and 23 games behind the Cleveland Spiders, the team closest to them in the standings. 
• 1903 - The Pirates tossed their first of an MLB record six straight shutouts as Deacon Phillippe blanked the NY Giants, 7-0. Per the Pittsburgh Press “Phillippe had speed, curves and control and he made eight of the Husky McGrawites fan the elusive atmosphere...” Hans Wagner had three hits; four other Buccos added a pair. The Buc staff threw 51 straight scoreless innings during the six-game streak, a record that still stands today. The win launched Pittsburgh on a 15-game winning streak; the Pirates won the National League with 91 victories. 

Gene Michael - 1966 photo East Hills SC

• 1938 - IF Gene Michael was born in Kent, Ohio. Signed by the Bucs as an amateur, ”Stick” (he was 6’2” and on the underfed side) played his 1966 rookie campaign in Pittsburgh, hitting .152 in 30 games. The Pirates sent him to the Dodgers as part of the Maury Wills deal after the season, then LA sold him to the Yankees, where he spent seven of his 10 MLB seasons, five as NY’s starting shortstop. After his playing days, he coached, managed and was an exec for the Bronx Bombers except for a two-year interlude (1986-87) when he was the Cubs skipper. He was still a member of NY’s front office when he passed away in 2017. 
• 1943 - Pittsburgh scored three times in the ninth to send the Boston Braves to a 3-2 loss at Forbes Field. A walk, an Elbie Fletcher homer and Al Lopez triple set the stage for Frank Coleman’s flare single to become the game-winner. Wally Hebert pitched seven strong innings, giving up his two runs in the second when a pair of bunts were misplayed and a bases-loaded free pass resulted in two Brave runs. Xavier Rescigno picked up the win in relief. 
• 1945 - The Pirates hung on to defeat the Phils, 6-5, at Forbes Field; the main storyline was that the Bucs turned five DPs while Philly committed five errors. Pittsburgh scored four times in the first - only one run was earned - but quickly fell behind; they took the lead for good in the fourth, scoring twice with two outs thanks to a pair of Philadelphia boots. The bullpens took command and put up zeroes after that, with Max Butcher notching the win. 
• 1948 - The Bucs pulled off the first triple play of the season when 1B Ed Stevens caught a shoe-top liner, stepped on first base for the second out and flipped the ball to second to trap a third Boston runner at Forbes Field. Alas, it was in vain as the Braves won handily, 5-1, behind Johnny Sain’s three-hitter. Ralph Kiner’s homer was the only rain on Sain’s parade. 

Ed Stevens - 1948 Leaf

• 1955 - The Pirates defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 12-3, at Forbes Field. Dale Long went 3-for-5 and had five RBI with a home run, a two-run shot during a five-run third inning. Frank Thomas also went deep while the Buccos banged out a season-high 17 hits. Roberto Clemente chipped in three knocks while five other Bucs posted a pair of raps in support of Max Surkont, who went the distance to top future Pirate Harvey Haddix. 
• 1961 - OF Jeff Schulz was born in Evansville, Indiana. The Pirates picked him up for the 1992 campaign after he had been released by the KC Royals. He spent most of the year at AA Buffalo with a brief midsummer call up by the Bucs; he went 0-for-3 with two whiffs as a pinch hitter. His last hurrah was in 1995 when he won the right field job at KC as a replacement player, but the strike ended before the season started and so did his MLB career. The then-33-year-old returned to his day job as a real estate agent. Trivia: In 1990, Schulz ended Cal Ripken Jr.'s 95-game errorless streak at shortstop for the O’s when Cal bobbled his grounder. 
• 1962 - Roberto Clemente just missed becoming the first right handed batter to hit a ball on Forbes Field’s right field roof, bouncing a shot off the facing a foot shy of the top. The blast was off Houston’s Turk Farrell during a 9-2 Bucco laugher over the Colt .45s. Roberto had three RBI, Dick Stuart homered, driving home a pair, and Don Hoak scored twice after hitting two triples to support the Deacon, Vern Law. For Pittsburgh, it was their seventh straight victory and 10th win in 11 games, but after the contest, they entered a tailspin that saw them lose 7-of-8. 
• 1962 - OF Darnell Coles was born in San Bernardino, California. He arrived here in August, 1987, as part of the Jim Morrison deal with the Tigers and left in late July of the next season, traded to the Seattle Mariners for Glenn Wilson. Darnell played outfield and some corner infield for the Bucs and hit .230 during his stay, with a highlight three-homer day against the Cubs in 1987. He carved out a 14-year MLB career with eight different clubs. Coles played in Japan for a couple of seasons and since has been the hitting coach for the Tigers and Brewers. 

Darnell Coles - 1988 Donruss

• 1966 - Vern Law tossed a complete game, three-hit shutout over the Mets at Shea Stadium in a 5-0 victory. It was The Deacon’s 150th Pirates win (he would finish his career with 162, sixth-most in franchise history) and he became the last Buc hurler to reach that landmark. It was also the fourth straight shutout he spun v NY. The Deac helped himself; he had two hits, including a solo homer (it was his 11th and last long ball, the franchise record for pitchers. Law also hit 35 two-baggers, another club mark for P’s), and scored twice. Donn Clendenon also went long. 
• 1967 - Maury Wills paid his first visit to Dodger Stadium since being dealt to the Pirates and made himself at home, collecting two hits, scoring twice and driving in the go-ahead run in the Bucs 5-3 victory. Roberto Clemente also had a pair of knocks and two RBI to give Steve Blass, who worked an inning in relief of Tommie Sisk, the win although the heavy lifting was done by ElRoy Face, who worked the final three frames scorelessly while fanning four.
• 1968 - Willie Stargell homered in both ends of a doubleheader, collecting six hits and driving in six runs in the two contests. He pushed his batting average to .300 for the first time in his career and capped a four-game home run streak. The one-man show wasn’t quite enough, though, as the Pirates split the twinbill with the Atlanta Braves at Forbes Field, winning the opener, 8-4, but losing the nightcap, 10-5. Matty Alou collected two hits in each game as Ronnie Kline won the opener while Bob Moose dropped the nightcap.

6/2 From 1970: Game Tales - Lordy Jordy, GI Splash,Windy Win, 9 Straight, Big Daddy, King's Day, Alika Deal; RIP Buster, HBD Chance

• 1972 - IF Chance Sanford was born in Houston, Texas and was a 27th round pick of the Buccos in the 1992 draft from San Jacinto College. Chance got into 14 Pirates games in 1998 and went 4-for-28 (.143) as a 26-year-old rookie and was released after the year. He got into five games with the Dodgers the following season and then closed out his career playing indie ball. 
• 1987 - Rick Reuschel fired a two-hitter against the Atlanta Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, ending a six-game Pirate losing streak. Andy Van Slyke homered and made a great catch in the ninth to help save the 4-0 victory. Rafe Belliard scored twice. Big Daddy apparently had the Bravos number: the victory was Reuschel’s ninth straight win over Atlanta. 
• 1989 - Some dates are special; for Jeff King, June 2nd was that day. He was drafted #1 overall by the Pirates OTD in 1986 and today marked his MLB debut. He pinch hit in the 11th frame at Shea Stadium against the New York Mets in a 1-1 game and doubled up the line on an 0-2 pitch from Rick Aguilera for his first hit. He scored two batters later on Glenn Wilson’s single to give the Bucs the lead. The celebration was brief as Randy Kramer couldn’t hold the lead, giving up a two-run homer to Dave Magadan in the Mets’ half to take the sheen off Jeff’s first outing. 
• 1991 - The Pirates scored twice in the ninth inning to win their ninth straight game, 5-3, over the Phils at Veterans Stadium. Barry Bonds doubled home Andy Van Slyke, who had reached on an infield knock, with two away for the lead and Mitch Webster singled BB home with the insurance tally. Barry was the Bucs hitting hero; he had three raps, including a two-run homer to give Bob Patterson, the Pirates fourth pitcher in a match Doug Drabek had started, the victory. The streak ended two days later when the Giants took a 5-3 win from the Bucs at TRS. 
• 1992 - Randy Tomlin won his sixth game by getting the LA Dodgers to beat the ball into the dirt for a 1-0 win at TRS. The lefty got 15 of his 21 outs via the grounder, and more importantly, coaxed three Blue DP balls to allow his six-hitter to stand. The Bucs weren’t exactly lighting it up against Tom Candiotti, but with two outs in the seventh, he walked three straight Pirates (one intentionally), finally losing Dave Clark on a 3-1 pitch, to force home the game’s only run. Roger Mason cleaned it up over the final two frames to save Tomlin’s win. For Randy, it was his second victory of a six-game winning streak. He claimed 14 triumphs during the campaign, the only time in his career he reached double-digit wins for a season. 

Randy Tomlin - 1992 Stadium Club

• 1998 - The Pirates beat the Mets, 5-2, at TRS behind Chris Peter’s pitching and a bases-loaded triple by Kevin Young for their fourth straight victory, but the big story was that they earned the win in the midst of a tornado. The game was delayed nearly an hour by the gale, but Peters came back after the break in the third frame to work five innings. The Post Gazette noted that a couple of Pirates gathered up hailstones from the dugout before play resumed. The tornado touched down on nearby Mt. Washington, damaging 1,000+ structures and triggered the Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s banner headline that screamed “Torn Asunder.” 
• 2011 - Pittsburgh blew a 7-0 advantage to the Mets and lost, 9-8, at Citi Field as Paul Maholm couldn’t hold the lead and left with the game tied. Jose Veras then self-destructed in the eighth, giving up a hit, four walks and a wild pitch. The Buc wasted a homer and four RBI from Neil Walker and a four-hit day, with a triple, two stolen bases and three runs scored, from Xavier Nady. 
• 2013 - The Cincinnati Reds raced to a 4-0 first inning lead against Jeanmar Gomez and the righty was yanked after the frame with forearm tightness. But the Pirate bullpen put up 10 scoreless frames, allowing just five hits, while Pedro Alvarez and Garrett Jones homered - Jones became the first Pirate to reach the Allegheny on the fly with his 463’ blast - to send the game into extra innings at PNC Park. The Pirates took it in the 11th on Travis Snider’s soft two-out liner that scored Russ Martin from second base for a walk-off 5-4 win. 
• 2014 - The Pirates romped at Petco Park, winning 10-3 as the San Diego Padres ran through seven pitchers and 249 pitches during the longest nine-inning game in SD history at 4:04. Of the 53 men Pittsburgh sent to the plate, 26 reached base. They went 9-for-20 with RISP and still stranded 16 men, loading the bases seven different times. San Diego left 11 runners of their own on the pond, but went 1-for-10 with RISP. Jordy Mercer went 4-for-5 with a homer, four RBI and two runs scored, while Josh Harrison and Neil Walker each added three hits. Charlie Morton got the win, but the Pirates had to call on three relievers of their own to close out the contest. There were six bopped batters without a warning being issued and twelve walks combined during the game. It was only the second time during a National League game of the modern (post-1914) era that each team hit three batters in the same game. The other time it happened was on August 15, 2007, when the New York Mets played, natch, the Bucs. 

Elias Diaz - 2018 Pirates image

• 2017 - You wouldn’t expect this kind of game from a Gerrit Cole - Matt Harvey match, but the Bucs and Mets exchanged big innings with the Pirates coming out on top at Citi Field, 12-7. The Pirates put up a three spot in the fourth to take the lead on Elias Diaz’s bases-loaded, three-run double. The New York nine answered in the fifth with five runs off Cole to take a 7-4 advantage. The Corsairs then responded with a seven-spot in the sixth off Harvey and reliever Paul Sewald, keyed by Diaz’s three-run homer, his first as a major leaguer, to jump ahead, 11-7. Then the storm abated; the only other run to score was on Josh Harrison’s solo shot in the eighth. Josh Bell also went long in the victory, and even with the sketchy start, Cole got the win, making up for some early-season hard-luck losses. Diaz ended up with six RBI, the first six-pack by a Pirates rookie since Andrew McCutchen chased home a half-dozen teammates in 2009. 
• 2018 - Bruce Kison passed away of cancer at the age of 68. Kison was selected by Pittsburgh in the 14th round of the 1968 amateur draft and made his big league debut on July 4th, 1971. “Buster” was best known for winning Game 4 of the 1971 World Series, the first night game in World Series history, by tossing 6-1/3 scoreless innings of one-hit relief against Baltimore. Kison made more news when he hopped in a helicopter after the Game 7 win at Baltimore to zip home for his wedding, along with best man Bob Moose; a police escort took him from the airport to the church. He was a combative and competitive guy on the mound, once brawling with Mike Schmidt. Bruce spent nine of his 15 MLB years with the Bucs (1971-79; 81-63-6/3.49) and when he retired, he became a minor league pitching instructor for Pittsburgh in 1986, bullpen coach for Kansas City from 1992-93, the Royals pitching coach from 1994-98 and Baltimore's pitching coach in 1999. He then worked as a scout for Baltimore until a few months before his demise. 
• 2020 - The year continued spinning on its crazy trajectory when the Bucs announced that 31-year-old RHP Chris Archer underwent surgery to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. He was done for the season (it was an abbreviated 60-game year) and with major surgery and an $11M team option in 2021, he was done as a Bucco after Neal Huntington had sent Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow and Shane Baz to Tampa for him in 2018. Archie got 33 Pittsburgh starts, winning six games while posting a 4.92 ERA. He returned to Tampa Bay for two injury ridden seasons, moved to the Twins where he was released and is now a member of the LA Dodgers baseball ops department. 

Chris Archer - 2020 Topps Turkey Red

• 2023 - The Pirates overcame a 5-0, sixth-inning deficit against the Cards at PNC Park to rally for a 7-5 win before 24,388 rooters. Roansy Contreras gave up the five spot and a pair of third inning bombs, but five relievers put a halt to any further damage. That allowed Ke'bryan Hayes to deliver a two-out, three-run blast in the seventh inning to put the Bucs ahead after Carlos Santana’s two-run double had closed the gap. Josh Palacios then smacked his first MLB homer to go back-to-back and add an insurance marker. Yohan Ramirez faced one batter in the seventh and was credited with the win; David Bednar earned the save. 
• 2023 - The Pirates traded righty reliever Robert Stephenson (0-3/5.54 in 17 outings), sending him to the Tampa Bay Rays for Class AA-Montgomery SS Alika Williams. Stephenson, 30, an eight-year MLB vet, joined the Pirates in August, 2022 after being waived by Colorado and is now with the LA Angels. Williams, 24, was a competitive-balance pick (37th overall) of the Rays in 2020 as a golden glove but a project at the plate. He was assigned to AAA Indy and was called up to the big team in late July. Alika started as a reserve IF for Pittsburgh this year and is now at Indy.

Weekly Notes: So-So Week; Endy & Ashcraft Up, Bart On IL; Cutch & Bailey Team Marks; J-Hay Retires, Mark Sauer Passes

Go west young men...

Pirates Stuff:

• The Pirates called up RHP Braxton Ashcraft from Indy and optioned RHP Isaac Mattson back to AAA. It's expected Brax will be a long man in Pittsburgh for the time being after working as a starter throughout his minor league career.
• Joey Bart left Wednesday's game after being clocked by a backswing. Joey was placed on the 7-day Concussion IL and Endy Rodriguez was activated from rehab. 
• GM Ben on his Sunday radio show said he hoped 2B Nick Gonzales is back sometime during the upcoming nine-day home stand that begins on Tuesday.

Bailey Falter - 2025 Pirates image

• Bailey Falter’s 0.76 ERA in May is the third-lowest by any Pirate in a single month in the Live-Ball Era (since 1920), behind Zane Smith (0.66, September ‘90) & Paul Skenes (0.75, September ‘24) per the Pirates.
• Cutch hit homer #240 as a Bucco on Sunday; that ties him for third overall on the Pirates career long ball list with Roberto Clemente, with Ralph Kiner's 301 next.
• Mark Sauer, president/CEO of the Pirates from 1991-1996, passed away last week at the age of 78.

Game Stuff:

• It's off to Arizona and then San Diego. Monday was same ol' Bucs; they dropped a 5-0 decision to the D-Backs. The bright spot was freshly called-up Braxton Ashcraft, who threw three scoreless frames and saved the pen from a long night in his MLB debut.
• Mike Burrows didn't have much of an outing and the Bucs were down 6-0 after five innings. But Kelly's Kommandos used a two-run blast by Henry Davis, a bases-loaded double by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a game-winning three-run shot by Bryan Reynolds (he was 4-for-4 with a walk) to stun the Snakes, 9-6. Joey Wentz got the win and David Bednar the save. 
• The bats continued to boom for the Bucs; Paul Skenes finally got some support and left in the seventh (four hits, seven Ks in 6-2/3 IP) with an 8-0 bulge on the road to an eventual 10-1 dub. Oneil Cruz homered w/three RBI, IKF had three hits/three runs scored and Davis & Jared Triolo added a pair of knocks to take the series from Arizona at Chase Field.

Kell - 2025 via SportsNet Pgh

• After an off day, Mitch Keller took the hill v San Diego. He gave up three runs in six frames, just enough to lose, 3-2. Lowlights - With the bases loaded, two outs and a full count, Henry Davis took ball four, which would have tied the game. But the ump called it strike three to keep SD ahead. It also caused a Don Kelly meltdown and ejection. On the shoot-yourself-in-the-foot side of the pillow, the Pirates 5-6-7 hitters (Davis, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Adam Frazier) went 0-for-12 and struck out 10! times. Soooo...
• Bailey Falter continued his masterful May Days and the Bucs won handily, 5-0. Cutch homered and B-Rey had three hits and two RBI.
• Andrew Heaney did a solid job for six frames and left the Bucs with a 4-2 lead. Tanner Rainey did not do such a solid job - he faced four batters, walked three, and all four scored as Caleb Ferguson couldn't staunch the bleeding. That was the ballgame as San Diego took the rubber match, 6-4. 

MLB Stuff: 

• Exactly 14 years after he made his Pittsburgh debut, IF Josh Harrison announced his retirement. J-Hay spent eight of his 13 big league seasons with the Pirates (2011-2018; .277). He made his last MLB appearance in 2023 with the Phils, fittingly against the Bucs. 
• Veteran depth IF Ildemaro Vargas was called up by Arizona. He had a cup of coffee with the Bucs in 2021, appearing in seven games.
• 1B/OF Ryan Vilade, who the Bucs stashed at Indy in 2023 after claiming him from the Rox, was promoted the the MLB by St. Louis,

6/1 Through 1974: Games Tales - Big Bob Fans 16, 20-Spot, Smoky Smokin'', Night Opener, Ump Shows; HBD Hal, Lou, Al, Harry & Bill

• 1869 - 2B “Bad Bill” Eagan was born in Camden, New Jersey. Per David Nemec of SABR, “He got the nickname ‘Bad Bill’ the hard way: He earned it through regular, rowdy behavior.” Eagan was like many old-timey players - a heavy drinker, gambler, and general thorn in the side of umpires & management. He was also a ball magnet, even practicing getting hit by pitches in BP by crowding the plate, leading umps to often allow him to get brushed a couple of times before yielding to the inevitable and awarding him a base. Though he was briefly the Bucs starting second baseman and hit .328 in 1898, he was sent down to the minors after a drinking bout. It was a familiar pattern; in his 13-year pro career he wore out his welcome often and only got three years and 107 games in the majors. Bad Bill died of consumption (tuberculosis) in 1905. 
• 1887 - RHP Harry Gardner was born in Quincy, Michigan. His MLB career consisted of 14 outings with the Pirates from 1911-12 with a 1-1/4.46 line. Harry did have a long baseball stint, pitching 16 minor league seasons and winning 206 games. He spent his last nine years working in the Pacific Coast League before retiring at age 37 after the 1924 season. 
• 1897 - The Pirates were cruising along with a 7-0 lead in the sixth at the Polo Grounds when the NY Giants put up four runs and were still going when an ump show broke up the game. A Giant runner was tagged on the way to second on a grounder. Umpire McDermott, with whom the Pirates had a run-in with the previous game and had a history of controversy, didn’t make a call. The runner, Lucky Holmes, held second, the ump eventually ruled him safe and according to the Pittsburgh Press “...he (Lucky) laughed uproariously and danced a jig.” The resulting discussion over the call led to the ejection of four players. One of the Pirates bench subs was injured, and that left Pittsburgh one player shy of a full nine. McDermott then forfeited the game to the Giants. The Pirates protested to no avail, and the Press headline the following day read “An Immense Steal - Umpire McDermott Robbed The Pirates Of Yesterday’s Game. His Work Was The Worst Exhibition Ever Seen On Any Ballfield.” 
• 1899 - 1B Al Niehaus was born in Cincinnati. He started 15 games for the 1925 Pirates, batting .219, before he was traded to his hometown Reds. Niehaus hit .299 there but was replaced by a vet and sold to St. Paul after the season. He was in the minors from 1921-29 and had several .300+ campaigns, but his glovework - he made 11 errors between the Pirates and Reds in 1925 - held him back. The DH arrived a few decades too late to help him along. 

Al Niehaus - 1925 photo/NEA

• 1901 - The Bucs lost to the Reds, 4-3, following a disputed call by rookie umpire Bert Cunningham, a former pitcher whom the Pirates got in an off-season trade and later released to end his playing career. Cunningham ruled Kitty Bransfield out at first on a questionable bang-bang call, costing the Pirates the tying run and also ending the game. 2,000 fans stormed the field at Exposition Park after the decision, suspecting a bit of payback figured in the ump’s call, and Cunningham had to be chaperoned to the locker room by Fred Clarke and Honus Wagner to escape mob justice. It made the front page of the Pittsburgh Press which described the scene: “...an angry crowd followed umpire Cunningham and the Cincinnati players and despite the efforts of the Pittsburg players to protect the official and their visitors managed to land a few blows...The disgraceful scene occurred under the very eyes of President NE Young of the National League, who came here yesterday to investigate the reports about the poor umpiring of Nash (Cunningham’s partner in blue) and Cunningham, two recent additions.” 
• 1911 - LHP Lou Tost was born in Cumberland, Washington. Lou had tossed for the Braves in 1942 (he also tossed in three games in ‘43 before becoming a sailor) and got a final appearance for the Bucs in 1947, giving up a run on three hits in his last MLB outing. He was another wartime guy who lost 1943-45 to the service; the Bucs purchased him from the Braves Sacramento club in the PCL after the 1946 season. In all, he played pro ball from 1934-49 except for his service years. 
• 1936 - C Hal Smith (not the Bucs World Series Smith but a Redbird namesake) was born in Barling, Arkansas. Smith was a Cardinals catcher from 1956-61 before he was forced to retire and enter the coaching ranks with a heart condition. Smith appeared in four games in July 1965 for the Pirates as a player-coach after Jim Pagliaroni, Del Crandall and Ozzie Virgil were injured, catching 12 frames and going 0-for-3 before returning to Harry Walker's staff. He left to join the Milwaukee Brewers after the ‘67 campaign and finished as a scout for the Cardinals. 

Rip Sewell - undated photo via Sports Memorabilia

• 1939 - Pittsburgh beat Philadelphia in the Phillies’ first night game at Shibe Park, 5-2, as Rip Sewell earned the under-the-lights win. The Bucs only had seven hits, but eight walks and a beaned batter gave them plenty of baserunning opportunities. Bill Brubaker homered while Paul Waner & Arky Vaughan scored the other four runs from the top of the order. 
• 1943 - Huck Geary ended a 14-inning marathon at Forbes Field by stealing home to top the Boston Braves, 5-4. The bases were loaded with an out, probably not the textbook time for a mad dash, but skipper Frankie Frisch sent Geary and Huck slid in under the tag for the walk-off win. Sharing in the glory was Vince DiMaggio, who smoked a three-run homer, and Johnny Lanning, who tossed three scoreless frames for the win following Jack Hallett and Hank Gornicki. 
• 1954 - Montreal Royals OF’er Roberto Clemente, then a Dodger farmhand who was playing in Montreal, was nevertheless found out (Roberto was on several radar screens) by Pirate scout Clyde Sukeforth. Sukeforth, ironically, wasn’t even a scout but a Pittsburgh pitching coach on special assignment in Richmond, where the Royals were playing, to check out pitcher Joe Black. Sukeforth strongly recommended that the Bucs take Clemente in the upcoming minor league draft, based more on his pre-game eyeball scouting of Roberto throwing and running than his actual game performance, and the rest is Pittsburgh baseball history. 
• 1960 - Poor Hank Foiles didn’t know if he was coming or going. After the Pirates sent him to Kansas City in December to complete the Hal Smith deal, they got him back OTD with cash in exchange for C Danny Kravitz. The next day, he was shipped to the Indians for OF/PH John Powers, a lefty stick off the bench who had been with Pittsburgh from 1955-58. It was much ado over nothing; It was Kravitz’s final campaign in the big leagues, Powers was used as an insurance policy who spent the rest of the year stashed with the AAA Columbus Jets, and Foiles kept on frequent flying, going to the Tigers in July for Rocky Bridges and Red Wilson. 

Hank Foiles - 1960 Topps

• 1961 - The Bucs entertained 19,128 Forbes Field faithful by thumping the Milwaukee Braves by an 8-2 count. Smoky Burgess with two homers and Dick Groat with another got the crowd on their feet; both had three RBI on the day. Roberto Clemente got them out of the seats with his fielding. He ran down a Joe Adcock shot and taught rookie Joe Torre a lesson in baserunning as described by the Pittsburgh Press beatman Les Biederman: “Torre singled to right...rounded first and Dick Stuart cut off Clemente's throw home and politely tagged out Torre.” Harvey Haddix got the win; he tossed shutout ball after the first inning. 
• 1963 - The Pirates had the best of both worlds, banging out four homers and getting a two-hitter from Bob Friend in a 10-1 runaway against the New York Mets at the Polo Grounds. The dingers were launched by Bill Virdon, Willie Stargell, Jerry Lynch and Bill Mazeroski. The Bucs collected 16 hits, with four from Donn Clendenon and three each from Lynch and Ducky Schofield. Friend struck out eight during his complete game victory. 
• 1965 - Bob Veale set the Pirate nine-inning strikeout mark when he K'ed 16 Phillies at Forbes Field in a 4-0 victory, even though he sat through two rain delays that added two hours to the game. The big lefty also struck out 16 Reds in 12 innings on September 30th, 1964. Back before the gun, the 6’6” lefty was estimated to throw a heater in the 97-98 MPH range. The five-hitter was the Bucs 12th consecutive win; it came right on the heels of an eight-game losing streak. The Bucs lost the next day but still took eight of the next 10 games. The early hole they dug eventually did them in - they won 90 games but finished third behind the Dodgers, never coming closer than four games from first after April. 
• 1971 - Dock Ellis tossed a three-hitter as the Bucs bombed the Cardinals, 9-0, at TRS. It was a team effort - every Buc had a hit, all but Ellis scored, and six had RBI. Richie Hebner and Dave Cash had three hits while Manny Sanguillen and Vic Davalillo added a pair. It was the third straight shutout spun by the Bucs as Steve Blass and Bob Moose blanked the Cubs to close out the prior series.

6/1 From 1975: 6/1 Morris-Joe, Game Tales - Frankie's 7, Mitch, Denny & Jason Roll, Mack, Mo & Dale Bang, Rallies, Draft Days

• 1978 - The Pirates released reserve infielder Jim Fregosi at the behest of California Angels’ owner Gene Autry. It was a good faith request to free up an old vet for bigger and better things - Fregosi, 36, was named as the replacement for Dave Garcia as Angels manager the next day. 
• 1979 - The Pirates scored four times in the ninth inning to rally past the San Diego Padres, 9-8, at TRS. Dave Parker cranked a one-out, three-run homer off John D'Acquisto to tie it, and Lee Lacy drew a bases-loaded free pass with two away off Rollie Fingers for the win after Ed Ott had been intentionally walked before him. Phil Garner went 4-for-5 and scored twice. Teke gave up four runs in three innings of work, but it was good enough for the win. After the game, Willie Stargell blasted out a tune he thought exemplified the club - “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge - and it caught on, not only among Pirates Nation but the public at large, selling a million copies each of the LP and single after it had originally sputtered (although Kim Sledge, who along with her sisters were from Philadelphia, said “The Phillies...should have used our song.”) 
• 1980 - The Bucs had a big day, banging the Mets, 13-3, at TRS in front of a cap day crowd of 49,626 at TRS. No one had a bigger day than Dale Berra, who had three hits, including a grand slam, and chased home five runs to atone for a pair of boots in the field, bettered by ex-Pirate and current Met Frankie Taveras’ three errors (it wasn’t a very good glove day for shortstops). Vance Law doubled for his first MLB hit while three other Buccos had a pair of knocks each, and the attack allowed Jim Bibby to cruise to a complete game win. 
• 1986 - Jim Morrison showed the way in a 12-3 win over the LA Dodgers at TRS, hitting a grand slam that he almost lost when when he passed Tony Pena for a heartbeat during his trot around the bases (Tony was standing on first and ready to tag if the big fly was caught, but the umps didn’t see the brief fly-by, although Tommy LaSorda did), a double and triple with seven runs chased home. How often does a big galoot bang a three-bagger but fall a single short of the cycle? RJ Reynolds also had three knocks and Rick Rhoden went the distance for the win. 
• 1988 - The Pirates selected prep SS Austin Manahan first in the draft (his bonus wasn’t released; Manahan said in an interview that it was “six figures”). Manahan never made it past AA, and in fact Pittsburgh’s first five picks never made the show. They did find some players with a couple of later selections, selecting Tim Wakefield, Randy Tomlin, John Wehner and Blas Minor. 

Jason Kendall - 1992 Upper Deck Minors

• 1992 - Prep catcher Jason Kendall was selected in the first round (#23) of the draft and signed for a $336K bonus two weeks later in one of Pittsburgh’s more enlightened picks. He spent nine of his 15 MLB seasons with the Pirates, hitting .306 and earning spots on three All-Star teams. After him came a group of fringy reserves - outfielders Adrian Brown & Trey Beamon, pitcher Marc Wilkins, and infielders Lou Collier and Kevin Polcovich. 
• 1995 - Denny Neagle won his fifth straight decision, stopping the Reds and their nine-game winning streak by a 5-3 count at Three Rivers Stadium. He got all the help he needed from Orlando Merced, who had the first two-homer game of his career and drove in four runs, and four relievers, with Dan Miceli nailing it down for his seventh save of the campaign. 
• 1996 - Paul Wagner tossed a one-hitter with ten strikeouts in seven innings of work at TRS, but still lost to Colorado, 2-0. He couldn’t find the plate in the third; two walks followed by a wild pitch cost him dearly after Dante Bichette hit a ball through the shortstop hole to score the pair. The Bucs had nine hits during the match, but stranded 10 runners. It was both the first time the Pirates were kept off the board and the first shutout tossed by the Rox during the season. 
• 1998 - Jason Schmidt won his seventh straight game, 4-3, against the Mets at TRS, breaking a nine-game string of victories by New York. The righty scattered six hits and fanned eight, with ninth inning help from Ricardo Rincon, who earned a save. The Bucs were led at the plate by Tony Womack, who had two hits and a homer; Al Martin and Mark Smith also had a pair of knocks. Schmidt was 8-1/3.59 at this point but would go on to drop his next eight decisions. He wouldn’t win another game until August 12th and finished the season 11-14/4.07. 
• 2005 - Florida lost its ninth straight game at PNC Park‚ 9-1. Rob Mackowiak hit his second career grand slam and Jack Wilson went 4-for-4 to pace the attack behind Josh Fogg and Salomon Torres’ pitching. The last Marlin win in Pittsburgh was September 8th, 2002; the Fish snapped the streak the next day by a 6-3 count. 

Dewey - 2006 Upper Deck

• 2006 - The Pirates swept the Milwaukee Brewers in a four-game set by scoring twice in the ninth to take a 4-3 decision at PNC Park. With two away, Jose Castillo doubled home Jeromy Burnitz, followed by the game-winning knock by Ryan Doumit, both off Derrick Turnbow. John Grabow, the Bucs fourth pitcher, earned the win. The Pirates outscored the Brew Crew 34-8 in the series. 
• 2010 - Neil Walker hit his first big league home run and it was a game-winner; his two-run blast in the eighth inning gave the Pirates a 3-2 win over the Cubs at PNC Park. Walker went on to hit 93 long balls as a Bucco, second among second-sackers in franchise history to Bill Mazeroski. His blow gave Joel Hanrahan the victory with an Octavio Dotel save. Garrett Jones also homered. 
• 2013 - Francisco Liriano tied the franchise record by striking out seven consecutive Reds, but Mike Leake won the duel at PNC Park by a 2-0 count. Liriano went six innings, giving up a run on four hits and a walk, punching out 11. Not a ball left the infield in the inning he surrendered the run, and only a disputed two-out call at first allowed Cincy to score at all.  
• 2014 - Miami got righty reliever Bryan Morris for a competitive balance selection (#39) that turned into first baseman Connor Joe, who was flipped to the Braves in 2017 for Sean Rodriguez. Morris retired in 2017, S-Rod hung them up for a Phillies coaching gig in 2022, and Joe returned to the Buccos fold in 2023 via the trade route, playing regularly in an OF/1B role before moving on to the Reds. 
• 2024 - Mitch Keller showed that last year’s early performance was no fluke - Kells won his fifth straight start, improving to 7-3/3.42 after being 7-1/3.25 on June 1, 2023. According to OptaStats, Keller is the fifth MLB pitcher since 2013 to reach seven-plus wins by June 1 in back-to-back seasons; the others being Justin Verlander (2018-19) Clayton Kershaw (2016-17), Felix Hernandez (2014-15) and Adam Wainwright (2013-14). Kells is also the first Pirate to have seven-plus wins through June 1 in consecutive years since Howie Camnitz from 1908-1909. It was his 43rd straight start of five or more innings, the longest active streak in MLB. The Bucs won the game at Rogers Centre easily, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-1, behind two-run homers by Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds, along with a three-hit performance by Jared Triolo.