8/13 From 1955: Duelin', 5 For Jermaine, Barry & Scoops, Arriba Muscle, Paul & Friend Gems; HBD Jonah, Tom & Jeff

• 1957 - Bob Friend was dealing as he tossed a two-hit shutout against the Phillies, winning, 6-0, at Connie Mack Stadium. He was hooked up in a 2-0 duel with Warren Hacker through six innings before Bill Mazeroski chased Hacker with a two-run two-bagger in the seventh. Pittsburgh iced it in the eighth on a run-scoring error and Hank Foiles two-out RBI knock. Maz had a big day, with his two-run, second-inning homer with two gone giving Friend some early breathing room. The pitcher said after the game that he had fallen in love with his curve “...but now I’ve learned that the fastball is my best pitch.” 
• 1958 - Though nicked by three-run pinch-hit homers off the bats of Rip Repulski and Bob Bowman, the Pirates nosed the Phils, 10-9, at Connie Mack Stadium for their seventh straight victory. Roberto Clemente had two homers (his first ever multi-homer game), Maz added one more dinger, and Ted Kluszewski doubled and tripled to lead the Bucco attack. 
• 1963 - LHP Jeff Ballard was born in Billings, Montana. After five years with the Orioles, he worked for Pittsburgh from 1993-94, getting into 43 games and going 5-2-2/5.42 to close out his career. Ballard didn’t exactly end up on the street afterward. He had earned a degree in geophysics from Stanford University and plied his trade in Montana, spending his spare time as an organizer for the Billings American Legion baseball program. 
• 1964 - C Tom Prince was born in Kankakee, Illinois. Prince started his career in Pittsburgh (1987-93) as a backup catcher behind Mike LaValliere and Don Slaught. In 177 games for the Pirates, he hit .177. Despite his bat, he played for five teams and parts of 17 seasons in the show before hanging up his spikes in 2003. He was a Buc minor league manager beginning in 2005 and in 2017 was promoted to the show as Clint Hurdle’s bench coach. When the new regime took over in 2019, Prince was hired by Detroit to manage their AAA club, Toledo. 

Tom Prince - 1994 Pacific Crown

• 1969 - Roberto Clemente hit three homers for the second time in his career to lead the Bucs to a 10-5 win over the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park; the long balls were hit in consecutive at bats off Mike McCormick (2) and Bobby Bolin. He had four hits, four RBI and four runs to back Jim Bunning’s win, saved by Bob Moose. And to keep his run of fours going, he used four different bats during the game. Roberto made the Pirates' prior protest a moot point; manager Larry Shepherd had filed one early in the game after the umpires reversed a call. 
• 1973 - The Pirates hung on to take a 3-2 win from the rival Reds at TRS. Willie Stargell had three hits, including a homer, and started a two-out, two-run rally with a single in the fourth. He was busy; Pops was also thrown out at home repping an insurance run in the eighth when ump Bob Engel said he missed home with his slide, a charge Willie and manager Bill Virdon argued unsuccessfully. The three runs proved enough for Nellie Briles, Ramon Hernandez and Dave Giusti. There was some off-field action, too - Stargell was named the NL Player of the Week and extended his 13-game hitting streak (it ended the next day), while for the second straight trip to Pittsburgh, Johnny Bench received a death threat over the phone and was escorted around town by security guards. 
• 1974 - Al Oliver had three hits, including a two-run homer, and drove home five runs as the Pirates pounded the Reds,14-3, at Riverfront Stadium. Larry Demery spun a complete-game victory as Pittsburgh edged over .500 and moved to 1-1/2 games of first-place St. Louis. Richie Zisk had four knocks, three runs plated & scored twice, Richie Hebner added four more raps with an RBI & three runs, Rennie Stennett touched home three times on three hits and Ed Kirkpatrick banged a homer as the Bucs swatted out 21 hits. For Zisk, it was his 10th straight game with an RBI, a streak that would end the next day. 
• 1980 - RHP Jonah Bayliss was born in North Adams, Massachusetts. Bayliss came over to Pittsburgh as the key figure in the Mark Redman trade, but never panned out. He spent 2006-07, the last two seasons of his three-year career, in Pittsburgh and went 5-4 with a 7.22 ERA in 16 outings from the pen, showing good stuff but poor control. He’s now a pitching coach/trainer and operates his own hometown baseball academy. 

Jonah Bayliss - 2006 Fleer Ultra Rookie

• 1988 - Barry Bonds was the Big Bopper, pounding two homers among his four hits while scoring three times and driving home five runs in a 10-4 Pirates victory over the Phils at the Vet with his proud pappy part of the 35,432 fans in the yard. He was a one-man show as the Bucs only totaled three other hits, although ten walks kept the basepaths lit. Rafael Belliard scored three times without a hit, reaching five times via three walks, a HBP and Philly error. Rookie Rick Reed started and was chased early; Jeff Robinson tossed five scoreless innings for the win. 
• 1988 - The Pirates sent RHP Barry Jones to the White Sox for LHP Dave LaPoint. LaPoint tossed well as a rental for the Bucs, going 4-2/2.77 in eight starts before signing with the Yankees in the offseason. Jones lasted in the league until 1993, with a strong stretch with Chicago and then as part of the Montreal Expos as he developed into a MLB late-inning arm through 1991. 
• 1996 - Jermaine Allensworth homered twice with a grand slam and five RBI. John Wehner smacked a pinch-hit homer, giving the club the franchise mark for most pinch hit swats in a season with nine (the ‘44 Bucs had eight). Jay Bell also bopped a two-run shot as the Pittsburgh offense rang up 10 runs. Still, it just ended up their 13th loss in the past 16 games as they dropped a 12-10 match to the Giants at TRS when San Fran rode a six-run eighth inning to victory. 
• 1998 - The Reds jumped on the Pirates for five first-inning runs at Cinergy Field, but the Bucs had the last laugh by roaring back to take a 9-6 win and sweep the three-game series. The Pittsburgh comeback started in the fourth with a Tony Womack solo shot, with two more tallies in the fifth keyed by back-to-back doubles by Al Martin & Freddy Garcia, a four-spot in the sixth behind a two-run Al Martin homer & Lou Collier’s triple that chased another pair home with Jason Kendall & Martin RBI knocks in the seventh for insurance. The Pirates used six pitchers with Jeff McCurry getting the win and Ricardo Rincon earning a save. 

Al Martin - 1988 Pacific Revolution

• 2003 - Pittsburgh scored twice in the eighth to take the lead, then the Cards came back to tie it, 5-5, in the ninth at PNC Park. But with two away and the bases empty in their half, Pittsburgh, thanks to some off-the-book strategy by Tony LaRussa, walked away with the win. After two routine outs, Jason Kendall doubled, and St. Louis intentionally walked both Brian Giles and Reggie Sanders to load the bases for Randall Simon. Simon fell behind Pedro Borbon 0-2, then shot a single through the left side to plate Kendall with the game winner as the free passes blew up in LaRussa’s face. Craig Wilson had a big day, too, with a pair of homers. 
• 2005 - Kip Wells dueled Roger Clemens at Minute Maid Park as the Bucs nosed the Astros, 1-0. The game eventually became a battle of the bullpens, and Jack Wilson’s ninth-inning, 0-2 count homer off Brad Lidge was the difference. Salomon Torres claimed the win, saved by Jose Mesa. The Bucs hurlers dodged some raindrops to frustrate the ‘Stros - although Houston put up six hits and drew four walks, they stranded 11 runners. 
• 2007 - Paul Maholm tossed a three-hit complete game to lead the Bucs past the Giants, 3-1, at PNC Park. The big blow was a two-out, two-run double by Jose Castillo off San Francisco’s Matt Cain in the first inning on an 0-2 pitch. The win was in the opener of a twilight doubleheader and pushed the Bucs winning streak to four (five straight was the longest victory string of the season), which ended with a 10-3 whipping in the second game. Also OTD, Tom Gorzelanny was named co-NL Player of the Week with Troy Tulowitzki after winning two games, including a shutout, and giving up two runs in 16 IP on nine hits. 
• 2015 - 2B Neil Walker became the first Pirates player to collect a hit from both sides of the plate during the same inning in the expansion era (1962 forward) as the Bucs erupted for seven runs in the opening frame. Pittsburgh never looked back in taking a 10-5 win from St. Louis at Busch Stadium, with Frankie Liriano twirling six innings for the victory. The Pittsburgh Kid finished the game 3-for-5, falling a home run shy of hitting for the cycle while Pedro Alvarez also added three hits, including a home run, to help cage the Redbirds. 

Jamo - 2019 Topps Total

• 2019 - RHP Jameson Taillon went under the knife; it was hoped the operation would be just to repair an elbow flexor, but ended up his second career TJ surgery once the arm was opened and the damage determined. After a 14-10/3.21 2018 campaign, he was counted on to lead the staff in 2019, but instead the 27-year-old worked just seven starts and was placed on the IL on May 1st. It appeared that conservative rehab was turning the trick, but he felt pain while throwing in July and underwent the surgical procedure. He was back in action in 2021, but as a member of the Yankees after NY swung a January prospects deal for him; now Jamo is tossing for the Chicago Cubs. 
• 2021 - Young Hi-A Greensboro RHP Quinn Priester, 20, the 18th overall pick in 2019, had his development slowed thanks to a short 2019 season, then the minors were canceled in 2020, and he got off to a slow start in 2021. He was ranked among the game’s Top 60 Prospects going into the year, and showed why by kicking it into gear during the second half of the ‘21 campaign, appearing in the All Star Futures Game and capped by an immaculate sixth inning (nine pitches = three K) on this date against Winston-Salem. In that game, he spun seven scoreless frames, giving up six hits/two walks and fanning a career-high 10 batters to earn a 4-1 win. He missed the early part of 2022 with an oblique strain, recovering to make yo-yo appearances in the Pirates rotation in 2023-34. Quinn’s numbers (5-9/6.46 ERA/5.84 FIP) weren’t up to expectations and he was traded to the Boston Red Sox at the 2024 deadline for UT Nick Yorke; both were sent to AAA. The Red Sox flipped him to Milwaukee in ‘25, where a longer leash (and newly acquired cutter) shepherded him to the promised land.

8/12 Through the 1970s: Ott Slams Felix, In A Pinch..., 2-Hit Witt, Al On Fire, Lucky 13, Mam-0, Quail Not Quiet, FF Packed; HBD Paul, Watty, Andy & Dan

• 1867 - OF Dan Lally was born in Jersey City. He played two seasons in the majors and had a long minor league career from at least 1887 to 1905 where he put up a .308 lifetime BA. He made two stops in the show, hitting .224 as a Pirate in 1891 and then landing a one-year starting gig at St. Louis where he batted .279 in 1897. After his playing days, Daley became a minor league ump for a season (1907), but sadly ended up in an insane asylum by 1910. 
• 1871 - RHP Andy Dunning was born in New York City. Andy didn’t have much of a career with the Alleghenys, pitching two games (both complete) and losing both, giving up 19 runs on 20 hits with 16 walks and 18 stolen bases in 1889. But he could be excused; at 17, he was the youngest player to appear in a game for Pittsburgh. Dunning’s pro career covered what should have been his prep years; he first tossed professional ball for the Bridgeport Giants of the Eastern League as a 15-year-old, threw his last MLB pitch at 19 for the NY Giants and retired when he was 21 after he was released from the New England League. 
• 1879 - LHP Wyatt “Watty” Lee was born in Lynch Station, Virginia. Lee played three campaigns as a Washington Senator before closing out his career with Pittsburgh in 1904, with a slash of 1-2/8.74 in three starts. He was a hybrid, also playing outfield, and he hit better than he tossed, going 4-for-12. Those eight games were the end of Lee's major league career, but he went on to a long run in the minors. He continued to split his time between pitching and the outfield until 1909, when he returned full time to the bump. He finished his pro career in 1917 with the Richmond Virginians of the International League, but played semi-pro sandlot ball until he was 52. 
• 1895 - RHP Paul Carpenter was born in Granville, Ohio. He pitched for the Bucs in 1916 as a 22-year-old, doing pretty well in five games as a reliever, giving up eight hits and four walks in 7-2/3 IP but yielding only one earned run in his five games. That was the end of his MLB days; he worked in the minors through 1919. 

Al Mamaux - 1915 photo/Paul Thompson

• 1915 - Al Mamaux tossed a three-hitter in a 4-0 win over the NY Giants at Forbes Field, his eighth shutout of the year. Doug Baird led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Ralph Davis of the Pittsburgh Press noted that Giant skipper John McGraw wasn’t in the coaching boxes and asked a NY writer about his absence. He was told that “Mac is disgusted with the bunch he is piloting this year...who are tied to long term contracts and not hustling.” 
• 1918 - Pittsburgh bats boomed in a 12-1 win over the Chicago Cubs at Weeghman Field. The middle of the order (Billy Southworth, George Cutshaw and Fritz Mollwitz) went 9-for-13 with a walk, eight runs scored and four driven home. Southworth had four hits while Cutshaw and Walter Schmidt had three raps. Carmen Hill went the distance, firing a seven-hitter. 
• 1922 - The Pirates won their 13th game in a row by a 6-0 count over the Cincinnati Reds as Charlie Grimm collected three hits and Babe Adams tossed a whitewash at Forbes Field. The streak ended the next day after a struggle when the Redlegs squeaked out a 5-4 win in 10 innings. 
• 1940 - The Bucs won their 11th-of-12 games by a 4-2 count over the Cincinnati Reds at Forbes Field. The Pirates attack was led by Arky Vaughan, Maurice Van Robays and Al Lopez, who had two hits each, to support Max Butcher, who scattered nine hits while going the distance in front of a Monday night crowd of 42,254, setting a new single-game attendance record. 
• 1946 - OF Al Gionfriddo got off the bench and went on a tear, banging out 10 hits in three games for the Pirates, going 4-for-5 once and 3-for-4 twice at Forbes Field. Alas, the streak snapped and four days later, he was back on the pine. He only had three other multi-hit games and 16 more knocks during the campaign. He was traded to Brooklyn in May of 1947 and got his moment in the limelight when he robbed Joe Dimaggio of extra bases in the World Series. 

George Witt - 1959 Topps

• 1958 - The red hot Piratesbeat the Braves, 10-0, behind the two-hit pitching of George Witt to move into second place, five games behind Milwaukee. 36‚867 Pirate fans jammed Forbes Field to see them win their 17th game of the last 22. Frank Thomas had a homer, a double and three RBI while Bill Mazeroski and Bill Virdon banged out three hits each. 
• 1959 - It was 2-2 going into the seventh at Connie Mack Stadium, but Roberto Clemente would change that in a heartbeat. The Phils’ Robin Roberts gave up back-to-back singles and a walk, but after a K and foul pop, he needed just one more out to dodge a seventh inning bullet. But he couldn’t duck Clemente, who rifled a shot into left center for a bases-emptying triple, and then came in on Rocky Nelson’s knock through the left side. Per BR Bullpen, Roberts lamented after the game that “I wish I'd thrown the ball as hard as he hit it." Harvey Haddix went the distance, giving up seven hits during his 6-2 win. 
• 1964 - The Pirates started two of baseball’s primo pinch hitters against the Mets at Forbes Field and the move resulted in a 5-4 win and a record book blast. Manny Mota and Jerry Lynch were in the pasture; Mota had two hits and scored in front of Lynch’s three-run blast that cleared the right field roof, only the ninth ball launched entirely out of the yard. That bomb gave Pittsburgh a 5-0 fifth-inning lead, and although starter Joe Gibbon got roughed up, the Bucco bullpen preserved his win with Al McBean, the fourth twirler, spinning a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. 
• 1966 - Pittsburgh beat the Reds, 14-11, in 13 innings at Crosley Field, scoring in the ninth, 10th, 11th and 13th frames before finally wresting the win from Cincinnati. Art Shamsky had a day against the Bucs as he hit three homers, one tying it in the ninth and another to knot the score in the 11th. There were 11 long balls slammed by the two teams, tying a MLB record. Going yard for the Bucs were Bob Bailey (2), Willie Stargell, Roberto Clemente, Jesse Gonder, and Jerry Lynch, his 18th pinch-hit bomb, an MLB record. The Pirates sixth pitcher, Tommie Sisk, hurled one-hit ball over the last two innings to earn the victory. 
• 1969 - Jose Pagan's two-run homer against the San Francisco Giant’s Gaylord Perry at Candlestick Park was his second consecutive pinch-hit dinger and tied the then-major league record (broken by Lee Lacy in 1979). It wasn’t nearly enough help as the Bucs fell to the G-Men, 6-2. 

Jose Pagan - 1969 Topps

• 1973 - Manager Bill Virdon told Dock Ellis to quit wearing curlers during warm ups, as it was drawing unfavorable notice from the umpires and GM Joe Brown. Ellis ranted a bit about the decree to Charlie Feeney of the Post Gazette and added that “I know the orders came from Bowie Kuhn and I don’t like it.” He was right about that. The image-conscious commissioner threatened to fine and suspend Ellis if he continued to take pre-game practice in curlers in a letter, although it was unclear if it was sent to the club or to Ellis himself. Like it or not, the Docktor relented and limited the curlers to the clubhouse. It didn’t get any better after the game. Richie Hebner, who had been pulled in the ninth inning for Gene Alley during the day’s 5-2 Pirates win, went in Virdon’s office after the game and cussed The Quail; the 42-year-old Virdon chased down The Gravedigger, now sitting in the locker room, and told him “Stand up and say that.” Richie didn’t, and Virdon left, saying that Hebner “...doesn’t have a gut in his body.” Virdon was upset over Hebner’s recent batting slump and lackadaisical play in the field. 
• 1977 - Mets’ 2B Felix Millan suffered a broken collarbone compliments of Pirate catcher Ed Ott during a 6-5 Pirate victory at Three Rivers Stadium, ending Millan's 12-year MLB career (he lost the rest of the season and then took his game to Japan). Ott took out Millan on a hard slide into second, Millan responded with a shot to Ott’s face, and the Pirate catcher body slammed him, earning Felix a bruised body and the Otter a $250 fine. As for the game, the back end of a twin bill, the Bucs won in the 12th when Duffy Dyer chased home Rennie Stennett with two outs after a single and steal. Phil Garner had three hits and a homer in the win, which went to Larry Demery, who tossed two-hit ball over four innings. The opener was hard fought, too, with Jim Rooker hurling the Bucs to a 3-2 win while driving in two runs in the second with a two-out, bases-loaded single after the Mets walked Dyer to get to him.

8/12 From 1980: Neil 5'er, Giles Joins 4-30+ Club, A-Ram & Barry Booming, Walk Over, '94 Strike; HBD Chris, Kyle, Jhan & Jose

• 1987 - The Pirates had it all going against the first-place Cards at TRS, winning 11-0. Bob Walk tossed his fourth career shutout, a complete game four-hitter. Johnny Ray had three hits, the team banged out four doubles, and Andy Van Slyke collected his 500th MLB knock. Every Pirate but Barry Bonds scored and/or drove in a run and all but Junior Ortiz had a hit, including Walk, whose bases-loaded single became a little league homer after CF Willie McGee let it bound past him. The shutout snapped the Cardinals’ 145-game streak without being whitewashed, which was five short of the modern NL mark set by the 1924-25 Pirates. 
• 1988 - Jose Tabata was born in El Tigre, Venezuela. JT came over from the Yankees in a 2008 trade featuring Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte, and since 2010 has been in the show with various degrees of success after a promising rookie campaign, hampered by a variety of leg injuries and unfulfilled expectations. He signed a deal that ran from 2011-16 with three option years that the front office rather quickly regretted. He was traded to the Dodger for Michael Morse during the 2015 deadline period. He signed a minor-league deal with Toronto in 2017 and last played in the Latino leagues into 2022. 
• 1988 - RHP Jhan Marinez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Jhan is a journeyman reliever who caught on with the Pirates in 2017 after being waived by Milwaukee, going 0-1/3.18 in 24 games. His peripherals weren’t as shiny as his counting numbers and he was released in August, with Texas picking him up. Marinez has tossed for seven teams in his five big league campaigns and last worked in the MLB for the Orioles in 2018. Jhan tossed until 2021 in the Latin leagues, then played for the White Sox AAA Charlotte club in 2022 and since then has been twirling in the Latino leagues. 
• 1989 - LHP Kyle Lobstein was born in Flagstaff, Arizona. The Pirates got him in the 2015 offseason from Detroit in a cash deal and he was traded to Baltimore for reliever Zach Phillips. In between, he tossed in 14 games from the pen for the Pirates in 2016, slashing 2-0/3.96. He pitched in Mexico after making three outings for the Nats in ‘21 and is pitching affiliated ball this year. 

Kyle Lobstein - 2016 photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates

• 1991 - Barry Bonds drove in all four Pirates runs with a pair of two-run homers, including a dramatic 11th inning two-run walkoff blast against Lee Smith that overcame a 3-2 Redbird lead and rallied the Bucs to victory against the Cards, 4-3, at TRS. Bob Patterson was the winner despite giving up the go-ahead run.
• 1991 - IF Chris Owings was born in Charleston, South Carolina. The Pirates signed the 11-year jack-of-all-trades vet as a free agent in February, 2023. He failed to make the Opening Day roster, but didn’t exercise his opt-out clause and was assigned to Indy. He joined the big club in May, hit .160 in 10 games, and was returned to Indy in early June. He went to the Dodgers in ‘24, and was sent to AAA Oklahoma City. On July 30 he was released, becoming a free agent. 
• 1992 - The Bucs held off the Mets, 7-6, at Shea Stadium. It took 10 innings and an unorthodox call by skipper Jim Leyland. After losing the first batter in the 10th on a 3-2 pitch, Stan Belinda went full to the next hitter. Rather than wait for the result, Leyland stomped out to the mound and yanked his closer, bringing in Bob Patterson. As John Mehno of the Beaver County Times noted, Leyland figured Patterson had a better chance of throwing a strike, keeping the runner close and getting a fly ball out to avoid a first-and-third situation. Bob did all three. A later single and walk loaded the sacks for the Mets with two away, but Patterson got Eddie Murray (who to add to the drama was the MLB’s active grand slam leader at the time with 16) on a fly to seal the deal. He earned the save of Denny Neagle’s victory while Jay Bell led the attack by going 2-for-3 with a double, triple, two walks and three RBI. The Pirates were rollin’ - the win was the 12th in their past 13 games. The Corsairs won the division handily. 
• 1993 - Jeff King dropped a liner over a drawn-in infield to give the Bucs a 5-4 walkoff win in the 11th inning against the Cards at TRS. Carlos Garcia opened the frame with a triple that was lost in the lights, and after a pair of intentional walks, King came through against Todd Burns, leaving the unlucky hurler with an 0-8 record. Steve Cooke started the game, relieved by Mark Petkovsek, Denny Nagle and eventual game-winner Joel Johnston. Garcia had four hits, Jay Bell banged out three knocks and Dave Clark added a solo homer.

Jeff King - 1993 Donruss Triple Play

• 1994 - The postseason and the last 50 games or so of the season were canceled due to a player's strike called by the MLBPA, led by Don Fehr and spurred by the owners’ desire for a hard salary cap. The World Series wasn’t played for the first time in 90 years. In the off-season, the owners declared an impasse and attempted to implement their own rules. The strike was ended by a ruling from US District Court (and now Supreme Court) judge Sonia Sotomayor at the end of March, 1995, just as the owners were prepared to start the season by using replacement players. She kept the old collective bargaining agreement in place until a new one could be reached. It led to a deal, and though the 1995 season was cut by approximately 20 games, ball games did begin again at the end of April. Ironically, the umpires decided to go on strike just as the union and owners settled, so the 1995 season opened with regular players, but pick-up umpires. 
• 1995 - The Dodgers defeated the Pirates‚ 11-10‚ in 11 innings thanks to a brain cramp from a rookie. With the winning run at 3rd base, Mitch Webster of the Dodgers swung at a pitch in the dirt to whiff. C Angelo Encarnacion blocked the ball and then scooped up with his mask. LA manager Tommy Lasorda charged out of the dugout and appealed, citing a rule which awarded a runner two bases if a catcher intentionally touches a thrown ball with his mask. He was right (it’s called a catcher’s balk) and the winning run was waved home. 
• 2000 - The Bucs rode the bat of Aramis Ramirez to down the Arizona D-Backs, 9-6, at Three Rivers Stadium. A-Ram went 3-for-4 with a homer and double, driving in five runs. He was helped by Jason Kendall who added two hits, including a home run, to earn Scott Sauerbeck the win despite three Snake long balls. The victory came during a rough stretch; the Pirates had lost the previous three games and went on to lose the next four. 
• 2001 - Pittsburgh scored three times in the eighth inning and once again in the ninth frame to snatch a 7-6 win from the San Diego Padres at PNC Park. Light hitting Keith Osik had a big day, going 3-for-4 and driving in four runs, including the game-tying knock in the eighth. Aramis Ramirez homered in the ninth off Rodney Myers to give Josias Manzanillo the win. 

Keith Osik - 2001 Topps Chrome

• 2002 - Brian Giles became the third Pirate to hit 30 home runs in four consecutive seasons in a 10-6 loss to the Cardinals with his seventh-inning, two-out solo blast against Steve Kline at PNC Park. He matched Willie Stargell’s mark from 1970-73; both lag behind Ralph Kiner’s six straight seasons with 30+ from 1947-52, with a seventh thrown in during 1953 in a campaign split between Pittsburgh and the Cubs when he launched 35 long balls (seven as a Bucco). 
• 2007 - Tom Gorzelanny fired a five-hitter and Josh Phelps drove in four runs with a homer and a triple to lead the Bucs to a 5-0 win over the SF Giants at AT&T Park. Phelps had a nice run off the Bucs bench that season, slashing .351/.463/.629 in 95 PAs before moving to St Louis in 2008 in his last MLB campaign. 
• 2012 - Neil Walker went 5-for-5 while Clint Barmes' first and only career grand slam (atonement for two prior errors) was the key blow in a nine-run fourth inning as the Pirates roared past San Diego, 11-5, at PNC Park. The Bucs sent 14 batters to the dish in the fourth, their biggest inning since 2010. It ended an 11-game home losing streak to the Padres the day after the Bucs blew a six-run lead to lose 9-8 to SD, prompting Clint Hurdle to say "We kind of felt we got slapped by our girlfriend in front of our mother..." Erik Bedard won over former Pirate Ross Ohlendorf.

Weekly Notes: Blah Week at PNC, Skenes NL-POTM, Oviedo Up & Down, Organizational/MLB News

The dog days begin, woof woof...

Pirates Stuff:

• Paul Skenes was selected as the National Leagues Pitcher of the Month. His line 2-1/0.67 with 36 strikeouts in 27 innings of work. Skenes was reported (unconfirmed) to be working on an extension with the club, laying groundwork for more in-depth off-season discussions; the figures thrown around should be interesting. Fun fact: After Thursday's win, he's now pitched 27-2/3 straight scoreless innings at PNC Park.

Paul Skenes - POTM; image 8/4/2025 SportsNet Pgh.

• Tommy Pham’s season-high 11 game hitting streak came to an end on Monday, a run that included his 500th career RBI. Tommy was named the team's Heart & Hustle Award winner for the season a coupla days later, so he was one rental worth the price tag.
• Bradenton OF/1B Edward Florentino has been named Florida State League Player of the Month for July after slashing.301/8 HR/23 RBI with 16 swiped bases in 17 attempts. He was promoted from Rookie League ball on June 21st and the 18-year-old is already the Pirates #6 Prospect per MLB Pipeline.
• 28-year-old RHP Cam Sanders, who had been in the Cubs organization since 2018 until the Bucs picked him up this year, was called to the big club from Indy. Sanders topped out at AAA for the last three seasons and put together a breakout this year (2-1-2/1.93) after some staff tweaking. This is his first MLB posting and he got to work on his first day, notching his first MLB strikeout while spinning two scoreless frames. His dad, Scott, put together a seven-year MLB stint, mostly with the Padres, during the nineties. 
• The Bucs claimed DFA'ed RHP Jack Little from the Dodgers and sent him to Indy. Little, 27, made his debut in June and in two MLB outings has given up two runs on four hits in three IP. His two-year AAA line is 6-5-14/4.67 w/a K per inning.

Johan Oviedo - 2025 image SportsNet Pgh.

• RHP Johan Oviedo was added to the roster after finishing his rehab; he hadn't pitched since 2023 between TJ surgery and a lat injury. He lasted an inning and 43 pitches on Monday with his control a mess, and was optioned back to Indy for more work after the game. LHP Génesis Cabrera was DFA’ed to clear a roster spot. Signed by the Buccos in late June, he posted a 4.91 ERA with seven strikeouts in 11 innings of work (nine outings). He cleared waivers and was assigned to Indy.
• RHP Chase Shugart, who went on the IL (knee inflammation) in early July, had his rehab assignment flipped from Class A Bradenton to Indy. He's the 10th Bucco to pass through Indy for rehab this season.

Game Stuff:

• This time out, the Bucs started in the hole, down 4-1 at PNC after six frames. But a two-run shot by Jack Suwinski and ninth-inning small ball pulled out a 5-4 win over the G-Men. A walk and a bopped batter set the Bucs up; Joey Bart's single knotted the score and put a runner on third. Isiah Kiner-Falefa then rolled a swinging bunt to first and Suwinski's slide beat the rap for the win. Dauri Moreta got the win, his first since 2023. Johan Ovieda, making his first MLB start since '23, lasted just an inning and was optioned back to Indy after the game.
• Tuesday's game was a shower-off as the Pirates were swamped by San Fran, 8-1.
• The Bucs might be missing The Renegade a bit - Dennis Santana gave up two ninth-inning runs to give the Giants a series-clinching 4-2 win on getaway day.
• Paul Skenes opened the Reds series with six zeroes and eight K while Bryan Reynolds and Hank Davis went deep as the Bucs had their own laugher, 7-0.

B-Rey - 2025 image Pirates

• B-Rey still has his moments - with the Bucs down a run in the eighth and two away, he banged his first pitch up the RF line for a two-run triple. It won the game as Santana worked a 1-2-3 ninth to give the Pirates a 3-2 dub over the Reds. Mitch Keller spun another solid start and Oneil Cruz chased home the first run with a fourth-inning double.
• The pitching was willing, but the bats were once again weak (four hits) as the Bucs dropped the Saturday Nite game to Cincy, 2-1.
• Pittsburgh fell behind 4-0 and 9-4, and their comeback efforts fell short when the Reds put up a five-spot against Cam Sanders in the ninth to split the series with a 14-8 win. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three of the Bucs 16 hits; he was one of five Buccaneer batters to have a multi-hit afternoons as the Pirates again couldn't sync offense and pitching.
• Next: Pittsburgh left for a six-game, seven-day road trip to Milwaukee (Monday-Wednesday) and the Cubs (August 15-17) after Sunday's game.

 MLB Stuff:

• Jen Pawol, 48, became the first woman MLB umpire (to compare, the NBA introduced its first female refs in 1997 and the NFL in 2012) this weekend when she was assigned to the Miami Marlins-Atlanta Braves series. She worked the bases during Saturday’s twin bill at Truist Park and went behind the plate on Sunday (and blew her first ball-strike call, so she's already up to speed. Actually, Jen was pretty solid on her calls after the butterflies left). 
• RHP Thomas Hatch, who can start or work from the pen and made a dozen outings for the Bucs in 2023, has been claimed by the Minnesota Twins.
• The Yankees DFA'ed reliever JT Brubaker, despite his 3.38 ERA in 12 games (16 IP). JT tossed for the Bucs from 2020-22 with a 9-28/4.99 line.

8/11 Through the 1970s: Ott Swat, Odell & Robby Roll, 2-Out Lightning, TSN Pops, Josh & NNL-ASG; HBD Al, Dorn, Josh Jr, Woody & Dinty

• 1891 - IF Walter “Dinty” Barbare was born in Greenville, SC. He started 120 games for the Pirates from 1919-20 (he missed part of 1920 with a broken jaw), hitting .273. He was part of the package sent to Boston in the 1921 Rabbit Maranville trade. After his playing days were finished, Barbare remained in baseball by serving as a manager and umpire in the minor leagues. 
• 1907 - LF Forrest “Woody” Jensen was born in Bremerton, Washington. He spent his whole MLB career in Pittsburgh between 1931-39. He hit .285 overall and started from 1935-37. His major league record of 696 at bats (he drew just 16 walks in 731 PAs) in 1936 stood until Matty Alou broke it in 1969 with 698 AB. 
• 1921 - The Pirates tattooed Chicago pitching for 21 hits in a 12-9 slugfest win at Forbes Field, launched by a seven-run first inning. Though Wilbur Cooper was dented for 13 hits, he went the distance for the victory and contributed four knocks. Rabbit Maranville, Dave Robertson, Charlie Grimm and Tony Brottem had three raps while Carson Bigbee and Clyde Barnhart added two each. Everyone in the lineup scored and seven players chased home runs. 
• 1930 - Josh Gibson Jr., the son of legendary slugger Josh Gibson, was born in the North Side and raised in the Hill, graduating from Schenley HS. He started as a Pittsburgh Crawford’s batboy when his dad was a Craw, and eventually played for the Homestead Grays as an IF from 1949-50. Josh broke his ankle playing for Farnham of the Canadian Provincial League the following season and retired. He went to work at Homestead’s US Steel plant, traveled as a black baseball ambassador and helped found the Josh Gibson Foundation with other family members. He passed away in 2003 after a fall at his home. 
• 1935 - The East-West Negro League All-Star game drew 25,000 to Comiskey Park. The fans got to watch an 11-inning thriller with the West winning, 11-8. C Josh Gibson of the Pittsburgh Crawfords led the West attack with four hits. Pittsburgh was well represented. Besides Josh, Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston and Jimmy Crutchfield were West starters with Chet Williams and P Leroy Matlock as reserves. Charleston not only played, but was the manager.

Josh Gibson - 2005 Topps Pristine Legends

• 1958 - The Bucs moved into a tie for second by whipping the league-leading Milwaukee Braves and Warren Spahn by a 6-4 count in front of Forbes Field’s biggest crowd of the year, 38,938. Bob Friend was tough until he faded in the ninth, with ElRoy Face coming on to record the final two outs. Bill Mazeroski had a big day with three hits, including a triple, and chased home three Buccos. Roberto Clemente and Bob Skinner chipped in a pair of knocks. It was the Pirates fifth straight win and their eighth consecutive home victory. The fans had the fever; the turnout was the second largest ever for a night game in Oakland since 1940 when 42,254 fans showed up to watch the Bucs tackle the first-place Reds. 
• 1958 - RHP Dorn Taylor was born in Abington, Pennsylvania. Taylor joined the Pirates in 1981, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Pfeiffer College. He had a couple of tastes with the Pirates in 1987 and 1989, going 3-4/5.63 as a starter who was later converted to the pen. From 1988-90 he was an excellent starter at AAA Buffalo, posting sub-3 ERAs and showed well in spring camp, but never got an extended opportunity in the show. He closed out his career in Baltimore and coached HS baseball after he retired. 
• 1960 - IF Al Pedrique was born in Valencia, Venezuela. He was a utilityman for the Pirates from 1987-88 while batting .259. Al’s managed in the minors after his retirement, had several MLB coaching stints, and is currently a minor league manager in the Philadelphia system. 
• 1963 - The Houston Colt .45s were a batter away from victory at Forbes Field, but Roberto Clemente and Jerry Lynch turned the tables to give the Bucs a 2-1 walkoff win. Knuckleballer Skinny Brown, who had scattered six hits through the first eight innings, retired the first two Pirates in the ninth, but The Great One kept Pittsburgh alive with a ground ball single to right. Pinch hitter Lynch took the next flutterer from Brown and planted it in the right field stands to give ElRoy Face the win in relief of Joe Gibbons. The Bucs had the number of the second-year Colts; the win was the 11th in 14 meetings with the Space City nine. 

Willie Stargell - 1966 Kahns Weiners

• 1966 - The Pirates scored three times in the ninth to defeat the NY Mets at Forbes Field by a 7-5 tally. Down 5-4 going into their last at-bats, Matty Alou opened with a single and was bunted to second. Roberto Clemente singled him home to tie the game, and Willie Stargell launched a bomb to win it. ElRoy Face won as the last of four relievers who combined to toss six scoreless innings against the Mets. 
• 1977 - Pittsburgh rolled over the NY Mets, 9-1, at TRS as Odell Jones tossed a five-hitter. Bill Robinson homered, doubled and drove in four runs. Rennie Stennett went 4-for-4 and Phil Garner 3-for-4. The Cobra, Dave Parker, added a pair of hits to record his second 22-game hitting streak of the season. He had lesser streaks just before and after this one; he banged out hits in 41-of-44 games between July 4th - August 23rd and never went hitless longer than two games during the year. 
• 1979 - The Pirates overcame an 8-0 deficit in the fifth to rally past the Phillies, 14-11, at Veterans Stadium. All but one of the Pirates 14 runs came home with two outs, as did 17 of their 23 hits. Ed Ott had four raps to lead Pittsburgh, including an eighth-inning game-icing grand slam off Tug McGraw & five RBI to go with three knocks from Omar Moreno, Tim Foli, Willie Stargell, John Milner and Bill Madlock. Moreno and Dave Parker also homered for the Bucs. Ott’s salami, his first in MLB, followed a car-crash collision and tag at home with Garry Maddox in the seventh that preserved the lead. 
• 1979 - Willie Stargell was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Sonic Boomer.” He was a boomer during the ‘79 season, going long 32 times for his highest HR production since 1973 and adding five more homers (and two MVP’s) during the NLCS and World Series. The honors kept coming: Pops was co-winner of the NL-MVP with Keith Hernandez and named co-Sportsman of the Year with Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw by Sports Illustrated.

8/11 From 1980: Jam-0, King Cutch, Freddy Feasts, No K Zane, Hammer Homer, Kris Signs; HBD Michael, Andrew & Melky

• 1981 - In the second game of Part 2 of the strike-split 1981 season, the Bucs were behind, 2-1, to the Montreal Expos in the ninth at Olympic Stadium. But the Pirates bats awoke just in time; they strung together five straight hits with one down (they had just two knocks up to then), the final being a three-run insurance shot into the RF stands by John “The Hammer” Milner, to take a 6-3 victory. Teke, in relief of Rick Rhoden and Enrique Romo, got credit for the win while the loss was hung on old teammate Woodie Fryman, even though most of the damage was inflicted on the following hurler, Elias Sosa. And for the second straight night, ump Dave Pallone called the plate while the bases were covered by three local semi-pro men in blue as travel woes kept the rest of the crew grounded. 
• 1984 - OF Melky Cabrera was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. As a 34-year-old veteran of 14 seasons and seven teams, he signed a minor league NRI deal ($1.15M MLB salary) with the Bucs in 2019 and broke camp as an extra outfielder. His defense was suspect, but the switch hitter’s bat was as steady as ever as he hit .280 for the Bucs in his final MLB campaign. The Melkman last played in the Mets system in 2020, and he was released late in July without reaching the show. Melky then suited up with the Dominican team in the 2021 Olympics and took home a bronze medal, and then retired in 2022. 
• 1986 - The Cubs used a record 10 pitchers in a 17-inning, 10-8, loss to the Pirates, which used seven hurlers of their own. The game at Wrigley Field was a continuation of an April 20th game that was postponed due to darkness. Winner Barry Jones, who struck out the side to end the game, and Barry Bonds, who had the game winning RBI, were both still in the minors when the game originally started. The Bucs also took the regularly scheduled match, 10-7, making it nine straight victories over the Cubbies. Mike Diaz and Jim Morrison both homered and teamed up to drive in seven runs to help get Rick Rhoden the win. 
• 1988 - OF Andrew Lambo was born in Newbury Park, California. He joined the Bucs at the 2010 deadline in a deal with the LA Dodgers that also netted P James McDonald. Lambo got three cups of coffee with the Pirates from 2013-15 and hit .191; though a solid performer in the minors, he could never stay healthy long enough to challenge for an MLB spot. 

Andrew Lambo - 2014 Topps First Edition

• 1994 - Zane Smith tossed a 4-0, five-hit, shutout at TRS without a single strikeout against the Expos, which at the time sported the best record in baseball. But his outing wasn’t the big news flash - the MLBPA went on strike the next day, and MLB canceled the rest of the season a month later. 
• 1995 - 1B/2B/LF Michael Chavis was born in Atlanta, Georgia and was Boston’s 2014 first rounder (26th overall) as a prep player. He had a spotted minor league career, with injuries during the first couple of years, a breakout 2017 season, then a PED suspension in 2018. He debuted for the BoSox in 2019 and hit .254 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs in 95 games. Chavis couldn’t repeat in 2020-21, and the Red Sox sent him to Pittsburgh for P Austin Davis. He got off to a strong start in the minors in ‘21 and was called up in August, then broke camp with the team in 2022. He became a platoon 1B that season, also playing 2B, 3B and DH/pinch hitter while displaying some power. Chavis was DFA’ed at the end of the year; he’s now in the Chicago White Sox system. 
• 1996 - Clemson’s Kris Benson, the first overall selection in the 1996 draft, became the highest paid draftee to date when he signed with Pittsburgh for $2M. He looked well worth the money after starting his career with strong 1999-2000 campaigns, but he had TJ surgery after the 2000 season and never regained his edge. Kris finished his nine-year MLB tenure with a 70-75/4.42 line and a 43-49/4.26 slash in his five seasons on the bump with the Pirates. 
• 2003 - The top of the Pirates order - Tike Redmond, Jason Kendall and Brian Giles - went 10-for-12 and drew a pair of walks as the Bucs pounded out 17 hits, but 13 stranded runners spelled defeat as they dropped a 6-4 decision to St. Louis at PNC Park. Pittsburgh was slap-happy with 13 singles, had two guys thrown out on the bases and banged into a DP. 

Craig Wilson - 2004 Fleer Tradition

• 2004 - After blowing a two-run lead in the ninth, the Pirates got a two-run homer in the 11th inning from Craig Wilson to walk off the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park by an 8-6 score. Jason Bay was the man of the hour, going 4-for-6 with a homer and four RBI, while Jose Castillo added a long ball. John Grabow, the Bucs sixth twirler, was credited with the victory. 
• 2005 - Nine batters came to the plate in the first inning and scored six runs to lead the Pirates to an 11-3 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field. Pittsburgh pounded out 17 hits in the game and six of the starting position players had at least two hits, with Jason Bay, Ryan Doumit and Jose Castillo collecting three apiece. Brad Eldred homered and Castillo had three RBI to prime the attack while Josh Fogg went six innings to pick up the win against Colorado. 
• 2007 - Freddy Sanchez banged out four hits, including a homer and double, while driving in five runs to lead the Pirates to a 13-3 win over San Francisco at AT&T Park. Adam LaRoche had a pair of knocks with a long ball (he and Freddy went back-to-back in the fourth inning) & three RBI; Jose Bautista, Ryan Doumit, Jose Castillo and Jack Wilson joined him with two raps as the Pirates collected 17 hits against rookie Tim Lincecum and four other Giants hurlers. Tony Armas got the win, but it took five Buc pitchers to close out the game. The game wasn’t a runaway until the Buccos put up a six pack in the ninth to ice it. 
• 2009 - Andrew McCutchen was a one-man wrecking crew against the Colorado Rockies, even with just one hit. Cutch went 1-for-2 with a double, walked three times, scored three runs and stole three bases in a 7-3 win at Coors Field. The Bucs hit five doubles and a triple that were involved in six of their runs to earn the win for Ross Ohlendorf, who went six innings. 

Travis Snider - 2014 Topps First Edition

• 2014 - The Pirates jumped on Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers for five first inning runs, keyed by Starling Marte’s bases-loaded triple, and rolled to an 11-6 win at PNC Park in front of 35,314 fans. The Pirates padded their lead with four homers during the game. Two were hit by Travis Snider, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored while Ike Davis and Russ Martin also went long. Josh Harrison added three hits while Martin and Jordy Mercer had a pair of knocks each. Jeff Locke got the win even though he gave up four runs in five innings of work. The Tigers were coming off a 19-inning game, and three of the five pitchers Motown used had just been recalled from AAA Toledo. 
• 2016 - Jameson Taillon worked eight scoreless innings at PNC Park in his 10th big league start as the Bucs blanked the Padres, 4-0, to take the series rubber match. David Freese led the way with a pair of RBI, including an opposite field run-scoring single in the first inning that turned out to be the game-winner. Gregory Polanco added an RBI single in the third while Josh Harrison chased home another run in the fourth. It was the second time Jamo went eight shutout frames; he tamed the Mets by the same score in June on two hits.

8/10: Cutch Show, 11 Straight, 18-Inning Duel, Sweep, Everyone Hits, Maz Way, Miller Deal; HBD Anthony, Bob, Willie, John, Elmer, Pat & Truck

• 1877 - IF Truck Eagan was born in San Francisco. He had a nine game MLB career, taking the field during his last four contests as a Bucco in 1901, going 1-for-12. Truck did have a long shelf life, though, playing minor league ball from 1898-1911, mostly in the PCL and California League, and was named to the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. 
• 1890 - C Joseph “Pat” Kilhullen was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Pat was playing minor league ball for Fitchburg, MA, when the Bucs were visiting Boston. He had been previously favorably scouted and got a quick tryout with Pittsburgh, a commonplace happening in the old days, both to add manpower to traditionally short travel rosters and the chance for the big league staff to conveniently eyeball a prospect. He passed the test and got into the game, playing behind the dish for a couple of innings (he gave up a stolen base) while going 0-for-1. Fitchburg wanted a hefty sum to sell his contract to the Pirates, and the team passed on adding him despite his solid showing. He never made another appearance in the show and passed away at age 32 from smallpox after the ‘22 season, when he was playing for Denver of the Western League. 
• 1892 - RHP Elmer Jacobs was born in Salem, Missouri. He pitched well for the Bucs from 1916-18 with a 3.03 ERA, but went just 12-30 before he was traded after one start in 1918 to the Phils for Erskine Mayer. Jacobs spun his signature curveball for six more seasons in MLB, with scattered minor league stops, and he ended up with 50 lifetime wins. He spent much of his minor league time in the Pacific Coast League, playing for four teams over nine seasons and was inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame in 2005. 
• 1897 - Pirate owner John Galbreath was born in Derby, Ohio. A building contractor with an interest in horse racing who ran the Darby Dan Farm in Ohio, he was the Bucco owner for 40 years. In 1946, Galbreath, along with Bing Crosby, Tom Johnson, and Frank McKinney, bought the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team won three World Series during his ownership: 1960, 1971, and 1979. He passed the presidency on to his son, Dan Galbreath, in 1970. It was said that Galbreath only hung on as owner (1946-85) of the club until a new one who would keep the franchise in Pittsburgh could be found. 

John Galbreath - photo via SABR

• 1906 - SS Willie Wells was born in Austin, Texas. “El Diablo” spent a long career in black/Latin baseball playing from 1924-53 and is, along with Pop Lloyd, considered the top shortstop produced by the Negro Leagues. Per Seamheads, he made two brief stops in Homestead with the Grays in 1932 and 1937, getting into 14 games in what were split seasons for him, playing for three clubs in ‘32 and two in ’37. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997. 
• 1922 - Pittsburgh bombed the Phils, 14-4, ripping 16 hits at Shibe Park. It was the fifth game in a row in which every Pirate position player in the lineup collected a hit. Carson Bigbee led today’s parade, going 5-for-6 and scoring three times with an RBI. Hal Carlson got the win. 
• 1923 - RHP Bob Porterfield was born in Newport, Virginia. He finished his 12-year career in Pittsburgh, tossing from 1958-59 and going 5-8-6/3.63. He was a starter-turned-reliever for the Bucs, making 73 appearances with all but six coming from the bullpen. In his pre-Pirates days (he spent 12 years in the show), he was The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year (1953) and an All-Star (1954) with the Washington Senators. When Bob retired, he became a welder and he was later chosen to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. 
• 1952 - In a doubleheader at Forbes Field that was swept by the Cubs, Chicago manager Phil Cavarretta made a couple of friends in Pittsburgh with a sportsmanlike move in the second match. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press noted “Cavarretta, who was tossed out of the first game, authored the most magnificent gesture of the season. Catchers Ed Fitz Gerald and Joe Garagiola had already pinch hit when (catcher) Clyde McCullough broke the nail on his middle finger. McCullough had the finger hastily taped and was ready to return, Cavarretta told the Pirates to let Fitz Gerald catch.” 

Bill Virdon - 1958 Topps

• 1958 - The Pirates squeaked out a pair of wins, 3-2 and 4-3, in a twin bill against the Reds to sweep the four-game series at Forbes Field. The Bucs tallied twice in the seventh on Bill Mazeroski’s homer to tie and then won the lid lifter in the 10th when Dick Stuart’s sac fly plated Roman Mejias. Don Gross, the fifth Pirate pitcher, got the win. In the second game, Vern Law couldn’t hang on to a 3-1 lead in the eighth, leaving with a no decision as Roy Face finished and was credited with the victory. Frank Thomas’ force out in the eighth brought home Ducky Schofield with the deciding run. Bucco outfielders saved the day during the nightcap, throwing out four Cincy runners. Bill Virdon tossed out a pair of Redlegs trying for third in the seventh; Bob Skinner and Roman Mejias also had gun-outs. 
• 1962 - Big Bob Veale gave a glimpse of the future when he set the still-existent International League standard for whiffs in nine innings by fanning 22 hitters while tossing for AAA Columbus at the Buffalo War Memorial. Bob struck out the Bison side in the first, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth innings, and led the IL with 208 K that season. He was called up to the big team in September and spent 11 years here before closing out his career in Boston. 
• 1964 - Coaches drill “don’t step into the bucket” into batters' minds at an early age, yet one of baseball’s greatest hitters, Roberto Clemente, incorporated the move often. He explained why he used the bucket step in an AP story written by Ed Schuyler, Jr. ("Clemente Unorthodox?" Well, He Gets Results") and released on this day. It had been an early flaw corrected by Puerto Rican League Santurce manager Buster Clarkson ("He put a bat behind my left foot and made sure I didn’t drag my foot") but Clemente later resurrected it as a work-around for back injuries he later suffered. “In 1956 I was doing good until I hurt my back. Since then I step to the side with my left foot faster so I don't have to twist my body so much.” 
• 1971 - The Pirates traded prospects RHP Ed Acosta and OF Johnny Jeter to the San Diego Padres for RHP Bob Miller to bolster their stretch run/playoff bullpen. Miller pitched well for the Bucs in 1971-72, compiling a 6-4-6 slate and 2.19 ERA. Jeter ended up a journeyman whose career ended after the 1974 season while Acosta pitched two years for the Padres. 

Bob Miller - 1972 Topps

• 1971 - This is a big day for Pirates fans who can’t satisfy themselves with counting numbers like wins, ERA, batting average and RBI. SABR - The Society for American Baseball Research - was born in Cooperstown, New York. It was the brainchild of L. Robert Davids, who gathered together 15 other baseball researchers at the National Baseball Hall of Fame to form the organization and birth the era of Sabermetrics. 
• 1977 - The Pirates edged the Cubs, 2-1, in 18 innings at TRS. Ed Ott drove in Phil Garner with the winning run on a sac fly; the other Buc run was scored by Dave Parker following a Bill Robinson knock. Larry Demery picked up the win. The two bullpens were brilliant, going 21-2/3 innings, giving up one run on seven hits. For Pittsburgh, Grant Jackson tossed five innings of scoreless relief and Goose Gossage put up four zeroes. The game came with a cost - already down a man after Frank Taveras was banged with a five-day suspension the day before for throwing his bat at a pitcher, Al Oliver’s dust-up with ump Bruce Froemming, who called Scoops out for missing first base while running out a double, and the ensuing heated disagreement cost Oliver four days. 
• 1992 - The Bucs were their own worst enemies, stranding 21 runners, but persevered to take their 11th game in a row with a 4-2, 16-inning win over the NY Mets at Shea Stadium. Pittsburgh scored three times in the final frame on four singles and a walk; Jeff King’s single plated the game winner. Andy Van Slyke homered and later scored the winning run while Steve Cooke got the win. The Mets, behind Eric Hillman, derailed the streak the next day, taking a 2-0 victory. During that span, the Bucs went from tied for first to a 3-1/2 game lead and kept the pedal to the metal during the last two months of the season with a 40-16 slate to run away with the division, although the Braves frustrated them in the NLCS. 
• 1993 - LHP Anthony Banda was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Brewers drafted him in the 10th round of the 2012 draft from San Jacinto College, and the reliever made his debut with the D-Backs in 2017 (they originally drafted him in 2011 but couldn’t get him to sign). The Bucs claimed him off waivers from the New York Mets in August, 2021 and within a few days, he was moved from Indy to Pittsburgh, his sixth MLB organization. He was DFA’ed by Pittsburgh in 2022, claimed and then also DFA’ed by Toronto and is now with the LA Dodgers. 

Maz Way - photo Zach Miller/Twitter

• 2001 - The Avenue of the Pirates was renamed Mazeroski Way. The cul-de-sac runs from General Robinson to the RF gate and was dedicated by Mayor Tom Murphy and owner Kevin McClatchy. Apparently the dedication ceremony didn’t inspire the Pirates very much as the club then dropped a 3-2 decision to the San Diego Padres in front of 36,588 fans.
• 2004 - The Bucs defeated the Giants, 8-7, at PNC Park, scoring three times in the eighth and then walking off with the win in the ninth. The Bucs tied it in the eighth (it was the third time they had rallied from behind during the contest) when Tike Redman doubled home a pair and took the lead when Humberto Cota brought him home. San Francisco tied it in the ninth when Michael Tucker cracked a two-out long ball off Jose Mesa. With two down and the bases empty, Jack Wilson singled off a glove and came all the way around on Rob Mackowiak’s drive off the right field wall. The Giants’ Barry Bonds set a MLB record during the game when he reached 30 HRs for the 13th straight season, connecting off John Grabow. 
• 2007 - The Pirates erased a 6-2 deficit with a six-run eighth inning to defeat the Giants, 8-7, at AT&T Park. The first four Bucs singled in the eighth, and they banged six hits total during the frame, with Freddy Sanchez’s two-out, two-run single being the difference. Matt Morris made the no-decision start against the team that had traded him away 10 days before. The Giants used eight pitchers in the game, including five in the eighth inning. Ryan Doumit fell a homer shy of the cycle while John Grabow got the win and Matt Capps earned the save. 
• 2011 - Andrew McCutchen put on a show against the Giants with just one hit, as the Bucs won, 9-2, at AT&T Park. Cutch homered, walked three times, was HBP, scored four runs, drove in two and stole a pair of bases. Jeff Karstens went six innings for the win, striking out nine.

8/9 Through the 1960s: Rip & Swift Gems, Kiki 6'er, Chief Connects, 23 Tallies, Rabbit HoF, 8-Game Streaks, Casey-Possum; HBD Ted & Roman

• 1887 - Hampered by a laundry list of team issues, the Alleghenys introduction to the National League was rocky as they limped along with a 28-42 record, one spot from the cellar. They were closing out a long homestand with eight losses in ten tries, but the Boston Beaneaters proved good medicine for the North Siders, pitcher Cannonball Morris and 2,000 undaunted fans. The Bostonians booted the ball around behind Old Hoss Radbourne (14 runs were unearned), Fred Carroll homered and doubled, and the Beaneaters were drubbed, 23-3. The Allegheny win opened a three-game sweep at Recreation Park that triggered a Pittsburgh mini-run, taking seven of their next eight games. The 23 runs were the most the Allies had scored as a MLB team and the 20-run margin was their largest margin of victory to date. It didn’t lead to a second half surge, though - the Alleghenys finished with 50 wins and a sixth place finish. 
• 1893 - In an Expo Park match described by the Pittsburgh Press as “...the most sluggish diamond trial of the season”, SS George Van Haltren went from hero to goat. Pop Shriver of the Chicago Colts “...sent a pretty hot grounder to him, and after a hop, skip and jump peculiar to him, Van threw the ball into a rat hole under the grandstand. Beckley (Jake, the third baseman) is no weasel, neither is Stenzel (Jake, the CF’er) and so the ball remained in the hole until Shriver had made the entire circuit of the diamond and tied the score.” George made amends in the 10th when his single to center scored Ad Gumbert to claim an 8-7 win. 
• 1905 - The Bucs lost an error-filled game to the Boston Americans by a 5-3 count at Exposition Park. The Pittsburgh Press wrote that “Both teams played stupid, dopey ball...” Umpire Bill Klem joined the comedy routine by performing an early era ump show. In the ninth inning he threw eight Pirates (and for good measure, the mascot, too) out of the game for mocking his calls, then fined the whole lot $10 per man. BR Bullpen added that he had to spend the post-game hiding in a ladies’ room as irate gamblers who had bet on the heavily favored Pirates were looking for a piece of Klem’s hide after the contest. 
• 1910 - It wasn’t the prettiest shutout ever twirled, but Babe Adams scattered 11 hits to beat Boston, 10-0, at the South End Grounds, helped by no walks, a pair of DP and some hot sticks. Owen “Chief” Wilson drove in four runs, Jack Flynn homered with three RBI, & Honus Wagner had three hits, a walk, and scored four times. 

Honus Wagner - 1910 American Caramel E91C

• 1919 - The Pirates traded OF Casey Stengel to the Philadelphia Phillies for utilityman Possum Whitted after Stengel’s contract demands got him a ticket out of Pittsburgh. Possum batted .286 in 277 games for the Bucs through 1921, playing 1B, 3B & OF. The Old Professor lasted until 1925, but only started two more seasons. He hit .280 in his two Pirates campaigns. 
• 1924 - The Pirates swept a pair from the Phils at the Baker Bowl by 16-4 and 7-0 scores. Kiki Cuyler went 6-for-6 in the opener with a triple and two doubles, while Glenn Wright went 4-for-5 with four RBI and a pair of runs to boost Wilbur Cooper. Ray Kremer won the nitecap. He tossed a five-hitter and was backed by Max Carey, who homered, doubled, scored twice and drove home three runs. 
• 1928 - The Pirates won their eighth game in a row and 10-of-11 by a 5-4 score over St. Louis Cardinals at Forbes Field. Carmen Hill got the win and Burleigh Grimes earned a save by retiring the last batter. George Grantham drove in two runs and “Big Poison” Paul Waner scored a pair. 
• 1930 - OF Roman Mejias was born in Abreus, Cuba. He was signed when the Pirates scouted him in 1953 when they held spring training in Havana. Mejias was a spare OF’er and pinch hitter for six seasons (1955, 1957-61) in Pittsburgh, hitting .245 over that span. He earned his way to Pittsburgh with a 55-game hitting streak for Class B Waco of the Big State League in 1954, where he ended the year with a .354 BA. Mejias couldn’t break into the Pirate OF of Bob Skinner, Bill Virdon and Roberto Clemente, but was selected by the Houston Colt .45s in the expansion draft and had his best season for them in 1962, batting .286 with 24 HR. 
• 1935 - Rookie CF Bud Hafey lined an eighth inning homer over the scoreboard at Forbes Field, providing just enough offense to give Bill Swift a four-hit, 1-0, win over the Cincinnati Reds' Al Hollingsworth. The Pirates only had seven hits, with Tommy Thevenow leading the pack with a pair. 

Bud Hafey - 1979 Diamond Greats

• 1940 - Pittsburgh won its eighth game in a row by whipping the Chicago Cubs, 6-2, at Forbes Field. Vince DiMaggio went 3-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and two runs to lead the attack, while Rip Sewell tossed a four-hitter for the win. The streak ended the next day, and Frankie Frisch’s Pirates ended up a middle-of-the-pack club, finishing fourth in the NL with a 78-76 slate. 
• 1949 - GM Ted Simmons was born in Highland Park, Michigan. Ted caught for two decades in the majors (Ted trivia: he was the first catcher to start an All-Star Game for both the NL and AL, first as a Cardinal in 1978, then again in 1983 as a member of the Brewers). His nickname as a player was Simba due to his longish hair. After he retired, Simmons was hired as general manager of the Pirates in 1992 after working in a front office job for St. Louis. He held the spot for just a year, retiring after suffering a heart attack in June 1993. Simmons was the GM who almost traded Barry Bonds. He had agreed to deal Bonds to the Atlanta Braves for P Alejandro Pena, OF Keith Mitchell and a PTBNL during camp in 1992, but had to back out when manager Jim Leyland blew up and stormed into president Carl Barger’s office, talking Barger into nixing the swap. The Pirates won a third division title under him, but Simmons was faced with Bonds and Doug Drabek becoming free agents and an ever-tightening payroll, no doubt adding to his stress. After he recovered, he went on to primarily scouting and player development jobs with a couple of bench coach gigs thrown in for several organizations. Ted entered the Hall of Fame in 2020 as a player. 
• 1952 - 18-year-old RHP Jim Waugh became the youngest Pirate to ever win a game when he went wire-to-wire in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field. He was close to a no decision as Brandy Davis pinch hit for him in the bottom of the ninth, but Davis keyed the win by tripling and scoring the game winner on Clem Koshorek’s rap to left. Signed out of Ohio State, Waugh went 1-6/6.36, then developed arm problems that ended his MLB career. 
• 1954 - SS Rabbit Maranville was inducted into the Hall of Fame after a 14-year wait. The sweet fielder played for Pittsburgh from 1921-24, hitting .283. Rabbit sadly passed away in January, so his long anticipated moment was posthumous. Rabbit’s given name was Walter; he earned his moniker because he was quick as a bunny thanks to his speed and size (5’5”). 

Roberto Clemente - 1959 Nabisco

• 1959 - The Pirates, losing 3-1 to the Cubs in the ninth, tied the game and then won, 5-3, in the 10th at Wrigley Field. Roberto Clemente singled home Dick Groat in the ninth and touched home to tie the game on Smoky Burgess’ sac fly. Groat’s knock in the 10th scored Roman Mejias with the go-ahead run and Rocky Nelson’s bases-loaded walk added the insurance. Elroy Face got the win to go 15-0. The dub was the part of a remarkable 19-2 record in extra inning games during the season - and ironically, one of the losses was Harvey Haddix’s 12-inning perfecto. 
• 1963 - It was a long day at Forbes Field. A twin bill between the Colt 45's and the Pirates was delayed an hour by rain, and then both games went into extra innings. Houston took the opener, 7-6, in 15 innings; the Bucs claimed the nitecap by the same score in 11 innings. Only 300 hardy fans remained at the yard when the curtain finally fell at 2:30 AM. Roberto Clemente picked up five RBI in the two contests; Don Schwall lost the first match while Al McBean won the second game. The Pirates used eight pitchers, with McBean and ElRoy Face tossing both ends. 
• 1964 - Don Schwall and Al McBean combined on a four-hitter to shut out the Chicago Cubs, 2-0, at Forbes Field. Battery mate Jim Pagliaroni launched a two-run homer off Bob Buhl in the fourth to back his hurlers. Schwall started and didn’t give up a hit until there were two outs in the sixth inning; McBean took over from him after a leadoff single in the ninth to post the save.

8/9 From 1970: Candy No-No, ESPN Cutch, Clint & Neil, A-Ram Bam, Pops Pops, Jason Out, Strike ASG, 500 at TRS; HBD Matt & Pat

• 1970 - Willie Stargell became the first player to hit a homer into the RF upper deck at the freshly minted Three Rivers Stadium, drilling a shot off the Mets Ron Taylor. Pops would reach the top tier four times, with Bob Robertson and Bobby Bonilla also joining him from the Pirates. The Bucs won, 8-3, with Luke Walker getting the victory. Willie and Manny Sanguillen, with a pair of doubles, each had two hits as the Pirates sent Nolan Ryan to defeat. 
• 1970 - RHP Pat Mahomes was born in Bryan, Texas. He began his 11-year career as a starter before being converted into a bullpen arm/spot starter and finished it in Pittsburgh in 2003, going 0-1/4.84 in nine outings, with most of his time spent in AAA Nashville. Pat got around; he worked for six teams in both leagues, pitched in the WS with the Mets in 1999, tossed a couple of seasons in Japan and closed out his career in the indie leagues. His son, Patrick II, is also using his arm, but as an NFL quarterback. Young Mahomes was a multi-sports star in high school like his pops and sported a mid-90s heater before opting for the gridiron. 
• 1974 - RHP Matt Morris was born in Middletown, NY. Matty Mo was at the end of a solid career when the Pirates took over his hefty contract in 2007 by sending Rajai Davis to the SF Giants for him. Mo went 3-8/7.04 in 16 Bucco starts from 2007-08 and was cut, leaving the Pirates approximately $10M in dead money and greasing the skids for then GM Dave Littlefield. 
• 1976 - The 500th game in TRS history turned out to be one of its more memorable contests as John Candelaria threw the first no-hitter by a Pirates' pitcher in Pittsburgh since Nick Maddox in 1907 at Expo Park, a 2-0 win over the LA Dodgers. The Candy Man gave up a walk with a couple of errors committed behind him, and survived his only jam, a bases-loaded pickle (on a walk and two boots) in the third inning while dishing out 101 pitches. It was “Candy Nite” with the fans (all 9,860 of them) getting a Clark Bar before the ABC National Game of the Week. 

Dave Parker- 1981 Permograph All-Star

• 1981 - The NL squeaked out a 5-4 win over the AL in the All-Star game at Cleveland Stadium. Dave Parker went 1-for-3 with a solo homer, Mike Easler was 0-1 with a walk and a run, Bill Madlock 0-for-1 and Phil Garner came in as a defensive sub. The game was held at this late date (it was scheduled originally for July 14th) because of a six week players’ strike, but the fans held no grudges and were happy to see the boys of summer back as 72,086 jammed the ballyard. 
• 1983 - Dave Parker snapped a few streaks when his two-run, 450’ homer in the eighth inning off Al Holland carried the Bucs to a 3-1 win over the Phils at Veterans Stadium. He broke a personal 0-for-10 slump, a Bucco five-game losing streak, the Phils five-game win streak and Holland’s string of 95 straight appearances without a loss. The two mirrored streaks saw the Phils take over first from the Pirates; the win moved Pittsburgh back within 1-1/2 games of the top spot. Rick Rhoden started the game and dodged some raindrops (Philly stranded 12 runners during the game) and Kent Tekulve worked the final 2-2/3 IP for the win. 
• 1984 - The Pirates romped over the Mets at Shea Stadium by a 11-0 count. The Bucs iced the game early with an eight-run second frame, with just five singles as their ante. The Mets filled the rest of the pot with four walks and an error (to go with a wild pitch and stolen base). Pittsburgh did have the bats going, banging out 14 hits over the game with every starter, including hurler Rick Rhoden, collecting at least a knock. Johnny Ray posted four raps and Tony Pena chased home three runs in a case of overkill while Rhoden tossed a complete game two-hitter. 
• 1986 - The Pirates pounded out six doubles, and led by Johnny Ray, they outpunched the St. Louis Cards, 8-5, at Busch Stadium. Ray had three hits, including a homer and double, scored twice and drove in three runs. Bobby Bonilla, Mike Diaz and Ray touched the plate six times, and Barry Bonds, Tony Pena and Ray chased seven runs home to give Bob Walk the win. The victory was hidden vigorish at its best - the Pirates hadn’t won at Busch Stadium since September 14th, 1984, while the Cardinals had an 11-game home winning streak on the line for the match.

AVS - 1987 Topps Traded

• 1987 - The Expos’ Neal Heaton was in charge, entering the eighth with a 3-1 lead over the Bucs at TRS. Then Al Pedrique singled and Darnell Coles doubled him home, bringing on Jeff Parrett. The first batter he faced was pinch hitter Andy Van Slyke, who drilled his third offering into the RF stands. Jim Gott made it hold up to give Mike Dunne the 4-3 win. Lotta firsts: it was AVS first pinch hit homer, Coles’ first hit as a Pirate and the first four-hit day of Pedrique’s career. Heaton, who got no decision, would become a Bucco before too long, joining the club in 1989. 
• 1995 - A little fun factoid from BR Bullpen: The Giants defeated the Pirates, 4-3, at Candlestick Park, with the winning pitcher being William Van Landingham and the loser Jason Christiansen. The 25 letters in the surnames of the two pitchers of record were the most ever to factor in a major league decision. Christiansen had a chance to ice the game and avoid becoming a trivia answer but gave up a pair of runs in the seventh to earn a blown save/loss. 
• 2000 - RHP Jason Schmidt, who had been bothered by a sore shoulder since May and last pitched in early June, was scheduled for surgery by Dr. James Andrews. He missed the rest of the season and was traded to the Giants in 2001; his shoulder and later elbow issues would dog him toward the end of his pitching career and he retired in 2009 after 10 starts in three years. 
• 2002 - The Bucs, behind Aramis Ramirez’s homer and four RBI, defeated the Giants, 4-3, at Pacific Bell Park. Kip Wells defeated former Bucco Jason Schmidt for the win, but not before giving up Barry Bonds’ 600th home run. Barry’s first 176 dingers had come while wearing a Pirates jersey. 

Clint Barmes - 2012 Topps

• 2012 - It was a big day for a couple of Bucco batters as Pittsburgh ran away from the San Diego Padres with an 11-5 victory at PNC Park. Light-hitting Clint Barmes drilled a grand slam and Neil Walker was unstoppable at the plate, going 5-for-5 with a walk and falling a triple shy of the cycle. Erik Bedard was credited with the win, even though he lasted just five frames (four relievers put up zeroes behind him), and ex-Buc Ross Ohlendorf suffered the loss. 
• 2012 - Pitching for the AAA Indy Indians, lefty Justin Wilson tossed his second no-hitter of the season, a rain-shortened eight inning gem against the Charlotte Knights. He walked one, K’ed five and was efficient, using only 86 pitches. Wilson was called up that year by the Pirates as a reliever and spent three seasons with Pittsburgh with a slash of 9-5/2.99. He’s plying his bullpen trade with his seventh MLB club, the Milwaukee Brewers but has been injured the past two years. 
• 2013 - It wasn’t a very good day for the Bucs, who gave up nine runs in the first two innings on the way to a 10-1 drubbing at the hands of the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. But it did plump up the pitching resume of utilityman Josh Harrison, who came in the eighth with two out and two runners aboard to get the last out, coaxing a fly out from future teammate Corey Dickerson. Harrison related to Bill Brink of the Post Gazette that Clint Hurdle told him “All right, I never thought I would have to have this talk with you here on the mound. Go get them." 
• 2015 - In front of a sellout crowd of 37,094 at PNC Park and a national ESPN “Sunday Night Baseball” audience, the Bucs roared back from a 5-1 deficit by scoring nine times in the seventh inning to earn a 13-6 victory over the NL-West leading LA Dodgers. Andrew McCutchen homered and had four RBI; Jung-Ho Kang and Fran Cervelli (who had three hits) also went long as the Pirates banged out 16 knocks. Arquimedes Caminero got the win in relief of Charlie Morton. The Bucs swept the three game set against LA for the first time since 2000.