10/11: Hans Steals '09 WS Win, Mannny's Hit in '79 WS, '25, '71 WS, '72 NLCS Wild Pitch, Walk's '92 NLCS Win, Rube, Bye-Bye Burleigh, Hello Jim Tracy...

Hans Steals '09 WS Win, Mannny's Hit in '79 WS, '25, '71 WS, '72 NLCS Wild Pitch, Walk's '92 NLCS Win, Rube, Bye-Bye Burleigh, Hello Jim Tracy...

• 1900 - Rube Waddell punched out a NL season-high of 12 in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Orphans at Exposition Park. He led the senior circuit with 130 strikeouts and a 2.37 ERA in 208-⅓ IP, even though his record was just 8-13. Rube only pitched twice for Pittsburgh in 1901 before embarking on a Hall-of-Fame career, mostly with Philadelphia Athletics and St. Louis Browns. 
• 1909 - Honus Wagner became the first player to steal three bases in a World Series contest as Pittsburgh beat Detroit at Bennett Park, 8-6, in Game 3 of the Fall Classic to go up two games to one. The second player to swipe three sacks was LA’s Willie Davis, who matched the feat in 1965. Nick Maddox struggled, but went the distance for the win, buttressed by a five-run first inning outburst by the Bucs against Ed Summers; all the opening runs were unearned as Motown made three errors in the inning. Honus Wagner had three hits with three RBI, and Bobby Byrne, Tommy Leach and Bill Abstein each added two more knocks. 

Honus Wagner via mlb.com

• 1925 - The Big Train shut out the Pirates 4-0 on six hits at Griffith Stadium to give the Senators a 3-1 lead in World Series wins. Washington scored all four runs in the second inning off Emil Yde, the killing blow a three run homer by Goose Goslin, with Joe harris adding another. Walter Johnson was in complete control; only one Pirate runner reached second all day. 
• 1934 - It was the end of an era as the Pirates released RHP Burleigh Grimes. The Hall of Famer was the last player to legally toss a spitter, one of 17 hurlers exempted when the pitch was outlawed in 1921.

Burleigh Grimes via Sportsfolio Online

• 1971 - In a game delayed a day by rain, Brooks Robinson set a World Series record by reaching base five consecutive times (three hits, two walks) against the Pirates as Baltimore won 11-3 in Game Two. Bob Johnson and Bob Moose were hit hard at Memorial Stadium. The O’s scored nine times in the fourth and fifth frames and belted three homers in the laugher. The Bucco runs came in the eighth on a Richie Hebner three-run shot. 
• 1972 - Bob Moose's wild pitch in the ninth inning allowed George Foster to score the winning run with two outs as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Bucs 4-3 to capture the NLCS and a World Series berth at Riverfront Stadium. The Pirates had entered the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead before Johnny Bench's solo homer against Dave Giusti tied the game. The Reds lost the World Series to the Oakland A’s in seven games. 
• 1979 - Pittsburgh pushed a run across in the ninth to knot the World Series with Baltimore at a game apiece, taking a 3-2 win at Memorial Stadium. Bill Madlock and Ed Ott drove in second inning runs while Eddie Murray homered and doubled to plate a pair. Jim Palmer and Bert Blyleven left the 2-2 game to the bullpens to decide. Both teams left the bases loaded in the seventh. Bill Robinson singled to start the ninth against Tippy Martinez, and Matt Alexander came in to run, only to be caught stealing. With Don Stanhouse on the mound, Bill Madlock drove one deep to center, but it was a loud out. The Bucs kept chuggin’. Ed Ott hit a ground ball single, Phil Garner drew a four pitch walk, and pinch hitter Manny Sanguillen singled to right for the lead. Don Robinson got the win and Kent Tekulve the save, striking out a pair of Orioles in the ninth. 

Manny Sanguillen 1972 Sporting News cover

• 1992 - Pittsburgh stayed alive against the Atlanta Braves at TRS, as they scored four times in the first inning to chase Steve Avery and rode a three hitter by Bob Walk to a 7-1 win. Lloyd McClendon and Jeff King each had three knocks, and the Bucs drilled five doubles among their 13 hits. The Bucs returned to Atlanta down three games to two in the NLCS. Deion Sanders flew to Pittsburgh for the game after playing for the Miami Dolphins that afternoon looking to become the first player to take part in two pro games in different sports on the same day, but even in a blowout didn’t get into the lineup. 
• 2005 - The Pirates hired Jim Tracy as manager, signing him to a three year deal. It was the first time in two decades, since the hiring of Jim Leyland from the White Sox, that Pittsburgh went outside the organization to select its field boss.

10/10: Maz Double Wins Game #5 in 1960, '03, '25, '79 WS, '72, '90, '91, '92 NLCS, Cutch's B-Day & More...

Maz Double Wins Game #5 in 1960, '03, '25, '79 WS, '72, '90, '91, '92 NLCS, Cutch's B-Day & More...

• 1903 - The fourth and final game at Exposition Park saw Deacon Phillippe start his fourth game of the Series against Cy Young, making his third start. Boston won the matchup easily 7-3, and returned home up 4-3 and needing one more win to claim the first World Series crown. Kitty Bransfield went 3-for-4 for the Pirates while Jimmy Sebring and Phillippe added a pair of knocks. 
• 1925 - The World Series moved to Griffith Stadium and Washington took a two-to-one lead in games with a 4-3 win, scoring twice in the seventh off Ray Kremer when a walk and infield single eventually came home to score. Alex Ferguson and Firpo Mayberry scattered eight hits; Max Carey had a pair of them. Pittsburgh loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Mayberry got Clyde Barnhart on a pop to the catcher and Pie Traynor on a fly to center to close out the win. The game is famed for the Senators Sam Rice’s catch. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Earl Smith drove a ball to right-center field. Rice caught the ball at the fence, flipped over its top and landed in the stands, disappearing for 15 seconds or so. When Rice popped back up, the ball was in his glove and the umpire, Cy Rigler, called the batter out. The ump's explanation was that as soon as the catch was made the play was over, so it didn’t matter if Rice dropped it during his tumble or not. Rice was mum about the grab - “The ump called him out” was all he’d say - and seemed to enjoy the life-long conversation piece. After his death in 1974, a letter he penned was opened at Cooperstown, and he had written "At no time did I lose possession of the ball." 

Earl Smith (1927) - The Sporting News Conlan Collection 1991 series

• 1930 - An All-Star team played its first game in Cuba on a ten day barnstorming tour, including Pirates OF Paul Waner, 3B Pie Traynor and P Larry French, and won three of the seven games played on La Isla. 
• 1960 - Billy Maz’s two-run double was the big blow as Harvey Haddix and Roy Face claimed a 5-2 win and 3-2 World Series lead against the New York at Yankee Stadium. 
• 1961 - The expansion draft claimed six Pirates - the Houston Colt .45s took OF Roman Mejias, P Bobby Schantz, P Jim Umbright and C Hal Smith, while the New York Mets selected OF Joe Christopher and P Al Jackson. 

Roman Mejias - 1958 Topps series

• 1972 - Cincinnati, facing elimination, took the Pirates behind the woodshed at Riverfront Stadium, winning 7-1 and forcing a winner-take-all showdown for the NLCS crown. Ross Grimsley tossed a two hitter; both hits were by Roberto Clemente, including a solo homer. 
• 1979 - The Orioles rocked Bruce Kison for five first inning runs and then hung on to take the first game of the World Series 5-4. Willie Stargell homered with a pair of RBI while Jim Rooker, Enrique Romo, Don Robinson and Grant Jackson pitched three-hit ball over the last 8-⅔ innings. Mike Flanagan gave up 11 hits, but went the distance for Baltimore’s win at Memorial Stadium. 
• 1986 - Andrew McCutchen was born in Fort Meade, Florida. The 2005 All-Star first rounder has been the face of the team and its energizer bunny since replacing Nate McLouth during the 2009 season and won the NL-MVP in 2013. 
• 1990 - Pittsburgh stayed alive in the NLCS by edging the Reds 3-2 at TRS to cut the Cincinnati margin to 3-2. Doug Drabek worked into the ninth, then Bob Patterson came on to get the last two outs to save the victory. Andy Van Slyke and Barry Bonds each had an RBI and run scored against Tom Browning to lead Pittsburgh. 

Bob Patterson - 1987 Donruss series

• 1991 - Steve Avery and Alejandro Pena combined to stop the Bucs 1-0 at TRS and even the NLCS at a game apiece. Mark Lemke’s two out double up the third base line scored David Justice and sent Zane Smith to a tough defeat. 
• 1992 - John Smoltz won his second NLCS game 6-4 at TRS, putting the Bucs in a 3-1 hole as Doug Drabek took another loss. The Bucs managed just six hits, with Andy Van Slyke banging out a double and triple.

10/9: '09, '60, '71 WS, '72, '74, '90, '91, '92 NLCS, 2013 NLDS, Hans Takes Title, Moose & Marte B-Days, More...

'09, '60, '71 WS, '72, '74, '90, '91, '92 NLCS, 2013 NLDS, Hans Takes Title, Moose & Marte B-Days, More...

• 1909 - The Tigers jumped on Howie Camnitz early, scoring five times in the second and third innings, in a 7-2 win over the Bucs at Forbes Field, squaring the World Series at a game apiece. Wild Bill Donovan limited the Pirates to five hits with seven K. Tommy Leach was the only Pittsburgh batter to solve him, delivering a pair of doubles. Ty Cobb stole home against reliever Vic Willis to help punctuate the win. 
• 1911 - In a 10 inning, 6-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs at the West Side Grounds, Honus Wagner collected a pair of hits to finish the season with a .334 BA to win his eighth NL batting title. No one would wear that many crowns again until Tony Gwynn equalled Hans’ mark in 1997. 
• 1947 - RHP Bob Moose was born in Export. He went to Franklin Regional HS, where he threw three no-hitters and was drafted by the hometown Bucs in 1965 during the 18th round. The righty added one more in the MLB, tossing a no-no against the Mets on September 20th, 1969. Ironically, he died in an auto accident while heading to a party celebrating his 29th birthday in 1976. 
• 1960 - Vern Law won his second game against the Yankees‚ thanks to his own two out RBI double followed by Bill Virdon's two-run knock in the fifth inning. Roy Face retired the final eight Bronx Bombers for the save at Yankee Stadium. The 3-2 win evened the Series after a pair of NY runaways. The game’s big play was Virdon’s leaping grab of a Bob Cerv drive at the wall in the seventh inning, saving a pair of runs. 

Bill Virdon 1960 Topps series

• 1969 - Danny Murtaugh was hired for the third time as Bucco bench boss. He replaced Alex Grammas, who took Larry Shepherd's spot. 
• 1971 - Pittsburgh scored three times in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of the World Series at Memorial Stadium on just one hit. But the Birds came back on the strength of three homers and a big night by Merv Rettenmund, who went long once and chased home three runs, to take the lidlifter 5-3. 
• 1972 - The Pirates overcame an early 2-0 deficit and nipped the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium 3-2 to take a two games to one lead in the NLCS. Manny Sanguillen homered and had a pair of RBI to back winner Bruce Kison and Dave Giusti, who earned the save. 

Manny Sanguillen 1981 Topps series

• 1974 - The Bucs were eliminated from the NLCS three games to one by LA as Don Sutton tossed a one-hitter in a 12-1 thrashing at Dodger Stadium. Steve Garvey had four hits, including two homers, with four runs scored and four RBI to lead the Big Blue onslaught. The Oakland A’s rolled over the Dodgers in five games to claim their third straight World Series crown. 
• 1988 - OF Starling Marte was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He signed as an international free agent in 2007, and joined the big club in 2012, winning a regular OF spot in 2013. He homered on the first pitch he saw in the show off Houston’s Dallas Keuchel. 
• 1990 - The Pirates fell behind three games-to-one in the NLCS by dropping a 5-3 decision to the Reds at TRS as Jose Rijo topped Bob Walk. Paul O’Neill and Chris Sabo homered for Cincinnati and Jay Bell went long for Pittsburgh. 
• 1991 - Doug Drabek and Bob Walk combined on a five hitter as the Bucs won the opening game of the NLCS 5-1 against the Atlanta Braves at TRS. Andy Van Slyke had two hits, two runs, two RBI and a homer. 

Doug Drabek 1990 Score series

• 1992 - Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield pitched Pittsburgh to a 3-2 victory over the Braves at TRS‚ giving the Pirates their first win in the NLCS. Wakefield was the first rookie to start a NL playoff game since Philadelphia's Charles Hudson in 1983. Gary Redus went 3-for-3 with a 2B, 3B and walk while Don Slaught added a homer. 
• 2013 - The Pirate playoff run ended 6-1 at Busch Stadium as two-run homers by David Freese and Matt Adams gave Adam Wainwright all the support he needed to take the fifth and deciding game of the NLDS. Gerrit Cole pitched well, but after he was pulled for a pinch hitter in the sixth, the Cards scored four times off the Bucco bullpen. Pedro Alvarez singled home the lone score, giving him a MLB record for chasing home a run in each of his first six post-season games.

10/8: '03, '09, '25, '27, '60 WS, '72, '74, '90 NLCS, Cannonball, Donie, The Irishman...

'03, '09, '25, '27, '60 WS, '72, '74, '90 NLCS, Cannonball, Donie, The Irishman...

•  1886 - Ed “Cannonball” Morris whitewashed the New York Metropolitans 9-0 at Recreation Park. It was his 12th shutout, a record for lefties. Cannonball went 41-20 that year with a 2.45 ERA over 555-⅓ IP, striking out 327 batters. 
• 1887 - Manager Owen “Donie” Bush was born in Indianapolis. He was a hometown hero; until 1996, the Indy ball yard was called Bush Field before a new downtown park opened. He managed the Bucs briefly, from 1927-29, taking them to a World Series in 1927 against the Yankees’ “Murderers’ Row” club (and the Pirates got murdered in four straight). But he’s probably best remembered for his feud with Hall-of-Fame OF Kiki Cuyler, whom he benched and then traded to the Cubs.

Donie Bush w/the Yankee's manager Miller Huggins 1927 (Mark Rucker/Getty Images)

• 1903 - Game Six was a rematch between Boston's Bill Dinneen and Pittsburgh's Sam Leever at Exposition Park. Both went the distance, with Boston coming out on top 6-3 to tie best-of-nine series at three games. Ginger Beaumont went 4-for-5 with a pair of stolen bases while Jimmy Sebring and Fred Clarke added two hits for the Bucs. Boston's "Royal Rooters", 200 strong, traveled to Pittsburgh with a brass band and sang their theme song "Tessie" to distract the opposing players (especially Honus Wagner). Boston won three out of the four games at Pittsburgh to keep their Rooters rocking.
• 1905 - Per Charlton’s Baseball Chronology: Just one point apart in the batting race on the final day of the season, Cincinnati Reds CF Cy Seymour and Pittsburgh Pirates SS Honus Wagner played against each other in a doubleheader. Seymour entered the day with a league leading .365 average and Wagner was in second, batting .364. Seymour had four hits in seven attempts to end up with the NL batting championship (.377) as Wagner went two for seven to end up hitting .363. A newspaper account of the day stated "...10,000 were more interested in the batting achievements of Wagner and Seymour than the games...cheer upon cheers greeted the mighty batsmen upon each appearance at the plate..." The Reds swept the Bucs at the Palace of the Fans by 3-1 and 4-1 scores. 
• 1909 - After walking two of the first three batters and giving up a first inning run, Babe Adams settled down and pitched the Pirates to a 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers in the opening game of the World Series at Forbes Field. Pittsburgh only had five hits off George Mullin, including a homer by Fred Clarke, but four different Tigers committed errors that led to three unearned runs. This series was the first head-to-head matchup of league batting winners with Honus Wagner (.339) and Ty Cobb (.377) squaring off. 
• 1917 - Danny Murtaugh was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. He was a Bucco infielder from 1948-51, with a lifetime BA of .256 and a stolen base crown in 1941. The Irishman won a couple of World Series as the skipper in 1960 and 1971, managing the club from 1957–1964, 1967, 1970–1971, 1973–1976. He guided five playoff squads and had a record of 1115-950. 

 

Danny Murtaugh 1961 Topps series

• 1925 - The Bucs evened their World Series count against Washington at a game each with a 3-2 win at Forbes Field. The only dent against the Senators’ Stan Coveleski was a Glenn Wright homer until the bottom of the eighth when Kiki Cuyler’s two-run blast put Pittsburgh up 3-1. The Sens added a ninth inning run to get it close, but Vic Aldridge went the distance for the win. 
• 1927 - The NL Champion Pirates lost, 4-3, and were swept in four games by the New York Yankees, led by their "Murderers Row" lineup featuring Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. It was an exciting finish at the House That Ruth Built, though. Pirate RHP Johnny Miljus loaded the bases with no outs, then struck out Lou Gehrig and Bob Meusel. But with Tony Lazzeri up, he uncorked an 0-1 wild pitch and Earle Combs came home with the winning run, the only World Series to end with on a wild pitch. It was the first ever sweep of a NL team by an AL club. Babe Ruth and Lloyd Waner each hit .400 during the series. 
• 1960 - The Yankees returned home in style, ripping off six first inning runs and burying the Bucs 10-0 at Yankee Stadium to take a two games-to-one lead in the World Series. Whitey Ford tossed a four hitter and only allowed two Pirates to reach second base; none touched third. Bobby Richardson belted a grand slam (he had one regular season homer) and had six RBI. 
• 1972 - The Reds scored four times in the first inning off Bob Moose (he didn’t retire a batter, giving up five straight hits) and then hung on to take a 5-3 win at TRS and even the NLCS at a game each. Roberto Clemente, Milt May and Dave Cash each drove in runs to make it 4-3 after six innings, but Joe Morgan’s eighth inning homer took the wind out of the Pirate sails, as Tom Hall retired six of the last seven batters for the Cincinnati win. 
• 1974 - The Pirates scored five times in the first frame and never looked back as they defeated LA 7-0 at Dodger Stadium. Bruce Kison and Ramon Hernandez combined on a four hitter to cut the Pittsburgh deficit in the NLCS to two games to one. Willie Stargell drilled a three run homer and Richie Hebner added a two run shot off Doug Rau in the opening frame to ignite the win. 

Bruce Kison - 1978 team photo

• 1990 - Cincinnati took a 2-1 lead in the NLCS by whipping the Bucs 6-3 at TRS. Zane Smith gave up a three run homer to Mariano Duncan and a two run shot to Billy Hatcher to give the Reds’ Danny Jackson and the “Nasty Boys” in the bullpen working room. Bobby Bonilla, Carmelo Martinez and Jose Lind had the Bucco RBI.

10/7: 2013 NLDS, '03, '25 & '27, Series, '72, '75 & '92 NLCS, Chuck Tanner Axed & More...

2013 NLDS, '03, '25 & '27, Series, '72, '75 & '92 NLCS, Chuck Tanner Axed & More...

• 1902 - Sam Leever and the NL champ Pirates beat a team of AL all-stars in an exhibition at Exposition Park by a 4-3 score, with the AL pushing across three runs in the ninth to give the Bucs a scare. Ginger Beaumont led the Pirates with three hits. Cy Young took the loss, giving up eight hits and striking out seven. There was no World Series yet; the NL and AL were still merrily raiding one another’s rosters in a bid for baseball supremacy.

Ginger Beaumont Pittsburgh Baseball Heroes card collection

• 1903 - Game Five of the WS at Exposition Park was a scoreless pitcher's duel for the first five innings between Boston's Cy Young and Pittsburgh's Brickyard Kennedy. But in the top of the sixth, the Americans scored a then-record six runs and added four more in the seventh on the way to an 11-2 romp. Young went the distance and struck out four for his first World Series win. 
• 1925 - Walter Johnson of the Senators struck out 10 Pirates during a 4-1 Washington victory in the opening game of the World Series at Forbes Field. Pie Traynor’s homer was the only dent against the Big Train, who surrendered just five hits. Lee Meadows took the loss. 
• 1927 - Herb Pennock took a perfect game into the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium before Pie Traynor broke it up with a one out single, followed by Clyde Barnhart double to bring him home. That was about all the local drama as the NY Yankees claimed an 8-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates to give the Yanks a 3-0 bulge in the World Series. It was actually a close game until NY scored six runs in the seventh, capped by Babe Ruth’s three run bomb. 
• 1972 - The Pirates scored three times in the first and and never looked back as they beat the Reds 5-1 in the NLCS opener at TRS. Al Oliver had a homer, triple, two runs scored and three RBI to give Steve Blass all the offense he’d need.
•  1975 - John Candelaria fanned 14 Reds at TRS, but Pittsburgh lost the NLCS finale 5-3 as Cincy swept the series three games to none. The Bucs got a two run homer from Al Oliver, but Ramon Hernandez was touched up for a pair of runs in the 10th inning to ice the game for Cincinnati. The Reds went on to beat the Boston red Sox in seven games to win the World Series. 

John Candelaria via Main Line autographs

• 1985 - Chuck Tanner was fired by the Pirates. He was hired to manage the Braves three days later. Jim Leyland would later be named as his replacement. 1992 - The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the NLCS with a 13-5 pounding of the Pirates at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The Bucs threw seven pitchers at Atlanta, which banged out 14 hits, including a Ron Gant grand slam. 
• 2001 - Pirate prospect Chad Hermanson showed a brief flash when his three run homer in the eighth inning off Carlos Zambrano scored the Wilson boys, Craig and Jack, and gave Pittsburgh a season-closing 4-3 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Joe Beimel got the win with a save from Mike Fetters. 
• 2013 - The Pirates were on the brink of eliminating the St. Louis Cardinals from the NLDC at PNC Park, but the Redbirds rode Michael Wacha’s arm to a 2-1 win and a showdown game at Busch Stadium. The Cards drew first blood when Matt Holliday hit a two run homer in the sixth off Charlie Morton. Pittsburgh halved the gap in the eighth when they got their first and only hit, a 438’ bomb by Pedro Alvarez, to make it 2-1. But both bullpens were in shutdown mode, and that score stood as the final. 40,893 fans - the third consecutive playoff game to set a park attendance record - left the North Shore disappointed. The Cardinals set a playoff record as all three of their pitchers (Wacha, Carlos Martinez and Trevor Rosenthal, who got the save) were 23 or younger. 

Pedro Alvarez - photo by Dilip Vishwanat of Getty Images

10/6: First Home WS Game in '03, '27 & '60 WS, '71, '74, '92 NLCS, 2013 NLDS, Smiley Wins 20, Wilson Set 3B Mark & More...

First Pgh WS Game, '27 & '60 WS, '71, '74, '92 NLCS, 2013 NLDS, Smiley Wins 20, Wilson Set 3B Mark & More...

• 1903 - A crowd of 7,500 filled Exposition Park as the Pirates defeated the Boston Americans 5-4 in the first World Series game ever played in Pittsburgh, delayed a day by rainy weather. Boston even brought 200 fans, who sat in their own section and brought along a brass band that played between innings. Deacon Phillippe was the winner for the third time, pitching this match on two days rest. It almost caught up to him as the Americans scored three times in the ninth until Phillippe got pinch hitter Jack O’Brien to pop out. Tommy Leach knocked in three runs while Honus Wagner and Ginger Beaumont each collected three hits. Sadly, it would be the last game they’d win in this Series. 
• 1908 - C Tom Padden was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. A part-time catcher for Pittsburgh, he appeared in 399 games from 1932-37 and compiled a .272 BA. 
• 1912 - Owen Wilson hit his 36th triple of the season, establishing a MLB record. Wilson tried to stretch the triple into an inside-the-park home run, but was thrown out the plate in a 16-6 Pirate win against Cincinnati at Redland Field. 

Owen "Chief" Wilson photo via Baseball Roundtable

• 1927 - The Yankees’ George Pipgras quieted the Buc bats at Forbes Field as New York took a 2-0 lead in the World Series. Vic Aldridge was hooked up in a 3-2 game in the eighth when three singles, two walks (to #8 hitter Benny Bengough and then to Pipgras), a HBP and wild pitch gave the Bronx Bombers three runs on their way to a 6-2 win. Lloyd Waner scored both Buc runs, driven home by brother Paul and Clyde Barnhart. 
• 1929 - In the season finale, second place Pittsburgh beat league leading Chicago 8-3 at Wrigley Field. The Bucs collected 12 hits, led by Lloyd Waner’s 3-for-3 day, and Larry French earned the victory. The Pirates, with 88 wins, still finished 10-½ games behind the Cubs, but set the MLB record by banging out double-digit hits in 102 games during the season. 
• 1946 - OF Gene Clines was born in San Pablo, California. A speedy center fielder with a good glove, he was a platoon outfielder for the Bucs from 1970-74, putting up a .287 BA. He played for the 1971 World Series champs and also the division winning teams of 1972 and 1974. Clines had a long career coaching and is a front office exec in the Dodger organization. 

Gene Clines 1976 O-Pee-Chee series

• 1960 - The Yankees roared back from their opening defeat to win 16-3 and even the World Series at a game apiece. Mickey Mantle put on a show with a pair of blasts, one measured at 478’ and thought to be the first homer that a RH batter hit out of Forbes Field to the right of dead center. The Mick had five RBI and three runs scored as the Bronx Bombers pounded out 19 hits. Mantle was the only player to have a multi-homer playoff game in Pittsburgh until 2013 when Russell Martin hit a pair against the Reds at PNC Park in the Wild Card game. 
• 1971 - The Pirates rolled over the Giants 9-5 at TRS to take the NLCS three games to one. The Gravedigger, Richie Hebner, and Al Oliver both homered and had three RBI, and Roberto Clemente drove in the other three runs. Bruce Kison got the win and Dave Giusti the save as they twirled seven innings of scoreless relief after Steve Blass was rocked in the second frame. The game was tied 5-5 after the second inning as the Bucs banged Gaylord Perry early, too, before finally knocking him out of the box in the sixth. 
• 1974 - The Pirates tied the Dodgers in the seventh inning on RBI from Richie Hebner and Al Oliver, but LA rattled four straight eighth inning hits off Dave Giusti and another off Larry Demery to score three times and take a two games to none lead in the NLCS at TRS with a 5-2 victory. 
• 1991 - In the last game of the year, John Smiley tossed a five hit shutout with help from the pen to beat the Expos 7-0 at TRS. It was Smiley’s 20th win of the year for the pennant winning Pirates. He was backed by three RBI from Jose Lind and another pair from Barry Bonds, who also scored twice. 

John Smiley 1992 Topps Stadium Club series

• 1992 - John Smoltz and the Braves won the opening game of the NLCS at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium by a 5-1 count over Doug Drabek and the Pirates. The Bucs had just five hits, with the only run coming in on Chico Lind’s eighth inning homer. 
• 2013 - PNC Park had another record breaking crowd of 40,489 to watch the Pirates take a two-one lead in the best-of-five NLDC against the Cards by a 5-3 score. St. Louis rallied from behind twice against the Pirates, but the last comeback belonged to Pittsburgh. The Bucs went up 2-0 on a two-out, two-run Marlon Byrd single in the first, and the Redbirds tied it in the fifth on Carlos Beltran’s two-out, two-run single. The Pirates went ahead 3-2 an inning later on Russell Martin’s sac fly. Beltran tied it again in the eighth with a homer to right center off Mark Melancon. Pittsburgh put up two in their half off Carlos Martinez, with RBI singles from Pedro Alvarez and Martin. Jason Grilli then closed out the see-saw game, with Melancon getting a blown hold and the win. Francisco Liriano and Joe Kelly started the game, but neither made it to the seventh inning. 

Jason Grilli photo by Jeanine Leech

Let the Tinkering Begin...

The Bucs' one-and-done post-season leaves Neal Huntington plenty of time to work on next year's roster. He's already playing around the edges of the 40-man roster, kinda surprising for this early in the process.

First, the team bought relief pitcher Preston Guilmet from Baltimore to begin their stockpiling of fringe arms to evaluate for 2015 depth purposes. The 27 year old righty has been up and down in the show, with 14 appearances and a 6.89 ERA. He has an impressive minor league pedigree, with 378 K in 346 IP, 2.76 ERA and 100 saves. Unlike most guys the Pirates add, Guilmet has some idea of where the plate is, walking less than 2 batters per nine. His bread-and-butter pitch is a splitter. He still has a option left, so Jim Benedict will have a season to tinker.

He was swapped out with JT, who was DFA'ed (again), on the 40-man roster. Tabata still has two guaranteed years on his contract worth $8.5M with a $250K buyout in 2017, so there's not much chance of him being picked up. There's even less chance of him becoming a free agent and kissing that money good bye.

There are a couple of minor league guys who did jump ship, though. Vin Mazzaro is one. After posting a decent 2013 season, he was used just five times for 10+ innings this season and didn't even rate a September call-up. Sorta surprising, given his counting numbers, but he did clear waivers twice during the season. The other is first baseman Chris McGuiness, another brick in the LH first baseman wall the Pirates built last year.

Following on the agenda are qualifying offers for MLB FA's. We're assuming that Frankie and Russ will be tendered, which will not be the case for Eddie and Clint Barmes, a pair that may or may not be in the Bucs 2015 plans. The team can make a qualifying offer five days after the World Series; the players have a week to accept or not after that.

The arb-eligible players are next on the menu; they have be tendered by December 2nd. The Pirates have 13 of them: Neil Walker, Josh Harrison, Tony Watson, Travis Snider, Jared Hughes, Pedro Alvarez and Vance Worley are the no-brainers among them. But decisions will have to be made on Ike Davis, Gaby Sanchez, Chris Stewart and Jeanmar Gomez, while John Axford and Brent Morel are fairly certain non-tender candidates.

Finally, the 40-man roster will have to be set bedore the December 12th Rule 5 draft. Certainly pitchers Jameson Taillon and Nick Kingham will be protected; there are another half dozen guys who will be debated. There shouldn't be much problem with those moves, though. There are plenty of available spots and swaps to revamp the 40-man without too much pain.

The playoffs aren't nearly over yet, but in Pittsburgh, the hot stove league is ready to roll.

10/5: WS '27, '60, NLCS '70, '71, '74, '75, '79, '90, Pud Wins #300, Jim Tracy Axed, Ritchey B-Day...

WS '27, '60, NLCS '70, '71, '74, '75, '79, '90, Pud Wins #300, Jim Tracy Axed, Ritchey B-Day...

• 1873 - Middle infielder Claude Ritchey was born in Emlenton along the Allegheny River. He played for the Pirates for seven years, from 1900-06, batting .273 with 709 runs scored and 675 RBI, and was the starting 2B for the 1901 pennant winners and first World Series team in 1903. The combination of his size (5’6”) and his ability to drive in clutch runs gained him the nickname of "Little All Right."
• 1888 - Pud Galvin won his 300th game against the Washington Nationals at Swampoodle Grounds, throwing a four-hitter in the 5-1 Allegheny win. He was the first player in MLB history to reach the 300 win total, finishing his career with 361 notches.

 Pud Galvin Old Judge Cigarettes (undated)

• 1927 - Pittsburgh’s Ray Kremer and the Yankees’ Waite Hoyt opened the World Series at Forbes Field. The Bucco wheels came off in the third when a pair of walks coupled with two errors and a muffed DP gave the Bronx Bombers three runs on one hit and a 4-1 lead. The Pirates kept chipping away - they had nine hits, led by Paul Waner’s 3-for-4 day - but dropped the game 5-4. 
• 1960 - Roger Maris became the seventh player to homer in his first World Series at-bat. His round-tripper off Vern Law got the Yankees off to a quick 1-0 lead, but the Pirates won Game One of the Fall Classic at Forbes Field, 6-4. Pittsburgh scored three times in the first, and a two run homer by Bill Mazeroski in the fourth was the early game winner. The score wasn’t quite as close as it looked; the Yankees’ Elston Howard hit a two run, ninth inning homer off ElRoy Face to narrow the gap. The Bucco victory ended a 15-game Yankee winning streak.
• 1970 - Johnny Bench and Tony Perez homered of Bob Moose in the first inning and the Reds beat the Pirates 3-2 to sweep the NLCS at Riverfront Stadium. Cincinnati scored the lead run in the eighth after the Pirates had tied the game after two were out when a walk, single and Bobby Tolan knock plated the game winner. The Pirates collected 10 hits, but stranded a dozen runners. Willie Stargell went 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI while Roberto Clemente, Al Oliver and Richie Hebner had two hits each. The Reds lost the World Series to Baltimore in five games.
• 1971 - Richie Hebner's homer off Juan Marichal in the eighth inning gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 victory over the Giants at TRS and a 2-1 lead in the NLCS. Bob Johnson went eight innings of five hit ball with seven K and Dave Giusti picked up the save. The Bucs’ first tally came in the second, on another solo blast, this one by Bob Robertson. For Hebner, it was an act of redemption; his throwing error on a bunt led to SF’s only score, an unearned sixth inning run. Robertson’s homer was his fourth if the series, setting a record.

 Richie Hebner 1974 Topps series

• 1974 - Don Sutton held Pittsburgh to four hits at TRS in the first game of the NLCS to claim a 3-0 win. It was a 1-0 duel between him and Jerry Reuss until the Dodgers added a pair of ninth inning tallies off of Dave Giusti. Willie Stargell had two of the Pirates four hits. Before today’s game, LA had been 0-6 at TRS during the regular season. 
• 1975 - Fred Norman held the Bucs to five hits at Riverfront Stadium as the Cincinnati Reds easily took a two games to none lead in the NLCS by a 6-1 tally.
• 1979 - The Pirates swept the NLCS, beating the Reds 7-1 at TRS behind Bert Blyleven, who went the distance for the series clincher. Willie Stargell, who homered, doubled and had three RBI, was named Series MVP. Bill Madlock also went long for the Bucs.

Bert Blyleven 1978 Hostess series

• 1990 - The Reds tied the NLCS at a game with a 2-1 win at Riverfront Stadium as Tom Browning bested Doug Drabek. Paul O’Neill drove in both runs for Cincinnati, which only had five hits total; Chico Lind’s homer was it for Pittsburgh.
• 2007 - The Pirates fired manager Jim Tracy after two years and a 135-189 (.417) record. He was replaced by John Russell. As part of the purge by new GM Neal Huntington, director of player development Brian Graham, scouting director Ed Creech, director of baseball operations Jon Mercurio and Tracy's entire coaching staff also lost their jobs.

10/4: To The Wire, NLCS '70, '75, '90, NLDS 2013, Clincher '92, Syd Thrift Let Go, John Russell Fired & More...

To The Wire, NLCS '70, '75, '90, NLDS 2013, Clincher '92, Syd Thrift Let Go, John Russell Fired & More...

• 1874 - RHP Jim Gardner was born in Pittsburgh. He pitched for the Alleghenys in 1895, then again from 1897-99, going 24-20/3.91. He had an aversion to traveling; in his first season, he didn’t go to any away games at all. His career was cut short when he was beaned late in the 1989 season. Jim didn’t hit much, but did play a couple of dozen games at 2B, 3B and the outfield. 
• 1902 - The Pirates wanted to get their last game of the year in despite the rainy weather, as they were going for a record 103rd win; the Cincinnati Reds, according to the Pittsburg Press “...wanted to go out and place a few bets on the races.” The game went on, and to show their chagrin the Reds pitched their first baseman, put a pitcher behind the plate, and player-manager Joe Kelley even stepped up to bat with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, until threatened with ejection by ump Hank O’Day. Pittsburgh won easily 11-2. According to Ralph Davis of the Pittsburg Press, owner Barney Dreyfuss refunded the fans’ money, and when the Reds business manager came looking for his teams’ share of the gate, Dreyfuss just pointed to the now empty cash drawer. 

 Barney Dreyfuss - undated via Seamheads

• 1905 - Charlie Case and the Pirates lost to the Boston Beaneaters and Chick Fraser 1-0 in 13 innings at Exposition Park. Pittsburgh had nine hits, but baserunning blunders cost them dearly. Heinie Pietz tripled but was called out for missing first base, Steamer Flanagan overslid second and was tagged out, and later made the last out of the game trying to steal second. 
• 1908 - Everyone remembers the Cubs and Giants “Merkle” playoff game for the 1908 pennant, but it was the Bucs that were ahead by ½ game on their final day when they lost to Chicago and Three Finger Mordecai before 30‚247 fans‚ the largest crowd ever at Chicago's West Side Grounds. Down 5-2 in the ninth, 2B Ed “Batty” Abbaticchio lined a ball down the line and over the fence with Honus Wagner aboard (the bases weren’t loaded, as sometimes reported for dramatic effect), but the drive was ruled foul. The Pirates argued that it was a HR, but ump Hank O'Day stood his ground and with that call went the Pirates last chance of taking the flag. There’s an urban legend that a lady in the stands was hit by the ball and later sued Batty. She claimed she was in fair side of the seats when the blast conked her, but that tale has never been substantiated. It was a tough loss; the Bucs had won eight in a row to get a half game lead on the Cubs going into the final game. Chicago had to win the next day to clinch, and the Bruins beat the NY Giants 4-2 to finish 99-55 to Pittsburgh’s 98-56 in one of history’s hottest pennant races. 

Ed Abbaticchio circa 1910 American Tobacco Company series

• 1970 - Pittsburgh fell behind in the NLCS two games to none after being held to five hits by three pitchers and losing to the Reds 3-1 at TRS. Roberto Clemente drove in Dave Cash for the Bucs only tally. Bobby Tolan had three hits, including a homer, three runs and an RBI for Cincinnati. 
• 1975 - Don Gullett hurled a complete game‚ then added a HR‚ a single‚ and three RBI at the dish to lead Cincinnati to an 8-3 win over Pittsburgh in the opening game of the NLCS at Riverfront Stadium. The Pirates had an early 2-0 lead, then the Reds chased Jerry Reuss and ran up a four run fifth inning off Larry Demery to leave Pittsburgh in the dust. 
• 1988 - The Pirates fired GM Syd Thrift. He and the Buc ownership rarely saw eye-to-eye during his 1985-88 term, but he hired Jim Leyland and helped lay the foundation for the successful early nineties teams, flipping veterans for young talent. 
• 1990 - The Reds wasted no time jumping on the Pirates, taking a 3-0 first inning lead at Riverfront Stadium in the opener of the NLCS. But the Bucs had the last laugh, chipping their way to a 4-3 victory. Bob Walk, who got the win, settled down to toss shutout ball after a rocky start, handing the game off the bullpen in the seventh, with Ted Power nailing down the save. The Pirates tied the game in the fourth inning thanks to Sid Bream’s two-run homer. Andy Van Slyke drove home the winner in the seventh when he banged a two out, ground rule double to left off Norm Charlton to score Gary Redus. 

Bob Walk 1992 Pinnacle series

• 1992 - Tim Wakefield and three other Pirate pitchers spun a three hitter to win a pitching battle against Bret Saberhagen and the Mets by a 2-0 count at Shea Stadium, ending the season with the Bucs easy pennant winners in the NL East. Barry Bonds’ solo homer and Alex Cole’s sac fly brought home the runs. 
• 2010 - John Russell was fired as manager of the Pirates. He equaled a franchise record for most losses by a manager in three seasons, compiling an 186-299 record. The other Buc skipper with as many defeats in the same span was Fred Haney, posting a 163-299 record from 1953-55. 
• 2013 - After being trounced in the opener of the NLDS by the Cards, rookie Gerrit Cole fired two-hit ball for six innings in a 7-1 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium to square the series. Pedro Alvarez and Starling Marte cracked home runs while Russell Martin added a pair of RBIs. Alvarez went 2-for-4 with the homer and a double, scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs. El Toro became the first Pirate since Willie Stargell in 1974 to go yard in back-to-back playoff games. 

 Gerrit Cole USA Today - Ed Absalon

10/3: Cap Clarke, WS Win '03, The Dog, Fordham Flash, Grays' '48 Title, NLCS Wins, Roberto's Last At-Bat, AJ Chased, More...

Cap Clarke, WS Win '03, The Dog, Fordham Flash, Grays' '48 Title, NLCS Wins, Roberto's Last At-Bat, AJ Chased, More...

• 1872 - OF and manager Fred “Cap” Clarke was born in Winterset, Iowa. Hall-of-Famer Clarke was discovered by Barney Dreyfuss, and came to Pittsburgh with most of the Louisville team in 1900 with Dreyfuss. He was the LF’er and manager from 1900-11, and mostly manager, with a couple of spot appearances, from 1912-15. His Pirate line was .299/.379/.418, he hit .300 or better 11 times, and was player/manager for four pennant winners and two World Series teams. He guided the club to 14 straight first-division finishes, 1,422 wins, and compiled a winning percentage of .595. 
• 1903 - Deacon Phillippe, working on a days rest, gave up four hits in a 4-2 win over Boston Americans in the first World Series, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead in games. Ed Phelps doubled twice and Claude Ritchey had a pair of hits to lead the Pirate attack. The contest was played at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds. 
• 1908 - The Pirates moved a ½ game ahead of the Cubs and Giants with a 3-2 win over the Cardinals at Robison Field, the Bucs eighth straight victory. Nick Maddox tossed a five hitter and drove in a run; the other RBI came from the bats of Tommy Leach and Honus Wagner, and it was just enough to beat Art Fromme. Their next game was against the Cubs, and interest was so high that the Pittsburg Press opened four phone lines and posted telegraphed bulletins at their office with the Chicago game’s blow-by-blows. Alas, the Bucs lost that game and finished second in one of the great NL pennant races. 
• 1914 - Bob Harmon ended a disappointing season for the Bucs on a high note, tossing a two hit, 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Forbes Field in the home finale. Both Redleg runners were caught stealing by C Bob Schang, and Harmon faced the minimum 27 hitters while outdueling King Lear. Wally Gerber’s triple in the seventh drove in the game’s only score. 

 Bob Harmon 1916 Herpolsheimer series

• 1915 - The Pirates ended their season with a 5-3 win over the Reds. Retiring manager Fred Clarke hosted a banquet for his players after the game‚ celebrating not only his retirement but his 43rd birthday, before they scattered during the off season. The next day, he arrived back in Pittsburgh and was given a public send off in front of 500 at the Hotel Schenley. Carnegie Steel vice president HP Bope served as toastmaster of the event with team owner Barney Dreyfuss and Pittsburgh Mayor Joe Armstrong among the speakers. 
• 1931 - LF/1B Bob Skinner was born in La Jolla, California. The Dog (a nickname from his Marine Corps days) played for the Bucs in 1954 and then 1956-63, hitting .280. He was the starting left fielder for the 1960 World Series champs. Skinner was the Phillies manager from 1968-69, famously resigning when Richie Allen beefed about going to an exhibition game. He coached after that, serving with the Pirates from 1974-1976 and again from 1979-1985, along with other clubs. 
• 1937 - The Pirates swept a closing day doubleheader from the Reds at Forbes Field‚ 4-3 and 4-0‚ extending their winning streak to 10‚ and running the Reds' losing run to 14. The Bucs finished 21-1 against Cincinnati, winning the last 17 decisions of the season. Ken Heintzelman tossed a six-hitter in the opener. Woody Jensen scored twice and Fred Schulte had a pair of RBI to lead the attack. The second games was called after seven innings with Jim Weaver and Mace Brown combining on a three hitter. Bill Schuster and Gus Suhr each scored and drove in a run. 

 Ken Heintzelman 1930s Burke photo

• 1939 - Frankie Frisch jumped from the Boston Braves’ broadcasting booth to a managing gig‚ signing for two years with the Pirates to replace Pie Traynor, who resigned. He skippered the Bucs for seven seasons, from 1940-46. 
• 1948 - Vic Lombardi lost a duel to Johnny Vander Meer as the Reds took a 1-0 win at Crosley Field to end the season. It was scoreless into the bottom of the ninth when Bobby Adams walked, was bunted to second and came in on Steve Filipowicz’s single. Lombardi gave up five hits, Vander Meer just two. The loss cost the Bucs a chance to join Brooklyn in third; they finished fourth, 8-½ games behind the Boston Braves. 
• 1948 - Luke Easter's grand slam highlighted the Homestead Grays' 19-hit assault on the Birmingham Black Barons in the fourth game of the Negro World Series, played at Pelican Stadium in New Orleans. The Grays won the game 14-1 and the Championship in five games. This was the final Negro WS‚ as the Negro National League became a casualty of integration and folded during the winter, according to Charlton’s Baseball Chronology. 

 

Luke Easter 1948 from Richard Merkin Collection

• 1970 - Dock Ellis and Gary Nolan bent but refused to break at TRS until the Reds put up three runs in the 10th inning to take a 3-0, opening NLCS victory from the Pirates. Tony Perez’s double brought in the first score and the insurance runs were chased home on Lee May’s two out two bagger. Pittsburgh stranded nine runners, but only one Bucco reached third, and that was with two outs. Matty Alou had a tough day on the base paths; he was picked off in the first inning and caught stealing in the ninth, ending both frames.
• 1971 - 1B Bob Robertson hit three home runs, the first time ever done in a playoff game, and added a double in a 9-4 playoff win over the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. He had five RBI and four runs scored to give Dock Ellis all the offensive support he’d need. The Pirates launched a 15 hit barrage with Roberto Clemente and Dave Cash adding three knocks to square the NLCS at a game apiece.
• 1972 - Roberto Clemente made a ninth inning appearance in his 2,433rd and final game for the Bucs, tying Honus Wagner for the most games played by a Pirate as Pittsburgh beat St. Louis 6-2 at TRS in the season finale. 
• 1976 - The Pirates shut out the St. Louis Cardinals by identical 1-0 scores in a doubleheader at Three Rivers Stadium. Jim Rooker threw a seven hitter in the opener and Jerry Reuss followed with a five hitter in the nitecap. The Pirates wouldn’t win back-to-back 1-0 games again until September, 2014 when they blanked the Brewers and then the Braves. 

 Jerry Reuss 1976 Topps series

• 1979 - Pittsburgh won the second game of the NLCS 3-2 over the Reds in 10 innings at Riverfront Stadium. The Bucs nursed a 2-1 lead into the ninth, built on Tim Foli and Bill Madlock RBI. But back-to-back one out doubles by Hector Cruz and Dave Collins off Kent Tekulve tied the match. The Pirates came right back, though. A leadoff single by Omar Moreno, a bunt by Foli and the game winning knock by Dave Parker sent Doug Bair to defeat. Don Robinson got the win and the Pirates went up 2-0 in the series against Cincinnati. 
• 1990 - The Bucs’ Jerry Reuss‚ in his only start of the year‚ gave up one earned run but had a no decision in a 6-3 loss to the Mets in his last appearance in the majors. Reuss joined the exclusive four decade club (1969-90) and closed out his career claiming 220 wins without a 20 win season‚ a MLB record shared only with Milt Pappas and Frank Tanana among 200 game winners. 
• 1996 - The Pirates named Gene Lamont to replace Jim Leyland as skipper. 
• 1999 - The Mets literally outlasted the Pirates‚ 2-1. After a 6-hour rain delay‚ Buc reliever Brad Clontz tossed a bases loaded wild pitch to allow the winning run to score.
• 2010 - The Pirates finished the season with a 17-64 record on the road after suffering a 5-2 loss to the Marlins. The Bucs' away-from-home record equaled the mark that the 1963 Mets set as road kill during a 162-game season. 
• 2013 - AJ Burnett was chased in a seven run third inning that saw 11 Cardinals bat as St. Louis took the opener of the NLDS at Busch Stadium by a 9-1 score. Adam Wainwright went seven innings and struck out nine for the Redbirds. The Pirates only mustered four hits, two by Andrew McCutchen. Pedro Alvarez’s homer was the lone Bucco tally.