7/28 From 1990: Ty-Bins; Ross-JJ; Cordero-Wilson; Castro Clouts; Norris Nixed; Marte #1,000; Record Rally; Sup, A-Ram Sixers; Game Tales

• 1996 - Orlando Merced hit two home runs and tallied four RBI while Al Martin & Mark Johnson had four hits each as the Bucs beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 12-8, at TRS. Reliever John Ericks took home the win of the nationally televised ESPN Sunday Night Baseball match. It would be the last SNB appearance for the Bucs until 2014. 
• 2000 - Aramis Ramirez drove in six runs with a pair of homers, Emil Brown went long to plate four more runners and John Vander Wal also went yard in a 16-5 romp over the San Diego Padres at TRS. A-Ram, Jason Kendall, Kevin Young and Vander Wal scored three times each. 
• 2000 - The Bucs sent OF Wil Cordero to the Indians for IF Enrique Wilson and OF prospect Alex Ramirez. Cordero played respectably through 2003 while Wilson was traded again in 2001 and Ramirez began a long career as a slugger in Japan after the 2000 season. 

Wil Cordero - 2000 Upper Deck MVP

• 2001 - Pittsburgh became only the second team in NL history (the Cubs were the first in 1952) to win a game by scoring seven runs with two outs and nobody on base in the ninth inning. Brian Giles capped the scoring with a walk-off grand slam off Astros ace Billy Wagner to win the game, 9-8, after Pat Meares had hit a two-run shot earlier in the frame. The game was the opener of the first home day-night doubleheader in franchise history before a crowd of 32,977 at PNC Park. There was no drama in the nightcap as Houston rolled to a 12-3 victory. 
• 2003 - Jeff Suppan won his sixth consecutive start with a 3-0 decision over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, scattering seven hits. He was backed by Reggie Sanders’ homer and three hits from Randall Simon. Suppan was flipped to the Red Sox three days later as part of a deal for Freddy Sanchez and Mike Gonzalez. 
• 2004 - In one of their more frustrating losses, the Bucs collected 11 hits but were shut out by the Braves, 1-0, at PNC Park as the Pirates stranded 11 runners. Ollie Perez threw a five-hitter with 10 K, but Chipper Jones’ fourth-inning homer was the difference for the Bravos. John Smoltz came out of the bullpen to save the game for Russ Ortiz. 
• 2005 - The Bucs swapped with the San Diego Padres to get IF JJ Furmaniak in exchange for C David Ross. Furmaniak batted 52 times as a big leaguer with a .186 BA while Ross hit .229 but had a long shelf life ahead of him, playing through the 2016 season. He’s now the Cubs manager. 
• 2010 - Bucco first baseman Garrett Jones went 4-for-4 and homered twice as Pirates beat the Rockies, 6-2, at Coors Field. Leadoff batter Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Sean Gallagher tossed three hitless innings for the win in relief of starter Ross Ohlendorf, who left the game in the first inning after being struck in the temple by a line drive off the bat of Troy Tulowitzki. Ohlie fortunately just suffered a bruise and made his next start, only to be pulled in the first inning after again being smoked by a bullet, this one taken off the leg. When it rains... 

Garrett Jones - 2010 Topps Heritage

• 2012 - The Pirates won for the ninth time in 11 games, taking a 4-3 decision from the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Alex Presley and Neil Walker had solo shots, and Rod Barajas singled in Andrew McCutchen with the game winner with two out in the eighth. Chris Resop got the win in relief of ex-'Stro Wandy Rodriguez with Jason Grilli posting the save. The win kept the Bucs two games behind the Reds in the NL Central race. 
• 2013 - The final page in a deal that didn’t happen was turned when the Astros passed on the Bucs last and best offer of Luis Heredia & a competitive balance pick for Bud Norris, as reported by Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review. The give and take was released as part of Astro emails leaked by St. Louis Cardinal staffers. The Pirates offered one of Heredia, Tyler Glasnow or Alen Hanson for Norris; Houston GM Jeff Luhnow wanted Glasnow and either Heredia or Nick Kingham as a package, offers that Neal Huntington rejected as ‘Stro overreach. 
• 2014 - The Pirates laid some small ball on Madison Bumgarner in the first inning, and it led to a big frame. The Bucs stirred together three hits, two walks, an error and a pair of sac flies to jump ahead of the SF Giants, 4-0, and then added on a final run when Josh Harrison homered. The rest of the night at AT&T Park belonged to Vance Worley, who tossed his first MLB shutout and second career complete game. He allowed four hits, facing two batters over the minimum, just one of whom advanced past first thanks to three DPs and a caught stealing. It was the Bucs first complete game shutout since AJ Burnett turned the trick in 2012. 
• 2019 - Starling Marte went 2-for-5 and collected his 1000th career hit against the Mets at Citi Field. With the milestone, Marte became the 11th player in team history with at least 1,000 hits and 100 home runs. Bryan Reynolds, Jose Osuna and Jake Stallings added homers, but it wasn’t enough as the Bucs fell short, 8-7, after the NY nine jumped Chris Archer for six first-inning runs. 

Vance Worley - 2014 Topps

• 2020 - So much for playing six-inning games and handing a lead off to the pen: after blowing a 5-1 ninth-inning lead the night before to the Milwaukee Brewers and losing, 6-5, in 11 frames, the Bucs provided their own late lightning to overcome a four-run Brew Crew edge by scoring four times in seventh and twice in the eighth to rally for an 8-6 win at PNC Park. The Pirates' tying frame was fueled by some sloppy Brewer fielding; Phil Evans knotted the score with a two-out double a couple of batters after the Crew threw away a DP ball to allow two runs in. Adam Frazier bopped the game winner an inning later with a two-run homer to give Geoff Harlieb his first MLB win and Nick Burdi his first big league save. 
• 2021 - It took two tries, but the Buccos moved LHP Tyler Anderson (5-8/4.35), offered as a two-month rental on an expiring contract, by sending him to Seattle for C Carter Bins, 22, recently promoted to AA as a Top 30 Mariner prospect with some pop in his bat, and Panamanian RHP Joaquin Tejada, 18, working out of the DSL (he had just five pro innings under his belt), touted but obviously a project. Anderson was first traded to Philadelphia earlier in the afternoon for a pair of Low A prospects, but that deal fell through when one of the Phils youngsters didn't pass the Pirates physical. Anderson is now with LA, where he earned an All-Star bid. Bins is catching for Indy while Tejada moved up to the Rookie League. 
• 2021 - On the field, the news wasn’t very cheery as the Brew Crew whupped the Bucs, 7-3, at PNC Park. But a bit of history was made when 22-year-old rookie 2B Rodolfo Castro, called up from Altoona after the Adam Frazier trade, banged a pair of homers to account for all three tallies. Those long balls set an MLB record by making Rudy the first player whose first five big league hits were home runs. His streak ended when he doubled, with the ball clearing the wall but on a hop, against the Phils on 7/30.

7/27 Through the 1960s: Cover Boy Matty; Buck Shot; Harris Takes Two; Skeeter Buzzes In; Game Tales; RIP Babe; HBD Biz, Irish & Henry

• 1860 - RHP Henry Jones was born in McKeesport. Henry started playing for McKeesport in 1884 and hopped from one minor/indie team to another, landing with the Alleghenys in 1890. He went 2-1/3.48 in five outings (four starts), though his numbers don’t tell a true tale - he gave up 25 runs, but only 12 were earned, although he did finish with a 3.85 FIP. It still ended up as his only big league campaign, and after two more years in the bushes, he was done with pro ball. He later lived  from Pittsburgh to Suterville and earned his daily bread as a miner and steelworker before passing on in 1922. 
• 1880 - LHP/OF Henry “Irish” McIlveen was born in Belfast, Ireland. His family later settled in the Pittsburgh area and McIlveen attended Penn State. He got his start in the majors with the Pirates in 1906, pitching two games and slashing 0-1/7.71. He was wisely converted to the outfield and caught on with the NY Highlanders, seeing some action in 1908 and getting into four games the following year before ending his MLB days. 

Biz Mackey - artwork/Kadir Nelson

• 1897 - C Biz Mackey was born in Eagle Pass, Texas. The 2006 Hall of Famer played for 24 seasons in the Negro Leagues and made a brief stop in the area in 1927, playing for the Homestead Grays when they were an independent team. He put together a .329 lifetime BA and is considered one of the two top catchers in black baseball history, along with Josh Gibson. 
• 1908 - Honus Wagner and Chief Wilson led the Bucs to a 4-3 win over the NY Giants and Christy Mathewson at the Polo Grounds. The Flying Dutchman had a pair of doubles good for two runs and an RBI while Wilson had two knocks, including a triple, scored once and drove in a pair. Nick Maddox got the win while Irv Young came on to get the last out in the ninth. 
• 1916 - The Pirates bought the contract of 21-year-old Carson “Skeeter” Bigbee from Tacoma (he played his college ball at Oregon). Bigbee spent his 11-year MLB career as a Buc, batting .287 as mainly a LF who also played a bit in center and 2B. He was a hero of the 1925 World Series when his two-out, eighth-inning pinch hit double plated the tying run and he scored the winner against Walter “Big Train” Johnson in the seventh game although health issues had reduced him to a role player. He was part of a Buc brother act as sib Lyle pitched for the 1921 club. 
• 1927 - Vic Aldridge tossed a five-hitter and the Bucs scored twice in the eighth to beat Dazzy Vance and the Brooklyn Robins, 2-1, at Forbes Field to take over undisputed possession of first place. Kiki Cuyler’s single scored Paul Waner, who had three hits on the day, and George Grantham for the win. 

Vic Aldridge - 1925-27 Conlon Collection/Detroit Public Library

• 1932 - Bill Harris notched a pair of wins in a twinbill against the Giants at the Polo Grounds, tossing three innings in the opening, 9-8, win followed by two perfect frames in a 4-2 nitecap victory. In the first game, Lloyd Waner had four knocks while Arky Vaughan and Tony Piet homered. The Pirates scored three in the ninth to take the second match with C Earl Grace knocking home two of his three RBI and Harris singling in another. The Pirates increased their NL lead over the Cubs to five games, but would finish the season four games behind Chicago.
• 1941 - Homestead Gray 1B Buck Leonard launched a three-run homer at Chicago’s Comiskey Park to lead the East to an 8-3 win over the West in the Negro League All-Star Game. The contest drew a record crowd of 50,256. 
• 1942 - Pirates owner Bill Benswanger planned a tryout for Negro League players Roy Campanella, Sammy T. Hughes, and David Barnhill as reported by the NY Daily Worker. The August date was pushed back to September while Benswanger added Josh Gibson, Willie Wells, Sam Bankhead, Leon Day and several others to the list. But the new September showcase never happened for unknown reasons (it was thought that most owners were opposed to the idea and Benswanger didn’t want to go solo, but he never gave a public reason for the inaction) and a black ballplayer wouldn’t join MLB until Jackie Robinson in 1947. 
• 1961 - Giants’ Manager Alvin Dark said before the game that "Juan Marichal will go all the way" and kept his bullpen in the dugout to emphasize the point. And to rub it in, he was right. Marichal threw a complete game, five-hit shutout at Forbes Field, winning 2-0 over the Pirates and hurler Vinegar Bend Mizell. 

• 1968 - Matty Alou was featured as the cover story of The Sporting News in an article titled “Pistol Packing Pirate.” Mateo was indeed packing - he hit .332 for his third straight .330+ campaign as a Pirate and earned a spot on the NL All-Star team for the first time. 
• 1968 - Charles “Babe” Adams passed away in Silver Springs, Maryland, at age 80. The righty was on the short list of great Bucco pitchers, slashing 194-139-16/2.74 in 18 Pirates campaigns. Babe was the hero of the 1909 World Series, going 3-0/1.33 against Ty Cobb and the Tigers. He later was a farmer and newspaperman, covering local Mount Moriah, Missouri, sports and also serving as a foreign correspondent during World War II and the Korean War.

7/27 From 1970: Fort-itude; Hacky-Sack; Tick-Tock; Can't-Turn-Two-Tony; Bell Bombs; Canuck Crowd; Game Tales; HBD Enrique

• 1973 - IF Enrique Wilson was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The nine-year vet played two half-seasons for the Bucs in 2000-01, hitting .223 and playing 2B, SS & 3B. The Bucs got him at the 2000 deadline as part of the Wil Cordero deal with Cleveland and then sent him to the Yankees at the next deadline for Damaso Marte. Two Enrique factoids: he hit .440 lifetime against Pedro Martinez, and in 2001, he was scheduled to be on American Airlines Flight 587 that crashed in Rockaway, killing everyone aboard. But when the Yankees lost the 2001 World Series, canceling the victory parade, Wilson flew home a few days earlier and missed the doomed flight. He’s had a fear of flying ever since. 
• 1979 - The Bucs swept Montreal in a twin bill at Olympic Stadium in front of 59,260, the biggest baseball turnout in Canada. They took the opener, 5-4, three times losing leads to the pesky Expos before Phil Garner’s eighth-inning single scored Dave Parker with the game winner. Scrap Iron had a big game, with three hits and a homer, while Kent Tekulve allowed an inherited runner to score in the seventh to tie the game but still got the win with Enrique Romo picking up the save. Bob Robertson went long and had four RBI while Phil Garner went 3-for-4 again with four runs scored in the Bucs 9-1 win in the nitecap. Bert Blyleven went the distance, scattering five hits and striking out nine as the Bucs cut the Expos lead to 1/2 game. 

Larry McWilliams - 1983 Donruss

• 1982 - Larry McWilliams tossed a three-hitter and struck out 11 in a wire-to-wire shutout win over Philadelphia, 4-0, at TRS. Jason Thompson drove home a pair and Bill Madlock homered to provide the cushion against the Phils. In more good pitching news, John Candelaria was named the NL Pitcher of the Week after beating Cincy, 3-1, and Atlanta, 8-0. 
• 1983 - Jose DeLeon spun a four-hitter while Rennie Stennett & Johnny Ray combined for six hits, three homers and seven RBI to lead a 15-hit attack as the Bucs rolled over San Diego at TRS, 10-1. DeLeon struck out seven and carried a no-hitter through the sixth inning in his second major league start (he beat San Francisco in his debut) and first complete game. 
• 1988 - The Pirates found a ball but lost their catcher while taking a 3-2, 10-inning decision against the Cards at Busch Stadium. In the third inning, Bobby Bonilla at third base lost a foul pop and Junior Ortiz ran it down, making a diving, tumbling grab. He broke his collarbone in the process and was lost to the team until mid-September with Mike Lavalliere picking up most of the slack along with Tom Prince. The Pirates had an early 2-0 lead thanks to a Barry Bonds third-inning triple sandwiched between a single & grounder, and won it in the 10th when Bonds was chased home by Jose Lind’s double. The two-bagger extended Chico’s hitting streak to nine games and kept the Pirates two games behind the Mets in the standings. Mike Dunne started the game which was won by Jeff Robinson and saved by Jim Gott. 
• 1991 - Jay Bell had the first two-homer game of his career, going 4-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored in Pittsburgh’s 11-5 win at Houston’s Astrodome. Bell opened with a homer in the first, then added a three-run shot in the sixth inning to extend the Bucs’ lead to 11-0. Barry Bonds added three RBI and scored twice as Randy Tomlin picked up the win. 

Jay Bell - 1991 Donruss

• 1998 - 2B Tony Womack set a record of 888 consecutive at-bats without grounding into a double play in an 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Rox at Coors Field. The previous record had been held by Brooklyn's Pete Reiser, set in the mid-forties. Tony ran the mark to 219 straight games and 918 at-bats without hitting into a twin killing. Jose Guillen had four hits and a homer (he also made one of the great throws in Pirates history, gunning a ball from the warning track in right on the fly to 3B Keith Osik to hose Neifi Perez by five feet) while Kevin Young also went long with three RBI. 
• 1999 - In one of baseball’s weirder promotions, the Pirates defeated the Mets‚ 5-1‚ in the first of MLB's "Turn Ahead the Clock Nights," sponsored by Century 21 Real Estate. Each team wore futuristic uniforms (the Bucs had red jerseys with yellow sleeves and a giant Bucco head logo, better fit for Barnum & Bailey than a ballyard), with the hometown squad becoming the "Mercury" Mets for the night. The pregame welcome was “Greetings, earthlings. Welcome to Shea Station 4C. Blastoff time is 7:40.” The theme was carried on throughout the evening, with the scoreboard flashing computerized graphics of the players of the future as each came to the plate. Rickey Henderson, for example, was given three eyes and pointy ears, and played "left quadrant." Al Martin hit the first of his two HRs in the first "sector‚" and rookie Kris Benson went all nine sectors for the win. 
• 2009 - In an otherwise unremarkable 4-2 loss to Tim Lincecum at AT&T Park, Delwyn Young added a little spice to the show. Randy Winn’s bloop into right went off right fielder Garrett Jones’ mitt, then he soccer-balled it off his knee and kicked it into the air with his foot for good measure. Young, playing second, dove after the horsehide hacky-sack and made a lunging barehanded grab. Alas, the ump blew the call and gave Winn a hit, which was pretty much how the Pirates’ luck ran back then. Nevertheless, Tribune Review writer Joe Starkey called the catch the “best play of the decade.” 
• 2013 - Mike McKenry showed why MLB catchers are a different breed of cat. He caught the final three frames of a 7-4 win against Miami at Marlins Park after tearing the lateral meniscus in his left knee during a slide, an injury that required season-ending surgery three days later. It was hard to tell, as the reserve catcher, who soldiered through the game because starting catcher Russell Martin had tweaked his knee the previous night, went 4-for-5. The Fort was the battery mate of Charlie Morton, who took home the win with a save by Mark Melancon. 

Gerritt Cole - 2016 Topps Opening Day

• 2016 - It took 88 tries, but Gerrit Cole tossed his first complete game, spinning a three-hitter against the Seattle Mariners at PNC Park on the way to a 10-1 Bucco romp. The top of the order was smoking as Jordy Mercer & Andrew McCutchen had three hits apiece while Starling Marte & David Freese added a pair. The foursome went 10-for-17 with four doubles, a homer, two walks and HBP, scoring eight times and chasing home six. And the fifth guy in the order, Jung Ho Kang added a base-loaded double and had four RBI on the night. Ross Ohlendorf, btw, reclaimed the franchise’s title for going the longest without a CG at 64 starts. 
• 2018 - The Bucs had dropped two in a row, coinciding with injuries to Starling Marte and Corey Dickerson, and things looked bleak when Michael Conforto lit up Ivan Nova for a three-run, first-inning homer at PNC Park to give the Mets a quick lead. An inning later, Josh Bell left the game with an oblique injury, but veteran platoon guy David Freese carried the team through the grind to a 5-4 victory. He was aboard five times with three hits, including a homer and two walks while driving home all five runs, the last a ninth-inning, walk off, rap. The Bucco bullpen carried its weight, too, minimizing a jam Nova had left and tossing four innings of scoreless, three-hit ball with five whiffs. Edgar Santana and Kyle Crick held the fort before Felipe Vazquez tossed the ninth for the win.

7/26: Holmes, Nady Yankee Swaps; Shelty's 1st; Meals Game; Kendall' Contract; Spanky Swipe; Gunner Sighting; Candy Clipped; Groat 5-for-5; Game Tales; HBD Joaquin, Jose, Tom, Jimmy & Eddie

• 1889 - The Alleghenys defeated the Cleveland Spiders, 8-4, at Recreation Park despite giving up a three-run infield homer to ex-Allegheny Jay Faatz, whose hot shot to 3B Jim White bounced off his foot and went into the “free seats” - temporary stands - and couldn’t be dug out in time to stop Faatz from circling the bases. Fred Carroll, Ned Hanlon and Doggie Miller each had three knocks to spearhead a 16-hit Buc attack that carried Harry Staley to the win. Miller homered over the left field wall, and the Pittsburgh Press wrote “The crowd went wild as little George trotted over the circuit and lifted his cap at the plate. An enthusiast threw a silver dollar at him, which (Miller) accepted with a smile.” 
• 1917 - 2B Jimmy Bloodworth was born in Tallahassee, Florida. Jimmy played for 11 seasons and was a member of the 1950 NL champ “Whiz Kids” Phillies team. Like many of his era, he spent time in the Army from 1944-46. Bloodworth put in one season with the Pirates in 1947, batting .250, just about his career average, appearing in 88 games. 1951 was Bloodworth’s last season in the major leagues. He played in the minors for the next three years, managed in the bushes for two more years and then served as a deputy sheriff in Florida. 

Eddie Bockman - 1949 Bowman

• 1920 - IF Joe “Eddie” (his middle name) Bockman was born in Santa Ana, California. He had a brief four-year MLB stay, spending his last two campaigns in 1948-49 with the Pirates, playing second and third while batting .230 in 149 games. He spent a decade as a Bucco player/coach in the minors, then another 30 years as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, where he signed Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Joe Charboneau, Buck Martinez, Ricky Jordan, Randy Lerch, Dick Ruthven, John Vukovich and Bob Walk. In 1992, he became a scout for the expansion Florida Marlins. He passed away in 2011 at the age of 91. 
• 1921 - OF Tom Saffell was born in Etowah, Tennessee. He played for the Bucs from 1949-51, then after three seasons in the minors, returned in 1955. The speedy OF’er hit .239 for the Bucs. He was a minor celeb, though, as he was the pitcher for the 1960 syndicated TV show “Home Run Derby” that was hosted by Mark Scott. That program was said to inspire the ASG’s home run derby, and was also part of ESPN’s Classic series. 
• 1927 - The Pirates pushed across two runs in the bottom of the eighth to edge the Brooklyn Dodgers, 6-5, at Forbes Field to remain tied with the Cubs for the NL lead. They were almost derailed by a former mate, Max Carey, who had three hits, three runs, and three stolen bases. But the Waner brothers came through in the clutch. Lloyd had three hits and scored twice, both times driven home by Paul. Little Poison took over the league lead in hits while Lee Meadows went the distance for the win. 
• 1928 - NY Giant future Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell made his MLB debut against the Pirates at the Polo Grounds. He pitched a scoreless first inning, but the Bucs scored five times in the second to knock him out of the game, winning, 7-5, behind Burleigh Grimes. Paul Waner had three hits and two RBI to lead a balanced Bucco attack. But King Carl persisted: he left MLB after 16 years, with 253 wins under his belt and a slash of 49-21/3.07 lifetime against Pittsburgh. 

Jose Martinez - 1970 Topps

• 1942 - Utilityman Jose Martinez was born in Cardenas, Cuba. Jose was signed by the Bucs in 1960 and spent 1969-70 with the Pirates, his only stop in the show as a player, hitting .245 in 96 games. He put in 14 years on the farm before his MLB career took off as a bench boss and administrator. Jose served as a minor league manager and major league coach for the KC Royals from 1980-88 and then coached with the Chicago Cubs from 1988-94. He joined the Atlanta Braves front office in 1995 and worked for them until his death in 2014. 
• 1952 - The Pirates used the power of persistence to overcome Boston at Braves Field, 6-4. Falling behind 3-0 after an inning, the Bucs, led by rookie Dick Groat’s 5-for-5 day (he snapped out of an 0-for-19 funk), chipped away at the Brave lead. Pittsburgh, behind two RBI from Groat and a two-run homer by Gus Bell, climbed back into a tie in the seventh. They went ahead in the ninth on George Metkovich’s two-run, two-out double, set up by Clem Koshorek, who had the ball waiting on him as he went from first-to-third on a single but kicked it out of 3B Sibby Sisti’s mitt. Howie Pollet recovered from the rocky first inning (and it didn't get much easier; Boston had runners aboard in eight of the nine frames) for the win, and added three knocks to the attack. 
• 1977 - The Bucs dodged a bullet when John Candelaria took a liner just below his pitching elbow but only suffered a bruise in a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros at TRS. He was replaced by Goose Gossage, who was pitching for the first time in eight days after a rib pull, and The Goose got the final five outs, one a spectacular leaping catch by Dave Parker at the wall. It was Candy Man’s best season, ending at 20-5/2.34. He led the league in ERA and enjoyed his only 20-win season (and only All-Star selection). Candy’s stellar season wasn’t enough for the Bucs, though - they won 96 games, but finished five behind the division-winning Phillies. 
• 1977 - RHP Joaquin Benoit was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The last stop in his 16-year career was with the Pirates in 2017 after the FO pulled off a deadline deal with the Phils, getting Benoit for a minor leaguer. He was a season-ending warm body and went 0-2/7.56 in eight games as a 39-year-old. He signed with the Nats for 2018, but spent the season on the DL and was done. 

Joaquin Benoit - 2017 photo/Pirates

• 1979 - The Gunner was briefly united with old mate Jim Woods on the United Artists Satellite radio system for a game against the Reds at TRS. The Possum was a regular broadcaster for the network (they featured national Thursday Night games), and it was a one-time deal for Prince. There was plenty of action, but the Bucs fell short, losing, 9-7, as Dave Roberts and Joe Coleman were tagged for eight runs in three innings, a deficit that Willie Stargell and Bill Robinson homers couldn’t overcome. 
• 1988 - Doug Drabek carried a two-hit shutout into the ninth against the Cards at Busch Stadium, but was banged for a two-out homer by Willie McGee to cut the score to 2-1 and add a little drama to the affair. Jimmy Leyland yanked him for Jim Gott (“I’ve seen too many guys give up a home run like that, lose a little concentration and boom, someone else has got them” the skipper told Bob Hertzel of the Pittsburgh Press after the game). Gott added to the final theatrics by giving up a single, but closed it out by blowing a fastball past Tom Brunansky to book the victory. The Bucs scored twice in the fourth on a wild pitch and Sid Bream knock, scoring Jose Lind & Andy Van Slyke, to snap a four-game losing streak and stay two games behind the Mets in the division race. Another notable feat occurred during the game: C Spanky LaValliere stole his first MLB base, one of a single-season high of three swipes in ‘88. He stole two more sacks in 1991 and those five bags were his total big league output as a larcenist. 
• 1997 - C Jason Kendall signed a four-year/$7.2M contract extension covering his arbitration years that carried him to 2001. It was well worth the price; the young backstop hit .317 over the life of the deal, earned two All-Star bids and his play led to a six-year, $60M deal when the extension expired. 
• 2008 - OF Xavier Nady & LHP Damaso Marte were traded to the New York Yankees for OF Jose Tabata and RHPs Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen & Ross Ohlendorf. During their Bucco careers, Karstens tossed for five years (23-35/4.31), McCutchen made 109 appearances in four seasons (8-11/4.77) and Ohlie tossed for four years (13-27/4.61). Tabata was the key prospect; the Pirates locked him up to a long-term deal guaranteed for five years/$14.5M. Although he hit .275 for Pittsburgh over six years, injuries and lack of power were his undoing and he was shipped to the Dodgers. 

Jerry Meals says safe - 7/26/2011 photo Scott Cunningham/Getty

• 2011 - This was the black day of the Jerry Meals game in Atlanta, heralding the end of the Bucco's improbable pennant run. The ump blew a call at home in the 19th inning, giving the Braves a 4-3 win and starting a downward spiral of epic proportions for Pittsburgh. At 6 hours and 39 minutes, it was the longest game in club history. The Pirates filed a protest (at 2:30 in the morning) but the judgment call was upheld, even though the League Office admitted it was wrong. To add a little salt to the wound, Meals was born in nearby Butler. 
• 2012 - In a rookie-to-rookie match, Starling Marte homered to left center against Houston’s Dallas Keuchel off the first MLB pitch he saw. Pittsburgh won, 5-3, at Minute Maid Park as Garrett Jones and Clint Barmes also went long while AJ Burnett took home the victory. Marte became the third Bucco to send his first major league pitch over the wall, joining Walter Mueller (1922) and Don Leppert (1961). 
• 2020 - It took three tries, but new Bucco skipper Derek Shelton won his MLB first game by a 5-1 count over the Cardinals in Busch Stadium. Mitch Keller went five innings, giving up a run, before JT Brubaker, in his first big league outing, Michael Feliz and Nick Burdi nailed it down. Jose Osuna and Colin Moran homered while Phil Evans collected three hits. In a sidebar, with no fans in attendance due to Covid 19 regs, Derek Holland decided to take in the game from the box seats, from whence he was ejected for jawing at the plate umpire, Jordan Baker. He became the first player given the thumb in 2020. 
• 2021 - The NY Yankees acquired RHP Clay Holmes from the Pirates in exchange for IFs Diego Castillo, 23, and Hoy Jun Park, 25. Park was playing AAA ball, went to Indy briefly and was called up on 7/31, while Castillo was in AA and assigned to Altoona; both play 2B/SS (Park can also play in the pasture). The pair showed some pop on the farm with the sticks, and both have been up-and-down, filling in as Pirate utilitymen. Holmes was rejuvenated by the deal and became the Yankees back-end go-to guy.

7/25 Through the 1950s: Beckley-Davis; Kelly Claimed; Arriba Inside-The-Park Granny; Elliott Sixer; Kiki Swipes 'Em All; Carey Count; Game Tales; HBD Jack, John & Marv

• 1863 - John Tener was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and moved to the City as a babe. A pitcher for the Pittsburgh Burghers in 1890, he later served as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1911 to 1914 and President of the National Baseball League from 1915 to 1918. 
• 1894 - The Chicago Colts pounded out 26 hits, 12 for extra bases, and laid a 24-6 beating on Pittsburgh at the West Side Grounds. Every Colt had at least a hit and a run, and Chicago batted around in four innings. It could have been worse; the game was called after seven innings so the Pirates could catch a train back home. The Pittsburgh Press noted that the game “...resulted in the most disastrous whipping recorded in the annals of the national league of baseball,” adding that “...the Pittsburg fielders were kept busy chasing savage drives...Pittsburg’s weakness in the (pitching) box was apparent,” as it was in the 18-11 loss suffered the day before. Still, the club did finish the year at 65-65, albeit with a 5.62 team ERA, 10th in the 13 team MLB. 
• 1896 - The Pirates traded 1B Jake Beckley to the New York Giants for 1B Harry Davis and cash. Beckley was a local favorite who would eventually enter the Hall of Fame, and the deal didn’t sit very well with the fans. Both teams got a good year, bad year out of the players, who then went on to star for different clubs. Beckley spent seven years with Cincinnati and hit .325 over that span, cementing his HoF path, while Davis spent 16 of his last 17 seasons (he played 22 years) hitting .279 for the Philadelphia Athletics. 

Jake Beckley - photo via Baseball Hall of Fame

• 1908 - Before an SRO crowd of 30,000+ at the Polo Grounds, the Pirates' Lefty Leifield topped the NY Giants and Christy Mathewson, 7-2. Two errors in the seventh opened the door for five Pirate runs to break up what had been a pretty solid pitching duel. Pittsburgh was led by Honus Wagner, who went 5-for-5 to take over the batting lead from Mike Donlin of the Giants. After each hit, Wagner held up a finger to show the number of safeties he had to RF Donlin, according to the BR Bullpen entry. It was an interesting game - it was delayed by rain, and even though police surrounded the field during play, there was a half-hour stoppage when the yard was rushed by fans, that were led by, per the Pittsburgh Press, “thick heads in the 25 cent section...,” eventually requiring the help of the Giants players to control. 
• 1912 - The Pirates blew an early lead against Brooklyn, but rallied to tie the score in the eighth and then rode Howie Camnitz’s arm to a 14-inning, 8-7, win over the Superbas at Forbes Field. Camnitz gave up just two hits in six innings, and got the win when Dots Miller’s sac fly brought home Chief Wilson, who had singled and moved to third on a Honus Wagner double. 
• 1913 - Max Carey scored five runs against the Phils without a hit, reaching first via an error and four walks, as the Bucs won, 12-2, at Forbes Field. He also stole four bases and advanced twice on wild pitches to help Claude Hendrix to the win. The Pittsburgh Press griped that “The battle was a long, drawn out affair that required two hours and 10 minutes.” 
• 1917 - 1B George “Highpockets” Kelly was claimed by the Bucs off waivers from the NY Giants. He got in eight games, and after the injured player he replaced (43-year-old Honus Wagner) came back, he was waived back to the Giants. Kelly became a Hall-of-Fame player for NY, hitting .297 over 16 seasons. 

Highpockets Kelly - via Baseball Hall of Fame

• 1921 - CF Marv Rackley was born in Seneca, South Carolina. Marv was bungee Bucco - the Brooklyn Dodgers sent him to Pittsburgh in 1949 for 1B Johnny Hopp. He got into 11 games and hit .314, but it ended up that he was damaged goods with a bum arm. The deal was voided and he went back to da Bums, who sold him to the Reds (with proper notice of the achy wing) in the off season. He played five games for them before being sent down, and he finished his career in the upper minors, retiring after the 1955 campaign. 
• 1921 - CF Max Carey corralled 11 flies during the Pirates' 6-3 win over New York at Forbes Field, tying a record (it was broken in 1929). He also scored three times, going 3-for-4 with two doubles. Rabbit Maranville, batting behind him, drove home three to support Babe Adams, who went the distance for the win. 
• 1925 - In a ho-hum 7-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Forbes Field, Kiki Cuyler became the last Bucco to steal second, third and home in a game. 
• 1930 - The Homestead Grays rode a five-run second frame and Vic Harris’ ninth-inning, two-out walk-off dinger to a 6-5 win over the KC Monarchs at Forbes Field. Harris' homer rolled under a tarp and allowed him plenty of time to circle the bases. It was one of three hits for him; Georges Scales added three more knocks as Lefty Williams went the distance for the win over Chet Brewer, who later became a Pirates scout. It marked the first appearance of Josh Gibson, who took over behind the plate after starter Buck Ewing was hurt during the match. 

Vic Harris - Helmar Big League Brew

• 1931 - Larry French went the distance at Forbes Field during a 14-inning, 3-2 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the longest NL contest of the season. It wasn’t exactly a gem, as he gave up 15 hits, but it was enough to outduel Fred Heimach, who also went gate-to-gate. Pie Traynor had three hits (two 3Bs & 2B), two runs and an RBI. It was the second game of a twin bill; the Bucs took the opener, 5-2. Spades Wood not only tossed a three-hitter, but drove in a pair of runs. Traynor had two hits in that match, including a double, and scored twice. 
• 1932 - LHP Jack McMahan was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Pirates drafted him after the 1955 campaign from the Yankees as a Rule 5 pick, called him in from the pen 11 times (0-0/6.08) in 1956 and then shipped him, along with Curt Roberts, to KC for Spook Jacobs in June. The Athletics used him as a starter and sent him back to the NYY after the campaign as part of a huge, 13-man trade. It was the only MLB season for McMahan; he spent three more years in the minors and retired, returning to Hot Springs. He kept his hand in baseball as a side gig, scouting for the Cardinals and coaching the local American Legion nine. Jack passed away in 2020. 
• 1944 - Max Butcher tossed a six-hit goose egg at the Polo Grounds as the Bucs blasted the NY Giants‚ 15-0. Pittsburgh banged out 20 hits and posted a nine-run second inning. Bob Elliott had six RBI and a homer while Pete Coscarart and Jim Russell each added four knocks. 
• 1951 - The Pirates overcame a 4-0 deficit by scoring four times in the seventh and once again in the eighth to rally past the NY Giants, 5-4, at Forbes Field. Joe Garagiola’s homer in the seventh was the big blow, with the game winner being a bases-loaded sac fly delivered by George Strickland an inning later. Ted Wilks got the win after two innings of clean relief work with three whiffs. 

Joe Garagiola - 1952 Topps

• 1952 - Manager Billy Meyer held a clubhouse meeting after the Bucs had dropped six games in a row (per the Pittsburgh Press, Billy told them “...to look respectable”) and apparently the low-key boot in the pants worked as Pittsburgh beat the Boston Braves, 3-2, at Forbes Field. Clem Koshorek doubled home a pair of runs and the game-winner was Jack Merson’s fourth-inning single, scoring Ralph Kiner. Murry Dickson made it hold up while scattering nine hits. It was his seventh win of the campaign - three were versus Boston and three more against the NY Giants. The pep talk afterglow didn’t have very strong legs - after the Pirates won the next day, they then lost six of the next seven on their way to a last-place, 42-win season. 
• 1956 - The Bucs blew a four-run lead by giving up eight tallies to the Cubs in the last two innings. But Chicago didn’t roster the only comeback kids at Forbes Field. Roberto Clemente ripped an inside-the-park, ninth-inning grand slam to bring the Bucs back for a 9-8 win. He banged the pitch off Jim Brosnan, and it ricocheted off the base of the left field light standard and ran along the track into center. Clemente ran through 3B coach Bobby Bragan’s stop sign (there were no outs) and as Ernie Bank’s relay headed home "He slid, missed the plate, then reached back to rest his hand on the rubber...as the crowd of 12,431 went goofy with excitement" per sportswriter Jack Hernon of the Post Gazette. It was the only walk-off, inside-the-park grand slam in MLB history. In the same game, Dale Long hit his 20th homer, then a club record for lefties, breaking Arky Vaughan’s 1935 mark.

7/25 From 1960: Fraze/Suwinski-Turcano Announced; Pitcher Switcheroo; Candy - 27 Batters; Murtaugh & ASG; Game Tales; HBD Doug, Cam, Alex & Ed

• 1960 - The Bucs regained first place when Bob Friend defeated the Cardinals, 4-2, at Busch Stadium behind home runs from Bill Virdon, Bob Skinner and Roberto Clemente. Pittsburgh wouldn’t relinquish the top spot for the remainder of the season, finishing seven games agead of the Milwaukee Braves. 
• 1962 - RHP Doug Drabek was born in Victoria, Texas. He tossed six seasons (1987-92) in Pittsburgh with a line of 92-62/3.02. Drabek won the Cy Young in 1990 when he went 22-6, but oddly never made an All-Star team as a Pirate. Doug spent six seasons in the show after he left Pittsburgh following the 1992 season but never won more than a dozen games elsewhere. After he retired, he spent time at home and helped coach Little League ball. In 2010, he returned to pro ball as a pitching coach for Arizona, a position he still holds. 
• 1963 - Tommie Sisk pitched five innings of near perfect relief (he walked two) and rode Roberto Clemente’s three-run homer to a 6-2 win over league leading Los Angeles and ace Sandy Koufax at Dodger Stadium. Smoky Burgess chipped in with a pair of RBI. Koufax had entered the game with just three losses and a 1.75 ERA. He evened up in the September rematch, giving up one earned run with 9 K in a complete game win.

Del Crandall - 1965 photo/Jay Publishing

• 1965 - The Bucs took the opener of a twin bill at Forbes Field from the Cubs, 3-2, when back-up catcher Del Crandall, 35, was called into duty in the sixth. He banged a two-out, 3-1 pitch barely into the left center seats for the win. Bill Mazeroski also homered, and Vern Law won his second game in 24 hours as the seventh Pirate pitcher, working the final 1-1/3 IP. The Cubs took the nightcap easily, 5-0, in 1:37; the Pirates had just three hits and a Roberto Clemente line-out triple play to show for their efforts. 
• 1967 - 1B/3B Ed Sprague was born in Castro Valley, California. Sprague spent one of his 11 major league campaigns in Pittsburgh, signing in 1999 for $1.3M, and it was a solid season. He became the Bucco starter, hitting .267 with 22 homers and made the only All-Star game of his career. He left for San Diego in 2000, with Aramis Ramirez slotted in at the hot corner for Pittsburgh. 2001 was his last big league year, and he became the head coach for the U. of Pacific Tigers from 2004-15. In 2016, Sprague joined Oakland as a special advisor and is currently their Coordinator of Instruction. 
• 1972 - The NL nosed out the AL, 4-3, at Atlanta Stadium in the All-Star game, kicking off an 11-game winning streak for the senior circuit. Manager Danny Murtaugh had a boatload of Bucs on his roster: RHP Steve Blass, OFs Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Al Oliver plus C Manny Sanguillen. Blass went an inning and gave up a run. Sangy went 1-for-2, Pops 0-for-1 with a walk, and Scoops went 0-for-1. The Great One didn’t get in the last of his 12 All-Star games; he was voted a starter, but was injured. He did have a pretty capable replacement, though - Hank Aaron played in his stead. 
• 1977 - Bill Robinson made amends for a throwing error in the top of the eighth inning by banging a three-run homer in the bottom half as the Bucs beat Phil Niekro and the Braves for the eighth time in nine tries, 6-3. Robinson had a couple of busy innings at TRS - his leadoff double in the seventh tied the game when he scored after a pair of grounders and his error put the Bravos’ leadoff guy on third in a 3-3 game, although Jerry Reuss picked him up and stranded the runner. Reuss went the distance, firing a five-hitter, for the win.

Bill Robinson - 1977 Topps

• 1982 - John Candelaria faced the minimum 27 batters in a four-hit, 86-pitch shutout win over the Atlanta Braves. Three DPs and a caught stealing took the Brave runners off the basepaths in an 8-0 whipping at TRS. The middle of the Pirate lineup - Bill Madlock, Jason Thompson and Dave Parker - drove home a pair of runs each. 
• 1983 - The Bucs were hanging on to a slim 4-3 lead against the Padres at TRS when Rick Rhoden filled the bases with no outs in the sixth inning. Cecilio Guante, who had been out of action since July 14th with a sore shoulder, was waved in and struck out the side. It was the key moment of a 6-3 Bucco win, as Guante tossed four shutout frames and was finally given a safety net in the bottom of the eighth when Dave Parker, who had three hits on the night, homered. 
• 1985 - OF Alex Presley was born in Monroe, Louisiana. Picked in the eighth round of the 2006 draft, he hit .261 as a back-and-forth member of the Pirate roster between 2010-13, before he was traded to the Minnesota Twins as part of the Justin Morneau deal. He also played for Houston, Milwaukee and Detroit before taking his final MLB bow in 2017. 
• 1986 - 8,622 fans sat through a nondescript 7-3 loss to the Giants at TRS without realizing that they were actually witnessing a bit of Bucco history: for the first time, the Killer B’s, Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla, started together for the Pirates. Bonds was at leadoff while playing centerfield and had two hits; Bo patrolled left and batted sixth in his third game back since being reacquired from the White Sox and drew a pair of walks. They played together through 1991.

Killer B's - 1987 Topps Team Leaders

• 1987 - The Pirates ended their west coast trip on a winning note by dropping the San Diego Padres, 9-3, at Jack Murphy Stadium. The journey had started perilously, with a pair of losses to the LA Dodgers but concluded at 6-4, their first winning left coast visit since 1983. The offensive heroes were Sid Bream with three hits/five RBI, Andy Van Slyke with two knocks/three runs scored and Barry Bonds with two raps including a homer. Brian Fischer took the win with help from Barry Jones and Don Robinson. 
• 1992 - Danny Jackson gave up one hit at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, but it was unfortunately a home run to David Justice as the Braves, behind Charlie Leibrandt, beat the Bucs 1-0 for their 13th straight win. The Pirates best chance to score was in the first, but both Andy Van Slyke and Lloyd McClendon were caught stealing to run themselves out of the frame and the game. Pittsburgh didn’t make any noise again until the seventh, with Otis Nixon sprinted to the fence and pulled back AVS’s blast from over the wall. The last hurrah was in the ninth, when Barry Bonds bounced out with two down and two aboard. 
• 1992 - The Pirates made a wholesale change in pitching: Zane Smith (8-7/2.96) was placed on the DL with tendinitis, while vets Jerry Don Gleaton (1-0/4.26) and Jeff Robinson (3-1/4.46) were released, ending both of their MLB careers. The Bucs then brought up their prospects - Paul Wagner, Steve Cook and Blas Minor. None of them set the world afire as rookies, but they did make 19 credible outings among themselves and the trio became major contributors to the staff in ‘93. 
• 1996 - LHP Cam Alldred was born in Batavia, Ohio. A 24th round draft pick in 2018 (#714 overall) by the Bucs out of the U of Cincinnati, the reliever broke out in 2021 at AA Altoona. After two solid if brief stints at Indy, he was called up to the big team in mid-May, 2022 and tossed a scoreless frame in his debut before he was returned to AAA. 

James McDonald - 2011 Topps Heritage

• 2011 - In their first ESPN-televised game in seven years, Pittsburgh defeated the Atlanta Braves, 3-1, behind James McDonald, who struck out nine in 5-2/3 frames, and four relievers at Turner Field, keeping the Bucs tied for first place in the NL Central for the last time in 2011. The Pirates only had five hits, but back-to-back walks by Tim Hudson turned into a pair of Bucco runs. Andrew McCutchen led the attack with a knock, walk, run and RBI. 
• 2021 - The Bucs pulled 2B Adam Frazier from the Giants’ game and announced afterward they had traded him to the San Diego Padres with cash ($1.4M) to cover his 2021 salary, the deal becoming official the next day when all the physicals were completed. Friar prospects AAA - IF/OF Tucupita Marcano, 21; AA - OF Jack Suwinski, 23, and Hi A - RH reliever Michell Miliano, 21, were the return. Marcano was a Padres Top Ten minor-leaguer, a speedy, versatile defender with a spray-the-ball approach who the Bucs reportedly tried to land as part of the earlier Joe Musgrove deal. The other two were unranked lottery guys, with Suwinski having a big stick and Miliano being a high K, high BB project. Both Suwinski and Turcano have seen time with the big club, with Jack showing up well. All-Star Frazier, 29, was leading MLB in hits and under team control until after the 2022 season. Fraze's versatility played into the deal as SD already had a top notch 2B in Jake Cronenworth. The Friars shipped him to Seattle in the off season. Off the Wall: Adam Frazier is the third player since 1900 to be traded at midseason while leading MLB in hits, joining Willie McGee (1990) and Red Schoendienst (1957) per ESPN Stats & Info.

Notes: ASG, Draft, Marlins, Moves

All-Star, Draft, and Home Series Week...

Notes:

• Miami took two-of-three from the Bucs at PNC, post break. They're off to Chicago and a pair against the Cubs, then return home for the remainder of the week.
• The Bucs traded with the Mets for RHP Colin Holderman in exchange for DH Daniel Vogelbach. Holderman, 26, is controllable with two more options, and in 15 outings with the Mets was 4-0/2.04. Vogey hit .228/12 HR/34 RBI/117 OPS+. The MLBTR recap is here. Holderman was optioned to Indy, likely just to tread water until the roster is settled after deadline day.
• OF Greg Allen finished rehab and was called up; C Michael Perez was DFA'ed to clear the 40-man spot and sold to the Mets.
• Jason Delay not only pushed Michael Perez out of a job, but he smacked his first MLB dinger on Friday during his PNC Park debut.
• Don't expect RHP Roansy Contreras back soon; the Pirates plan to "build him up" before he rejoins Indy's rotation as they try to keep his inning count down - he worked just 75 frames last year, and he's at 70 so far this season.

Roansy Contreras - 2022 Topps 35th Anniversary 

• Ke'Bryan Hayes had his nine-game hitting streak end on Saturday. It was the longest streak for a Buc so far this year.
• The draft, day 2 - In the third round (#88 overall) the Pirates chose 21-year-old 3B/RHP Jack Brannigan from Notre Dame. He's a 3B by trade who also worked out of the Irish pen. Then they chose LHP Michael Kennedy, 17, out of Troy HS in the fourth round (#110 overall). He's committed to LSU. Georgia Tech OF Tres Gonzalez was taken next, followed by RHP Derek Diamond out of Mississippi. The seventh round choice was RHP JP Massey from Minnesota, and the eight round pick was LHP Cy Nielson of BYU, a long reliever. The last pair of picks for the day were RHP Mike Walsh of Yale and OF Tanner Tredaway out of Oklahoma. Tuesday concludes the draft with rounds 11-20.
• The draft, day 3 -  Here's the Trib's list of the guys selected 11-20 and the picks 1-20 per MLB.com's Draft Tracker. Overall, they picked a boatload of pitchers.
• Draftees signed: Campbell RHP Thomas Harrington: $2.05M, (slot $2,150,300): Florida LHP Hunter Barco: $1.525M (slot $1,776,100); Notre Dame 3B/RHP Jack Brannigan: $770,700 (at slot); BYU LHP Cy Nielson: $175,000 (slot $193,200).
• Locals make good: North Allegheny HS SS Cole Young was taken in the first round (#21) by the Mariners and C Matt Wood of Pine-Richland HS and Penn State was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round. RHP Cameron Weston of Canon-Mac HS & Michigan was picked on the eighth round by Baltimore while RHP Tanner Jacobson of Allderdice HS & D-2 Queens University was drafted in the 10th round by the St. Louis Cards. SS Bryan Rincon of Shaler went on the 14th round to the Phils and SS Michael Turconi of Blackhawk HS /Wake Forest was taken on the 15th round by Toronto.

David Bednar - ASG photo via MLB

• Giancarlo Stanton and Byron Buxton went long back-to-back in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium, and it was enough to propel the AL to a 3-2 win in the Midsummer Classic. David Bednar was the Bucs only rep, and he worked the ninth, giving up a walk amid three bouncers. Stanton was the MVP after his two-run blast. The night before, Juan Sota won the Home Run Derby, topping Julio Rodriguez.

7/24 Through the 1960s: Waners, Branch In; Gibson Bomb; Grace-Ful; Triples Chief; Hans Popular; Rookie Walk Offs; Game Tales; HBD Barry, Joe, Preston & Germany

• 1893 - IF and exec Joe “Germany” Schultz Sr. was born in Pittsburgh. He spent one year (1916) of his 11-year MLB career at home, hitting .260. After retiring and managing in the Cards minor league system, Schultz became the farm system director of the Pirates in 1939. Sadly, in 1941, while on his way to one of the Pittsburgh farm clubs, he suddenly passed away at the young age of 47. His legacy carried on, as his son Joe Jr. was a reserve catcher for Pittsburgh during Germany’s director stint, from 1939-41. 
• 1899 - The Pirates swept a pair from Philadelphia at Exposition Park, winning both games on ninth-inning blasts by rookies. After the Phils scored five in the ninth in the opener, Jimmy Williams hit a three-run homer in the bottom half to win, 9-8. In the nitecap, Ginger Beaumont tripled with the bases loaded and two away to cap a 5-4 victory. In both games, the Pirates entered the final frame down by a pair of runs. The crowd of 5,200 was more than appreciative. The Pittsburgh Press noted that the hometown fans had “...showered money upon “Buttons” Williams and...carried Beaumont to the clubhouse.” 

Jimmy Williams - 1900 team photo snip

• 1899 - A small blurb in the Pittsburgh Press sports section reported that “St. Louis, as well as Brooklyn, is after Hans Wagner, the third baseman, but the Louisville club officials now declare that he is off the market.” Louisville, at the time, was an NL club, but the notice made little impact on local fans. But it soon would; Barney Dreyfuss had machinations afoot to combine the Colonels roster with the Pirates in the off season, and thanks to the virtual merger added Honus, Fred Clarke, Deacon Phillippe, Tommy Leach, Patsy Flaherty, and Claude Ritchey to Pittsburgh’s roster, creating an early 1900’s powerhouse squad. 
• 1901 - The Pirates scored in every inning while defeating the Reds, 11-2, at Exposition Park. Jesse Tannehill tossed a seven-hitter for the win. Ginger Beaumont had four hits and Claude Ritchey tripled twice as the Bucs banged out 14 hits, four for triples. The Pittsburgh Press opined that “The Reds as they are now made up should not be able to win from the Pirates in a hundred years.” 
• 1911 - The Pirates pounded the Brooklyn Superbas, 8-2, at Forbes Field behind the hot-hitting “Chief” Owen Wilson who went 4-for-4 with three triples. Ralph Davis of the Pittsburgh Press wrote that “...Wilson came through the contest without a blot on his batting escutcheon. The Chief also played a grand fielding game and was in the battle up to his neck in all departments.” Babe Adams went the distance for the win, helping himself with three hits including a triple.
• 1927 - OF/1B Preston Ward was born in Columbia, Missouri. Ward came to Pittsburgh as part of the Kiner deal, and was a back-up/platoon guy from 1953-56, hitting .240 in 305 games. He spent nine years in MLB, mostly serving as a reserve for five teams. 

Preston Ward - 1954 Bowman

• 1931 - The Brooklyn Dodgers banged out 21 hits during the game (Babe Herman hit for the cycle) and scored three times in the ninth, but reliever Larry French put down the rally as the Bucs hung on for an 8-7 win at Forbes Field. The Pirates had 13 knocks, seven for extra bases, and jumped out to an early 8-1 lead behind Pie Traynor’s three RBI, Eddie Phillips’ homer and Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner’s three hits/three runs scored. 
• 1932 - C Earl Grace set an MLB mark with his 285th chance handled without an error; he added three more putouts during a 7-2 defeat at the hands of the Cubs, his first club, at Wrigley Field. He made 444 plays in 121 games from 1931-32 without a miscue before a bad throw ended the streak in September. He finished the campaign with just one error in 413 chances (.998) to set an NL record that lasted until 1946. 
• 1938 - Josh Gibson, while playing for the Homestead Grays, hit the second-longest home run of his career at 538’ (reportedly measured by game officials and Monessen’s then-Mayor James Gold) in Monessen’s Page Park against the Memphis Red Sox (the park was also home to the minor league Monessen Indians). The drive was reported to bounce high off of a local mill building. Monessen, along with MLB, the Pirates and the Gibson Foundation, marked the moment with a ceremony and Historical Marker in 2021 after a decade of research. His longest tater is a debated 580’ shot at Yankee Stadium, and the Black Babe Ruth was said to have several 500’+ homers to his credit. 
• 1956 - Honored at a Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce luncheon before the game, Roberto Clemente proved his plaudits were well deserved by leading the Bucs to a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field. Roberto drove in four RBI on three shots to left center: a sacrifice fly, a triple off the wall, and a homer into Schenley Plaza. Ron Kline got the win with help from Howie Pollet. 

Roberto Clemente - 2021 Topps Allen & Ginter

• 1964 - Barry Bonds was born in Riverside, California. The slugger, a first round pick in the 1985 draft, spent seven summers in Pittsburgh, putting up a line of .275/176/556 with two All-Star appearances before really busting out with San Francisco, where he became the all-time HR leader. Bonds ended up with seven NL-MVPs, 14 All-Star selections, is the major’s HR leader with 762 bombs (73 in 2001) and is second only to Babe Ruth in career WAR. Of course, his standing has been forever debated by his association with BALCO and PEDs by both the fans and the Hall of Fame committee. 
• 1965 - C Joe Oliver was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Joe spent 13 years in the majors, mainly as a reserve catcher, with a 1999 stop in Pittsburgh where he hit .201 at age 34. He took a long blow from the show after retiring, but the bug bit again and he’s been a lower-level Red Sox manager since 2014. 
• 1967 - With his induction into the Hall of Fame, Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner joined Paul as the first pair of brothers to be enshrined at Cooperstown. Little Poison played for 18 seasons, collecting 2,459 hits (.319 lifetime BA). Per the Hall of Fame: “Lloyd played 1,993 major league games, 1,803 of them with the Pirates. He was known for his good eye at the plate. Only three times in the majors did he strike out more than 15 times in a season. Waner had four 200-hit seasons and led the NL in hits in 1931 but was an all-star just once, in 1938. He had very good speed and was an excellent defensive center fielder.” Also inducted was Branch Rickey, Pirates GM during the early 50’s, who was instrumental in putting together the farm system that fed the 1960 champions.

7/24 From 1970: Wandy Deal; Roberto's Day; 11 Straight; GI-ROTM; #1 For Yoslan; Extra Explosion; ASG; Game Tales; HBD Connor

• 1970 - 43,290 fans showed up for Roberto Clemente day at TRS. Pirate ownership buried him with gifts (cash was, at Clemente’s request, donated to charities), and he put on a show of his own, cracking a pair of hits and making a couple of diving grabs in the field during an 11-0 thumping of the Houston Astros. Danny Murtaugh pulled him in the eighth inning so he could get a final ovation on the night (he also had cut his knee making a catch); Arriba's salute was led a handful of fans who had made the trip from Puerto Rico to honor their native son. Dock Ellis tossed a four-hitter behind a 15-hit attack. 
• 1973 - The NL romped over the AL, 7-1, at Royals Stadium in the All Star game. Dave Giusti pitched a clean seventh inning and Willie Stargell K’ed against Nolan Ryan in his only at bat. Bobby Bonds was the MVP and 22 future Hall of Fame players took part in the game. 

• 1979 - A baffling fourth inning call resulted in a 34 minute rhubarb during the Pirates-Reds game at TRS. With Buc runners on first and third, a 3-1 pitch to Omar Moreno was called a ball, but Johnny Bench threw to 2B ahead of the runner from 1B, Lee Lacy, who was going on the pitch. Lacy was called out by ump Dick Stello (whose back was to the plate to make the call at second) even though the runner was entitled to the sack after the walk. After questioning the out call, Lacy left the base and was tagged out again by Dave Concepcion, reigniting the argument. The Bucs protested the game, but NL president Chub Feeney upheld the call (it seems the situation was so odd that no rule actually addressed it) and the Pirates 6-5 loss was in the books. 
• 1984 - In a see-saw game at Montreal’s Stade Olympique (Olympic Stadium), the Expos rallied behind a two-out, ninth-inning double by Tim Raines off Kent Tekulve to tie the game 4-4 and send it into overtime. The Bucs apparently weren’t in the mood for any prolonged bonus baseball as six of the first seven batters in the 10th had hits with the coup d’ grace provided by Benny DiStefano’s two-out granny. The eight-run outburst carried the Pirates to a 12-5 win for Rod Scurry. Johnny Ray went 5-for-6, Dale Berra batted 4-for-5 with a walk and Tony Pena, who had three knocks and a walk, homered for Pittsburgh. 
• 1993 - RHP Connor Overton was born in Richmond, Virginia. He made his MLB debut in August of 2021 for Toronto after having been drafted out of Old Dominion by Miami in 2014. After four scoreless outings for the Blue Jays, he was DFA’ed, claimed by the Pirates in September and four days later tossed a 1-2-3 frame in his first Bucco appearance. It made the record books; he was the 59th player used during the season by Pittsburgh, a new franchise record. Now he’s pitching in the Cincinnati system. 
• 2004 - The whole Pirate attack chipped in during a 14-4 romp over the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park. The Buccos had 11 batters with at least a hit and banged out six doubles as 10 different players scored and eight Pirates drove in runs. Jason Bay had three hits and three RBI while Jose Castillo scored four times to lead the attack. The Bucs scored seven times in the sixth to take control. Josh Fogg was chased early and five pitchers followed him, with John Grabow notching the win. 

Yoslan Herrera - photo Doug Pensinger/Getty

• 2008 - The Bucs won their fourth in a row by hammering the Padres at PNC Park by a 9-1 score. Nate McLouth, Jason Bay and Xavier Nady homered while Yoslan Herrera tossed six scoreless frames to claim the win, his first in the majors. For the X-Man, it was his last Bucco blast - he was traded to the Yankees two days later. Yoslan Herrera tossed shutout ball for six innings, giving up six hits, to earn his first MLB victory. The streak had begun with a sweep of the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park; during their short winning string, the Pirates hit 10 home runs and outscored Houston and San Diego by a 34-13 count. 
• 2009 - Garrett Jones went deep to right against Arizona’s Yusmeiro Petit for his 10th homer of the month in a 10-3 Bucco win at Chase Field. Called up July 1st, Jones hit ten home runs in his debut month and was named the NL's July Rookie of the Month. GI became the first Bucco to hit seven home runs in his first twelve games since Dino Restelli in 1949 and the first Pirate to hit 10 home runs in a month since Jason Bay in 2006. He had lots of help as the Bucs pounded out 16 hits (all eight starters chipped in at least a knock and there were six multi-hit efforts) and Zach Duke covered the first seven innings for the win. 
• 2012 - LHP Wandy Rodriguez was traded by the Houston Astros with cash to the Pirates for minor league prospects RHP Colton Cain, LHP Rudy Owens and OF Robbie Grossman as the Bucs looked to shore up their stretch run rotation. Wandy ended up injury prone, and made just 31 starts with 11 wins as a Pirate until he was released in late May of 2014. Grossman has been playing as a reserve since 2013, Owens got one MLB start and has played in the Dominican & Indie leagues since 2015 while Cain never made it out of the minors. 
• 2013 - Francisco Liriano and Stephen Strasburg hooked up in a 1-0 battle, with the Pirates up, going into the ninth. Both starters turned the game over to the bullpens, and that’s when the fun started. The Bucs put up a three spot on Drew Storen, with Mike McKenry’s two-run knock being the big blow, and Washington came back at Nationals Park to score a pair off Justin Wilson until Jason Grilli came to the rescue in a 4-2 Pirate win. The only score in the first eight frames came on a second-inning homer by Pedro Alvarez. 

Pedro Alvarez - 2014 Topps Triple Threats

• 2015 - During his last outing against Pittsburgh, Washington ace Max Scherzer no-hit the Bucs, losing his perfect game with two outs and two strikes in the ninth. Today was a different kettle of fish; the Buccos got homers from Pedro Alvarez (453’ and one bounce into the river), Gregory Polanco (after falling behind 0-2, fouling off six straight fastballs and taking 12 pitches) and Neil Walker (the first time Mad Max gave up three homers in a game since 2011) on their way to a 7-5 win, closed out by scoreless frames by Jared Hughes, Tony Watson and Mark Melancon in front of a full house of 38,371 at PNC Park. Scherzer had held Pittsburgh hitless for 14 straight innings until El Toro’s long ball in the second. That made it the longest hitless streak by a starting pitcher against one big-league team since Pittsburgh's Francisco Cordova threw 15 consecutive hitless innings vs. Houston in 1997. 
• 2018 - The Pirates won their 11th straight game (and 13-of-14) by a 9-4 count over the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field with Joe Musgrove claiming the victory. The Bucs were led by the top of the lineup - Corey Dickerson, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco - who went 5-for-13 with a walk, two homers, a double, triple, seven RBI and five runs scored; Josh Bell added a long ball. The streak was the longest since 1996; alas, their run at 12 straight, not done since 1965, fell short as Trevor Bauer shut them out the next night, breaking up not just the winning run but snapping a seven-game run of scoring six or more runs.