6/7 From 1970: Big & Small Ball, Boom, AVS Day, Zane's #100, Sweep, 2025 Pirates HoF, Game Days HBD Vince & Virgil

1972 – The Bucs can beat ya with a jackhammer or with a pea shooter, as they proved to San Diego in a doubleheader sweep at Jack Murphy Stadium. They won the opener 12-5 behind Willie Stargell’s two homers and five RBI, then took the nitecap 1-0 in 18 innings with two infield singles, a double steal, and two free passes. Maz was walked intentionally to get to Gene Alley, who drew four balls from Mike Corkins to force home Al Oliver with the game’s only run. Bob Johnson, who made his first two relief appearances of the year in the twin bill, got a win and a save. Dock Ellis was brilliant, giving up just two hits and at one point retiring 22 straight Padres in the second contest.

1976 – The Pirates and Reds combined for a swatfest of seven solo homers (out of a total of 12 hits) at TRS. Al Oliver, Willie Stargell and Bill Robinson connected in the seventh off Jack Billingham while Richie Zisk hit the game-winner in the eighth for a 5-4 Buc victory. It was noteworthy for another event, too. The Gunner returned to Three Rivers as part of the crew broadcasting the ABC Monday Night game. In the third inning, when the scoreboard flashed a welcome to Prince, Bob Uecker, and Warner Wolf, Pirates fans gave Prince a long standing ovation as Bruce Kison stepped off the mound to allow The Gunner a moment in the sun. Prince bowed to the fans, waved a babushka to the crowd and then teared up.

1982 – RHP Virgil Vasquez was born in Santa Barbara, California. Virgil got a cup of coffee with the Tigers in 2007 and a better shot to show his stuff with a thin Pirates pitching staff in 2009, going 2-5/5.84 in 14 games (seven starts). He was traded to Tampa, but was hit by a car while driving his scooter and broke both wrists, effectively ending his pitching days. He’s been working as a Twins’ minor league pitching coach since 2015.

1987 – The Pirates outmuscled the Mets 10-9 behind Andy Van Slyke’s two homers and triple (three RBI, three runs scored) and Mike Diaz’s pinch hit, three-run blast. He joined AVS in going deep in the eighth inning, and the six spot the Pirates put up was barely enough to hold off New York at Shea Stadium in the second game of a twin bill. Bobby Bonilla and Sid Bream added three raps each, together banging three two-baggers while chasing home and scoring two tallies. Don Robinson saved the win for Dorn Taylor. Pittsburgh lost the opener 5-4 in 10 innings despite dingers from Van Slyke and RJ Reynolds when Robinson couldn’t close it when former Bucco Lee Mazzilli doubled home the tying and go ahead runs. Mazzilli had five hits and seven RBI against his old mates on the day while AVS homered three times.

Andy Van Slyke – 1987 Topps Traded

1991 – You might think a 1-0 game was quite a pitching duel, but you’d be wrong on this night at Three Rivers Stadium. The Pirates banged out seven hits and stranded seven runners; Don Slaught’s single in the second sent Barry Bonds home with the game’s only run. San Diego collected 10 hits in seven frames against Doug Drabek and added three more in two innings off three Bucco relievers, leaving 10 aboard after Slaught cut down two base stealers, Andy Van Slyke threw out a runner at home and the Friars grounded into a DP. Tim Teufel had an especially frustrating game thanks to AVS. He was the one thrown out at the dish after running through a stop sign and his drive to the wall in the ninth was grabbed by Andy, who crashed heavily into the fence but hung on.

1992 – RHP Vince Velasquez was born in Montclair, California. The Pirates inked the 30-year-old  to a one-year/$3.15M deal and planned to work the swingman in the rotation. He came from the White Sox, going 3-3/4.78 in 32 appearances (nine starts). This was his fifth organization in eight MLB campaigns, with six years spent with the Phils. To date, he’s posted a line of 38-51/4.88 in the bigs and never compiled an ERA under four during an MLB season until his eight-game ‘23 run with the Bucs, when he went 4-4/3.86. His season ended in June with UCL surgery, and then he was released by the Pirates at year’s end with no takers in ‘24. He returned in 2026 with the Cubs.

1996 – Zane Smith earned his 100th MLB victory without much drama as he and the Bucs romped over the Padres 10-0 at San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium. He gave up six hits while going the distance and was backed by Mike Kingery’s bases-loaded, bases-clearing double, one of his three knocks, and home runs from Jeff King (who had four hits) & Orlando Merced. Zane also fanned his 1,000th batter and drove in a run, so he was feelin’ it today. Smith’s first big league win came as a rookie with Atlanta in 1984 when he topped Nolan Ryan 3-1 and today would be his last dub as the Pirates released him on July 6th and he never tossed another MLB game. 

2012 – Clint Barmes and Mike McKenry hit back-to-back doubles off Aroldis Chapman in the 10th inning to give the Pirates a 5-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds at GABP. It was a “who’d thunk it” rally – Chapman hadn’t allowed an earned run in 24 appearances covering 29 innings prior to the game and hadn’t even allowed a hit since May 17th, while Barmes and McKenry were both batting under .200. It was especially sweet coming right after Joel Hanrahan had blown the save by allowing a homer to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Mark the Shark – 2016 Bowman

2016 – The Bucs swept a twin bill from the New York Mets by identical 3-1 scores at PNC Park. The opener’s storyline was centered on Jon Niese and Neil Walker, traded for one another during the offseason and making their first appearances against their old teammates. Walker was held hitless while Niese spun seven innings of four-hit shutout ball in the first round. Josh Harrison had three hits and Jordy Mercer homered to help send Steven Matz to defeat. The Pirates collected 10 hits and RBIs from John Jaso, Cole Figueroa and Chris Stewart in the nightcap to give Juan Nicasio, with four innings of strong bullpen support, the win over Jacob deGrom. Mark Melancon finished up to complete a two-save day, the Pirates’ first since Matt Capps in 2007, and Neftali Feliz worked both eighth innings, earning a pair of holds to set up the Shark.

2025 – The Pirates announced their 2025 team Hall of Fame Class – Kiki Cuyler, Vern Law and Al “Scoops” Oliver. They were inducted on August 22. Cuyler played the first seven seasons of his 18-year career with the Pirates (1921-27/.336 BA), was on the 1925 championship team and his 144 runs scored in 1925 are the most for any Pirate in the Modern Era (since 1900). He’s already in the Cooperstown HoF (1968). Law spent all 16 of his MLB seasons with the Bucs (1950-1967). He’s one of two pitchers in franchise history to win a Cy Young Award (1960),along with Doug Drabek. The Deacon won 20 games in ‘60, then went 2-0 with a 3.44 ERA in his three World Series outings against the Yankees. Law was also an All-Star twice. Oliver spent the first 10 seasons of his 18-year big league run with Pittsburgh (1968-77), earning three All-Star nods here, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1969 and hit .296 w/135 home runs. He was one of the Pirates’ World Series titleists in 1971.