3/31 Opening Day sure did open the season this year....with a win.
Bucs
visit the new Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati and open fire on the
Reds. Afterwards, their uniforms weren't the only things that were red.
Bucs win 10-1, HRs from Lofton, Sanders, and Kendall all in the 2nd
inning. Benson gets his first win of the season.
4/2 The second game ever played at Great American Ballpark: Buccos
pull off a come from behind victory and get the W, 7-4. Top of the 8th, down
4-3, KY comes up big with a 2 out, 2 run dinger. Two batters later,
deja-vu. Kendall goes yard with a 2 out, 2 run dinger. Both HRs off of
Manzanillo. Stairs-outfield assist, Torres gets the Win (1-0), Williams
gets his first save of the season.
4/3 Buccos sweep the Reds! 7-5 victory with help from Reds
starting
pitcher Jimmy "Fat" Anderson. Sanders went yard twice and went 4-5 at the
plate with 5 RBIs, Mackowiak tripled and went 3-5, Bucs total 12 hits.
Fogg recorded his first win of the season, Williams got the save.
4/4 Pirates travel cross-state for the Phillies home opener. First
inning, Reggie Sanders: grand slam. 7th inning Pokey Reese hit his first
homer of the season. 9-1 Bucco victory. Suppan got the win, Torres got the
save.
4/8 The Pirates home opener, Pirates lost 5-3 to the Brewers (gag),
but Kendall's 3 run homer in the 8th really got the crowd into it, and
that's all that matters. Wells walked in 2 runs and deservingly took the
loss. (Wilson, Navarro, P-Ci, Romito, and I attended) 4/9 A disappointing loss to the Brew Crew. Good thing it was Manny
Sanguillen bobblehead night. Lofton had a 2 run triple in the 8th,
but the Pirates still lost 3-2. Fogg took the loss (1-1). (TomCon, Wilson,
Siyoof, Flabby, P-Ci,
Navarro, and I all in attendance) 4/15 The Mets visit PNC and deposit 3 runs, 2 more than the Bucs 1
run. Fogg had the only RBI and also took the loss (1-2). Pirates stranded
10 men on base, lose 3-1. (P-Ci, Navarro, Romito, J-Ro, and I all in
attendance) 4/18 A rubber match between them Buccos and Mets.....Mets win 7-2. Mo
Vaughn was a triple short of the cycle, also smacked one into the river (on
a bounce). Ramirez: another error. D'Amico took the loss (1-2). (Flabby
and I in attendance) 4/20 Easter....420.....what's goin on here? Fogg let up a 2 run homer to Sosa, then got injured in 1st inning, Torres relieved, finished 5 innings with one hit, beaned Sosa in the head, cracked the helmet, then the next inning got beaned by Cubs pitcher Cruz. Sosa was taken to Allegheny General for a cat-scan (turned out negative). Lofton went 3-5 with 2 RBIs, JWilson 2-4 and 1 RBI. Buccos smoke the Cubs 8-2. Torres got the win (2-0), a great joint effort by the bullpen: Torres, Beimel, Boehringer, and Sauerbeck.
4/22 A cold night in the Burgh, Bonds was a no show (stiff neck? come on...) Buccos score 5 runs on 6 hits. 1st inning Stairs knocked in Kendall, Reese knocked in Stairs and Simon, J.Wilson knocked in Sanders and Reese with a bat-splitting single. That was it for Pirate scoring, Bucs won 5-2. Suppan 7 IP, let up one run and got the win (4-0). Sauerbeck and Williams pitched in (no pun intended) to finish the game. (P-Ci, Navarro, J-Ro, Mr. Rossini, and I all in attendance...My first win of the year!!) 4/23 I hate Lloyd McClendon. 3-0 Bucs through 7 innings. D'Amico pitched a fine 7 innings. McClendon will never let a pitcher finish a game, so Boehringer relieved D'Amico. Ok, so Boehringer faces 2 batters, pitches very well, McClendon brings in Sauerbeck. BAM! 3 run homerun, tie game. Then we go through Williams, Beimel, and Tavarez. 13 innings, Bucs scatter 16 hits, leave 15 men on base, Ramirez 2 doubles, C.Wilson (who was batting .000 before this game) had a double and solo homerun. No thanks to the hole in Pokey's glove that let the 4th Giants run score, and no thanks to D'Amico's base running abilities (or lack thereof) who could have scored the Bucco's 4th run earilier in the game. Bucs lose 4-3. Tavarez took the loss (0-1). Flotta's gettin frustrated!!! Give it up Lloyd! (Flabby, James, Brother Flabby, and I all in attendance) 4/24 Rubber match against SanFran. Uhhhhhh......3-1 loss. Bonds went 2-3, 1 RBI, intentional walk, and struck out. Nothing exciting happened. Benson took the loss (2-3). (Siyoof, Jo-El, Angerone, BigJohn, Cringer, and I all in attendance. Well, my body and spirit were there, I can't vouch for my mind.) 4/25 Buccos had a 2-0 lead through 9 innings against the Dodgers. Kip Wells had 8 1/3 innings pitched, 88 pitches, 6 K's, no walks, and also hit a homerun. Lloyd Mac say enough, bring on Williams. Williams lets up 5 runs, Bucs lose 5-2. Williams took the loss (0-1). (Wilson, Siyoof, Steve, P-Ci & crew, and I all in attendance) 4/26 Bucs had a 3-1 lead through 5 innings. Torres started 5 1/3 innings, Lloyd [Big] Mac tried to play matchmaker again and brought in Beimel, Sauerbeck, Tavarez, Reyes, and Boehringer. Needless to say, Bucs lost 4-3. Jack Wilson had a 2 RBI triple, Craig Wilson however, struck out swinging to end the game, just as I predicted. Good thing it was batting practice hat day. (P-Ci, Rick and the Sismondo family, and I all in attendance in the box seats baby!) 4/30 Game 2 of a 3 game series in San Diego, first inning J.Wilson solo shot, his first of the season. 3rd inning Adam says let's (Hyz)du something and hit a grand slam. Pirates won 8-5.
6/4 Inter-league play: a double header against the Red Sox (the previous day's game was postponed) turned the Pirates into the Red Faces. First game Bosox won 11-4. Second game Bosox won 8-3, (Schneids, Sexual Bob, Hobbs and I in attendance-game 2). Note to tailgaters: 10oz beer cans fit in your socks much better than 12oz cans. And don't forget the one in the hood! Works every time! Let's go Bucs!!!!!!
6/5 Third game of the Bosox series, put away your brooms. The Buccos won baby, 5-4, and I was there!! Jeff Reboulet had a stolen base. Lofton had a solo shot. Boehringer got the win, that sucks, and Williams got the save. (Wilson, Siyoof, O'Boyle, and I in attendance)
My record hovered somewhere around: 6-9, I lost count