October 17, 1979: Pirates Are World Series Champs!
Four pitchers held Baltimore to a total of four hits and Series MVP Willie Stargell had the big blow to…
October 16, 1979: Pirates Shut Out Orioles to Force Game Seven
The Pirates got outstanding performances from John Candelaria and Kent Tekulve to blank Baltimore, 4-0, in game six of the…
October 15, 1979: Pirates Head to Baltimore to Resume Series
Trailing three games to two, the Pirates are in Baltimore for game six and, hopefully, game seven of the World…
October 14, 1979: Pirates Stave Off Elimination Behind Rooker and Blyleven
Down three games to one, the Pirates stayed alive in the World Series thanks to two surprise pitching performances. Jim…
October 13, 1979: Bullpen Roughed Up as Pirates Fall Behind, Three Games to One
For the second game in a row, the Pirates took an early lead against Baltimore and then lost the game. …
October 12, 1979: Candelaria Roughed Up as Pirates Drop Game Three
With the World Series tied at a game apiece, the Pirates turned to lefty John Candelaria. The Candy Man didn’t…
October 11, 1979: Clutch Hit by Sanguillen Evens World Series for Pirates
The Pirates and Orioles battled evenly on another wet night in Baltimore. Good starts by Bert Blyleven and Jim Palmer…
October 10, 1979: Bad Start in Frigid, Wet Weather Dooms Pirates in Series Opener
The Pirates battled both the Orioles and the Baltimore weather, and at least in the first inning, the weather won…
October 9, 1979: World Series Game One Rained Out
For the first time ever, the opening game of the World Series has been postponed. A downpour pushed the Pirates’…
October 8, 1979: World Series Set to Open Tomorrow, Weather Permitting
The Pirates and Orioles are set to open the World Series tomorrow night in Baltimore. The scheduled starters are righty…
Pirates Will Be Facing an Imposing Orioles Team . . . Again
More than just the opponents in this World Series will be familiar. It’s not just the Pirates against the Orioles…
October 6, 1979: Pirates to Face Baltimore Orioles in the World Series
A day after clinching their own trip to the World Series, the Pirates found out their opponent would be a…
October 5, 1979: Pirates Sweep Reds, Head to World Series
With a 2-0 lead, the Pirates headed into game three of the NL Championship Series against Cincinnati needing just one…
October 4, 1979: Pirates Can Advance to World Series Tomorrow
The Pirates come back to Three Rivers Stadium tomorrow with a 2-0 lead over Cincinnati in their best-of-five NL Championship…
October 3, 1979: Pirates Win Again in Extra Innings, Go Up 2-0
A day after an 11-inning win in the opener of the NL Championship Series, the Pirates beat the Reds, 3-2,…
October 2, 1979: Stargell Blast Gives Pirates Extra-Inning Win in NLCS Opener
The Pirates took the opener of their NL Championship Series on an 11th-inning home run by Willie Stargell. The blast…
October 1, 1979: The Fam-A-Lee Prepares to Meet the Reds
The NL East champion Pirates will take on the West champion Cincinnati Reds tomorrow in the first game of their…
September 30, 1979: Pirates Beat Cubs, Clinch Division as Expos Lose
The Pirates came into today needing a win against the Cubs and an Expos loss against Philadelphia to clinch the…
September 29, 1979: Pirates Lose, Expos Win, Division Still in Play
The Pirates could have clinched the NL East title today with a win and a Montreal loss. Neither happened, though,…
September 28, 1979: Bibby Pitches Bucs to Win, Expos Lose
Jim Bibby picked a good time for one of the best games of his career. The big righty fanned 11…
September 27, 1979: Makeshift Pitching Staff Takes a Beating as Pirates Drop Makeup Game to Cards
The Pirates shuffled some pitchers’ roles around in their game at TRS against St. Louis, a one-game series that was…
September 25, 1979: Pirates Hammer Expos, 10-4, to Take Over First Place
The Pirates pounded Montreal, 10-4, in the third game of their four-game series at TRS. Willie Stargell led the way…
September 24, 1979: Pirates Split Twinbill With Expos, Still Trail by Half a Game
The Pirates opened a crucial four-game series with Montreal at TRS by playing a doubleheader. They won the first game,…
September 23, 1979: Jim Bibby Shuts Out Cubs
Jim Bibby threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout as the Pirates breezed by the Cubs, 6-0, in the rubber match of…
September 22, 1979: Kison, Tekulve Shut Down Cubs in 4-1 Pirates Win
The Pirates got a combined four-hitter from Bruce Kison and Kent Tekulve in a 4-1 win over Chicago. The win…
September 21, 1979: Pirates Blanked by Cubs and Add an Old Friend
In the opener of their three-game series at Wrigley Field, the Pirates got a good start from Don Robinson. They…
September 20, 1979: Pirates Lose to Phillies, Drop Out of First
The Phillies’ Randy Lerch threw a complete game against the Pirates and they lost, 2-1. Montreal meanwhile swept a doubleheader…
September 19,1979: Pirates Split With Phillies, Lead Drops to One Game
The Pirates split a doubleheader with the Phillies in Philadelphia. They rallied for eight runs late in the first game…
September 18, 1979: Willie Stargell Bombs Expos in 11th
A two-run home run by Willie Stargell in the 11th inning gave the Pirates a 5-3 win over the Expos. …
September 17, 1979: Don Robinson Outduels Steve Rogers as Pirates Beat Expos, 2-1
Don Robinson came through with an outstanding complete-game effort, leading the Pirates to a 2-1 win in the first of…
September 16, 1979: Pirates Can’t Handle Pete Falcone, Lose to Mets, 3-0
The game seemed like a mismatch. The Pirates sent their best pitcher, John Candelaria, with a 14-8 record and 3.12…
September 15, 1979: Pirates Eke Out 5-4 Win Over Mets
The Pirates got a key hit from Bill Robinson, and good days from Omar Moreno and Tim Foli, as they…
September 14, 1979: Off-Day for the Pirates and Expos
The Pirates and Expos were both off. They remain in a virtual tie, with the Expos three percentage points ahead…
September 13, 1979: Pirates Rained Out, Now Tied for First
The final game of the Pirates’ three-game home series with St. Louis was rained out. It will be made up…
September 12, 1979: John Candelaria Trumps the Cards in a 2-0 Pirates Win
John Candelaria threw eight and a third innings of shutout ball as the Pirates topped St. Louis, 2-0. Kent Tekulve…
September 11, 1979: Big Inning Gives Pirates 7-3 Win Over St. Louis
The Pirates rode a five-run sixth inning to a 7-3 win over the Cardinals at TRS. A strong relief outing…
September 10, 1979: An Off-Day and Look at the Pirates’ Upper Minors Affiliates
The Pirates and Expos were both off today. The Bucs remain a game ahead in the NL East, although Montreal…
September 9, 1979: Pirates Rally Late to Beat Mets, 6-5
The Pirates scored five runs in the last three innings to overcome a three-run deficit and beat the Mets, 6-5. …
September 8, 1979: Pirates Lose to Mets in 15, 3-2
A day after having to go 14 innings to beat the Mets, the Pirates went 15 in New York. This…
September 7, 1979: Pirates Beat Mets, 6-4, in 14 Innings
The Pirates got a stellar effort from their bullpen in the opener of their three-game series in New York. Four…
September 6, 1979: Pirates Drop Game to Cards, Lead Down to One Game
The Pirates’ pitchers got hit around early and the team lost an 8-6 decision to St. Louis. The loss cut…
September 5, 1979: Pirates Beat Cardinals in 11, 7-5
An 11th-inning error gave the Pirates a 7-5 win in the first of two games in St. Louis. With the…
September 4, 1979: An Off-Day and a Look at the Pirates’ Farm System
The Pirates had an off-day today. Montreal meanwhile won its eighth straight game, pulling to within two games of the…
September 3, 1979: Pirates Get One-Hit in First Game But Come Back for Split With Phillies
In game one of their Labor Day doubleheader with the Phillies at TRS, the Pirates were held to one hit…
September 2, 1979: Pirates Finish Sweep of Giants with 5-3 Win
John Candelaria threw a complete game as the Pirates beat San Francisco, 5-3. The win gave them a sweep of…
September 1, 1979: Pirates Take Doubleheader from Giants, Including the Teke-in-Left Game
The Pirates started September with a bang by sweeping a doubleheader from San Francisco. Willie Stargell launched a pair of…
August 31, 1979: Pirates Get Early Lead, Hang on to Beat Giants
The Pirates opened their four-game series in San Francisco with a 6-4 win. They got some help from walks and…
August 30, 1979: Pirates Finish West Coast Trip With Four Games in San Francisco
The Pirates will conclude their ten-game West Coast trip starting tomorrow with four games against the Giants. They’re currently in…
August 29, 1979: Pirates Win Rubber Match in LA, 4-1
The Pirates got their second straight 4-1 win over the Dodgers. The win gave them two of three in each…
August 28, 1979: Candelaria Shuts Down Dodgers in 4-1 Win
John Candelaria threw a complete-game, four-hitter as the Pirates beat Los Angeles, 4-1. The win enabled the Pirates to keep…
August 27, 1979: Pirates Lose to Dodgers on Walkoff Homer in Ninth
The Pirates’ bullpen failed to hold a 2-1 lead over Los Angeles in the bottom of the ninth and lost,…
August 26, 1979: Huge Day for Bruce Kison as Pirates Hammer Padres, 9-2
Bruce Kison allowed no earned runs over seven innings as the Pirates coasted by San Diego, 9-2, in the rubber…
August 25, 1979: Pirates Win 19-Inning Marathon From Padres
In the longest game in franchise history to this point, the Pirates beat San Diego, 4-3, in 19 innings. It…
August 24, 1979: Pirates Lose Late Lead, Game to San Diego
John Candelaria engaged the Padres’ Randy Jones in a pitchers’ duel in San Diego to start the Pirates’ ten-game West…
August 23, 1979: Pirates Head West for Ten-Game Trip
The Pirates open a ten-game, West Coast trip tomorrow in San Diego. They’ll play three games there, three in Los…
August 22, 1979: Key Late Hits Lift Pirates Over Giants, 8-6
A pair of late-inning, two-run singles gave the Pirates a come-from-behind, 8-6 win over San Francisco. Tim Foli got the…
August 21, 1979: Bob Knepper Handcuffs Pirates, Giants Win, 6-1
San Francisco lefty Bob Knepper threw a complete game six-hitter as the Giants beat the Pirates, 6-1. The Expos and…
August 20, 1979: Pirates Edge Giants on Late Passed Ball
The Pirates overcame a subpar start from Bert Blyleven to beat San Francisco, 6-5. The bullpen threw three scoreless innings…
August 19, 1979: Pirates Beat Dodgers on Madlock Walkoff
The Pirates got eight outstanding innings from John Candelaria against the Dodgers, but Burt Hooton matched him until the ninth. …
August 18, 1979: Former Teammate Shuts Down Bucs
Jerry Reuss hasn’t had a good year since the Pirates traded him to Los Angeles at the beginning of the…
August 17, 1979: Dodgers Stop Pirates’ Win Streak at Six
Jim Bibby saw a strong string of starts come to an end and a comeback fell short as the Pirates…
August 16, 1979: Pirates Edge Padres, 5-4, to Complete Sweep
The Pirates beat San Diego, 5-4, to sweep their three-game series at TRS and extend their winning streak to six. …
August 15, 1979: Blyleven Goes the Distance as Bucs Defeat Padres Again
Bert Blyleven repeated John Candelaria’s performance of yesterday, allowing just one run and going the distance against San Diego. Dave…
August 14, 1979: Pirates Light It Up Early and Coast to Win Over San Diego
The Pirates got all their runs in the first two innings and John Candelaria took it from there in a…
August 13, 1979: Pirates Stomp Phillies, 9-1
Jim Bibby threw seven and a third strong innings and the Pirates pounded out 13 hits in a 9-1 thrashing…
August 12, 1979: Pirates Rained Out, Face Phillies Tomorrow
The Pirates’ game in Philadelphia today was rained out. It’ll be made up as part of a doubleheader on September…
August 11, 1979: Pirates Come Back From 8-0 Deficit to Beat Phillies
In probably their wildest win of the season, the Pirates beat Philadelphia, 14-11, after falling behind 8-0 early. The Bucs…
August 10, 1979: Pirates Split Two Tight Games with Phillies
The Pirates played a pair of one-run games in Philadelphia on Friday night. They came from behind to tie in…
August 9, 1979: Pirates Suffer Another Rout by Cubs
By Wilbur Miller For the second time in three games, the Pirates suffered a blowout loss to the Cubs, this…
August 8, 1979: Pirates Win in Ten, Extend Division Lead
by Wilbur Miller The Pirates beat the Cubs, 5-2, in ten innings. With the Expos losing, the Pirates extended their…
August 7, 1979: Pirates Lose Thoroughly Forgettable, 15-2 Game to Cubs
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates took a serious drubbing at the hands of the Cubs in Wrigley Field, losing 15-2. …
August 6, 1979: Pirates Head to Chicago for Three
By Wilbur Miller The first-place Pirates have an off-day as they head into Chicago for three games against the Cubs. …
August 5, 1979: Pirates Sweep Five-Game Series From Phillies and Take Over First
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates swept a doubleheader from Philadelphia, giving them all five games of the teams’ series. Montreal…
August 4, 1979: Pirates Shut Out Phillies Behind Candelaria
By Wilbur Miller John Candelaria and Kent Tekulve combined on a shutout as the Pirates beat Philadelphia, 4-0. The Bucs…
August 3, 1979: Parker, Bibby Star as Pirates Sweep Phillies
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates got four RBIs from Dave Parker in game one and a complete game from Jim…
August 2, 1979: Eighth-Inning Meltdown Costs Pirates
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates blew a 4-1, eighth-inning lead in the last game of their two-game series against St.…
August 1, 1979: Pirates’ Triple Threat Beats Cards, 4-3
By Wilbur Miller The Cardinals are probably tired of the number three. After taking a 3-0 lead, they saw the…
July 31, 1979: Bucs’ Bats Can’t Get Going in 2-1 Loss to Mets
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates managed only four hits in a 2-1 loss to the Mets. With Montreal winning, the…
July 30, 1979: Pirates Beat Mets to Move Into First-Place Tie
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates came back from an early deficit to beat the Mets, 8-5, in their return to…
July 29, 1979: Pirates Drop Back to Second With Loss to Expos
The Pirates missed a chance to complete a four-game sweep in Montreal, losing the final game, 5-3. The loss dropped…
July 28, 1979: Pirates Take First With Win Over Expos
The Pirates took over first place by half a game with a 5-3 win over the Expos. They’ve taken the…
July 27, 1979: Pirates Take Two From Expos, Move to Within Half a Game of First
It was a big day for Expos’ fans, as it featured the return to Montreal of Rusty Staub, who’d been…
July 25, 1979: Pirates Lose to Reds in Ten
The Pirates lost to Cincinnati by the same score as yesterday, 6-5. This time the defeat came in the 10th…
July 26, 1979: Reds Win, 9-7, to Sweep Pirates
Cincinnati completed a three-game sweep of the Pirates at TRS, winning 9-7. The loss was the Bucs’ fourth straight following…
July 24, 1979: Big First Inning Costs Pirates in Loss to Reds
Starter Bruce Kison retired only one batter before departing as the Pirates dropped a 6-5 decision in the opener of…
July 21, 1979: Eighth-Inning Bombs Give Pirates Sweep of Astros
Eighth-inning home runs by Bill Robinson and Phil Garner gave the Pirates a come-from-behind, 6-5 win over Houston. With that…
July 22, 1979: Win Streak at Eight as Pirates Take Two From Braves
The Pirates extended their season-high winning streak to eight games by sweeping a doubleheader from Atlanta, with both games decided…
July 23, 1979: Pirates Split With Braves, Win Streak Ends at Nine
The Pirates extended their winning streak to nine by beating Atlanta, 7-1, in the first game of a doubleheader. Bert…
July 20, 1979: Pirates Stomp Astros for Fifth Straight Win
John Candelaria went the distance and Phil Garner drove in three runs as the Pirates pummeled Houston, 9-3. The win…
July 19, 1979: Pirates Take Two From Astros
The Pirates took a doubleheader at TRS from NL West-leading Houston and, thanks to a lot of help elsewhere, made…
July 17, 1979: Dave Parker Named MVP as NL Stars Beat AL, 7-6
Dave Parker showed off his cannon of an arm in right as MLB’s stars met in Seattle. Parker gunned down…
July 18, 1979: Pirates’ Leaders as They Prepare for the Second Half
The Pirates have one more day off following the All-Star Game as they head home. They’ll face Houston in a…
July 16, 1979: Pirates Off for All-Star Break
The Pirates have three days off for the All-Star Game. Well, most of them do. The team’s lone representative, right…
July 12, 1979: Pirates Win, 5-3, to Sweep Astros
The Pirates won their fourth straight, beating Houston, 5-3. The win gave them a three-game sweep on the road. For…
July 13, 1979: Friday the 13th Bad Luck for the Pirates
The Pirates came into Friday the 13th with a four-game winning streak, but their luck disappeared. The Braves got 14…
July 14, 1979: Candelaria, Braves’ Errors Produce Pirate Win
John Candelaria threw a complete game five-hitter and the Pirates benefited from five Atlanta errors in a 5-1 win over…
July 15, 1979: Jim Bibby, Bill Robinson Lead Pirates to Win Over Braves
Jim Bibby had a good start, and Bill Robinson had three hits and three runs, to lead the Pirates to…
July 9, 1979: Pirates Head to Houston for Three
The Pirates have a day off as they travel to Houston for a three-game series. They’re currently stand at 41-38,…
July 8, 1979: Pirates Split Two With Reds
The Pirates split a doubleheader in Cincinnati. The first game was a 4-2 loss, their fourth straight and third straight…
July 10, 1979: Pirates Hold Off Astros for 4-3 Win
The Pirates survived a ninth-inning threat to get a 4-3 win in the opener of a three-game series in Houston. …
July 11, 1979: Kison Goes the Distance in 5-1 Win Over Astros
Bruce Kison allowed just six hits and no walks in a complete game, 5-1 win over Houston. The win was…
July 4, 1979: Stargell, Madlock Hammer Cards
Willie Stargell and Bill Madlock led the offense as the Pirates won a holiday game in St. Louis, 6-4. The…
July 5, 1979: Pirates Blanked in St. Louis Finale
The Pirates couldn’t get on the board against St. Louis, losing 2-0. The loss cost them a chance for a…
July 6, 1979: Reds Edge Pirates in Ninth, 2-1
The Pirates dropped a walkoff game to Cincinnati, 2-1. With the loss, they fell into a four-way tie for second…
July 7, 1979: Reds Jump on Don Robinson, Beat Pirates, 6-2
Don Robinson lasted only an inning and a third as the Pirates lost to the Reds in Cincinnati, 6-2. The…
July 1, 1979: Travel Day as Pirates Head to St. Louis for Four
The Pittsburgh Pirates have an off-day as they move on to St. Louis for four games against the Cardinals. The…
July 2, 1979: Bill Madlock Debuts as Pirates Edge Cards, 5-4
Bill Madlock had two hits in his debut as the Pirates’ new third baseman as they beat St. Louis, 5-4. …
July 3, 1979: Candelaria, Romo Shut Down Cards in 4-1 Win
John Candelaria and Enrique Romo held St. Louis to four hits and Dave Parker keyed the offense in a 4-1…
July 29, 1979: Pirates Drop Back to Second With Loss to Expos
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates missed a chance to complete a four-game sweep in Montreal, losing the final game, 5-3. …
July 28, 1979: Pirates Take First With Win Over Expos
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates took over first place by half a game with a 5-3 win over the Expos. …
July 27, 1979: Pirates Take Two From Expos, Move to Within Half a Game of First
By Wilbur Miller It was a big day for Expos’ fans, as it featured the return to Montreal of Rusty…
July 26, 1979: Reds Win, 9-7, to Sweep Pirates
By Wilbur Miller Cincinnati completed a three-game sweep of the Pirates at TRS, winning 9-7. The loss was the Bucs’…
July 25, 1979: Pirates Lose to Reds in Ten
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates lost to Cincinnati by the same score as yesterday, 6-5. This time the defeat came…
July 24, 1979: Big First Inning Costs Pirates in Loss to Reds
By Wilbur Miller Starter Bruce Kison retired only one batter before departing as the Pirates dropped a 6-5 decision in…
July 23, 1979: Pirates Split With Braves, Win Streak Ends at Nine
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates extended their winning streak to nine by beating Atlanta, 7-1, in the first game of…
July 22, 1979: Win Streak at Eight as Pirates Take Two From Braves
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates extended their season-high winning streak to eight games by sweeping a doubleheader from Atlanta, with…
July 21, 1979: Eighth-Inning Bombs Give Pirates Sweep of Astros
By Wilbur Miller Eighth-inning home runs by Bill Robinson and Phil Garner gave the Pirates a come-from-behind, 6-5 win over…
July 20, 1979: Pirates Stomp Astros for Fifth Straight Win
By Wilbur Miller John Candelaria went the distance and Phil Garner drove in three runs as the Pirates pummeled Houston,…
July 19, 1979: Pirates Take Two From Astros
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates took a doubleheader at Three Rivers Stadium from NL West-leading Houston and, thanks to a…
July 18, 1979: Pirates’ Leaders as They Prepare for the Second Half
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates have one more day off following the All-Star Game as they head home. They’ll face…
July 17, 1979: Dave Parker Named MVP as NL Stars Beat AL, 7-6
By Wilbur Miller Dave Parker showed off his cannon of an arm in right as MLB’s stars met in Seattle. …
July 16, 1979: Pirates Off for All-Star Break
By Wilbur Miller The Pirates have three days off for the All-Star Game. Well, most of them do. The team’s…
July 15, 1979: Jim Bibby, Bill Robinson Lead Pirates to Win Over Braves
Jim Bibby had a good start, and Bill Robinson had three hits and three runs, to lead the Pirates to…
July 14, 1979: Candelaria, Braves’ Errors Produce Pirate Win
John Candelaria threw a complete game five-hitter and the Pirates benefited from five Atlanta errors in a 5-1 win over…
July 13, 1979: Friday the 13th Bad Luck for the Pirates
The Pirates came into Friday the 13th with a four-game winning streak, but their luck disappeared. The Braves got 14…
July 6, 1979: Reds Edge Pirates in Ninth, 2-1
The Pirates dropped a walkoff game to Cincinnati, 2-1. With the loss, they fell into a four-way tie for second…
July 5, 1979: Pirates Blanked in St. Louis Finale
The Pirates couldn’t get on the board against St. Louis, losing 2-0. The loss cost them a chance for a…
July 4, 1979: Stargell, Madlock Hammer Cards
Willie Stargell and Bill Madlock led the offense as the Pirates won a holiday game in St. Louis, 6-4. The…
July 3, 1979: Candelaria, Romo Shut Down Cards in 4-1 Win
John Candelaria and Enrique Romo held St. Louis to four hits and Dave Parker keyed the offense in a 4-1…
July 2, 1979: Bill Madlock Debuts as Pirates Edge Cards, 5-4
Bill Madlock had two hits in his debut as the Pirates’ new third baseman as they beat St. Louis, 5-4. …
July 1, 1979: Travel Day as Pirates Head to St. Louis for Four
The Pittsburgh Pirates have an off-day as they move on to St. Louis for four games against the Cardinals. The…
June 30, 1979: Longball Hurts Blyleven in Loss to Expos
Montreal used the longball against the Pirates, homering three times total off Bert Blyleven and Grant Jackson. The Pirates made…
June 29, 1979: Bullpen Holds on as Pirates Edge Expos
The Pirates’ bullpen held onto a one-run lead for the final three innings as the Bucs beat Montreal, 6-5. The…
June 28, 1979: Pirates Lose a Game But Add a Mad Dog
The Pirates dropped the second and last game of their home series with the Mets, 3-2. There was other news,…
June 27, 1979: Bucs’ Bullpen Implodes in 12-9 Loss to Mets
The Pirates and Mets resumed their home-and-home series at Three Rivers Stadium and the home team’s relievers probably would have…
June 26, 1979: Blyleven Stops Mets in 2-1 Bucs Win
Bert Blyleven gave up just one run over eight innings as the Pirates beat the Mets, 2-1. Blyleven allowed only…
June 25, 1979: Pirates Split Two With Mets
The Pirates and Mets split a doubleheader in New York. The twinbill resulted from the teams’ 3-3 tie, played over…
June 24, 1979: Pirates Shut Out by Rick Reuschel
Cubs’ starter Rick Reuschel shut the Pirates out on five hits as Chicago won the rubber match of the three-game…
June 23, 1979: Pirates’ Win Streak Ends With Loss to Cubs
The Pirates dropped a 4-3 decision to Chicago, ending their winning streak at six. Don Robinson held the Cubs to…
June 22, 1979: Pirates Beat Cubs for Sixth Straight Win
Bert Blyleven won his fourth straight decision and the Pirates got their sixth straight, 7-2, against the Cubs. The win…
June 21, 1979: Off-Day as Pirates Head Home to Face Cubs
The Pirates are off as they travel home following a 5-3 West Coast trip. They won the last five and…
June 20, 1979: Pirates Top Giants for Fifth Straight Win
The Pirates got a big early lead and then scored three late runs to pick up an 8-5 win over…
June 19, 1979: Garner and Ott Lead Pirates to 9-4 Drubbing of Giants
Phil Garner had five hits and Ed Ott drove in three runs to help the Pirates beat San Francisco, 9-4. …
June 18, 1979: Pirates and Giants Rained Out
The first game of the Pirates’ series in San Francisco was rained out, to be made up when they return…
June 17, 1979: Pirates Complete Sweep of Dodgers With 5-1 Win
Ed Whitson allowed only two hits over seven and a third innings as the Pirates completed a three-game sweep of…
June 16, 1979: Don Robinson Goes the Distance as Bucs Beat Dodgers
Don Robinson threw a complete game as the Pirates won for the second time in Los Angeles, 6-3. Robinson allowed…
June 15, 1979: Pirates End Losing Streak Behind Blyleven and Big Ninth Inning
The Pirates put an end to their five-game losing streak by beating the Dodgers in Los Angeles, 6-2. Bert Blyleven…
June 14, 1979: Padres Beat Pirates in 14 Innings to Complete Sweep
The Padres outlasted the Pirates in a fourteen-inning game, winning 2-1 to sweep the three-game series. The loss was the…
June 13, 1979: Bats Still Quiet as Pirates Lose Fourth Straight
The Pirates again couldn’t get much offense going, this time against San Diego starter Bob Owchinko. The result was a…
June 12, 1979: Gaylord Perry Shuts Down Pirates Again
Ten days after beating the Pirates in Pittsburgh, Padres’ ace Gaylord Perry did it again in San Diego, throwing a…
June 11, 1979: A Day Off and Another Question for Readers
The Pirates are on their way to San Diego for three. They currently sport a 28-25 record and stand in…
June 10, 1979: Bucs’ Defense Costs Them in Loss to Giants
A pair of errors made the difference as the Pirates dropped a 7-4 decision to San Francisco. The win gave…
June 9, 1979: Vida Blue Shuts Down Pirates as Giants Win, 6-2
Giants’ ace Vida Blue came into tonight’s game with the Pirates sporting a 5.98 ERA. Unfortunately, he flashed back to…
June 8, 1979: Eighth-Inning Bombs Give Pirates 3-2 Win Over Giants
Back-to-back, eighth-inning home runs by Willie Stargell and Dave Parker gave the Pirates all their offense as they edged San…
June 7, 1979: A Day Off Before Facing the Giants
The Pirates have a day off while they wait for San Francisco to come in from St. Louis, where the…
June 6, 1979: Four-Run Eighth Inning Gives Pirates Win Over Dodgers
A four-run rally, capped by Bill Robinson’s second longball of the game, gave the Pirates a 5-4 win over Los…
June 5, 1979: Blyleven Overcomes Shaky Control to Beat Dodgers, 3-1
Bert Blyleven didn’t have the tidiest outing ever, but it did the job in a 3-1 win over Los Angeles. …
June 4, 1979: Sutcliffe, Dodgers Top Pirates, 4-2
Dodgers’ starter Rick Sutcliffe allowed only four hits in a complete game, 4-2 win over the Pirates. Jim Rooker suffered…
June 3, 1979: Bruce Kison Throws One-Hitter
Bruce Kison came within four outs of a no-hitter as the Pirates trounced San Diego, 7-0. The only hit, with…
June 2, 1979: Win Streak Ends as Pirates Can’t Solve Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Perry, the reigning Cy Young winner, was too much for the Pirates in a 3-1 win for San Diego. …
June 1, 1979: Big Ninth Inning Gives Pirates Walkoff Win Over Padres
A day after earning a walkoff win against Cubs ace reliever Bruce Sutter, the Pirates did it again with San…
May 31, 1979: Foli’s Walk-Off Single in Tenth Completes Sweep of Cubs
A clutch single by Tim Foli in the tenth inning gave the Pirates a walk-off victory over Chicago, 4-3. The…
May 30, 1979: Rooker Throws Two-Hitter as Pirates Stomp Cubs
In his third start since returning from the disabled list, Jim Rooker went the distance against Chicago to give the…
May 29, 1979: Don Robinson Goes Eight as Pirates Pummel Cubs, 8-0
Don Robinson threw shutout ball for eight innings and Dave Parker had three extra-base hits as the Pirates hammered Chicago,…
May 28, 1979: Candelaria, Bill Robinson Lead Pirates in 6-1 Win Over Mets
The Pirates got a strong start from John Candelaria and three RBIs from Bill Robinson to win the rubber game…
May 27, 1979: Bill Robinson’s Blast Gives Pirates 2-1 Win Over Mets
The Pirates lost starter Jim Bibby in the fourth inning of a good start. The bullpen, though, held the fort…
May 26, 1979: Mets Hammer Blyleven, Bullpen, and Win, 10-8
The Mets don’t have one of the NL’s better lineups. You wouldn’t have known it today, though, as they scored…
May 25, 1979: Pirates and Mets Play to Fogbound, 11-Inning Tie
The Pirates and Mets played to an odd and contentious 3-3 tie at Shea Stadium. With visibility limited by a…
May 24, 1979: An Off-Day as the Pirates Head to New York for Four
The Pirates had an off-day as they traveled from Montreal to New York for a four-game series with the Mets. …
May 23, 1979: Steve Rogers Too Much for Pirates in 3-0 Loss
Montreal ace Steve Rogers threw a complete game shutout as the Pirates dropped a 3-0 game to the Expos. The…
May 22, 1979: Pirates’ Win Streak Ends at Six in Loss to Expos
The Pirates saw their six-game winning streak come to an end in Montreal. The Expos’ 6-3 win also dropped the…
May 21, 1979: Pirates, Blyleven Beat Expos to Extend Win Streak to Six
Bert Blyleven got his first win of the season and the Pirates extended their winning streak to six in a…
May 20, 1979: Pirates Complete Sweep of Cubs With 6-5 Win
Five Pirates pitchers withstood 15 Cubs hits well enough to hang on for a 6-5 win, completing a three-game sweep…
May 19, 1979: Pirates Blank Cubs in Jim Rooker’s First Start of Season
Lefty Jim Rooker made his first start of the season a good one, going eight and a third shutout innings…
May 18, 1979: Pirates Outslug Cubs for Third Straight Win
The Pirates won their third straight game, 9-5, by outhitting the Cubs. Each team had three longballs and, oddly, both…
May 17, 1979: Willie Stargell Powers Pirates to Series Win Over Mets
Willie Stargell went deep twice off left-handers as the Pirates edged the Mets, 6-5. The win gave the Bucs the…
May 16, 1979: Mike Easler Walks It Off in 13
Mike Easler found a good time for his first home run of the year and the second of his career. …
May 15, 1979: Walks, Lack of Offense Doom Pirates in 3-0 Loss to Mets
The Pirates could do nothing with Craig Swan and Don Robinson walked . . . well, everybody, leading to a…
May 14, 1979: A Day Off With the Mets on the Way
The Pirates had a Monday off-day, with the Mets coming to Pittsburgh for a three-game series. Expected starters were Craig…
May 13, 1979: Candelaria Roughed Up in Loss to Reds
The Pirates continued their habit of alternating wins and losses for the 14th game. John Candelaria gave up ten hits…
May 12, 1979: Pirates Edge Reds on Hits by Stargell, Moreno
The Pirates got a pair of two-out, RBI hits from Willie Stargell and Omar Moreno in the seventh inning to…
May 11, 1979: Blyleven, Bullpen Roughed Up in Loss to Reds
Bert Blyleven and Kent Tekulve continued their early-season struggles as the Pirates dropped an 8-4 decision to the Reds at…
May 10, 1979: A Day Off and a Look at How the Pirates Assembled Their Bullpen
The Pirates got a day off to return home for a series against Cincinnati. Bert Blyleven was set to face…
May 9, 1979: Pirates Win Wild Game Against Braves, 17-9
The Pirates won a wild and crazy 17-9 game against the Braves as the replacement umpires — MLB was in…
May 8, 1979: Rick Rhoden Makes Pirates Debut in Loss to Atlanta
The Pirates traded Jerry Reuss for Rick Rhoden on April 7, knowing that Rhoden was having some arm problems. He…
May 7, 1979: Candelaria, Bullpen Stop Braves
The Pirates continued their pattern of winning every other game with a 4-2 victory over Atlanta. John Candelaria and three…
May 6, 1979: Bucs Drop Rubber Match to Cards
The Pirates couldn’t get much offense going against Silvio Martinez and the Cards. The result was a 4-2 St. Louis…
May 5, 1979: Pops’ Pinch Hit Caps Comeback
The Pirates staged a three-run rally in the ninth, topped off by Willie Stargell’s two-out, two-run pinch single, to beat…
May 4, 1979: Pirates Miss Early Chances, Lose to Cards
Don Robinson didn’t have one of his better starts and the Pirates failed to capitalize fully on some early chances…
May 3, 1979: A Rainout and a Look at Where the Pirates’ Starters Came From
The Pirates headed to St. Louis after rain washed away the finale of their series with Atlanta. Don Robinson would…
May 2, 1979: Pirates Hammer Braves Behind Candelaria and Bill Robinson
John Candelaria went the distance and Bill Robinson went deep twice to lead the Pirates to a 10-2 thrashing of…
May 1, 1979: Pirates Lose in Ninth to Atlanta
Kent Tekulve continued his shaky start to the 1979 season as the Pirates gave up three in the ninth in…
April 30, 1979: An Off-Day for the Bucs and Some More Where-They-Came-From
The Pirates were off on the last day of April. They finished the month with a record of 7-11, in…
April 29, 1979: Pirates Finally Solve the Astros
The top of the Pirates’ order had big days as the Bucs finally took care of Houston, 10-5, at Three…
April 28, 1979: A Rainout and a Look at Where the Infield Came From
The Pirates’ game with Houston was rained out. It’ll be made up in July. In the meantime, let’s take a…
April 27, 1979: Pirates Fall to Astros Again
Former Pirate Art Howe did much of the damage as the Pirates lost to Houston for the fourth straight time,…
April 26, 1979: Pirates Head Home on an Off-Day
The Pittsburgh Pirates are off as they head home to face the very annoying Houston Astros. They’re currently 6-10, leaving…
April 25, 1979: Teke Perfect in Relief as Pirates Beat Reds in Eleven
Kent Tekulve retired all ten batters he faced in a stellar relief performance as the Pirates beat Cincinnati in eleven…
April 24, 1979: Bucs Trounce Reds to Halt Losing Streak
The Pirates got well in Cincinnati, dropping the Reds, 9-2, to stop their six-game losing streak. They did it behind…
April 23, 1979: An Off Day and a Quick Look at the Farm System
The Pirates got a break from their six-game losing streak as the moved on to Cincinnati. Meanwhile, let’s take a…
April 22, 1979: Pirates Drop Sixth Straight
The Pirates suffered their third straight one-run loss to the Astros by a 3-2 count. The loss left them with…
April 21, 1979: Dejá Vu as Pirates Lose 5-4 in Ten Again
For the second straight day, the Pirates lost to the Astros, 5-4, in ten innings, on an unearned run following…
April 20, 1979: Pirates Lose to Astros in Ten
The Pirates moved on to Houston and introduced their new shortstop, but their losing streak extended to four. The Astros…
April 19, 1979: Pirates Get a Day Off and a New Shortstop
The Pirates were off on April 19, but that doesn’t mean nothing happened. They defied the old canard about early-season…
April 18, 1979: Missed Chances Cost Pirates Against Phillies
The Pirates had some scoring chances early against the Phillies and Randy Lerch, but couldn’t capitalize. In the process they…
April 17, 1979: Blyleven Shelled in Phillies Rout
A second matchup between future Hall-of-Fame pitchers was badly one-sided as the Phillies jumped all over Bert Blyleven. Steve Carlton,…
April 16, 1979: A Rainout and a Question for Readers
The Pirates’ game against the Phillies at Three Rivers was rained out. It’d be made up as part of a…
April 15, 1979: Pirates Miss Chance to Sweep Cards
The Pirates had a chance for a four-game sweep of St. Louis, but a bullpen meltdown let the chance slip. …
April 14, 1979: Ed Ott Bombs the Cards
The Pirates dropped St. Louis for the third straight time, 7-4, behind four RBIs by Ed Ott and a solid…
April 13, 1979: Milner Bombs the Cards
John Milner launched a pair of dingers to lead the Pirates to a 7-6 win over St. Louis. Bruce Kison…
April 12, 1979: Don Robinson Serves as Stopper
Back home against St. Louis, Don Robinson threw a complete game to end the Pirates’ three-game losing streak. Dave Parker…
April 11, 1979: Pirates Drop Third Straight
The Pirates lost their third straight game, a 5-4 affair to the Phillies. In a matchup of future Hall-of-Famers, neither…
April 10, 1979: Pirates Drop Makeup Game to Phillies
The Pirates’ bullpen faltered yet again as they lost the makeup of the previous day’s rainout on the road to…
April 9, 1979: A Rainout and a Minor Transaction
The Pirates’ April 9 game in Philadelphia got rained out. With an off-day scheduled the very next day, they played…
April 8, 1979: Pirates Drop A Close One
Another bullpen breakdown cost the Pirates the rubber match in their three-game, season-opening series against Montreal. Four late runs gave…
April 7, 1979: Pirates Get a Win and Make a Trade
On the season’s second day, the Pirates got their first win in a wild one against Montreal, 7-6. They also…
April 6, 1979: Pirates Drop Opener to Expos
The 1979 Pirates opened their season at Three Rivers Stadium in a 12:35 pm start against the Montreal Expos. The…
With a Solid Pitching Staff, the 1979 Pirates Just Needed Some Limited Upgrades
in 1978, the Pirates were very strong in the first three rotation spots and also had a deep bullpen. They…
The 1979 Pirates Had the Lumber, But With a Few Holes to Fill
As I mentioned yesterday, the Pirates had two big guns on offense in Willie Stargell and Dave Parker, but the…
The 1979 Fam-A-Lee Prepares for the Season
This is the first of a daily feature tracking the 1979 Pirates’ championship season. Before I even start, I want…
