The Pittsburgh Pirates’ rich, storied history has included many dramatic home runs despite the troubled times of recent decades. With apologies to David Letterman, here’s an attempt at the top 10 home runs in Pirates history in two parts. Naturally, many worthy candidates were eliminated. Some home runs are included because of their importance. Others are just cool.
10. Clemente Runs the Stop Sign
July 25, 1956, Pirates 9, Chicago Cubs 8 at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh. Roberto Clemente was then a 21-year-old rising star for the Pirates. A raw talent, he hit only .255/.284/.382 in his rookie season the previous year. He quickly established himself in 1956 and would become one of the greatest Puerto Rican ballplayers.
On this day, the Cubs were leading 8-5 as the Pirates came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. Against Turk Lown, they promptly loaded the bases on a walk, a hit, and another walk, after which Cubs manager Stan Hack asked Lown to walk off the mound in favor of Jim Brosnan. The free-swinging Clemente swung hard at Brosnan’s high, hard initial offering, sending it sailing high off the left-field light tower. Cubs left fielder Jim King made a futile chase as the ball caromed toward center field.
By the time center fielder Solly Drake retrieved it, three runners had scored. Clemente reached third as the relay came to shortstop Ernie Banks. Manager Bobby Bragan, coaching third as managers did during that era, threw up his arms to stop Clemente. It was the right call with no outs. However, Clemente blew past him and slid home like an avalanche, beating the throw and winning the game on what today is still the only walk-off inside-the-park grand slam in baseball history. After the game, Bragan announced there would be no fine.
9. Smith Ends the Combined No-Hitter
July 12, 1997, Pirates 3, Houston Astros 0 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh. In 1996, Pirates managing partner Kevin McClatchy decided to tear down the team and start over. This resulted in his manager, Jim Leyland, asking out of the remainder of his contract. The 1997 Pirates’ $9 million payroll was less than the Chicago White Sox were paying Albert Belle. Implausibly, the Pirates were contenders until the last week of the season, thanks to the combination of a weak division and several wildly improbable wins.
On this evening, in front of 44,119, Pirates pitcher Francisco Cordova had no-hit the Astros through nine. The problem? His team hadn’t scored. As the teams entered the 10th inning scoreless, Pirates manager Gene Lamont sent Ricardo Rincon to the mound. Rincon escaped the 10th without allowing a hit. In the bottom of the inning, the Pirates had two on and two out against pitcher John Hudek when Lamont called on Mark Smith to bat for Rincon. Smith launched Hudek’s second pitch deep over the left field wall for a home run and a Pirates win. McClatchy could be seen rising from his seat behind home, arms upward, as soon as Smith connected. The game remains the only combined extra-inning no-hitter in baseball history.
8. Milner’s Grand Slam
August 5, 1979, Pirates 12, Phillies 8 at Three Rivers Stadium. The Phillies had signed Pete Rose in the offseason and were favored to repeat as National League East Division champions. But the Pirates and Montreal Expos were battling all season as the Phillies sat wallowing in fourth place. The Pirates had already won the first three games of this five-game series. Still, the Phillies had to feel confident entering the first game of this Sunday doubleheader with their left-handed ace and Pirate-killer Steve Carlton on the mound.
Rookie Steve Nicosia was the right-handed half of the Pirates’ catching platoon. For his eight-year career, he would hit .248/.310/.345. Inexplicably, he consistently murdered Carlton’s pitching. This day was the best of his career. He went 4-for-4 with a home run and two doubles as the Pirates and Phillies tied 8-8 after eight innings. In the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates loaded the bases with two outs, and Nicosia due up to face right-hander Rawly Eastwick. However, manager Chuck Tanner shocked everybody in attendance by bringing lefty-swinging John Milner to bat for Nicosia. Phillies manager Danny Ozark countered with lefty pitcher Tug McGraw. Then Milner countered by blasting McGraw’s first pitch far over the right-field wall for a game-ending grand slam.
As the fans went wild, the Pirates carried Milner off the field. Meanwhile, as the Phillies exited the field, their body language indicated one shell-shocked baseball team. It was already a foregone conclusion that the Pirates would win the second game as well. In a year when the eventual world champion Pirates would win the division by two games, arguably, Milner won two games with one swing of the bat.
7. Robertson’s Three-Run Bunt
October 12, 1971. Pirates 5, Baltimore Orioles 1, World Series Game Three at Three Rivers Stadium. The Orioles, defending champions with four 20-game winners, were heavy favorites to win the 1971 World Series. They came to Pittsburgh, having won the first two games in Baltimore. In Game Three, Pirates pitcher Steve Blass held them to one hit through six innings, with the Pirates leading 2-0. Frank Robinson led off the seventh for the Orioles with a long home run to deep left and appeared to seize some momentum back for the visitors. The bottom of the seventh started with Clemente reaching on pitcher Mike Cuellar’s error and a walk to Willie Stargell.
Bob Robertson, a 24-year-old, red-haired slugging first baseman, was the next batter. During 1970-71, Robertson hit .278/.361/.520, 53 HR and 154 RBI. From the dugout, manager Danny Murtaugh flashed the bunt sign. It was a strategy that made no sense. Robertson hadn’t bunted all year long. He was a right-handed power hitter facing a left-handed pitcher at home with the home team ahead, 2-1.
It made no sense to Clemente either. Clemente could be seen frantically trying to call time out as he took his lead off second. The umpires missed Clemente, and Robertson missed the bunt sign. Robertson drove Cuellar’s 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center to extend the Pirates’ lead to 5-1. That sucked the air out of any Baltimore comeback, as 5-1 held up as the final score. Like Bragan before him, Murtaugh announced there would be no fine. The home run is said to have turned the tide in the Series, which the Pirates won in seven games.
6. Robertson Comes Through Again
October 1, 1974, Pirates 6, Cubs 5 at Three Rivers Stadium. What a difference three years makes. Robertson was mired in a three-year slump that would see him hit .222/.315/.396, 42 HR, and 129 RBI from 1972-74. In 1974, the Pirates’ roster was stacked with outfielders. Stargell, Al Oliver, Richie Zisk, and Dave Parker were all good enough to be in the starting lineup. An obvious solution was to move one of them to first base, where Robertson wasn’t producing. Parker was tried there but fielded poorly. Stargell would play the position later in his career but wasn’t considered an option in 1974. Oliver, who came up as a first baseman, was a logical choice and played there for much of May and June but didn’t like it. Finally, manager Murtaugh platooned Robertson at first base with Ed Kirkpatrick, a lefty-swinging journeyman catcher/outfielder.
On this evening, the Pirates were one game ahead of a pesky St. Louis Cardinals team in the East Division with two games left. The Cubs came into Three Rivers, intent on knocking the Pirates out of first place. Heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Cubs led 5-4, with left-handed bullpen ace Dave LaRoche on the mound. With one out, a runner on first, and Kirkpatrick due up, Murtaugh sent Robertson up to pinch hit. Robertson sent LaRoche’s 3-0 pitch into the night sky and the left-field seats to win the game, 6-5, and clinch a tie for the division. The Pirates won the division title the next night.
Next Up
Stay tuned. In Part Two, we’ll complete this list with the top five home runs in Pirates history. Spoiler alert: Number one will surprise you.
Main Photo Credits: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
