With the Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day fast approaching on Thursday, here\u2019s a look at some memorable Pirates openers. Despite baseball\u2019s declining popularity, Opening Day remains a magical day. There was a time when the Pirates opener was a big deal to youngsters. At one time in Pittsburgh, the Opening Day game would typically begin at 1:35 on a weekday afternoon. Kids would skip school to attend. Their parents, co-conspirators complicit in these blatant acts of truancy, wrote excuses packed with falsehoods. Teachers accepted them with sighs or knowing smiles and nods.<\/p>\n
In Catholic schools where the boys were required to wear jackets and ties, those who couldn\u2019t go to the game would slip transistor radios into their breast pockets and run the earphones through the sleeves. If the Pirates lost, the same bad joke spread throughout Pittsburgh like an annual ritual. \u201cHey, did you hear they\u2019re not serving beer at Forbes Field (or Three Rivers Stadium) anymore? The Pirates lost the opener!\u201d<\/em> Continuing this trip down Memory Lane, here is one man\u2019s opinion on the five best Pirates openers, in ascending order.<\/p>\n March 30, 2018, Pirates 13, Detroit Tigers 10 at Comerica Park, Detroit<\/strong><\/p>\n The Pirates entered the 2018 season<\/a> with low expectations. Their opening game was hardly a clinic. The Pirates and Tigers combined for five errors and three blown saves on this Opening Day. Two pitchers \u2013 Michael Feliz<\/a> of the Pirates and Drew VerHagen<\/a> of the Tigers \u2013 ended the game with ERAs of infinity.<\/p>\n Leading 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle<\/a> gave the ball to the hard-throwing Feliz. Feliz failed to retire any of the four batters he faced, three of whom scored. Edgar Santana<\/a> relieved him to try to clean up the mess, but a Josh Bell<\/a> error let a fourth run in. VerHagen took the mound in the eighth to protect the Tigers\u2019 6-4 lead. Both runners he faced reached base and scored to tie the game. The Pirates scored four runs in the top of the ninth to take a 10-6 lead. It looked safe when Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez<\/a> strode to the mound. Vazquez was ineffective and the Tigers tied the score, 10-10, to send it into extra innings.<\/p>\n In the bottom of the 10th with the Tigers\u2019 Nick Castellanos<\/a> on second, JaCoby Jones<\/a> lined a single into left-center field. Left fielder Corey Dickerson<\/a> fired a strike to home plate. Castellanos slid. The umpire signaled \u201csafe.\u201d It had already been a long afternoon of baseball. Pirates fans watching on TV switched off their sets. Those of us following the game on computers at work exited out of Gameday. Imagine the confusion when all those Pirates fans later learned that the Pirates won! Hurdle had challenged the umpire\u2019s safe call at home. After a lengthy replay review, the call on the field was reversed and the game continued. After five hours and 27 minutes, the Pirates picked up an Opening Day victory on a three-run home run by Gregory Polanco<\/a> in the 13th inning.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s some \u2615\ufe0f courtesy of Gregory Polanco on this Monday morning. 25 days until Opening Day #LetsGoBucs<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/MWq75feXfK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Pirates of the Allegheny (@OfTheAllegheny) March 4, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe Top 5 Opening Days in Pirates History<\/h2>\n
5. When is a Loss Not a Loss?<\/h3>\n
Hurdle on the Ball<\/h4>\n
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