4/30 From 1980: Tyler-Vinny, Game Tales - King & Phil 2HRs, Paul & Pat Sign, BB POTW, Bert Pouts, TSN Mad Dog; HBD CSN
- 1980 – Phil Garner had his first two-homer game, good for three RBI, and Bill Robinson added another tater as the division-leading Pirates took a 5-0 victory over the Montreal Expos at TRS. Jim Bibby went the distance, tossing a six-hitter for the win. The Garner long balls were a birthday gift to himself; Scrap Iron was celebrating his 31st spin around the sun.
- 1980 – Pitcher Bert Blyleven left the team and announced that he would retire if he wasn’t traded, citing “the non-support and lack of confidence from his manager,” unhappy that Chuck Tanner wouldn’t let him pitch deeper into games. He did finish out the year, going 8-13/3.88 with 216 IP and was granted his wish when he was sent to the Indians during the off season.
- 1984 – Bill Madlock was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Have Bats – Will Hit.” Not quite…Mad Dog tried playing through a sore elbow and eventually had surgery in August to remove bone spurs, batting just .253 for the campaign, his worst full season average in Pittsburgh.
- 1989 – The Pirates were in a run-scoring doldrum; they scored just six times in the last five games. They left that stretch in the rear view mirror at Candlestick Park, pounding the Giants, 11-1. The Bucs were led by Steve Carter’s three-run homer and Bobby Boniila’s four-hit day that included three doubles as Steve, Bo, Barry Bonds and RJ Reynolds combined for 10 hits, seven runs scored and seven RBI. Bob Walk went wire-to-wire, spinning a four-hitter with a pair of raps.
 |
| Barry Bonds – 1990 Fleer |
- 1990 – Barry Bonds was selected as the NL Player of the Week. Bonds started slowly but warmed up with the weather as he went 10-for-17 (.588) in five games with three homers, six RBI and eigh runs scored. He was especially hot during a three-game San Diego weekend set, going 9-for-12, generating most of his counting numbers for the week. He finished as the league MVP in his first All-Star year as he posted a slash of .301/33/114 with 104 runs, .406 OBP and 52 swipes.
- 1996 – For the second time in his career, Jeff King hit a pair of bombs in the same inning – one a grand slam – as the Bucs took a 10-7 win over the Reds. The first baseman joined Andre Dawson and Willie McCovey as the only MLB’ers to have accomplished the feat twice. The Bucs tallied nine times in the fourth frame to spark the victory at Cinergy Field, sending Cincinnati to its eighth straight loss.
- 1999 – Pat Meares, 30, was signed to a one year, $1.5M contract by Cam Bonifay. He broke his wrist in spring training (the Pirates misdiagnosed it as a sprain), and a week after he came off the DL was given a four-year, $15M extension. He played 240 games for the Pirates and 2001 was his last season, reaching a settlement that paid him for 2002-03 without him playing.
- 1999 – LF Canaan Smith-Njigba was born in Dallas, Texas. A fourth-round prep pick of the Yankees in 2017, he joined the Bucs in 2021 as part of the Jameson Taillon deal. He debuted in 2022 after starting out at Indy, but only got into three games before a June wrist injury landed him on the 60-day IL after he had missed much of 2021 with a thigh injury. He came north with the team as a spare outfielder in 2023 but was sent to Indy in late April. CSN was DFA’ed later in ‘23, returned via waivers, was let go again, went to the White Sox and is now a free agent.
 |
| Canaan Smith-Njigba – 2023 Topps Chrome |
- 2008 – Pirate RF’er Xavier Nady went 3-for-3 with a pair of walks while driving in three runs during a 13-1 rout of the Mets in New York. Nady’s three RBI increased his total to 26 for the month of April. That was tops in the National League that season and the most runs chased home by a Pirate in the campaign’s first month since Willie Stargell plated 27 Buccos in 1971.
- 2019 – The Pirates carried an eight-game losing streak into Texas and were an out away from making it nine when Josh Bell’s ninth-inning two-bagger plated a pair to tie the game at 3-3. The 10th went quietly before the Buc bats boomed again, with Bryan Reynolds hitting his first big league homer and Starling Marte adding a two-run shot in the 11th to snap the streak with a 6-4 victory against the Rangers at Globe Life Stadium. Kyle Crick won, with a Felipe Vazquez save finishing a long day. Despite that icy stretch, the Pirates finished the month at 13-14, but then faded badly, costing Clint Hurdle his job.
- 2023 – In a deal to bolster depth for both clubs, The Pirates sent C Tyler Heineman, 31, to the Toronto Blue Jays for IF Vinny Capra, 25. Though both players had previous MLB stops (six seasons/.210 BA for Tyler, Capra played in 2022/.200 BA), they were assigned to the teams’ AAA affiliates. Ex-Pirate OF Jordan Luplow lost out in the deal as he was outrighted to the minors. Tyler had seen action in just three outings before the swap and Vinny made nine game appearances as a Buc.
Source: https://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2025/04/430-from-1980-tyler-vinny-game-tales.html
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
LION'S MANE PRODUCT
Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules
Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.
Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.
| Online: | |
| Visits: | 1,692,025,512 |
| Stories: | 8,404,443 |
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
