Pittsburgh and Keokuk

Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

by "Shakey" McGuiness
Legends League correspondent
Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball

When you're talking pitching, you can't get much better than these two blokes; Grove and Feller. And they proved their worth yet again over a two game stretch played as part of a home and home series between the Pirates and the Westerns.

Lefty Grove The sinister sided one went first, neatly mowing down the Bucs frame after harmless frame. In fact Lefty took a no-hitter into the the fifth inning, at which point Chino Smith, newly activated off the DL just days ago, managed to break it up with a clean shot into right field. But The Buc never really manage to get anything going, and when the smoke cleared Grove (4-2) had hung a big goose egg on them for the day.

The Westerns got all they needed in the initial inning when Turkey Stearnes lost a ball way over the right field fence. The lead become 3-0, then Stearnes grounded a three bagger over first and scored on a George Brett Sac fly to end the scoring. The loser was William Bell (0-1), fresh from the farm. Welcome to the bigs, Billy Boy!

5/11/2004, KEO05-PIT05, Forbes Field (1932-46)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2005 Westerns 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 10 0 6 1
2005 Pirates 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 4 1

Westerns AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Hamilton cf 5 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 0 0 0 0
Collins,E 2b 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .268 3 2 0 0
Stearnes rf 4 2 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289 2 0 0 0
Giambi 1b 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .455 6 2 0 0
Carr 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .256 4 0 0 0
Brett 3b 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .255 1 1 0 0
Wagner,H ss 4 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .216 2 6 0 0
Cruz lf 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111 2 0 0 0
Minoso ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0
Tettleton c 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .156 7 0 0 0
Grove p 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 .056 0 2 0 0
33 4 10 4 3 1 1 2 4 0 2 0 0 1 1 27 13 0 0

Pirates AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Kimbro cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .323 2 0 0 0
Francis 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 1 3 1 0
Lloyd ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .276 2 3 0 0
Hornsby 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .278 2 4 0 0
Mize 1b 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .248 11 0 0 0
Brown,W rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 1 0 0 0
Smith,C lf 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .315 3 0 0 0
Hartnett c 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .246 5 3 0 0
Bell,W p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Johnson,Ju ph 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .224 0 0 0 0
Foster, W p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 1 0 0
McDougald ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .375 0 0 0 0
Franco p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Carey ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279 0 0 0 0
Shocker p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
28 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 7 1 1 0 1 0 0 27 14 1 0

Westerns INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Grove W 4-2 9.0 3 0 0 2 7 113 69 31 0 0 1 0 1 2.44
9.0 3 0 0 2 7 113 69 31 0 0 1 0 1

Pirates INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Bell,W L 0-1 3.0 5 4 4 1 1 39 22 15 1 0 0 0 0 12.00
Foster, W 3.0 2 0 0 1 3 47 27 12 0 0 0 0 0 5.25
Franco 2.0 2 0 0 0 0 24 14 7 0 0 0 0 0 0.84
Shocker 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 9 6 3 0 0 0 0 1 3.19
9.0 10 4 4 2 4 119 69 37 1 0 0 0 1

KEO: Carr inserted at 1b in the 7th
Minoso batted for Cruz in the 8th
Minoso moved to lf in the 8th
PIT: Johnson,Ju batted for Bell,W in the 3rd
McDougald batted for Foster, W in the 6th
Carey batted for Franco in the 8th

GWRBI: Stearnes
Temperature: 60, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: out to left at 7 MPH.


Bob Feller The Bucs got a pitching gem of their own the next day from Rapid Robert Feller. Robert (6-2) was on this night, allowing only 3 hits and 4 walks, while whiffing 8 in his complete game shutout.

The Bucs scratched out a run in the second, as Johnny Mize showed off something he is not known for: speed. After working a walk from Pete Alexander (3-3), he motored from first to third on a Willard Brown single, then scored on a slow roller to Eddie Collins for the first tally. Another run was stitched together in similar fashion in the 6th, then Rajah Hornsby capped the scoring with a towering home run over the left field wall in the 8th against reliever Jim Maloney.

5/12/2004, PIT05-KEO05, Perry Park (1875)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2005 Pirates 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 4 6 0 9 0
2005 Westerns 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 7 0

Pirates AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Kimbro cf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 .316 2 0 0 0
Francis 3b 5 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .257 1 2 0 0
Lloyd ss 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .268 0 5 0 0
Hornsby 2b 5 1 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .290 1 2 0 0
McDougald 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .375 1 1 0 0
Mize 1b 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244 11 0 0 0
Brown,W rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .201 2 0 0 0
Smith,C lf 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 1 0 0 0
Hartnett c 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234 8 0 0 0
Feller p 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .136 0 1 0 0
33 4 6 4 1 0 1 6 6 4 0 1 0 1 0 27 11 0 0

Westerns AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Hamilton cf 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .291 3 0 0 0
Collins,E 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 1 5 0 0
Stearnes rf 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .290 3 0 0 0
Giambi 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 8 1 0 0
Brett 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247 0 3 0 0
Cruz lf 4 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .154 3 0 0 0
Wagner,H ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .210 2 1 0 0
Tettleton c 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .149 6 0 0 0
Maloney p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Mizell p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Alexander p 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .048 1 0 0 0
Carter,G c 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 0 0 0 0
30 0 3 0 2 0 0 4 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 11 0 0

Pirates INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Feller W 6-2 9.0 3 0 0 4 8 127 69 34 0 0 0 0 0 3.03
9.0 3 0 0 4 8 127 69 34 0 0 0 0 0

Westerns INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Alexander L 3-3 7.0 4 2 2 3 6 127 78 29 0 0 0 0 0 3.43
Maloney 1.2 2 2 2 2 0 35 21 9 1 1 0 1 0 4.60
Mizell 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 7 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 3.38
9.0 6 4 4 6 6 169 101 40 1 1 0 1 0

PIT: McDougald inserted at 2b in the 9th
KEO: Carter,G inserted at c in the 8th

GWRBI: Smith,C
Temperature: 70, Sky: cloudy, Wind: left to right at 11 MPH.


The series will be completed by something called "autoplay", with the scheduled starters being Joe Benz (0-0, 2.57) for the Westerns, and Randy Johnson (2-5, 5.43) for the Bucs (ed note: Lefty Grove pulled a somewhat successful surprise start in place of Joe Benz). The "Big Unit" has been called the "Big Flop" by some Pittsburgh fans, but management insists he'll come around, and has steadfastly resisted either trading him or removing him from the rotation. "Just give him time, he's simply in a bad stretch right now. You'll see the real RJ before we are done." Some Pittsburgh cranks are afraid that they already have!

5/13/2004, PIT05-KEO05, Perry Park (1875)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2005 Pirates 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 6 1
2005 Westerns 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 x 3 6 0 5 0

Pirates AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Kimbro cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307 1 0 0 0
Francis 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 0 1 0 0
Lloyd ss 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .275 4 6 0 0
Hornsby 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289 3 1 0 0
Mize 1b 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244 9 1 0 0
Brown,W rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .203 1 0 0 0
Smith,C lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279 0 0 0 0
Hartnett c 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .224 6 2 0 1
Johnson,R p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .063 0 2 0 0
McDougald ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0
Nelson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
31 0 5 0 0 0 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 14 0 1

Westerns AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Hamilton cf 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292 4 0 0 0
Carr 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244 10 0 0 0
Wagner,H ss 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .211 1 3 0 0
Hafey rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 1 0 0 0
Reed,Ro p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Minoso lf 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 1 1 0 0
Santo 3b 2 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .278 0 2 0 0
Hands p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Orosco p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Stearnes rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .290 0 0 0 0
Carter,G c 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 9 0 0 0
Collins,E 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .258 1 5 0 0
Grove p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .053 0 0 0 0
Brett 3b 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 0 1 0 0
26 3 6 3 1 0 1 5 7 0 2 0 0 1 0 27 12 0 0

Pirates INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Johnson,R L 2-6 6.0 4 2 2 2 7 81 51 22 1 0 0 0 0 5.19
Nelson 2.0 2 1 1 3 0 36 16 10 0 0 0 1 1 5.79
8.0 6 3 3 5 7 117 67 32 1 0 0 1 1

Westerns INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Grove 4.0 3 0 0 1 3 55 34 16 0 0 0 0 0 2.28
Hands W 1-0 1.1 2 0 0 1 1 22 11 6 0 0 0 0 0 4.50
Orosco H 1 2.2 0 0 0 0 3 32 20 8 0 0 0 0 0 5.19
Reed,Ro S 1 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 9 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 18.00
9.0 5 0 0 2 8 118 71 33 0 0 0 0 0

PIT: McDougald batted for Johnson,R in the 7th
KEO: Brett inserted at 3b in the 5th
Stearnes inserted at rf in the 9th

GWRBI: Santo
Temperature: 84, Sky: clear, Wind: right to left at 17 MPH.


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