By Bobster

August 7, 1960---With Roberto Clemente still sidelined with a chin injury and 35,708 in attendance at Forbes Field for a Sunday doubleheader, the Pirates (63-40) swept 2 games from the Giants. The second game of the doubleheader was the makeup of the June 28th game that had ended in a 7-7 tie due to rain. The June 28th stats counted but the tie game had to be replayed.

By Bobster

August 6, 1960---The Pirates (61-40) won a hard-fought game against the Giants (51-48) in 10 innings by a score of 8-7. Vern Law went all 10 innings to raise his record to 15-5. With SF rookie Juan Marichal on the mound, the Pirates scored a run in the first on Skinner’s 13th HR of the season. But SF went ahead 2-1 in the top of the third. The Bucs got 2 in their half of the third for a 3-2 lead when Virdon and Nelson both walked and scored on a triple by Cimoli. SF tied it 3-3 in the top of the fifth.

By Bobster

August 5, 1960---With Bob Friend and Vern Law having great seasons, the last thing the rest of the N.L. needed was for the Pirates to find another dominating starting pitcher. Unfortunately for the rest of the N.L., Vinegar Bend Mizell was becoming exactly that. Mizell pitched a 6-hit shutout over the Giants, as the Pirates (60-40) prevailed, 1-0. The shutout was the second straight for the Pirate lefty, who raised his record as a Pirate to 7-2.

By Bobster

August 4, 1960---A Thursday night game at Forbes Field matched the Pirates and George Witt against the Dodgers and Don Drysdale. The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the 1st when Maury Wills singled, stole second, went to third on Junior Gilliam’s infield out, and scored on Wally Moon’s sac fly. But the Pirates answered in their half of the first when Virdon led off with a triple and scored on Groat’s sac fly.

By Bobster

August 3, 1960---The Pirates (58-40) dropped a rain-shortened 3-1 decision to the fourth-place Dodgers (53-43) at Forbes Field. The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Bob Friend and added 2 more in the 3rd on a Wally Moon HR. Gino Cimoli singled home Dick Groat in the 6th after Groat had singled and taken second on a walk to Clemente to make it a 3-1 game. The Pirates managed only 5 hits against Johnny Podres (9-8), with Clemente (.315) getting 2 of them. After Gene Baker (.174) batted for Friend in the 7th,

By Bobster

August 2, 1960---Vern Law (14-5) became the majors’ first 14-game winner with a 3-0 shutout over the Dodgers. Law gave up 5 hits, walked 1 and struck out 4. All-Star Stan Williams (11-3) matched Law for 6 innings, and carried a 2-hitter into the 7th. But the Pirates (58-39) broke the scoreless tie in the 7th inning. Williams walked Burgess to start the inning and Christopher ran for the Pirates catcher. Hoak sacrificed Christopher to second and Bill Mazeroski singled to make it 1-0. Law’s attempt to sacrifice Mazeroski to second was mishandled for an error by Frank Howard, who had moved from right field to first base in the 4th inning. Groat then plated both Mazeroski and Law with a double. The 3-run rally made it 3-0 and represented all the scoring in the game.

By Bobster

Monday, August 1, 1960---The Pirates were off as they traveled back to Pittsburgh to host the Dodgers. The Bucs had a team batting average of .270. That averaged was helped by the ability of the Pirate pitchers to swing the bat. Fred Green was hitting .375 with 2 HRs. Jim Umbricht had a .333 average before being optioned to AAA. Joe Gibbon was batting .231. Tom Cheney had a .222 average. Harvey Haddix was hitting .209 and Face had a .200 average. Bennie Daniels left with a .188 average and Vern Law was hitting .183. Law’s hits included 4 doubles and 2 triples.

By Bobster

July 31, 1960---The last-place Cubs took the series from the first-place Pirates (57-39) with a 6-2 win at Wrigley Field. The Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning with singles by Bob Will and Richie Ashburn and a 2-run double by George Altman against Harvey Haddix.

By Bobster

July 30, 1960---The last place Cubs (34-60) ended their 8-game losing streak and the Pirates’ 4-game winning streak with a 6-1 home victory over the Bucs (57-38). The Bucs struck quickly. Virdon led off the game with a single and was forced at second by Skinner. Nelson singled Skinner to third, and Clemente connected for an RBI-single to give Bob Friend a quick 1-0 lead.

By Bobster

July 29, 1960---The Pirates (57-37) shut out the slumping Cubs 4-0 at Wrigley Field to take a 3-game lead over Milwaukee. The Cubs (33-60) had now lost 14 of 17 games since the All-Star break. Vinegar Bend Mizell retired the first 17 Cubs he faced before Cubs pitcher Jim Brewer broke up the perfect game with a single in the 6th inning. Richie Ashburn followed Brewer’s single by drawing a walk, but both runners were stranded. Ashburn also singled and was thrown out by Clemente attempting to stretch the hit into a double in the 9th.