April 12, 1986: Pirates’ 8th-inning rally gives Jim Leyland first win as manager

Jim Leyland spent more than two decades in professional baseball as a minor-league catcher and manager and major-league third-base coach before getting his first big-league managing job with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986. In the third game of a career that spanned 22 seasons and resulted in his 2024 selection for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Leyland recorded his first of 1,769 major-league wins as a manager when Johnny Ray’s three-run, eighth-inning homer off Hall of Fame-bound Chicago Cubs closer Lee Smith rallied the Pirates to a 3-1 victory on April 12 at Three Rivers Stadium.

Ohio native James Richard Leyland – a .222 hitter in seven seasons in the Detroit Tigers’ organization, then a three-time manager of the year in 11 seasons skippering Tigers farm clubs1 – emerged as a major-league managing candidate after the 1982 season, his first coaching third base for the Chicago White Sox. Leyland interviewed with the Texas Rangers and Oakland A’s in ’82,2 the Seattle Mariners in ’84,3 and the Houston Astros in ’85,4 but in November 1985 he was still with the White Sox.

The Pirates were overhauling their leadership after finishing 57-104 in 1985, the worst record in the majors and their second consecutive last-place finish in the National League East Division.5 In October, longtime owner John Galbreath had agreed to sell the team to a partnership of public and private investors,6 ending rumors that the franchise was moving out of Pittsburgh.7

Harding Peterson – Pirates general manager since 1976, including Pittsburgh’s 1979 World Series championship – had been fired in May 1985, with Joe L. Brown coming out of retirement to serve in an interim role.8 On November 7 the Pirates named Syd Thrift, a former scout and executive who had not worked for a major-league club in nine years, their new general manager.9

Finding a manager was next; Chuck Tanner, manager of the 1979 club, was let go by the new ownership group a day after the ’85 season ended.10 Brown and incoming team President Malcolm Prine had interviewed several candidates before Thrift’s hiring,11 but Thrift focused on someone not yet contacted: Leyland.12 With glowing references from White Sox manager Tony La Russa, Tigers general manager Bill Lajoie, and Astros general manager Dick Wagner, Leyland was announced as Pittsburgh’s manager on November 20.13

Leyland’s Pirates tenure began with a loss to reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Dwight Gooden and the championship-bound New York Mets on Opening Day 1986.14 After an offday and a cold-weather postponement,15 the Cubs came to Pittsburgh for a three-game weekend series.16 The Pirates dropped the first game, cutting a three-run deficit to one in the ninth before Smith – whose 95 saves over the previous three seasons had led the NL17 – fanned pinch-hitter Rafael Belliard with the potential tying and winning runs on base.18

On a sunny-but-chilly Saturday afternoon,19 Pittsburgh started 32-year-old right-hander Rick Rhoden, one of the club’s most dependable pitchers during Tanner’s later seasons.20 From 1981 through 1985, only three NL pitchers had started more games.21 Rhoden had requested a trade to a contending team during the 1985-86 offseason,22 but no deal had been struck, leaving him a Pirate.23

Rhoden held the Cubs scoreless for the first three innings. He needed 27 pitches to get through the second; Leon Durham, Jody Davis, and Manny Trillo combined for nine two-strike foul balls before Rhoden retired them.24 In the third, Bob Dernier singled with two outs and stole second, and Davey Lopes walked,25 setting up Ryne Sandberg with two runners on base. But third baseman Jim Morrison turned the 1984 NL MVP’s chopper into an inning-ending force at second.26

Cubs manager Jim Frey had scrapped plans to start veteran righty Scott Sanderson, injured in a tune-up outing a day before the season opener.27 Frey instead turned to 30-year-old Matt Keough, who had made the team as a nonroster invitee to spring training.28

Nearly five years to the day earlier, in April 1981, Sports Illustrated’s cover had hailed Keough and the rest of the Oakland A’s rotation as Oakland’s “Five Aces.”29 He had contributed 20 complete games to the A’s total of 94 under manager Billy Martin in 1980 and finished fourth in the American League in ERA.30

Keough won his first six decisions in 1981 before damaging his rotator cuff, an injury that went undiagnosed for more than three years.31 In the meantime, he yielded the most homers of any pitcher in the majors in 1982;32 was unceremoniously benched after a 1983 trade to the New York Yankees;33 and appeared in just seven games, all in Double A, in 1984.34 Keough had shoulder surgery in October 1984,35 then spent nearly all of 1985 in the minors,36 resurfacing for a handful of September appearances with the St. Louis Cardinals before catching on with the Cubs in ’86.37

In only his third big-league start since August 1983, Keough began the game with three scoreless innings, stranding runners on second in the second and third innings.

The Cubs gave him a lead in the fourth. After fouling out in his first at-bat, Durham had conferred with hitting instructor Billy Williams38 and teammate Thad Bosley, who recommended that he shorten his stroke.39 The Cubs first baseman pulled Rhoden’s 2-and-1 pitch over the wall in right-center for a one-out home run, putting Chicago ahead, 1-0.40

Two double plays helped to maintain the advantage. In the fifth, Tony Peña led off with an infield single and Sam Khalifa drew a one-out walk. Leyland called for Rhoden to sacrifice,41 but Cubs catcher Davis grabbed the bunt and threw to third for the force on Peña. Trillo’s throw across the diamond beat Rhoden for the double play.42

Keough walked Sid Bream to start the seventh, and Mike Brown’s single gave the Pirates two baserunners with no outs. But Peña hit a comebacker to Keough, who threw to shortstop Shawon Dunston at second. Dunston got rid of the ball ahead of Brown’s hard slide, and Durham scooped the relay out of the dirt for a double play.43 Morrison’s groundout left Bream at third and completed Keough’s seventh scoreless inning.

Rhoden had reasserted himself after Durham’s homer. Keough, who began his professional career as an infielder before taking up pitching at Double A in 1977,44 singled with one out in the fifth for his first major-league hit,45 but Rhoden retired the next eight Cubs. Brown’s running catch in right kept Davis off the bases to start the seventh.46

With Keough due to lead off the eighth,47 Bosley pinch-hit and singled, snapping Rhoden’s perfect string. It was now the Pirates’ turn to play alert defense. Dernier tried to sacrifice, but first baseman Bream threw to second for a force out. As Lopes struck out, Peña threw out Dernier attempting to steal second, and the Cubs’ lead remained one run.

Frey called on Smith for a six-out save.48 The 6-foot-6, 230-pound right-hander, who had struck out more than 10 batters per 9 innings in 1985,49 fanned two of the first three Pirates he faced, sandwiched around a walk to pinch-hitter Steve Kemp.

Joe Orsulak hit a soft roller toward the mound. Instead of letting Dunston make the play, Smith reached for the ball with his bare hand, and it bounced away for an infield single.50

Pittsburgh had two runners on base for Ray, a switch-hitting second baseman known more for doubles and contact-hitting than home-run clout.

“I don’t have a big swing,” Ray had said in 1984, his second season in a row tying for the NL lead in doubles and his second time in three seasons finishing in the league’s Top Two for hardest to strike out. “I’m not paid to hit home runs.”51 In 10 major-league seasons, Ray’s career high for homers was seven.52

Frey visited Smith to calm him down.53 On the first pitch, Davis signaled for a fastball away.54

Smith threw it high and inside, and Ray, batting left-handed, swung hard, “nearly [spinning] himself into the ground,” reported the Chicago Tribune.55 The ball cleared the right-field wall for a three-run homer and a 3-1 Pittsburgh lead. Leyland was one of the first members of the Pirates dugout to come out and greet Ray with a high-five.56

“It was a mistake pitch, all right,” Smith said after the game. “My fault. Johnny Ray has quick hands, and I threw it where he was looking for it.”57

Aided by Orsulak’s diving catch of Sandberg’s liner to center,58 Cecilio Guante closed out the Cubs in the ninth.59 The Pirates celebrated by throwing their 41-year-old manager in the clubhouse whirlpool, fully clothed.

“I’m not exactly Johnny Weissmuller,” Leyland said.60 “I told the players that this wasn’t the World Series, but I appreciated the gesture.”61

Pittsburgh won the next day’s game,62 and the Pirates were on their way to a six-game winning streak.63 They finished 1986 last in the NL East again, but Leyland led them to three straight division titles from 1990 through 1992. He managed the Florida Marlins to the 1997 World Series championship and the Tigers to two AL pennants before retiring after the 2013 season.

Acknowledgments

This article was fact-checked by Jim Sweetman and copy-edited by Len Levin. The author thanks SABR members Gary Belleville and Kurt Blumenau for their comments on an earlier version of this article.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet.org for pertinent information, including the box score and play-by-play. The author also reviewed game coverage from the Chicago Tribune and Pittsburgh Press newspapers and SABR Baseball Biography Project biographies of several players, coaches, or managers involved in this game, including David Bilmes’ Jim Leyland biography and Neal Poloncarz’s Lee Smith biography.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT198604120.shtml

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B04120PIT1986.htm

Notes

1 Leyland was named Florida State League Manager of the Year in 1977 and 1978 with the Class A Lakeland Tigers and American Association Manager of the Year in 1979 with the Triple-A Evansville Triplets. Jack Slayton, “Tigers Manager Lauds Team’s Play,” Tampa Tribune, September 8, 1978: B5; “Leyland Is Voted Manager of the Year,” Evansville (Indiana) Press, September 13, 1979: 24.

2 The Rangers hired Doug Rader instead of Leyland, and the A’s hired Steve Boros. Jim Reeves, “From These 3 Comes Rangers’ Destiny,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 24, 1982: 4B; Glenn Schwartz, “And the New A’s Manager Is …: Ex-Dodger Roseboro, ex-Giant Hal Lanier Among Last 3 Interviewed,” San Francisco Examiner, November 13, 1982: C5.

3 The Mariners named interim manager Chuck Cottier their full-time manager for 1985. Dave Johnson, “Leyland, 0-for-3, Knows He’ll Have More Opportunities,” Evansville Press, November 1, 1984: 26.

4 The Astros hired Hal Lainer instead of Leyland. Neil Hohlfield, “White Sox Coach High on Astro Manager List,” Houston Chronicle, October 22, 1985: 2, 1.

5 The Pirates’ 75-87 record in 1984 was their first losing season, outside of 1981’s strike-shortened campaign, since 1968. From 1970 through 1983, they won two World Series championships and six NL East titles and finished second in the division four times.

6 Tom Barnes, “Bucs Sold, Stay in City: Stadium up for Sale as Part of Group Deal,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 3, 1985: 1.

7 Jon Schmitz, “No Pirate Move, Ueberroth Vows,” Pittsburgh Press, June 22, 1985: A1.

8 Brown had served as Pittsburgh’s general manager from 1955 through 1976, building World Series championship clubs in 1960 and 1971. Bob Hertzel, “VP Peterson Fired by Pirates,” Pittsburgh Press, May 23, 1985: A1.

9 Thrift had served as a scouting supervisor and spring-training instructor in the Pirates organization from 1957 through 1967. Charley Feeney, “Thrift to Seek, Use Brown’s Help,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 8, 1985: 11; Bruce Keidan, “Pirates Dig Deep Into History for New GM,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 8, 1985: 11; Bob Hertzel, “Prine, Brown Were Not Looking to Hire a ‘Name,’” Pittsburgh Press, November 8, 1985: C1.

10 Newspaper reports of the move indicated that it was a mutual decision between Tanner and the new owners. Tanner was hired to manage the Atlanta Braves on October 10, two days after the Pirates announced his firing. Charley Feeney, “Pirates, Tanner: A Mutual Split,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 8, 1985: 36; Chris Mortensen, “Tanner Says Braves ‘Don’t Need Overhaul,’” Atlanta Constitution, October 11, 1985: 1-D.

11 When Thrift was hired, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Prine and Brown’s managerial interviews had included Joe Torre, Jim Fregosi, and Russ Nixon. The Pittsburgh Press added that Fregosi was “the leading candidate.” Feeney, “Thrift to Use, Seek Brown’s Help”; Hertzel, “Prine, Brown Were Not Looking to Hire a ‘Name.’”

12 Charley Feeney, “Leyland to Manage Pirates: AL Coach Has Year Contract,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 21, 1985: 20; Bob Smizik, “Leyland Gets the Call from Pirates,” Pittsburgh Press, November 21, 1985: C1.

13 Feeney, “Leyland to Manage Pirates”; Smizik, “Leyland Gets the Call from Pirates.”

14 Bob Hertzel, “The New Era: Leyland Opening a Downer,” Pittsburgh Press, April 9, 1986: C4.

15 Bill Modoono, “The Pirates Miss a Chance to Play Baseball in the Snow,” Pittsburgh Press, April 10, 1986: C1.

16 The Cubs had finished fourth in the NL East in 1985, 23½ games behind the division-champion St. Louis Cardinals.

17 Dan Quisenberry of the Kansas City Royals led all major-league pitchers over that period with 126 saves.

18 Bob Hertzel, “Gambling Moreland Trumps Pirates’ Rally,” Pittsburgh Press, April 12, 1986: B1.

19 Bob Hertzel, “Ray Homer, 3-1 Triumph Has Leyland in the Swim,” Pittsburgh Press, April 13, 1986: D1.

20 Bob Smizik, “Pirates Need an Extra Big Package to Carry off Rhoden,” Pittsburgh Press, April 20, 1986: D4.

21 Rhoden’s 159 starts were exceeded only by Joe Niekro (167 starts for the Astros), Fernando Valenzuela (166 starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers), and Mario Soto (162 starts for the Cincinnati Reds).

22 Charley Feeney, “Fuhrer Withdraws From Pirate Ownership Group,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 24: 1985: 34; Bruce Keidan, “Pirates Are Plying Trade of Rhoden,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 10. 1985: 30; Bob Hertzel, “Rhoden, Mazzilli Ask Pirates for Way out …,” Pittsburgh Press, December 10, 1985: B11.

23 Charley Feeney, “Rhoden May Stay a Pirate Awhile,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 2, 1986: 17.

24 Rhoden threw a total of 109 pitches in this game. Gene Collier, “Rhoden Hurls Pirates Into Difficult Situation,” Pittsburgh Press, April 13, 1986: D1.

25 The Chicago Tribune reported that Cubs manager Jim Frey started Trillo at third and Lopes in left because of their previous success against Rhoden. Trillo entered the game with a .400 career batting average in 60 at-bats against Rhoden. Lopes, Rhoden’s Los Angeles Dodgers teammate from 1974 through 1978, had four hits in seven lifetime at-bats against Rhoden, including a three-hit game in April 1985. Fred Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch,’” Chicago Tribune, April 13, 1986: 4,3.

26 Collier, “Rhoden Hurls Pirates Into Difficult Situation.”

27 As of April 11, Sanderson was still listed as Chicago’s projected starter for this game. Fred Mitchell, “Brusstar Is Last Man Out While Keough Sticks,” Chicago Tribune, April 8, 1986: 4, 3; Fred Mitchell, “Cey, Matthews May Return,” Chicago Tribune, April 11, 1986: 4, 3; Fred Mitchell, “Sanderson Pulled, Keough to Start,” Chicago Tribune, April 12, 1986: 2, 3.

28 Mitchell, “Brusstar Is Last Man Out While Keough Sticks”; Fred Mitchell, “Sanderson Pulled, Keough to Start,” Chicago Tribune, April 12, 1986: 2,3.

29 Ron Fimrite, “Winning Is Such a Bore,” Sports Illustrated, April 27, 1981: 18.

30 As of 2024, the ’80 A’s were tied with the 1946 Tigers for the most complete games of any major-league team since World War II. From 1960 through 2024, the second-highest total of complete games in a season was 77, by the 1968 San Francisco Giants. In the decade of the 1980s, the only other pitching staff with more than 48 complete games in a season was the 1981 A’s, with 60.

31 Mike Sullivan, “A Pain-Free Keough Armed to Do Battle With Zephrys Again,” Louisville Courier-Journal, May 16, 1985: 40.

32 Keough allowed 38 homers in 1982, one more than Jack Morris of the Detroit Tigers. Kit Stier, “Keough Wants to Remain A’s Starter,” Oakland Tribune, February 26, 1983: D-1.

33 Keough was traded to the Yankees for two minor leaguers on June 15, 1983. After Martin, then managing New York, removed him three batters and 14 pitches into a start against Oakland on August 23, Keough pitched in only one more game during the rest of the season. Glenn Schwarz, “Keough Excited About Trade to Yanks,” San Francisco Examiner, June 16, 1983: F3; Bill Madden, “Yanks’ 2d-Line Pitchers Fail as A’s Breeze, 9-3,” New York Daily News, August 24, 1983: 68.

34 Billy Reed, “Armed for Gold? Redbirds Pitcher Matt Keough Convinced He Is Ready for a Return to Major Leagues,” Louisville Courier-Journal, August 6, 1985: D1.

35 Reed, “Armed for Gold?”

36 Reed, “Armed for Gold?”

37 Rick Hummel,” Cards Fall; Lead Cut to One,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 20, 1985: 1D.

38 A six-time All-Star during an 18-season major-league career, including 16 seasons with the Cubs, Williams had returned to Chicago as batting coach in 1986 after three seasons as a coach with the A’s. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. Fred Mitchell, “Cubs Hire Piersall, Williams,” Chicago Tribune, February 4, 1986: 4, 1.

39 Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’”

40 Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’”

41 Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’”

42 Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’”

43 Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’”

44 “A’s Lose to White Sox, Gain a Starting Pitcher,” San Francisco Examiner, September 8, 1977: 57.

45 Because of the AL’s use of the designated hitter, Keough had batted only twice in 186 major-league games before 1986.

46 Collier, “Rhoden Hurls Pirates Into Difficult Situation.”

47 Keough had a 2-2 record and 4.97 ERA in 19 appearances, including two starts, for the Cubs in 1986. He was released in June but signed with the Astros later that month. After pitching in 10 games for Houston’s NL West champions down the stretch, Keough signed with the Hanshin Tigers of the Japan Central League. He concluded his professional career by pitching four seasons with Hanshin.

48 Smith had recorded 18 saves of two or more innings in 1985, including a three-inning save in Pittsburgh on April 24. Of Smith’s 264 saves from 1982 through 1990, 90 were during appearances of two or more innings.

49 Smith’s 10.32 strikeouts per 9 innings led all major leaguers with 50 or more innings pitched in 1985; Mark Davis of the San Francisco Giants was second at 10.31. Fred Mitchell, “Smith Works on a Slowball: Cub Wants Change to ‘Do Some Damage,’” Chicago Tribune, February 28, 1986: 4, 5.

50 Hertzel, “Ray Homer, 3-1 Triumph Has Leyland in the Swim”; Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’”

51 Ray was tied for NL lead with 38 doubles in both 1983 and 1984. His rates of at-bats per strikeout in 1983 (22.2) and 1985 (24.8) were the best in the league, and in 1984 he was second to Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres. Bob Hertzel, “Ray Stays in Contact; That’s Batting Secret,” Pittsburgh Press, April 10, 1984: C1.

52 In 1,353 major-league games from 1981 through 1990, Ray hit 53 home runs.

53 Hertzel, “Ray Homer, 3-1 Triumph Has Leyland in the Swim.”

54 Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’”

55 Mitchell, “Cubs Done In by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’”

56 Hertzel, “Ray Homer, 3-1 Triumph Has Leyland in the Swim.”

57 Mitchell, “Cubs Done in by Smith’s ‘Mistake Pitch.’” Smith retired after the 1997 season as the major leagues’ career save leader with 478. As of 2024, he ranked third all-time behind Mariano Rivera (652 saves) and Trevor Hoffman (601 saves). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

58 Associated Press, “No Ray of Hope for Cubs’ Ace Reliever Smith,” Bloomington (Illinois) Pantagraph, April 13, 1986: C2.

59 Rhoden remained with the Pirates for the entire 1986 season. He finished with a 15-12 record and 2.84 ERA, which ranked fourth in the NL. He was fifth in the NL Cy Young voting and received his third Silver Slugger in three seasons. On November 26 the Pirates sent him to the New York Yankees in a six-player deal that brought pitchers Doug Drabek, Brian Fisher, and Logan Easley to Pittsburgh; Drabek was the 1990 NL Cy Young Award winner with the Pirates.

60 Hertzel, “Ray Homer, 3-1 Triumph Has Leyland in the Swim.” Weissmuller (1904-1984) was an American Olympic swimmer and water-polo player who later had a film acting career.

61 Associated Press, “No Ray of Hope for Cubs’ Ace Reliever Smith.”

62 Ray had three hits, including two doubles, and three RBIs in the Pirates’ 8-0 win over the Cubs on April 13. Bob Hertzel, “Sutcliffe’s Mastery of Ray Finally Ends,” Pittsburgh Press, April 14, 1986: C1.

63 The final game of the winning streak, on April 20 at Wrigley Field, was suspended because of darkness with the score tied in the 14th inning. The Pirates won, 10-8, in 17 innings when action resumed on August 11, and the result was backdated to April. Bob Hertzel, “Pirates’ Spree Hits 5½ With Standoff,” Pittsburgh Press, April 21, 1986: C1; Bob Hertzel, “Morrison, Diaz Make Pirates King for a Day,” Pittsburgh Press, August 12, 1986: C1.