Thanks to Paul Maholm's 3-hit shutout win over the Astros 3-0, the Pittsburgh Pirates avoided their first 5-game home losing streak to start the season since 1898.
Back in 1898, the Pirates opened the season with 10 games on the road and went 6-4. Then they finally dropped anchor at Exposition Park on April 29 and dropped two games to Cincinnati. Then the two teams switched parks for one game on May 1 and Pittsburgh. Then they went back to Pittsburgh for two more games and Cincinnati won both of those. Then Chicago came to town on May 4 and Pittsburgh lost that game. The Pirates and Cubs tied the next day.
Finally on May 9, the Pirates won a home game, beating Louisville 9-5. The 1898 Louisville squad featured two players: Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke, who would become cornerstones of the Pirates franchise at the beginning of the 20th century.
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