An All-Star career begins

Moises Alou

Moises Alou, a solid outfielder for the Class AA Harrisburg Senators in 1989 and ’90, makes his major league debut 34 years ago today as he replaces Barry Bonds in left field after the fourth inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 12-4 loss to Philadelphia before a Thursday night crowd of 24,088 at Three Rivers Stadium.

Alou’s two at-bats in the game end in groundouts against Phillies starter Terry Mulholland.

The game is one of only two Alou plays for the Pirates before leaving for Montreal less than three weeks later as the player to be named later in a trade bringing pitcher Zane Smith to Pittsburgh.

Alou wears No. 52 during his brief time with the Pirates, marking the only time Alou wears any uniform number other than 18 in an outstanding 17-year career that ends in 2008 with six All-Star Game selections for the National League, 332 home runs and a .303 lifetime batting average.