For the first time in their 145-year history, the Pittsburgh Pirates finally had a player drive in 10 runs in a game, with Ryan O’Hearn accomplishing the feat on Tuesday.
The first baseman will try to keep the hot hitting going when Pittsburgh hosts the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday in the middle contest of a three-game series.
In a matchup of right-handers, the Pirates’ Jared Jones (1-1, 5.28 ERA) will face the Braves’ Grant Holmes (5-4, 3.83).
The Pirates are seeking their fourth win in a row and hoping to finish strong before the All-Star break despite dealing with numerous injuries over the season’s first half.
O’Hearn had not driven in a run in his previous six games before his historic outburst during a 12-4 Pittsburgh win on Tuesday.
O’Hearn became the 17th player in the modern era (since 1900) to drive in 10 or more runs in a game. He broke the franchise record of nine previously set by Johnny Rizzo on May 30, 1939, in the second game of a doubleheader against the host St. Louis Cardinals.
He also is the 11th player since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920 to go deep three times in a game while knocking in 10 runs.
“I wasn’t really doing anything different at all,” O’Hearn said on the Pirates’ postgame broadcast. “I was seeing it pretty good from the first pitch.”
O’Hearn’s big game came on the same day the Pirates learned they would be without rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin until at least early September. Griffin was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left ring finger injury. He is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks.
Jared Triolo got the first crack at replacing Griffin on Tuesday, and he went 1-for-4 with a walk.
The Pirates have produced the third-most runs in the majors this season despite injuries to key starters such as Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz.
Pittsburgh will look to provide support for Jones, who will face the Braves for the first time. He threw four innings, struck out six, walked two and gave up one run on two hits against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in his most recent outing.
Jones has lasted five innings only once in his seven starts this year.
Holmes also has not given the Braves much length lately, although recent performances have quieted the discussion as to whether he should remain in the rotation or shift to a bullpen role.
On Friday against the New York Mets, Holmes permitted two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk while striking out two over five innings in a 5-3 Braves win.
With the Braves dealing with injuries to starting pitchers Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and more recently Martin Perez, they may need to keep Holmes in his current role.
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss, whose team has lost three in a row and 17 of its past 24, was noncommittal when asked about Hurston Waldrep’s status in the rotation after Waldrep gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings on Tuesday.
“Those are conversations as you move forward, but you’ve got Perez who just went on the IL,” Weiss said. “So it’s a numbers game there. But those conversations about the rotation are almost day to day for much of this year. So I think it will continue to be that way.”
Holmes has made only one career appearance against the Pirates, tossing three scoreless innings of relief on June 30, 2024, in Atlanta.
Left-handed reliever Connor Thomas pitched for Atlanta on Tuesday after his contract was purchased from Triple-A Gwinnett earlier in the day. He gave up four runs on five hits, including one of the home runs by O’Hearn, over 3 2/3 innings.
The Braves optioned Owen Murphy to Gwinnett and recalled fellow right-hander James Karinchak. They put right-hander Tyler Kinley on the paternity list and released righty Daysbel Hernandez.
–Field Level Media
