O'Hearn's 10-RBI Night

Ryan O’Hearn had the kind of night that does not come around often. He hit three home runs and drove in 10 in a 12-4 win over the Braves at PNC Park, and the Pirates move to 47-45. Atlanta came in at 52-38 and leading the NL East, so this was a good one to take at home.

Atlanta got on the board first. In the top of the first, with two outs, Mauricio Dubón singled home Matt Olson to make it 1-0. It did not last. In the bottom half, the Pirates loaded the bases and O’Hearn came up with one out and hit a grand slam to right center, his 14th of the year, to put them ahead 4-1.

He was not done. In the third he hit a three-run homer to center that scored Bryan Reynolds and Esmerlyn Valdez, his 15th, and the lead was 7-2. In the sixth he got Thomas for another three-run shot, this one to right, scoring Jake Mangum and Brandon Lowe, his 16th, to make it 10-2. That was the 10th run he drove in on the night.

Paul Skenes gave the Pirates six solid innings, two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts, and picked up the win to move to 7-8. He pitched with a big lead for once, which he has not always had this year. Carmen Mlodzinski followed with two clean innings out of the pen.

The rest of the offense filled in around O’Hearn. Nick Gonzales and Lowe each drove in a run late, and the lineup finished with 14 hits. The defense turned two double plays behind Skenes. Hunter Stratton gave two runs back in the ninth, but the game was long decided by then.

You do not see many 10-RBI games, and it came against a Braves team sitting in first place in their division, which makes it stand out a little more. The Pirates are two games over .500 and playing good baseball right now. I will take a night like this and not overthink it. On to the next one.