Pirates Even Series With Win Over Rangers; Cruz MISSILE, Ashcraft Homecoming King

Bottom 8th, 4-4: With two in scoring position and two outs, Jake Burger hit a game-tying two-run single off Pirates reliever Gregory Soto (1-1).

Top 9th, 8-4 PIT: With runners on the corners and one out, Jake Mangum hit a tapper to third base and Nick Gonzales beat a throw home. After the Rangers brought in Jalen Beeks, Oneil Cruz hit a towering three-run home run off the very top of the foul pole. Cole Winn (1-1), who was on the mound at the beginning of the inning, took the loss for Texas.

Key Moments

Jake Mangum put the Pirates ahead right after they blew the lead in the bottom of the eighth and set the stage for Oneil Cruz’s unbelievable home run.

Player of the Game

Braxton Ashcraft, who attended Robinson High School, located approximately 110 miles south of Globe Life Field, threw a career-high seven innings and a career-high 94 pitches.

Stat to Know

Bryan Reynolds collected his 500th career RBI with a run-scoring single in the fifth. He’s tied with Bobby Bonilla for the most among switch-hitters in Pirates history and is the 23rd Pirate (since RBI became an official statistic in 1920) to record at least 500 RBI with the franchise.

Notable Performances

• Braxton Ashcraft: 7.0 innings, four hits, two runs, two walks, five strikeouts
• Oneil Cruz: 1 for 5, one home run, three RBI, one run
• Bryan Reynolds: 2 for 5, one double, one RBI, one run
• Spencer Horwitz: 2 for 4, one run

Noteworthy

• Oneil Cruz is the first Pirates player ever to have 20-plus RBI and 10-plus steals through the team’s first 25 games of the season.
• Josh Jung’s home run was the first surrendered by Braxton Ashcraft this season and the first he allowed since last year on Sep. 15 against the Chicago Cubs (Michael Busch).
• The Pirates have not lost back-to-back games since losing their first two games of the season to the Mets in New York.

Up Next

RHP Bubba Chandler (1-1, 3.15 ERA) will look to lead the Pirates to a series win on Thursday night. RHP Jacob deGrom (1-0, 2.29 ERA) will be on the mound for the Rangers. First pitch: 8:05 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh/100.1 FM & AM 1020.

Around the Network

Pittsburgh Baseball Now:Pirates Q&A: Division Title Possible? Can Relationship With McCutchen Be Fixed?

Pittsburgh Hockey Now:Dan’s Daily: Trochek Trade Rumors; Beaut in Tampa; Playoffs Affect Penguins’ Future

Steelers Now: Morrison: Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 Seven-Round Mock Draft

Pittsburgh Sports Now:Roman Catholic HC Details What Pitt is Getting in 2027 Pledge Walter Hudson

The post Pirates Even Series With Win Over Rangers; Cruz MISSILE, Ashcraft Homecoming King appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.