PITTSBURGH – Thirty-two-year-old Ryan O'Hearn never experienced a curtain call before. He was always hesitant to do it in the past, only considering the honor “if the fans really wanted it.” Yet in the sixth inning Tuesday, as his home run total hit three and his RBIs reached 10, the nine-year veteran had no choice.
O’Hearn popped out of the dugout, waved to the crowd and tapped his right hand on his heart like a natural. The slugger had just made history.
“Today's a day I'll remember forever,” O’Hearn said.
O'Hearn stole the spotlight on a day full of news. Konnor Griffin, the Pirates’ star shortstop, hit the injured list until September. Paul Skenes, their generational ace, got out of a career-worst funk. Yet O’Hearn took over with 1,172 feet worth of home runs.
O'Hearn became the 17th player to drive in at least 10 runs in the Modern Era (since 1900) and the first since Shohei Ohtani on Sept. 19, 2024. O’Hearn's 10 RBIs were the most in a single game in the Pirates' franchise history. His RBI total went from 51 to 61 and home run mark to 16 as Pittsburgh demolished Atlanta, 12-4, at PNC Park.
“After I got in the dugout, I was like, ‘No kidding, 10 RBIs, that's insane,’” O’Hearn said. “That's good for a month.”
It wasn’t just O’Hearn’s first curtain call. It was the first time he tallied 10 RBIs or three home runs. That’s not just in the Major Leagues. That’s across all Little League, high school, college and Minor League performances.
Despite the historic day, O’Hearn didn’t do anything different. He said he simply saw the ball well from the first pitch and was on “cruise control” moving forward.
O’Hearn tallied seven RBIs in his first two at-bats, slugging a grand slam in the first inning and a three-run shot in the third. After grounding out in his next at-bat, O'Hearn was at it again in the sixth inning, slugging another three-run homer.
The first two home runs came off offspeed pitches from Braves starter Hurston Waldrep, first a curveball and then a slider. Each traveled at more than 99 mph off the bat. The first reached the right-center-field seats, while the second was a walloping shot into the bushes in dead center field.
Waldrep chalked it up to O’Hearn “having his day” while admitting the Braves could’ve done a few things differently to attack him. Skenes, who broke a nine-game winless streak in the win, joked that O’Hearn was selfish for driving in all the runs himself instead of continuing rallies.
“It was pretty special to watch,” Skenes said more seriously. “That was probably the best performance I've seen from a teammate since I've been in the big leagues.”
O’Hearn launched his third homer, and after many Pirates exited the game amid the blowout, O’Hearn remained in for a final crack at four homers.
O’Hearn faced former Orioles teammate Jorge Mateo, and the “pitcher” quick-pitched O’Hearn and changed speeds on him, even smiling between pitches. O’Hearn singled to right field, then exited for a pinch-runner as he received another standing ovation to cap the historic night.
In his first year with Pittsburgh after signing a two-year, $29 million contract in the offseason, O’Hearn is already a home run away from tying his season-best total. He has added consistent thump to the Pirates' offense, switching the team from a league worst to one of the best.
Only a few months into his tenure in Pittsburgh, he’ll also be enshrined forever. O’Hearn’s bat from the game will head to Legacy Hall in PNC Park. His helmet will head to Cooperstown.
“That's pretty sweet. No, I didn't realize that. That's really cool,” O’Hearn said when MLB.com informed him of his helmet’s next destination.
As for whether the left-hander from Huntsville, Texas, ever envisioned his gear holding a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, the answer was simple.
“No, no, no, nope,” O’Hearn said. “I guess I’ll have to go there now to check it out."