PHILADELPHIA -- Pirates rookie Esmerlyn Valdez isn’t hitting like a rookie.
Valdez hammered a two-run homer to left field in the top of the fourth inning against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Monday for his fourth long ball in as many games. His two-run shot spurred the Pirates to eight runs over the fourth and fifth innings, flipping a five-run deficit to a three-run lead. Despite a late effort from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh’s bullpen pieced together the final nine outs through four pitchers to capture an 11-7 win.
The Phillies tagged Pirates starter Braxton Ashcraft for three homers, the most he’s allowed in a game in his MLB career. Trea Turner led off with a solo shot and Brandon Marsh followed a few batters later. In the third inning, Kyle Schwarber lifted a sacrifice fly, before Bryce Harper hammered a two-run shot to put Pittsburgh in a 5-0 hole. Then, the Pirates' offense awakened against Aaron Nola, proving yet again that it can catch fire in the blink of an eye.
Bryan Reynolds extended his on-base streak to 34 games with a double to left field, missing a homer by mere feet. Valdez followed the double by clearing the fence himself, becoming the sixth player with a four-plus game home run streak within his first 16 MLB games since at least 1900.
After Valdez’s two-run shot, Pittsburgh’s offense came out of the gate in the fifth inning to put up a six-spot and flip the game on its head. In the frame, the Pirates batted around, tallied four hits and six runs, and chased Nola from the game. Highlights of the inning included a Jared Triolo home run to dead center field, a bunt single by Konnor Griffin and a game-tying single courtesy of Ryan O’Hearn.
Valdez's four-game HR streak within his first 16 MLB games marked the first time the feat had been accomplished since Bobby Dalbec’s five straight with the Red Sox in 2020. Valdez is the third rookie in Pirates history to homer in four straight games, joining Dick Stuart and Garrett Jones.
“It’s the work that I’ve been doing,” Valdez said on June 28 through translator Stephen Morales. “It’s reflecting in the game. I feel more confident when it comes to swinging the bat and my approach.”
Valdez, the Pirates' No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, hit two home runs for his first two MLB hits earlier this season. With Spencer Horwitz on the injured list and O’Hearn moving from right field to first base, Valdez has earned more opportunities. He’s certainly taken advantage of them.
In the series finale against the Reds on Sunday, Valdez was a triple shy of the cycle. He hit a ground-rule double and blasted a Statcast-projected 461-foot homer in the eighth inning, the seventh-longest in PNC Park history off the bat of a Pirates hitter. Valdez admitted postgame that it was the longest home run of his life, and the best game of his short MLB career thus far. Ten of Valdez’s first 13 MLB hits have gone for extra bases.
Ashcraft settled in after the three-homer barrage, retiring 11 of his last 12 with six strikeouts. Even amid his difficulty early on, Ashcraft was cruising with a 81% strike rate on 69 pitches. With his usual quick pace, the Phillies veterans attempted to slow Ashcraft down by stepping out often. Eventually, Ashcraft returned to form despite the antics.
Needing nine outs from its bullpen, Pittsburgh went first with Evan Sisk. Schwarber nearly tied the game on a blast to right field, but it hooked foul. Sisk then retired Schwarber to get out of the jam.
The Pirates went with their usual closer, Gregory Soto, to face two lefties in Harper and Marsh in the eighth. He struck out Harper, but allowed a solo shot to Marsh for his second of the game. Yohan Ramírez entered and allowed another run.
Needing a cushion, Endy Rodríguez sent fans to the exits in the top of the ninth with a three-run shot, giving Mason Montgomery a comfortable cushion to close it out.