HOUSTON – The Pirates’ offense is one of the best in baseball, and the home run is one of the reasons for that. Pittsburgh hit three more homers on Tuesday night, hitting at least one long ball for the ninth straight game and earning another victory because of it.
Oneil Cruz homered as part of a four-run sixth inning, and Brandon Lowe and Endy Rodríguez also went deep as the Pirates won their fourth straight game, 10-6, over the Astros at Daikin Park.
The Pirates’ nine-game streak with a home run is their longest since also hitting one in nine straight from Sept. 16-26, 2023. The Pirates have 19 home runs over their last nine games and improved to 7-2 over that stretch.
“To be able to hit the home runs was great,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said. “Cruz with the three-run and Lowe with the three-run homer. Endy got a hold of that one, too. I thought that throughout the game, our at-bats were great. Top to bottom, everyone continuing to grind out the at-bats and keep the line moving and get to the point where we are able to get guys on base to hit those big home runs.”
Cruz hit his 14th home run of the season, a three-run shot to right-center to put the Pirates on top for the first time. Pittsburgh tacked on another in the sixth when Rodríguez scored on Jake Mangum’s infield bunt single, coupled with a throwing error. Mangum tied a career-high with four hits.
Lowe hit his 15th long ball of the season in the eighth, a three-run shot off the foul pole in right. Rodríguez tied the game in the second with a two-run homer to right-center. It was Rodríguez’s first home run since Sept. 22, 2023. He added an RBI double in the ninth.
“We are taking good swings,” Lowe said. “I feel like every one that you look at, it’s not the only thing that we’re trying to do. If you look at a lot of other things as well, like Mangum’s four singles today, putting bunts down, Endy – when he’s not hitting home runs – he’s getting on base, stealing bags. Up and down the lineup, there are great at-bats.”
The run support was plenty for Bubba Chandler, who yielded four runs (three earned) on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings.
“He did great,” Kelly said. “They came out first two pitches, two swings and we’re down 2-0. For him to slow things down and get through five innings, four runs and then Cruz with the big home run in the sixth to give us the lead.”
Chandler earned his first win since April 17 against the Rays, snapping a streak of seven straight starts without a victory. Kelly pointed to Chandler’s ability to stay composed despite the early 2-0 and 4-2 deficits.
“It could have been completely different if Bubba gets out of his rhythm and starts to press in that moment,” Kelly said. “It could have been completely different. He didn’t. He stayed with it. He continued to attack the strike zone and got through five innings, [91] pitches. He gave us a chance to get the win and got the win.”
Even though the home runs were what will get most of the attention, both Kelly and Lowe reiterated the Pirates’ ability to get on base and steal bases. Mangum had two of the Bucs’ four stolen bases Tuesday.
“I thought our at-bats were really good,” Kelly said. “We were able to put pressure on the defense through the way we ran the bases and then to put it all together with the home runs. I thought offensively we had a really great game.”
The Pirates hammered out 13 total hits and walked eight times in the victory.
“Hitting is contagious no matter which way you put it, whether it is home runs or singles or doubles or whatnot,” Lowe said. “When the bats are hot, I feel like everyone is kind of racing to the bat rack to get up there.”