PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) - Ryan O'Hearn drove in 6 runs and the Bucs pounded out 16 hits in a 12 -4 win against the Athletics Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park.
The Pirates put up a three-spot in the top of the first inning. Bryan Reynolds continued his hot month of June with a ground rule double to bring home the Bucs first run. The hit by Reynolds was a fly ball to the right field warning track but Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler misread the ball and it dropped in front of him. Reynolds extended his on base streak to 24 games. Ryan O'Hearn doubled home two more to put Pittsburgh up 3-0.
Spencer Horwitz ropped his second double of the game in the top of the second inning to put runners on second and third with one out. Brandon Lowe extended the lead to 4-0 with a bloop single in front of the center fielder to score Jared Triolo from third. Reynolds singled home Horwitz from second to make it 5-0.
Through the first three innings the Pirates had 9 hits and batted through the order twice.
O'Hearn made it 7-0 with a 2-run home run in the top of the fourth inning.
The Athletics got two on with nobody out to begin the bottom of the sixth. Tyler Soderstrom grounded to first base and the throw to second for the double play was dropped by Jared Triolo, giving the Athletics second and third with one out. Jacob Wilson singled home two, making it 7-2 Pirates. Jonah Heim blooped a single to center field. Braxton Ashcraft froze Zack Gelof with a curveball for out number two and got Butler to chase the curveball for the third out. Ashcraft finished the night giving up 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits, he struck out 7 in 6 innings pitched.
"They have a good offensive ball club, the way Braxton pitched, mixed everything up, I thought the curveball was really good. He held the velo throughout the game," said Don Kelly. "He ran into a little bit of trouble in the sixth but able to navigate it."
Marcell Ozuna blasted his sixth homer of the season to leadoff the top of the seventh. Then Scott Barlow gave up a single to Jake Mangum, hit Jared Triolo by a pitch and Henry Davis. Barlow was yanked for Luis Medina with the bases loaded and nobody out. Horwitz walked and Lowe hit a sac fly to the warning track to extend the Pirates lead to 10-2.
O'Hearn lined a single to left field that brought in two runs and the Pirates went ahead 12-2. He went 3 for 5 and drove in a career high 6 runs. He was a triple shy of the cycle.
"He's a hitter and he was going up the middle the whole time, going bat-side base hits and then to be able to drive it out to left was huge. It was a great game from him," said Kelly.
Henry Bolte homered in the seventh and Gelof homered in the ninth to make it 12-4.
The Pirates are back over .500 (38-37). They have an off day Thursday and then start a weekend series in Colorado against the Rockies. Bubba Chandler (2-7, 4.76) vs Kyle Freeland (1-7, 7.98).
Ryan O'Hearn recorded a career high 6 RBIs
Ryan O'Hearn recorded a career high 6 RBIs
