Oneil Cruz (15) of the Pittsburgh Pirates is greeted by third base coach Mike Rabel, left, as he comes in at third after hitting a two-run home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Ryan Feltner during the sixth Entrance to a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PITTSBURGH — Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer to highlight a four-run sixth inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to defeat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Sunday for a series victory.
Cruz sent a slider from Ryan Feltner (1-3) 429 feet to right center, bouncing his fifth of the season off the roof of a bar beyond the stands to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-3. He also had a double in his first game, with multiple extra-base hits in 35 games this season.
Before hitting a ball into the Allegheny River in the ninth inning of a 3-2 series-opening loss on Friday, Cruz had two doubles in 17 games between home runs.
“I think the one thing we need to realize with Oneil is that he does a lot of things that seem easy,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “So sometimes he gets the nickname ‘Body language is bad.’ He cares. I mean, he’s arrested. But I think getting some hits and having some good games will get his confidence back up.
After the home run, Rowdy Tellez hit a double to right before scoring a single off Jack Suwinski. Feltner, who gave up five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, began the inning by allowing a single to Connor Joe and a double to Bryan Reynolds on the first four pitches. Joe scored on a grounder by Ke’Bryan Hayes.
The Pirates won the final two games of the three-game set, their first victory in the series since winning two of three games against Baltimore from April 5-7. The Rockies, who have lost seven of eight, have yet to win a series.
“Sometimes it was not possible to land the big hit throughout the game,” Colorado coach Bud Black said. “That was a killer for our offense. Somewhere along the way, we need to make some guys hot.”
Luis Ortiz (2-1) was perfect in 1 2/3 innings after replacing Pittsburgh starter Bailey Falter with one out in the sixth. David Bednar picked up his sixth save, allowing a Sean Bouchard double before striking out Jake Cave in the ninth.
Jacob Stallings and Bouchard put Colorado ahead 3-0 on back-to-back home runs off Falter in the second inning. Stallings drove in two runs, hitting a sinker 414 feet into the bushes in center; Bouchard sent a fastball 400 feet into the left field stands.
Falter gave up three runs on six hits.
“I would like some arguments back,” Falter said. “These guys are good hitters. They are all here for a reason, just like us. … After the third, we settled in really well and felt like we did a good job.”
Cruz doubled off Clemente Wall in right field with one out in the fourth and Hayes scored the Pirates’ first run when Tellez homered to Feltner, who allowed one hit in three innings.
“Everything was working today,” Feltner said. “I felt good about my stuff, overall. I just need to finish stronger.”
NEXT
Rockies: RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, 5.93) will start Tuesday, returning home for a three-game series against San Francisco.
Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller (2-3, 5.18) will take over on Monday to start a three-game series against the Angels.
