Remember the 1997 'Freak Show' Pirates?
You know, the team with a $9-million payroll that competed with the Astros for the division until the final week of the season?
The 2022 Pirates are far from that group. Tuesday night's 8-2 victory over the Mets at PNC Park was only win No. 50 on the season, and the Pirates have to close out 13-15 the rest of the way just to avoid a 100-loss campaign.
However, there is one member of this team who might be known as a "freak." Or a "unicorn." Whatever you want to call him, Oneil Cruz -- despite all of the struggles that have come with learning the major-league game -- is putting on a one-man freak show.
The Pirates entered the bottom of the eighth inning with a 4-2 lead, hoping to add some insurance to snap a four-game skid. Ke'Bryan Hayes walked to lead off the eighth, then stole second and advanced to third on a single by Kevin Newman. Just as they did in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays, the Pirates had another golden opportunity: runners on second and third with nobody out.
Even after Jack Suwinski struck out, the Pirates made sure to not screw this one up. Hayes pounced on a wild pitch that squibbed away from catcher James McCann, hustled down the line and scored to make it 5-2. Michael Chavis struck out swinging for the second out, then Jason Delay came through with a huge two-out RBI single to pad the lead by another run.
Then Cruz put the game on ice, smashing a two-run home run to put the Pirates ahead, 8-2, in a way that only he could:
That is a one-handed swing generating an exit velocity of 113.4 mph, sending the ball 422 feet into the Allegheny River.
That is not ordinary. I'm not even sure if extraordinary does justice to what Cruz is truly capable of. And even for a very modest crowd of 8,817 on hand, they couldn't help but be amazed at what they witnessed.
"That's why we play," Cruz said through interpreter Mike Gonzalez. "To give the fans a show and give everything we have on the field. To see the crowd respond in that way, it feels amazing."
I mean, just look at the excitement on Cruz's face while answering a question about Tuesday's homer. Even in the midst of a trying year, this guy is having fun, and most important, celebrating the victories:
This homer adds to his ever-growing list of triple-digit exit velocity hits. In fact, of the 10 hardest-hit base hits by Pirates this season, Cruz now occupies all 10 spots:
1. Aug. 24: 122.4 mph (single)
2. Aug. 4: 118.4 mph (single)
3. Aug. 29: 117.5 mph (home run)
4. Sept. 4: 115.8 mph (home run)
5. Sept. 6: 115.3 mph (double)
6. Aug. 3: 113.9 mph (home run)
7. July 6: 113.8 mph (single)
8. Sept. 6: 113.4 mph (home run)
9. June 20: 112.9 mph (double)
10. Aug. 30: 112.6 mph (double)
Mitch Keller might have said it best after the game: "I’ve never shared a field with someone like him. It’s an honor to be out there with him."
Much of the talk around Cruz this season has focused on his ability to break Statcast. That 122.4-mph single is the hardest-hit ball ever recorded. Cruz has also thrown the hardest ball every recorded by an infielder (97.8 mph).
But, with the highs have come many lows. Heading into Tuesday's action, Cruz was slashing .204/.256/.422 with a .678 OPS and 87 OPS+. Those aren't the kind of stats that will help produce a lot of wins. Consistency always prevails over volatility in this game.
However, Cruz is certainly putting together the makings of a strong finish to the season. He's reached base safely in all but two games since Aug. 18. During that time, he's also gone 15 for 56, a .268 batting average, with eight of those 15 hits going for extra bases. Tuesday night was a complete performance by Cruz, going 3 for 5, needing only a triple to complete the cycle.
"He had a good night," Derek Shelton said of Cruz. "He did a good job on both sides of the ball, so it was really good to see."
Of course, Shelton was asked about Cruz's impressive home run, but the skipper provided an answer that might be more telling.
"I think the thing that stands out is the ball he hit the other day, to go left-center in the bullpen here for a left-handed hitter. That's the challenge: Making sure that he stays in the middle of the field and stays within his approach."
This is the hit he's talking about -- a 115.8-mph laser that landed in the bullpen:
Cruz isn't selling out for power. He isn't swinging out of his shoes to try and clear the Allegheny and plant a ball in Market Square. On this one, he did exactly what he should have done with a fastball on the outside corner. On Tuesday night's home run, he reached down and put the barrel on a low slider and allowed his raw power to do the rest.
It's not easy for any player to come into the major leagues and figure things out quickly. It takes most guys some time. That's been evident with Cruz's overall body of work thus far. But, there are definite signs that he may be turning a corner.
For a while, pitchers figured out, "don't throw this guy fastballs." Now, Cruz is starting to punish breaking balls. Getting results to stick consistently is the next step in development.
"I gotta give credit to my work ethic, the work that I'm putting in, the cage work that I'm putting in, just having better pitch selection at the box and focusing on a zone in the box," Cruz said. "I think that's giving me results right now."
JUSTIN BERL / GETTY
Oneil Cruz hits a two-run home run into the Allegheny River.
MORE FROM THE GAME
• It was a great game for Cruz, but he did have one thing go wrong. While sliding into second base during the first inning, Cruz's C-flap on his helmet came back and hit him in the face, cutting him open and chipping a tooth. When asked if he was still in pain after the game, Cruz didn't need an interpreter. He simply nodded with a smile.
• Keller set the tone for Tuesday's win with a dominant pitching performance against a tough Mets lineup. Keller pitched six shutout innings, allowing five hits and two walks.
Keller only struck out two batters, but he had his sinker going throughout the night, which helped induce two critical double plays to keep the Mets off the scoreboard.
"He navigated through some traffic," Shelton said of Keller. "He got Pete Alonso to hit into the two double-play balls, which were huge. But I thought tonight his sinker was really effective, and he put the ball on the ground. Not a lot of punch outs, but he was really effective putting the baseball on the ground."
Keller has put together a fine season, even while battling some fatigue issues in recent weeks. Putting together this type of performance as the end of the season draws closer is the exclamation point Keller is looking for to close out the year.
"The last month here, just trying to finish as strong as I possible can," Keller said. "I’ve had a really good couple months here. Just trying to finish strong and take that into the offseason and into the next season, too. Just trying to finish strong."
• Cruz's home run wasn't the only long ball that drew some extra attention. With the Pirates having an early 1-0 lead, Rodolfo Castro helped extend that lead with a towering homer to make it 3-0:
Castro clobbered the ball. But, at 47 degrees, that is the very definition of a moonshot.
• The Pirates have really struggled with runners in scoring position this season. So, it was refreshing to see Chavis come up with two on and one out in the second inning and manufacture a run:
These seem like small, perhaps insignificant moments sometimes. But, the Pirates have not had much consistency in this area throughout the season.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
• Live file
• Standings
• Statistics
• Schedule
• Scoreboard
THE HIGHLIGHTS
THE INJURIES
• 15-day injured list: RHP David Bednar (back), LHP Dillon Peters (left elbow)
• 60-day injured list: RHP Yerry De Los Santos (lat), OF Canaan Njigba-Smith (wrist), RHP Colin Holderman (right shoulder), RHP Blake Cederlind (elbow), RHP Max Kranick (elbow), C Roberto Pérez (hamstring)
THE LINEUPS
Shelton's card:
1. Oneil Cruz, SS
2. Bryan Reynolds, CF
3. Rodolfo Castro, DH
4. Ben Gamel, RF
5. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
6. Kevin Newman, 2B
7. Jack Suwinski, LF
8. Michael Chavis, 1B
9. Jason Delay, C
And for Buck Showalter's Mets:
1. Brandon Nimmo, CF
2. Starling Marte, RF
3. Francisco Lindor, SS
4. Pete Alonso, 1B
5. Jeff McNeil, 2B
6. Daniel Vogelbach, DH
7. Mark Canha, LF
8. Eduardo Escobar, 3B
9. James McCann, C
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates wrap up this three-game series against the Mets with a split doubleheader Wednesday. Duane Underwood Jr. (1-5, 4.60) will open Game 1, opposing Chris Bassitt (12-7, 3.32). First pitch is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. Alex Stumpf will have you covered.
THE CONTENT
Visit our team page for everything.
