​Pittsburgh—Ryan O’Hearn owned the night at PNC Park, lifting the Pirates to a dominant 12-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. The Pirates first baseman exploded for three home runs and a franchise-record 10 RBIs, transforming a tense game into a runaway win and highlighting one of the most memorable performances in recent Pirates history.
The Braves struck first in the top of the opening frame, scratching across a run on two outs against Paul Skenes. Mauricio Dubón delivered an RBI single to right, giving Atlanta a 1-0 lead as they answered the Pirates’ 1-0 start with a quick counterpunch. Skenes, despite an early hit, settled in after the rough two-out rally, but the early deficit set the tone for a night where Pittsburgh would seize control.
In the bottom of the first, the Pirates wasted no time flipping the script. They loaded the bases with no outs against Hurston Waldrep, and after Esmerlyn Valdez struck out, O’Hearn delivered a dramatic response: a grand slam over the right-field fence. It was the third slam of his career and his 14th homer of the season, instantly turning a tight game into a 4-1 Pittsburgh advantage. The home run also showcased O’Hearn’s timing and power against a starter who was struggling to locate his breaking ball and location.
O’Hearn’s hot bat continued into the third inning. Following a leadoff double by Michael Harris II and an RBI single from Ozzie Albies, the Braves trimmed the deficit to 4-2. Yet Pittsburgh’s offense exploded again in the bottom of the third. After Bryan Reynolds walked and Valdez singled, O’Hearn crushed his second homer of the game, a deep drive to dead center that traveled 415 feet and extended the Pirates’ lead to 7-2. By the end of the inning, Pittsburgh had built a commanding cushion and was clearly in control.
The onslaught continued in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs and O’Hearn notches again at the plate, the slugger delivered a three-run blast off Connor Thomas for his third homer of the game and 100th of his career. The three-run shot pushed the Pirates’ lead to 10-2 and left little doubt about the outcome of the night.
The Pirates added another in the bottom of the seventh when Brandon Lowe delivered an RBI single to center, extending the lead to 11-2. The game’s relentless momentum did not stop there. In the bottom of the eighth, with position player Jorge Mateo on the mound, Nick Gonzales added another run with an RBI single to make it 12-2.
In the top of the ninth, Mike Yastrzemski cut into the deficit for the Braves with a two-RBI single off Hunter Stratton, who was making his first appearance for Pittsburgh since being acquired from Atlanta on June 18. By then, the Pirates had already secured the win, but the Braves’ late push capped a night of effort that belonged to Pittsburgh from the outset.
Manager Don Kelly shuffled the lineup, slotting Ryan O’Hearn into the fifth spot, and he rewarded the move with the most memorable performance of his career. O’Hearn’s three homers equaled a Pirates record for most homers in a game, and his 10 RBIs set a new franchise mark, surpassing Johnny Rizzo’s nine RBIs on May 30, 1939, against the Cardinals. O’Hearn also joined a rare cadre of players to post 10 RBIs and three home runs in a game, becoming only the 11th player since 1920 to accomplish that feat and the first since Shohei Ohtani did it on September 19, 2024, in Miami.
From a broader perspective, this was a milestone night for Skenes as well—though not in the way he would have imagined. He worked six innings, allowing eight hits and two runs, walking one and striking out four while throwing 95 pitches (66 strikes). O’Hearn’s offensive onslaught, combined with a Pirates team-wide surge, ensured that Pittsburgh snapped a skid in which Skenes had felt the sting of a 0-6 personal record across his last nine starts.
The rest of the Pirates’ lineup contributed, with Brandon Lowe going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs, Nick Gonzales finishing 2-for-5 with an RBI, and Bryan Reynolds drawing three walks in addition to scoring twice. Reynolds’ on-base presence helped set the stage for O’Hearn’s extraordinary performance and highlighted the Pirates’ ability to capitalize on opportunities as a team.
This win marked a notable first in several respects: it was Pittsburgh’s first win in a game started by Skenes since May 12 against Colorado, ending a nine-game winless stretch in which Skenes had gone 0-6 in his last outings. It also marked a historic duo achievement for Lowe and O’Hearn, who became the first Pirates teammates with at least 60 RBIs before the All-Star break since Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla in 1990.
A night like this may not come along often, but when it does, it shifts momentum, redefines a player’s trajectory, and gives a franchise a game to remember. Ryan O’Hearn delivered a performance for the ages—three home runs, 10 RBIs, and a place in Pirates lore—while the rest of the team rode the wave to a decisive 12-4 win over the Braves at PNC Park.