PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates tied a franchise record by smashing seven home runs in a 14-2 demolition of the New York Mets on Friday night — so many that the team said it ran out of fireworks.
Bryan Reynolds and Rowdy Tellez became the first teammates in major league history to each hit multiple homers including a grand slam in the same game. Reynolds also tied a career high with six RBIs to continue a surge that started with a 25-game hitting streak in June.
“What is it, June 38th?” Reynolds joked after a four-hit night that boosted his batting average to .280.
All of the Pirates’ 14 runs came via the homer — their most runs scored with everything from the long ball in a game since at least 1900.
“We hit so many home runs that we ran out of fireworks,” the Pirates posted on X. “We’re being serious.”
We hit so many home runs that we ran out of fireworks.
We’re being serious.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 6, 2024
Pirates rookie starter Paul Skenes (5-0) allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and eight strikeouts in seven strong innings while his ERA ticked up slightly to 2.12.
The mustachioed right-hander has struck out seven or more batters in nine of his first 10 starts, the most ever by a pitcher over the first 10 games of his career. Skenes has thrown 74 pitches of at least 100 mph this season, more than double anyone else in the majors.
Yet Skenes didn’t just beat the Mets with his heat. The last of his 107 pitches was an 87 mph slider that Harrison Bader whiffed at, bringing just the second sellout crowd of the season at PNC Park to its feet as the 6-foot-6 top overall pick in the 2023 draft made his way to the dugout.
“That’s why it’s nice to have five pitches,” Skenes said. “Because if one’s not there, then we can pitch with the rest of them. The fastball was absolutely not there early in the game. So made do with the other stuff.”
Pittsburgh’s struggling offense — as it seems to do frequently when Skenes is starting — provided plenty of cushion.
Reynolds hit a two-run homer from the left side off Luis Severino (5-3) in the fifth inning to put Pittsburgh in front. His grand slam — from the right side — came against reliever Jake Diekman in the seventh.
It was the fifth time since 1900 that a Pirates player homered from both sides of the plate (Reynolds twice, Dale Sveum, Bobby Bonilla twice).
Tellez hit his grand slam during a six-run eighth that ended with New York catcher/designated hitter Luis Torrens getting the final out. He also had a solo shot in the fourth to cut into New York’s early 2-0 lead. The Mets tied a club record for home runs allowed in a game.
Michael A. Taylor had four hits, including a homer. Jack Suwinski and Yasmani Grandal also went deep for the Pirates, who have struggled to generate offense much of the season, the main reason Pittsburgh is below .500 (42-45) despite a starting rotation that has the lowest ERA in the National League since June 1.
Skenes wasn’t particularly sharp early but retired 11 of his final 12 batters to bolster his chances of making the NL All-Star team when pitchers and reserves are named this weekend.
“I’d love to be there,” Skenes said. “But it’s obviously not my decision to make.”
ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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