Ryan O’Hearn’s strong performance helped the Pirates beat the Rockies 7-2. He had three hits, including a two-run homer. The Pirates won two of three in the series.
O’Hearn’s Offensive Impact
The Pirates signed Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year contract as a free agent during the offseason. O’Hearn is hitting .299 with seven home runs this season. His two-run homer capped a three-run first inning.
Oneil Cruz led off the inning with a double and scored on Bryan Reynolds’ single. The Pirates tallied 12 hits, with O’Hearn being one of four players with multiple hits.
Before Thursday, O’Hearn was hitting .238/.289/.357 with one home run in 11 games in May. In the first month, he had a .306/.394/.481 slash line with five homers.
Adjustments and Coaching
O’Hearn seems to be back on track, and he credits the Pirates’ coaching staff. According to O’Hearn, the hitting department showed him how his setup differed from what it was in April. He said this helped him and freed him up a little bit.
O’Hearn also homered on Wednesday night in a 10-4 loss. He said he got to that fastball and that it was a good adjustment.
O’Hearn explained his adjustments in detail. He said he was two inches wider, his hands were closer to his head, and his left foot was turned six degrees closer to the third base dugout instead of more towards the pitcher. He added that he was just off, which is part of the season, and he is glad they caught it when they did.
O’Hearn believes these details made a big difference. He feels that when you are in it every day and chasing different feels and swings you’ve had over the years, trying to get back right, you don’t realise exactly what your body is doing, and it takes a quality hitting department to find it and bring it to your attention.
Other Key Contributions
Endy Rodríguez had two hits, including a two-run single in a three-run third that extended the Pirates’ lead to 6-0. Rodríguez was making his season debut after being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis two days earlier. This was due to fellow catcher Joey Bart being placed on the 10-day injured list with an infected left foot.
- Rookie Konnor Griffin also had two hits.
- Jared Triolo had two hits.
Carmen Mlodzinski (3-3) pitched five innings.