PITTSBURGH (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer to highlight a four-run sixth inning, powering the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Sunday for a series win.
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 for 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 Friday, Cruz had two doubles in 17 games between homers.
“I think the one thing we have to realize with Oneil is he does a lot of things that look easy,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “So, at times, he gets the moniker of, like, ‘The body language is bad.’ He cares. I mean, he’s locked in. But I do think getting a couple of hits, having a couple of good games, your confidence will definitely tick back up.”