A towering 433-foot blast in Denver’s thin air helped secure a vital victory and extended Bryan Reynolds' 27-game on-base streak during an elite offensive stretch.
The Pittsburgh Pirates held a 5-1 lead in the seventh inning on Sunday, but left fielder Bryan Reynolds did not feel it was time to relax.
Anything can happen at Coors Field in the mile-high altitude of Denver. The Pirates learned that lesson last season when they scored nine runs in the top of the first inning on Aug. 1, yet lost to the Colorado Rockies 17-16
So, Reynolds was looking to provide some insurance runs with a four-lead when he stepped into the batter’s box. He delivered by crushing a 433-foot home run to right field off Juan Mejia to push Pittsburgh's lead to 8-1.
The Pirates needed the cushion as they held on for an 8-6 victory to salvage one win in the three-game series against the Rockies (30-48), who have the worst record in the major leagues. Pittsburgh evened its record at 39-39 and is off on Monday before hosting the American League West-leading Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at PNC Park.
"No lead is safe here,” Reynolds told reporters following the game. “We've seen that before. The game can turn in a hurry, so all the insurance runs you can get here are big. (The home run) felt great. I felt like it was flush and a good, true homer. Nice one to watch."
The Rockies scored three runs in the eighth inning against Dennis Santana and two off closer Gregory Soto in the night to draw within 8-6. Soto finally closed out the win by getting Willi Castro to hit into a game-ending double play.
The Pirates went 3-3 on their road, taking two of three from the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.
"Obviously, the first two (games against the Rockies) were not what we wanted, but we turned the page pretty quickly," Reynolds said. "We put up a bunch of runs here, got the win, and have a happier off day.
Reynolds continued his hot hitting by going 2 for 5 with a double.
Reynolds has reached base safely in 27 consecutive games, which ties the eight-year veteran’s career high and is tied with the Athletics’ Zack Gelof for the longest active streak in the major leagues.
Reynolds is hitting .367 (36 for 98) with 10 doubles, seven home runs, 18 RBIs, 15 walks, and 22 runs scored during the streak. The 28-game streak is one short of the eight-year veteran’s career high, which he set in 2023.
Reynolds also has a 12-game hitting streak, going 19 for 45 (.422) with five doubles, 12 RBIs, and 10 runs scored.
Overall, Reynolds is hitting .287/.400/.484 with 11 home runs in 78 games this season.
Pirates Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk about all things Pirates. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
