MILWAUKEE — Chi Chi Gonzalez looked down at the ground, shook his head out of frustration, and the Brewers reliever mouthed a couple words that … well, weren’t exactly family friendly. Another Pirates home run had sailed over the fence, this one a three-run shot from former Brewer Daniel Vogelbach, one of four on the day off Pittsburgh bats.
It turned out to be the biggest, too.
While the Pirates aren’t likely to be confused with the Bronx Bombers or anything like that, Sunday’s power surge came at a key time. It helped them claim victory in this series with an 8-4 win at American Family Field, and it also involved a few players who occupy interesting spots when it comes to Pittsburgh’s organizational flow chart.
Start with Vogelbach. Signed this offseason to a one-year deal with an option for 2023, Vogelbach has made a gigantic mark on the clubhouse. He’s a constant source of entertainment. Teammates love him. He’s also having a really good year.
The home run — key after Andrew McCutchen’s two-run blast off David Bednar in the ninth cut Pittsburgh’s lead to two — was his 12th of the season. Vogelbach has given the Pirates (36-50) above-average production out of the designated hitter spot, a luxury for a National League team.
Vogelbach could also play his way into trade-bait territory, because of his clubhouse reputation and how well he plays his role.
As for two of the other home run hitters, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz, in many ways, represent hope for the Pirates. One is signed to a long-term deal. The other is someone fans would clearly like to see stick around here for the same length of time.
Hayes enjoyed his eighth three-hit game of the season and hit a solo home run. Cruz delivered a two-hit performance and put the Pirates in front for good with his solo blast in the sixth inning. Michael Chavis, a middle-ground option when looking big-picture at the Pirates’ roster construction, chipped in a third solo homer.
As for that pop, the Pirates have five players with 10 or more homers before the All-Star break for the first time since 2016. They’re also now 13th in MLB with 95 home runs, an impressive turnaround considering they were dead last by a wide margin with 124 in 2021.
Pittsburgh pounded out 13 hits Sunday, including two apiece from Kevin Newman and Jason Delay, the first and last hitters in the lineup.
The downside to the offensive explosion was there’s now some injury concern over Bryan Reynolds, who was removed in the seventh inning with right-side discomfort.
Trailing, 4-3, after five innings, the Pirates came roaring back with a pair of solo home runs in the sixth, first from Michael Chavis, then another bomb from Oneil Cruz.
Chavis’ was a leadoff shot against Brewers reliever Trevor Gott, as the Pirates first baseman put a terrific swing on a cutter located down-and-away, using his under-appreciated amount of power to take it out the opposite way.
There’s been plenty said and written about the amount of pop that Cruz possesses, and that was on full display later in the inning. It’s been a bit of a rough go for Cruz, who was hitting just .154 with 18 strikeouts in 43 plate appearances over his past 11 games prior to Sunday.
But — and a big credit to Cruz — you never would have known it by how he’s carried himself. Or the swing that he took on a 1-2 changeup that was middle-away. He pulverized it 416 feet at 104.5 mph to push the Pirates in front, 5-4.
The day after some alert baserunning from Kevin Newman netted the Pirates a run, he gave them a 1-0 lead in the second inning Sunday by turning on an inside cutter and knocking it into left. Pittsburgh stretched its lead to 2-0 an inning later when Hayes led off with a double and scored on a passed ball.
Milwaukee tied the game at 2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, as third baseman Mike Brosseau and second baseman Luis Urias each stroked RBI singles. Brosseau lined a 1-0 fastball the opposite way into right. Urias shot a heater through the left side.
To cap his three-hit afternoon, Hayes swatted a solo home run in the fifth, connecting on a 1-1 fastball at the top of the zone and riding it out to right for his fourth of the season. It was the 18th home run off Brewers starter Eric Lauer; only Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene (22) has allowed more among National League pitchers.
But much like the Pirates’ 2-0 edge, this was short-lived as well. Milwaukee answered with two runs during a rollercoaster sequence:
— Jose Quintana won a 12-pitch battle with Andrew McCutchen, the former Pirate slamming his bat on the dirt after swinging through a Quintana changeup.
— A double into the right-field corner from shortstop Willy Adames that really looked foul … but was called fair and withstood a Pirates challenge. Apparently the camera angles here are limited.
— Brosseau popped a single into shallow center, in front of Bryan Reynolds and over Newman’s head into no man’s land.
— Urias drove in a fourth Milwaukee run with his sacrifice fly to center.
Sunday was surely one of Quintana’s last starts in a Pirates uniform as both the All-Star break and MLB trade deadline approaches. After working a total of 17 innings over his past three outings, allowing just four earned runs during that time, this one did represent a slight step backward.
Quintana lasted 4 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Around the horn
The Pirates said Reynolds is being evaluated further and is considered day-to-day. … The Pirates now have five players with 10 or more home runs before the All-Star break. That’s the first time that has happened since 2016.
