Reynolds hits 2-run homer in 9th to lift the Pirates past the Twins, 6-5

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning — after Oneil Cruz hit a mammoth shot early — to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

Reynolds launched a 422-foot shot to left field off Taylor Rogers (1-2), scoring Tyler Callihan, who replaced Spencer Horwitz after an infield hit to begin the inning.

All the previous scoring came in the first three innings.

Pittsburgh's Jared Jones struck out Byron Buxton on three straight fastballs that topped 100 mph in his first start in the majors since Sept. 27, 2024.

Kody Clemens hit sixth homer on Jones’ seventh straight pitch above 100 to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. The 24-year-old right-hander missed more than a year after undergoing UCL surgery in 2025. He allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Twins starter Taj Bradley threw eight straight balls to put Brandon Lowe and Reynolds on base with one out in the first. Nick Gonzales reached on an infield single with Lowe scoring on a throwing error by third baseman Brooks Lee.

Oneil Cruz drove in Reynolds with a grounder to first, and Konnor Griffin followed with a two-out RBI single for a 3-1 advantage.

Tristan Gray tied it 3-3 with a bases-loaded two-run single in the second, and Trevor Larnach followed in the third with his third homer — a 424-foot shot that left the park in right to put the Twins up 5-3.

Cruz hit his 12th home run — a two-out 450-shot that also left the park in right to cut it to 5-4 in the third.

Clemens threw Cruz out at home in the eighth to keep it 5-4 after the Pirates had runners on second and third with nobody out and failed to score.

Wilber Dotel allowed one hit in three innings of relief for Pittsburgh, and Gregory Soto (4-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.

Bradley gave up four runs on five hits in four innings.

Up next

Twins RHP Bailey Ober (6-2, 3.92) was set to start Saturday opposite Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (5-2, 3.64).

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