In a much-needed turnaround, the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped their five-game losing streak in emphatic fashion, routing the Cincinnati Reds 9-1 on Friday night. The victory was powered by a breakout performance from Henry Davis, who launched his first two home runs of the season in consecutive innings.
Davis, who entered the game with a disappointing .154 batting average, ignited the Pirates' offense with a solo shot to center field in the fourth inning, extending the lead to 4-0. He followed that up with a two-run blast to left field in the fifth, capping a four-run frame that pushed the score to 8-0. It marked the second two-homer game of his career, and he also scored three runs on the night.
Pirates starter Mitch Keller was equally impressive, delivering seven strong innings of three-hit ball. Keller (3-1) allowed just one run, struck out six, and walked one, throwing a season-high 104 pitches—the most by a Pirates pitcher this year. His command kept the Reds' offense off balance, setting the stage for Pittsburgh's offensive explosion.
Bryan Reynolds and Marcell Ozuna also contributed to the power display. Reynolds opened the scoring in the first inning with a towering 443-foot solo home run to center field, while Ozuna added a two-run blast in the fifth. Nick Gonzales went 3-for-3 with a walk, and Reynolds (who also tripled) and Ryan O'Hearn each collected two hits.
The Reds, who came into the game leading the NL Central, managed to break up Keller's shutout bid in the sixth inning. TJ Friedl doubled and later scored on a groundout by Elly De La Cruz. Friedl had two of Cincinnati's three hits on the night. Reds starter Brady Singer (2-2) struggled, allowing four runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Justin Lawrence and Evan Sisk closed out the game with perfect innings each, sealing the Pirates' dominant win. The start of the game was delayed by 1 hour, 31 minutes due to rain, but it didn't dampen Pittsburgh's spirits.
The Pirates will look to build on this momentum when they face the Reds again on Saturday. Cincinnati sends Rhett Lowder (3-1, 3.18 ERA) to the mound, while Pittsburgh counters with Carmen Mlodzinski (1-2, 4.13 ERA).