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O'Hearn’s 3-HR, 10-RBI Blast Leads Pirates to 12-4 Victory

7/10/2026

Summary

O'Hearn Explodes

Ryan O’Hearn hit three homers, drove in 10 RBIs and logged his 100th career homer as Pittsburgh beat Atlanta 12-4.
His helmet was sent to the Hall of Fame, marking first three-homer, 10-RBI game since Shohei Ohtani in September 2024 and the 11th such performance since 1920.
Paul Skenes threw six innings, allowed two runs and earned his first win in two months, improving to 7-8 as Pittsburgh moved to 47-45.

Summary

O'Hearn Snubbed

O'Hearn, 32, was omitted from the 2026 MLB All-Star roster despite a career-year surge.
He raised his batting average to .293 and hit 16 homers, one shy of his career high.
After his three-homer night, Braves starter Hurston Waldrep surrendered a grand slam and two hits to O'Hearn.
O'Hearn’s sixth-inning homer with Jake Mangum and Brandon Lowe on base extended the lead to 10-2.

Summary

Griffin Injured

Pirates placed shortstop Konnor Griffin on the 10-day injured list with a left ring-finger injury, sidelining him for eight to ten weeks.
Pittsburgh remains the league’s third-most prolific offense despite missing Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz.
The Braves entered the series with starters Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Martin Perez on the injured list, creating rotation uncertainty and prompting manager Walt Weiss to call Hurston Waldrep’s spot day-to-day.

History

Historical Context

In 1961, Roger Maris of the New York Yankees shattered the single-season home-run record with 61 homers, redefining power hitting expectations. Maris’s feat earned him the American League MVP, while the Yankees posted a 109-53 record, a 56-win improvement over 1960. Similarly, Ryan O’Hearn’s three-homer, 10-RBI night for the Pittsburgh Pirates echoes Maris’s power surge, marking the first such performance since Shohei Ohtani’s September 2024 game. The rarity of such feats pressures teams like the Braves and Pirates to prioritize slugging talent, influencing roster moves and future contract negotiations.

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O'Hearn Explodes

Ryan O’Hearn hit three homers, drove in 10 RBIs and logged his 100th career homer as Pittsburgh beat Atlanta 12-4.
His helmet was sent to the Hall of Fame, marking first three-homer, 10-RBI game since Shohei Ohtani in September 2024 and the 11th such performance since 1920.
Paul Skenes threw six innings, allowed two runs and earned his first win in two months, improving to 7-8 as Pittsburgh moved to 47-45.

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