The grand slam came first.
Ryan O'Hearn batted with the bases loaded at PNC Park and hit a grand slam to right-center field — his 14th of the season. Jake Mangum, Brandon Lowe, and Bryan Reynolds all came around. Four runs on one swing.
Next time up, he homered to center, his 15th, scoring Reynolds and Esmerlyn Valdez. The time after that, he grounded out to first baseman Matt Olson, moving both runners into scoring position. Then he homered a third time, to right field, his 16th — Mangum and Lowe aboard again.
The 8th three-homer game of 2026.
What separates this night is a different number. O'Hearn drove in 10 runs. Pittsburgh beat Atlanta 12-4, and ten of the Pirates' twelve runs crossed the plate with him at bat.
Three balls out of the park is rare enough. Three that account for ten RBI requires something beyond power. It requires baserunners every time you arrive, and the barrel to clear them. O'Hearn hit a grand slam and two three-run shots. He never batted with the bases empty. Each swing arrived in a situation already loaded, and none of it went unused.
He came up a fifth time and singled to right fielder Mike Yastrzemski, moving Valdez to third. Four hits on the night, three of them over the fence. Exit velocity peaked at 105.1 mph. The farthest one went 415 feet.
Right-center, then center, then right.
