Bryan Reynolds, Rowdy Tellez Lead Pirates’ Homer Barrage in 14-2 Win Over Mets

PITTSBURGH — Bryan Reynolds and Rowdy Tellez each homered twice and hit a grand slam for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who as a team, matched a franchise-record with seven home runs in a 14-2 win over the New York Mets at PNC Park on Friday night.

In the fifth inning, Reynolds hit a two-run homer off of Mets starter Luis Severino (5-3) to break a 2-2 tie.  

Two innings later, Reynolds stepped to the plate with the bases loaded against lefty Jake Diekman, who was just brought into the game in relief of Severino. Reynolds hit a 2-2 fastball up in the zone over the fence in right-center. 

BRYAN REYNOLDS GRAND SLAM 😱 pic.twitter.com/5gkp0vJky6

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 6, 2024

It was the third-career grand slam for Reynolds and his second this season. His six RBIs are the most he’s had in a game this season. 

With two homers, Reynolds is up to 16 on the season. His grand slam was the 114th of his career, which ties Bobby Bonilla for the most by a switch-hitter in Pirates’ history. 

In the eighth inning, Tellez followed suit with Reynolds and connected on a grand slam into the bullpens against right-hander Ty Adcock.

If you're not here, you should be. pic.twitter.com/US8Fj5YvUL

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 6, 2024

It was the fourth grand slam for Tellez in his career and his first since the 2022 season. It was also the first time this year Tellez homered twice in the same game.

The Pirates (42-45) first got on the board on a  Tellez solo homer in the fourth inning which trimmed the Mets’ lead to 2-1. 

Two batters later, Jack Suwinski tied the game with a solo homer of his own, his eighth home run of the season. 

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Yasmani Grandal and Michael A. Taylor hit back-to-back homers to extend the Pirates’ lead to 10-2. Grandal finished 2 for 4 with a double and Michael A. Taylor went 4 for 4, giving him his first multi-hit game since May 11.

Paul Skenes started for the Pirates kept his perfect record intact and held the Mets (42-44) to two runs across seven innings with eight batters. It marked the seventh-straight start in which Skenes has struck out at least seven batters, which ties the longest streak in franchise history.

The rookie right-hander wasn’t particularly sharp early but found a groove as the game went on. Jeff McNeil homered on an 0-2 fastball to get the Mets on the board in the third. In the fourth, Jose Iglesias bounced into a fielder’s choice, allowing Pete Alonso to score from third base.

Skenes (5-0) retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced, five of which came via strikeout. It took Skenes a career-high 107 pitches to get through his outing. 

The Pirates out-hit the Mets 16-5 in the win and scored 14 unanswered runs.

Up Next

Bailey Falter (4-6, 3.87 ERA) will be opposite fellow left-hander David Peterson (3-0, 3.51 ERA) in the second of a four-game series on Saturday evening. First pitch: 4:05 ET.

News and Notes

• RHP Jared Jones, who was placed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday, was diagnosed with a grade 2 right lat strain.