Cruz Has Another Big Night But Pirates Fall Short vs. Dodgers; Holderman Takes Loss in Return

Oneil Cruz homered on the first pitch of the game and drove in three runs, but the Pittsburgh Pirates were defeated 8-4 by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night.

How We Got There

Roki Sasaki’s first pitch of the game was off the plate away but Cruz hit it well enough to end up traveling over the center field fence to give the Pirates (11-17) an early lead.

ONEIL CRUZ WITH ANOTHER LEADOFF HOME RUN pic.twitter.com/m70eKQgGla

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 27, 2025

But Shohei Ohtani began the bottom of the first with a double to center field and scored on Teoscar Hernández’s double to right against Mitch Keller. The Dodgers (17-10) then took the lead when Hernández scored on a throwing error from second baseman Adam Frazier.

Thanks again to Cruz, the Pirates reclaimed the lead in the fifth inning when the Pirates’ center fielder singled home a pair.

The Dodgers once again had an answer and tied the game at 3-all in the bottom of the fifth on Freddie Freeman’s RBI single.

With the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the seventh, Bryan Reynolds bounced into a fielder’s choice to give the Pirates a temporary one-run lead, before the Dodgers tied in on an Ohtani run-scoring double in the seventh. Los Angeles then blew the game open in the  eighth.

Hernández hit a solo home run of Colin Holderman to open the eighth. After Holderman (0-1) surrendered a Tommy Edman double and walked Will Smith, Enrique Hernández hit a three-run homer off Joey Wentz to put the Dodgers ahead 8-4.

Key Moment

The Pirates had a runner on second with one out an runners on the corners with two outs in the top of the eighth but were unable to push a run across. The Dodgers didn’t waster their opportunity in the bottom of the inning.

Star of the Game

Teoscar Hernández finished 2 for 5 with the game-winning home run and a pair of RBIs.

Notable Pirates’ Performances

• Mitch Keller: 6.0 innings, five hits, three runs (two earned), one walk, six strikeouts, 89 pitches/65 strikes.
• Colin Holderman: 0.0 innings, two hits, three runs, one walk, no strikeouts, 14 pitches/7 strikes.
• Oneil Cruz: 2 for 4, one home run, two RBI, one run, one walk
• Tommy Pham: 2 for 3, one double, two runs, one walk
• Ke’Bryan Hayes: 2 for 3, one double, one HBP

Stat to Know

Oneil Cruz is the first Pirates’ player with four leadoff home runs in a nine-game span since at least 1900. His eight home runs in March/April are the third-most by a Pirate in a single season since at least 1901 behind Willie Stargell (11, 1971) and Jeff King (9, 1996).

Noteworthy

• RHP Colin Holderman was reinstated from the 15-day injured list prior to the start of the game. RHP Mike Burrows was optioned to Indianapolis.

Up Next

The Pirates and Dodgers will settle their three-game series on Sunday. LHP Bailey Falter (1-2, 5.19 ERA) will be opposite RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 3.71 ERA). First pitch: 4:05 p.m. ET.