McCutchen’s Milestone HR, Suwinski’s Grand Slam Lead Pirates to 9-2 Win Over Phillies

A milestone home run from Andrew McCutchen and a grand slam off the bat of Jack Suwinski lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 9-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday afternoon.

McCutchen tacked on a pair of insurance runs for the Pirates (11-5) in the top of the ninth inning with a two-run home run, the 300th of his career. The 37-year-old became the 160th player in league history to reach the impressive milestone. 

In addition to being the 11th active player with 300 home runs, McCutchen becomes one of 13 players in league history to record at least 2,000 career hits, 400 doubles, 45 triples, 300 home runs and 200 steals.

It was a long time coming for McCutchen, who had been seeking his 300th home run since hitting No. 299 last Aug. 22.

McCutchen’s memorable blast was his second hit of the game, making him one of four Pirates with two-hit performances, along with Ke’Bryan Hayes, Rowdy Tellez and Jared Triolo.

Trailing 2-1 against Zack Wheeler (0-3), who was dealing through the first five innings, the Pirates loaded the bases in the sixth. Hayes reached on an error, Tellez drew and walk and McCutchen singled to center.

With nobody out, Suwinski stepped up to the plate hitless in his last 11 at-bats. After fouling off Wheeler’s first offering, he lined a 402-foot screamer over the right-center field fence to flip the Pirates’ one-run deficit into a three-run lead.

Grand slammin'😎@DairyQueen pic.twitter.com/jnEx4odSV6

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 14, 2024

Suwinski’s grand slam was the second of his career and his second home run in 2024.

Later in the inning, Joey Bart connected on his second home run in three games as a Pirate with a solo shot to left field. Bart’s blast came off of Seranthony Domínguez, who entered the game in relief of Wheeler. Bart is the ninth Pirates’ player in the Modern Era with two homers in their first three games with the team. 

After the Phillies (8-8) went ahead 1-0 in the third on a Trea Turner solo homer, the Pirates evened the score in the fourth on a double steal. McCutchen was credited with a steal of home for the third time in his career. 

With McCutchen’s steal of home and Suwinski’s grand slam, it’s the first time the Pirates have accomplished both feats since at least 1961.

The Pirates took advantage of sloppy defense by the Phillies for an insurance run in the eighth. Triolo singled to left and advanced to third on Brandon Marsh’s fielding error. He scored on a passed ball charged to J.T. Realmuto.

Turner delivered again for the Phillies in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Mitch Keller hung a breaking ball and Turner deposited the pitch to center for an RBI-single. 

Keller (2-1) allowed just two runs in a season-high seven innings pitched. The right-hander allowed eight hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out four while 64 of his 95 pitches were strikes. 

With the win, the Pirates earned a split of their four-game series with Philadelphia. Pittsburgh has not lost a series so far this year.

Up Next

The Pirates will hop on a plane and travel to Flushing, Queens for the start of a three-game series with the New York Mets on Monday night. Martín Pérez (1-0, 1.89 ERA) will be opposed by Adrian Houser (0-1, 5.40 ERA). First pitch: 7:10 ET.

Housekeeping

• The Pirates placed left-hander Marco Gonzales on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm muscle strain. Reliever Ryder Ryan was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.