Rowdy Tellez Homers, Drives in 3 Runs in Pirates’ Win Over Twins

PITTSBURGH — Rowdy Tellez hit his first home run since March and drove three runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their 4-0 win over the Minnesota Twins at PNC Park on Saturday evening. 

Tellez had been greeted by boos each time he stepped up to bat, not only against the Twins (33-31), but over the past several weeks when he stepped into the batter’s box in Pittsburgh.

After hitting into a double play and striking out in his first two at-bats, the fans’ reactions quickly shifted. Tellez connected on a solo home run to center off Twins starter Simeon Woods-Richardson to break a scoreless tie.

And the crowd gets ROWDY. pic.twitter.com/ffHTFHTiL8

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 8, 2024

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Tellez plated a pair of insurance runs with a hard-hit single into left field. It’s the fourth time this season Tellez has had a multi-hit game and the seventh time he’s had multiple hits. 

Woods-Richardson (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season despite twirling a gem. The right-hander went 6.1 innings, allowed one run on six hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out six.

In his first game since returning from the paternity list, Michael A. Taylor padded the Pirates’ lead with an RBI single to left against his former team.

Carmen Mldozinski started the second game of his career as an opener before giving way to Luis Ortiz.

Ortiz tossed 4.1-scoreless innings for the Pirates and scattered three hits. He walked one batters and struck out three. 

The Pirates (31-33) escape a big jam with two on and two out in the top of the seventh with Hunter Stratton (2-1) on the mound. Pinch-hitter Manuel Margot hit a popup into shallow center and second baseman Nick Gonzales made a terrific over-the-shoulder sliding catch to keep the game scoreless. 

Andrew McCutchen had three hits for the Pirates and Bryan Reynolds singled in each of his first two at-bats. 

David Bednar finished off the shutout win in the ninth, giving the Pirates back-to-back shutouts and their third in their last five.

Up Next

The Pirates will go for the sweep against the Twins on Sunday afternoon. Rookie Jared Jones (4-5, 3.25 ERA) will be opposite Bailey Ober (5-4, 4.94 ERA). First pitch: 1:35 ET.