Oneil Cruz's Three-Run Bomb Caps a Ninth-Inning Collapse That Texas Couldn't Survive

The Pittsburgh Pirates just pulled off the kind of late-game magic that makes you forget how badly you were losing. Down to their final strike basically, they scored four runs in the ninth inning to stun the Texas Rangers 8-4 on Wednesday night in Arlington. Oneil Cruz's three-run homer off the top of the right field foul pole was the kill shot, and it's the kind of moment that either haunts Texas all season or becomes the game that got away.

The Ninth-Inning Explosion Nobody Saw Coming

Going into the bottom of the ninth, Pittsburgh was sitting pretty at 4-2. Then Texas started doing Texas things. Pinch hitter Andrew McCutchen led off with an infield single. Brandon Nimmo followed with a one-out double. Jake Burger's two-out single tied the game at 4-4, and suddenly the Rangers' closer Cole Winn (who came in at 1-1) was in deep trouble. Jalen Beeks took over on the mound, but he couldn't slow down the bleeding. Nick Gonzales beat the tag at home plate and scored the go-ahead run on a slow roller to third from pinch hitter Jake Mangum. Then Cruz stepped up and ended it, sending that three-run shot to the foul pole. Series tied at one win apiece.

Pirates' Starter Kept Them in It All Night

Braxton Ashcraft didn't put on a fireworks show, but he did exactly what you need a starter to do. He scattered four hits, gave up two runs, walked two, and struck out five across seven innings on 94 pitches. Gregory Soto picked up the win despite blowing a lead by allowing two runs in his lone inning of work, finishing at 1-0.

Bryan Reynolds was the heartbeat of Pittsburgh's offense with two hits and two RBIs. Spencer Horwitz chipped in two hits as well. Josh Jung kept Texas competitive with a two-run homer and a single, but it wasn't enough.

Texas Had This Game Until It Didn't

The Rangers' collapse in the eighth and ninth overshadowed a solid performance early. Jack Leiter allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts over five innings. But then Brandon Lowe's two-out RBI single in the fifth tied it 2-2. After Reynolds singled to put Pittsburgh up 4-2, a throwing error from right field by Nimmo got weird when Rangers pitcher Leiter tripped over the hitters' equipment in the on-deck circle trying to back up the play. That error ended up costing Texas.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.