Braxton Ashcraft struck out a career-high eight and Ryan O’Hearn drove in four runs to lead the host Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday afternoon.
O’Hearn and Oneil Cruz each hit two-run home runs to help the Pirates complete a three-game sweep of the Orioles, and win their fifth in a row. Pittsburgh did not sweep a series last season until June.
Ashcraft (1-1) gave up one run on an RBI double by Pete Alonso in the fourth inning, which put the Orioles on the board. But Ashcraft limited the damage, eventually tossing six innings without a walk. He allowed only four hits.
Taylor Ward led the Orioles at the plate with three hits.
Pirates pitchers struck out 14 overall without a walk.
Meanwhile, O’Hearn torched his former club at the plate, starting with a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the first off Baltimore starter Chris Bassitt (0-2). Pittsburgh followed with four more runs in the second.
Cruz finished with two hits and three RBI and started the scoring in that frame with an RBI single when he lined a 112-mph hit on one hop off Bassitt’s leg. Bassitt shook it off and remained in the game. He later allowed a two-run double to O’Hearn that scored Cruz and Brandon Lowe.
Bassitt lasted just two innings and allowed six runs on six hits and two walks without a strikeout. Lefty Cade Povich, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, replaced Bassitt in the third and delivered a solid 5 2/3 innings in relief, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out two. Cruz tagged Povich for a two-run home run – his fourth – in the bottom of the sixth to extend Pittsburgh’s lead to 8-1.
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz was ejected in the top of the third after arguing with home plate umpire Jesse Jean after Blaze Alexander felt like Ashcraft had started his wind-up before he was set at the plate. Baltimore bench coach Donnie Ecker managed for the remainder of the game.
