Marcell Ozuna Home Run Powers Pirates Over Orioles
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PITTSBURGH — Marcell Ozuna was a key free agent signing for the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason and he showed exactly why they valued him so highly.
Ozuna hit a three-run home run for the Pirates in the bottom of the seventh inning, helping them get an 8-6 win over the Baltimore Orioles at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., marking his first home run of Spring Training.
He got a hanging slider from Orioles right-handed pitcher Yaramil Hiraldo and crushed it, sending ti 105.8 mph off the bat and 400 feet into the left field seats, giving the Pirates a 6-5 lead, as Nick Yorke singled and Enmanuel Valdez singled prior.
Ozuna doing what he does. pic.twitter.com/tC5ZX9zRON
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 14, 2026
Ozuna joined the Pirates on a one-year, $12 million deal, with a $16 million mutual option for the 2027 season and has been one of the better home run hitters in the National League during his career, one of four NL hitters that have at least 20 home runs in each of the past four seasons.
If he can keep hitting home runs like this for the Pirates, he'll fit in nicely in the designated hitter role for a season where they have playoff aspirations.
The Pirates also improve to 15-6 in the Grapefruit League with this victory, their third win in a row and the most wins in the league so far.
Pirates Power Plays Big Role in Win over Orioles
Ozuna wasn't the only Pirates player that went deep in this victory, with both catcher Henry Davis and outfielder Billy Cook hitting home runs as well.
Davis saw a second-pitch changeup near the bottom of the zone from Orioles left-handed starting pitcher Trevor Rogers and crushed it, sending it 100.6 mph off the bat and 396 feet over the left field wall, leading off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run.
This was a big hit for Davis, who had no hits in 17 at-bats in the Grapefruit League prior to this game.
Cook added onto the Pirates lead in the bottom of the eighth inning with a two-run home run, which put the Pirates up 8-5 and secured their win.
He got a sinker over the middle of the plate from Orioles right-handed relief pitcher Hans Crouse and hit it 398 feet, just over the center field wall, marking his second home run of the campaign.
Cook has had a solid showing from the plate in Spring Training, slashing .292/.452/.625 for an OPS of 1.077 in 12 games, with seven hits in 24 at-bats, two doubles, the two homers, seven RBI and six walks to eight strikeouts.
What Else Transpired in the Pirates Win Over the Orioles
Davis would walk with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning, doubling the Pirates lead at 2-0.
Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman responded with a two-run home run off of Pirates right-handed starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski, tying it up at 2-2 in the top of the third inning.
Mlodzinski, who made his third start of Spring Training, ended up having a decent outing for the Pirates, throwing five innings, giving up seven hits and no walks, while posting five strikeouts.
Pirates right-handed relief pitcher Cam Sanders gave up a two-run home run to Orioles right fielder Dylan Beavers, which put the road team up 4-2 in the top of the sixth inning.
Pittsburgh did cut the lead back a run with an RBI-single from third baseman Jared Triolo, but right-handed relief pitcher Justin Lawrence gave up an RBI-single to Rutschman, keeping Baltimore up 5-3 in the top of the seventh inning.
Pirates right-handed relief pitcher Isaac Mattson continued his strong showing in Spring Training with a scoreless eighth inning, including two strikeouts and picking the baserunner off at first base.
Left-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery gave up a run, but got the save for the Pirates in the ninth inning. Montgomery joined the Pirates in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.