Oneil Cruz Lives Up to Young Pirates Fan's Deal
In this story:
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz has had an incredible series against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park, and even came throught for a young fan's request.
Cruz faced Brewers left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the score tied 1-1, two outs and Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa on second base.
He took an 80.1 mph sweeper from Alexander on the second pitch of the at-bat and hit it 114.3 mph out to center field. This scored Kiner-Falefa for the go-ahead run, but Cruz also displayed his speed, making it to third base for a triple, his first of the season.
Oneil Cruz rips a 114.3 MPH triple into the gap to put the @Pirates ahead! pic.twitter.com/79npWrCTKa
— MLB (@MLB) May 24, 2025
Cruz went over to an usher close to the Pirates dugout and handed a bat, that they gave to a young Pirates fan.
Oneil Cruz gives his bat to a young @Pirates fan after delivering a go-ahead RBI triple in the 7th inning 🫶 https://t.co/b2hGxp8Nq9 pic.twitter.com/rZOYYzPcHS
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) May 24, 2025
Hannah Mears of SportsNet Pittsburgh interviewed the young fan, named John Block. Block said that he went down to the field around the fifth or sixth inning and said he and Cruz made a deal that Cruz would give him his bat if he got a hit. Since Cruz hit a triple, he gave the bat afterwards to Block, who noted the heaviness of it.
“We made a deal: if he got a hit, he would give me his bat. And he got a triple — and he came out with it the next inning.”
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) May 24, 2025
Oneil Cruz is a man of his word 👏 pic.twitter.com/Gaeou4tW4b
Cruz had one of his best games of the season the game prior vs. the Brewers on May 23. He hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning, 117.3 mph, his hardest hit home run of his career, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead.
He then hit another home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, tying the game up at 4-4 and marking his first multi-home run game in his career.
That second home run proved crucial, as the Pirates went on and won 6-5 in the 10th inning on a walk-off wild pitch.
Cruz has slashed .236/.361/.478 for an OPS of .839, with 37 hits, six doubles, 10 home runs, 22 RBIs, 30 walks to 59 strikeouts and 18 stolen bases, which ranks second in the MLB.
He has five hits in 12 at-bats against the Brewers this series, as he is regaining health from back pain, that caused him to miss four games and saw him struggle vs. the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, going 0-for-9 with eight strikeouts.
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.