Pirates vs. Reds Takeaways: Offense Comes Alive in Series Win
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates struggled at the beginning of the 2026 season to produce from the plate, but finally showed they can get their offense going.
The Pirates took down the Reds in back-to-back days at Great American Ball Park with an 8-3 score on both March 31 and April 1, securing their first series win of 2026 and road series too. It also makes it three wins in the past four games and gets them back to .500 at 3-3.
Pittsburgh had scored just two runs in the first nine innings of a game in the three contests following Opening Day and ended up scoring 16 runs over the last 18 innings, which included six home runs.
The Pirates now rank amongst the best hitting teams in baseball, tied for first with 10 home runs, sixth with 29 RBI, tied for seventh with 29 runs scored and 30 walks, tied for eighth with 50 hits and 10th with a .398 slugging percentage.
Paul Skenes Bounces Back From Opening Day Disaster
Pirates right-handed starting pitcher Paul Skenes had the worst start of his MLB career in the 11-7 loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field on Opening Day back on March 26.
He allowed five runs, although four runs scored on two mistakes from center fielder Oneil Cruz, and didn't make it out of the first inning.
Skenes did walk center fielder TJ Friedl to start the bottom of the first inning, but posted back-to-back strikeouts and a ground out to make it out of the first inning.
He didn't allow a hit until the bottom of the fourth inning, giving up a leadoff single to Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
Skenes got a ground out from first baseman Sal Stewart, but then gave up a double to designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe, scoring De La Cruz to get the first run on the board for Cincinnati.
He finished his outing by getting two more outs and throwing 77 pitches over five innings, bringing his ERA down from 67.50 to 9.53.
Skenes also posted five strikeouts and had a strong showing overall, giving the Pirates the belief that he's back to being the dominant pitcher he was in 2025, when he won the National League Cy Young Award.
He mostly relied on his four-seam fastball, but utilized all six other pitches, particularly his changeup, sinker, splitter and sweeper, making for a good outing.
Pitch | Usage | Average Velocity |
|---|---|---|
Four-Seam Fastball | 32/77 (42%) | 97.6 mph |
Changeup | 12/77 (16%) | 89.4 mph |
Sinker | 12/77 (16%) | 97.1 mph |
Splitter | 9/77 (12%) | 94.2 mph |
Sweeper | 7/77 (9%) | 84.1 mph |
Curveball | 4/77 (5%) | 81.1 mph |
Slider | 1/77 (1%) | 84.8 mph |
Oneil Cruz Continues Delivering Power for Pirates
The Pirates need Cruz producing this season and he's finally done so at the plate in this series vs. the Reds.
He hit a three-run home run in the top of the first inning, scoring both left fielder Bryan Reynolds who singled and designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, who walked, putting the Pirates up 3-0.
Cruz took an 81 mph curveball down in the zone from Reds left-handed starting pitcher Andrew Abbott and sent it 107.4 mph off the bat and 407 feet into the right field seats.
Oneil wasting no time! pic.twitter.com/yTp1F64nBj
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 1, 2026
He hit two home runs in the last game, giving him three on the season and tied for the team-lead with second baseman Brandon Lowe.
Cruz also put in great work this offseason to address his struggles against left-handed pitching and has four hits in six at-bats and two home runs in 2026.
He hit .102 against southpaws in 2025, with 11 hits in 108 at-bats and just one home run, so the results are already showing in a season that Cruz could finally break through.
Bryan Reynolds, Nick Gonzales Settle Game for Pirates
The Pirates held just a 4-3 lead after eight innings, but got their offense going in the ninth inning to secure the victory.
First baseman Spencer Horwitz ledoff with a single and then Reds right-handed relief pitcher Emilio Pagán hit catcher Henry Davis, putting two runners on with no outs.
Pagán threw a wild pitch, moving both base runners up and then second baseman Nick Gonzales hit a single to left field, scoring Horwitz and Davis to put the Pirates up 6-3.
Gonzales has had a good season so far from the plate for the Pirates, slashing .333/.357/.407 for an OPS of .764, with nine hits in 27 at-bats, two doubles and five RBI.
Reynolds followed Gonzales up with a two-run home run, taking a 94 mph four-seam fastball down and inside from Pagán and hit it 107.7 mph and 413 feet to make it an 8-3 lead.
B-REY BLAST!!! pic.twitter.com/sbRCH1C8K5
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 1, 2026
That marked his second home run in the past two games, for his first two home runs of the season, demonstrating he's finally found his swing in 2026.
Reynolds also moves into ninth place solely on the Pirates all-time home runs list with 140, breaking the tie with outfielder Jason Bay (2003-08), who had 139 home runs.
Pirates Bullpen Has Shaky Start, but Settles in For Win
Left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery came in for Skenes and walked Stewart and then gave up a two-run home run to pinch-hitter Eugenio Suárez, as he left a curveball over the middle of the plate and Suárez punished him for it.
Montgomery eventually settled in, getting a strikeout and a fly out to keep the Pirates up a run.
The Pirates then relied on both right-handers Isaac Mattson and Justin Lawrence, who each threw a scoreless frame in the seventh inning and eighth inning, respectively.
Left-handed pitcher Gregory Soto came in the ninth inning, which was originally a save opportunity, and got two strikeouts and a fly out to secure the win.
The Pirates bullpen has had some command issues and will want to cut down the home runs, but having your best arms in Mattson, Lawrence and Soto pitching well is crucial for their success in 2026.
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.