Pirates' Konnor Griffin Makes History With First Home Run
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin is just getting his major league career started, but is seemingly making history almost every chance he gets.
Griffin hit his first MLB home run for the Pirates in their 6-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 24, an important moment for the young franchise star.
It was a 93.4 mph four-seam fastball over the middle of the plate from Brewers right-handed starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff threw in the top of the third inning that Griffin hit 104.4 mph off the bat and 386 feet to right center field into the Pirates bullpen.
Griffin also finished with a single and a stolen base in the top of the fifth inning then drove in two more runs on an RBI-single in the top of the eighth inning to make it a 6-0 game.
What made the moment even more special for Griffin wasn't that he hit his first home run or that he gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead, was that he did it on his birthday, as he turned 20 years old.
Griffin Makes History With Home Run, Performance
That home run for Griffin made both Pirates history and MLB history as well, highlighting an incredibly important moment in the young man's career.
Griffin is one of just three Pirates players to hit their first home run on their birthday, as right-handed pitcher Howie Camnitz did so on Aug. 22, 1910, his 29th birthday. and outfielder Bud Hafey did it on Aug. 6, 1935, his 23rd birthday.
He is the youngest player since 1900 to have three hits or more on his birthday and one of just three players since 1900 that hit at home run on their birthday at 20 years old or younger.
Former Pirates third baseman Aramis Ramírez did so on his 20th birthday on May 26, 1998 in a 3-2 road loss to the Brewers, while Buddy Lewis did it on his 20th birthday on Aug. 10, 1936 for the Washington Senators.
Griffin is also the 25th player and youngest to hit their first home run on their birthday, plus the eighth player in the Wild Card Era (since 1994), to do so, with outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. doing it most recently with the Miami Marlins on Sept. 8, 2025.
He joins Pirates legend Barry Bonds as two players in franchise history in the modern era (since 1901) that had two hits, a home run and a stolen base on their birthday, with Bonds doing it on his 25th birthday against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 24, 1989.
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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.