Pirates Rookie Delivers Much-Needed Power in Win Over Dodgers
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates were looking for any runs after a poor stretch of games and one underlooked player came through and did just that.
Pirates rookie Tyler Callihan hit two home runs in the 9-8 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on June 10, with his four RBI making a big difference in the victory.
Those two home runs marked the first two of his MLB career and both were desperately needed by a Pirates team that had scored just 10 runs over the past four games.
It was an incredible game for Callihan, who helped the Pirates avoid a five-game losing streak and showed that he can play an important role on this team moving forward.
Callihan Takes Shohei Ohtani Deep
Most players have no chance when they step up to face Dodgers right-handed starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani and Callihan likely would've been someone most expected to strikeout every time he faced him.
Ohtani came into this start with a 6-2 record in 10 starts, a 0.74 ERA, 67 strikeouts to 18 walks, a 0.79 WHIP and a .144 batting average allowed (BAA), with just two home runs allowed.
Callihan didn't care about facing the potential National League Cy Young Award winner, taking a seven-pitch walk in the second inning.
He then swung at a first pitch, 97.8 mph four-seam fastball from Ohtani in the fourth inning and connected on the pitch over the middle of the plate, crushing it 107.3 mph off the bat and 427 feet over the right field wall.
Tyler Callihan demolishes his first career home run 427 feet OUT OF THE BALLPARK 😳 pic.twitter.com/CxDPo3UUmp
— MLB (@MLB) June 10, 2026
Callihan hit the first home run of his MLB career, cutting the deficit to 2-1, and becoming just the third person to homer off Ohtani in 2026.
He credited his first home run to watching how Ohtani approached the other Pirates left-handed batters, which made it easier for him to get going early off of him.
"Yeah, I kind of saw what he had been trying to do to the other lefties, throwing that fastball down a lot, and I knew if I could get one just a little bit elevated, I had a shot," Callihan said. "So that was my gameplan going into the second at-bat.
Callihan drew his second walk of the game against Ohtani in the top of the seventh inning, which played a big role in the Pirates comeback, as he would later score, alongside center fielder Jake Mangum, off an RBI-double from second baseman Brandon Lowe to cut the deficit to 6-3.
He may have had one of the better games ever against Ohtani, close to Pirates catcher Henry Davis hitting two home runs off of him in 2023, and he picked the best game he could've to have his breakout performance.
"Yeah. Obviously, I was excited," Callihan said on facing Ohtani. "Sounds cliche, but nothing new. It's the same game. He's a really good pitcher, and I'm grateful I got the opportunity to face him. But yeah, it was amazing."
Second Home Run Gives Pirates Lead
The Pirates still trailed 6-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but both third baseman Nick Gonzales and catcher Rafael Flores Jr. walked against Dodgers left-handed relief pitcher Kyle Hurt to start off.
Callihan then came up to bat and then like his home run off of Ohtani, he swung at the first pitch, an 88.8 mph changeup over the middle of the plate, that he smashed 101.4 mph off the bat and 394 feet into the right field seats.
That home run was a three-run shot, erasing the Dodgers lead and putting the Pirates up 7-6 in the top of the eighth inning.
Tyler Callihan's 2nd home run of the night and his career 💪
— MLB (@MLB) June 11, 2026
Pirates lead in the 8th! pic.twitter.com/8LKOgmNf1C
Callihan noticed during the at-bat that Pirates third base coach Tony Beazley didn't have the bunt sign on and the rookie used his confidence and took advantage of that opportunity.
"100%. I've been feeling really good with the bat, felt really good all day leading up to that at-bat," Callihan said. "So I knew I had a chance to make an impact and contribute. I'm glad I got that opportunity."
Callihan Makes Pirates/MLB History
This game was Callihan was historic for the Pirates and also in major league baseball too, with both of his home runs coming into play.
Callihan became the first Pirates player to hit their first two home runs in the same game since former catcher Ryan Doumit did so in the first game of a doubleheader vs. the Houston Astros, a 9-3 loss at PNC Park. He is one of 13 Pirates players to achieve that goal, with Doggie Miller doing so first back in 1886, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com.
Most rookies wouldn't go swinging at the first pitch, especially against Ohtani and in a game like that, but Callihan showed no fear and was ready for the pitch he wanted.
"Yeah, that's never been my game," Callihan said. "I'm always just, if you throw the ball over the plate and I think I'm on time to hit it, I'm gonna swing, no matter who it is and no matter — obviously the situation dictates it sometimes, but for the most part, I'm ready to hit that first pitch."
Callihan also the first player in MLB history to have a multi-home run game where he hit a home run off the reigning MVP in Ohtani and then hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth inning or later, per OptaStats.
It was a big win for the Pirates, who need to stay competitive in a difficult National League Central Division and Callihan couldn't have been more happy to help deliver it.
"It's great," Callihan said on the win. "Obviously, I just want to do it for them. Everybody's given their all out there every day. Everybody works so hard at practice, so to be able to contribute and to be able to be the one that steps up in that time — I mean, we had a lot of guys grind out at-bats and grind out pitches and plays that were made today. So it's great to be able to make that impact for the boys."
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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.