Oneil Cruz’s go‑ahead homer

Oneil Cruz put Pittsburgh ahead for good with a two-run homer in the sixth inning Friday night, and the Pirates beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 at PNC Park. (apnews.com) The home run turned a 1-1 game into a 3-1 Pirates lead on April 17, 2026. Associated Press and MLB both identified it as the swing that changed the game. (apnews.com) (mlb.com) Pittsburgh got six innings and one run allowed from rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler, then finished the win with scoreless relief from Mason Montgomery, Gregory Soto and Dennis Santana. Tampa Bay entered the game on a six-game winning streak. (espn.com) Cruz’s homer landed in a week when his power was already drawing attention. On April 16, he hit a 119.0 mph RBI double against Washington, which MLB called the hardest-hit ball in the majors this season. (mlb.com) Baseball Savant’s 2026 Statcast leaderboard lists Cruz with the highest max exit velocity in the sport at 119.0 mph through April 18. The same leaderboard shows a 444-foot maximum home run distance and a 62.0% hard-hit rate. (baseballsavant.mlb.com) That profile is familiar for Cruz, a 6-foot-7 center fielder whose raw power has long been the selling point of his game. Baseball-Reference lists him at 6-7 and 248 pounds, and MLB has tracked him near the top of the sport’s exit-velocity leaderboards for multiple seasons. (baseball-reference.com) (mlb.com) He had already shown that power earlier this season. On March 31, Cruz hit two home runs against Cincinnati, including a 444-foot shot that MLB said was tied for the longest homer in the majors at that point in 2026. (mlb.com) The Friday homer also fit the Pirates’ strong start. ESPN’s recap put Pittsburgh at 12-8 after the win, and noted the club had outscored opponents 23-1 in the second inning this season, the best run differential by any team in any inning. (espn.com) For one night, the clip matched the numbers: Cruz came up in a tie game, drove the Pirates in front, and the lead held the rest of the way. (apnews.com)