Ryan O’Hearn slugged a two-run home run as part of a four-run sixth inning and the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates topped the Houston Astros 5-1 on Thursday to claim the rubber match of this three-game series.
O’Hearn went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Pirates, who have won eight of 11 games. The Astros fell to 2-4 on their nine-game homestand.
The Pirates were quick to pounce on Astros right-hander Kai-Wei Teng (3-4), who surrendered a two-out RBI single to O’Hearn in the top of the first inning that plated Brandon Lowe (double). Teng struck out Nick Gonzales to close the first and faced the minimum over the next three frames before stranding two in scoring position in the fifth.
But the Pirates didn’t squander the opportunity when Lowe doubled leading off the sixth inning. Bryan Reynolds followed with a single to center field that scored Lowe and doubled the Pirates’ lead to 2-0. O’Hearn then drilled his ninth homer to right, turning on a first-pitch inside fastball.
Gonzales chased Teng with a single and later scored when Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena booted a grounder that enabled Jared Triola to reach safely and extend the margin to 5-0.
Teng allowed a season-worst five runs (four earned) on a season-high seven hits with two walks and one strikeout over five innings. Teng posted 20 strikeouts over his previous three starts combined.
The Astros were undone by their inability to deliver with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-8.
Pirates right-hander Jared Jones (1-0) made just his second appearance since missing the 2025 season with an elbow injury. He surrendered an infield single to Pena and walked Yordan Alvarez to begin his outing but rallied with three straight strikeouts to cap the bottom of the first.
Jones stranded Collin Price at second base in the second inning, and Taylor Trammell and Alvarez in scoring position in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively. Jones worked five scoreless innings and allowed four hits and two walks while recording four strikeouts.
The Astros’ Isaac Paredes led off the sixth with his 100th career home run and eighth this season.
Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski covered the final four innings for his first save.
