Reynolds launches 2 home runs against Boston -- again

BOSTON -- There’s just something about facing the Red Sox that gets the bat of Bryan Reynolds going.

In the opening game of a three-game series in Boston, the Pirates center fielder took the spotlight in a slugfest, hitting two home runs for the second time in as many games against the Red Sox to help Pittsburgh to a 7-6 win on Monday night at Fenway Park.

“Get in good counts, putting the barrel on it,” explained Reynolds of his success versus Boston. “I hit ‘em to the deep part of the field, so I wasn’t quite sure. But they go out.”

Reynolds struck first in the top of the second inning, getting a 1-1 slider from Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford and launching it a Statcast-projected 388 feet to right field with a 108.6 mph exit velocity.

Two innings later, it was a 3-1 cutter from Crawford which Reynolds struck with a 104.4 mph exit velocity, depositing it a Statcast-projected 386 feet away into the Pirates' bullpen in right field.

It was the fourth time in his career that he had a multi-home run performance, doing it against the Red Sox on Aug. 18, 2022, in Pittsburgh. He hit three home runs at Washington last June and two versus Miami in September 2019.

Reynolds continues to face uncertainty with regards to signing a contract extension in Pittsburgh, but his ability to tune all of that out come game time has impressed his manager.

“I don’t think Bryan lets anything affect him once he gets between the lines,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “That’s something that I know I, personally, really appreciate about him, that regardless of what is happening externally, he is always the same guy.”

“These games are a grind. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a calm little walk on the beach,” Reynolds said of the game being a distraction from contract talks. “But it’s good to get on the field, away from everything, play against the best.”

The Pirates sprinted out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning only to squander it and then some in the bottom half of the inning, in which they allowed five runs.

Reynolds' first long ball of the night brought the team within one, 5-4. His second long ball, just two batters after his good friend and former Vanderbilt teammate Jason Delay hit his first of the season, put Pittsburgh up, 7-5, in the fourth inning.

“The Vandy boys hit some homers tonight, which was good,” said Shelton with a grin. “I told Delay that Bryan overshadowed him when he hit the second one.”

"We were joking throughout the game that we better get a shoutout on the Vandy baseball account,” Delay said postgame. “It's always nice to get a win, for us both to be able to contribute to it is awesome."

After the early-innings eruption of runs, things calmed down and only one run was scored the rest of the way by either side.

Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo, who slotted for the injured JT Brubaker, got hit hard in the first, serving up three home runs. With a better mix of his pitches, the Pirates starter would settle in and not allow another run, exiting after 4 2/3.

“I was mixing more with the sliders and curveballs today,” Oviedo added. “The fastball was leaking a little bit. The mix between the sliders and curveballs was a great key today. Just using fastballs to attack. Try to keep it moving, change location. It was good.”

“It was early,” noted Reynolds. “Some things happened. We were able to settle it back down and execute offensively. Make pitches and do all that. I think that speaks to what our identity could be. It was pretty good."