First it was Jack Suwinski on June 19. Then Bryan Reynolds Wednesday.
And then on Thursday, Michael Perez became the third Pirate to homer three times in the same game in one month.
It's the first time in baseball history three different players each homered in the same calendar month.
ICYMI: Michael Perez hit three home runs tonight. pic.twitter.com/jkY29CHviG
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 1, 2022
"I’m glad it happened in all three instances, because in all three instances, we’ve needed all three of them," Derek Shelton said.
Let's take a deeper look into some of the Pirates' power numbers this past month.
• This is the second time in MLB history that a team had different players home at least three times in back-to-back game. The other was Marcell Ozuna and Adam Duvall of the Braves on Sept. 1 and 2, 2020.
Duvall had another three homer game later that month for the Braves, making them the only other team to have three such games in one month, though the Pirates are the only club to do it with three different players.
• The only other teams to have three such games before the All-Star break are the 1996 Mariners, 1987 Indians and 1956 Redlegs, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The record for three-homer games in a season is four, accomplished by the 2001 Brewers, 1956 Redlegs and 1950 Dodgers.
• After hitting four home runs Wednesday, the Pirates followed with five as a team Thursday. This was the sixth time in franchise history the Pirates homered at least four times in back-to-back games, the most recent being June 26-27, 2019.
• The Pirates hit 44 homers in the month of June, the second-most they ever have in a month in franchise history, just behind the 45 they hit in August of 2007.
"Honestly, I think we’re taking better swings," Shelton said before Thursday's game when the total was 39. "And I think it’s warming up. I think there were some balls that we hit early in the season, especially in this ballpark, that didn’t get out."
• Of those 44 homers, 20 were hit by rookies:
Jack Suwinski, 8
Diego Castillo, 6
Oneil Cruz, 2
Cal Mitchell, 2
Bligh Madris, 1
Rodolfo Castro, 1
"We’ve talked all along, the kids are going to have to contribute, they’re going to have to play," Shelton said. "Hearing that stat, it shows they’re doing a really good job of contributing."
Suwinski's eight home runs were tied with Andrew McCutchen (August 2009) and Dick Stuart (Augsut 1958) for the second-most in a month in Pirates history. Garrett Jones hit 10 in July of 2009.
• Oneil Cruz and Suwinski went back-to-back in the second inning Thursday. The last pair of Pirates rookies to do that was Brandon Moss and Andy LaRoche on Sept. 2, 2008. The last pair to do it at home was Ben Shelton and Carlos Garcia at Three Rivers Stadium on July 24, 1993.
O me, O my, Oneil! pic.twitter.com/1iBvi481bN
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 30, 2022
• Suwinski already has 10 home runs at PNC Park this year. The only other Pirates rookies with more at that park in a season are 2004 Jason Bay (15), 2009 Jones (13) and 2010 Pedro Alvarez (12). Josh Bell also hit 10 at PNC Park during his rookie season in 2017.