PIRATES

Operating with a short memory was a necessity after the Pirates were shut out for the first time in their fourth game of a new season Monday night. Eight hits, including four massive home runs, later and the Pirates managed to secure a more favorable result, earning an 8-3 win over the Reds here tonight at Great American Ball Park. 

"As baseball players, we’re not supposed to get too high or too low," said Jake Mangum, who added a hit and a walk out of the leadoff spot. "You’re supposed to stay the course, flush the bad nights immediately and not try to celebrate the good nights too much. Flush both pretty quick. We had a good win tonight. We’ve got a game in probably less than 12 hours, so you’ve just got to move on from things. This game, there’s so much pressure in the big leagues and you’ve got to play free and loose and understand that this is a marathon. Yes, you do have to sprint sometimes in a marathon – it’s not just a job – and you’ve got to play with a sense of urgency, but this is a 162-game season. That’s a lot of ball, man. Try to stay positive, keep it light and do what we do well.”

It's obvious that the Pirates need contributions from everyone in their lineup, and most guys contributed in one way or another on this night. Ryan O'Hearn, who continues to impress in the early stages of his Pirates career, went back to back with Bryan Reynolds in the second inning to help set the tone at the plate. What made O'Hearn's three-run shot, his second of the season, so important was the fact that it followed a first inning in which two runners were stranded in scoring position. The bases were loaded and a run scored on a Nick Yorke sacrifice fly before O'Hearn's two-out at-bat, but the latter made sure another key opportunity wouldn't go wasted. 

"He’s been huge already," Don Kelly said. "We’re five games in. Still have a long way to go, but he’s done that already in five games."

Nothing was more encouraging than the offensive contributions of both Reynolds and Oneil Cruz, who collected three hits, including his first two home runs of the season. The importance of those two players can't be overstated. The Pirates have a better shot of taking the next step if Reynolds and Cruz find ways to provide more consistent production at the plate. 

"Proud of (Cruz) for staying in the fight and coming up with two big, big swings there," Kelly said. "(With Reynolds) it’s great to see him turn it loose, catch it out front. He’s going to. Everything gets magnified early. We need to stay within ourselves and continue to fight."