Ashcraft's Grit, Cruz's Power: Pirates' Thrilling Win

0:00It's April 23rd, you're listening to MLB News today, AI-powered MLB coverage. Pirates pitcher Braxton Aschraff turned heads Wednesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The 26-year-old right-hander from nearby Robinson delivered a sharp outing against the Rangers, bumping up velocity on all his pitches and leaning heavy on a crisp slider. He mixed it perfectly, throwing just 68 pitches through 5 innings and wrapping up 7 frames on 74 total. Aschraff escaped early trouble after the Rangers grabbed a 2-1 lead on Josh John's Homer, keeping things tight for Pittsburgh. Fans and family made the short drive to cheer him on, and they saw the Bucks battle back. In the fifth, three singles, a walk and a throwing error played at three runs, with Brandon Lowe and Brian Reynolds driving in the go-ahead tally. The drama peaked in the ninth. After Gregory Soto gave up two in the eighth, Pittsburgh loaded the bases, and O'Neal Cruz crushed a three-run Homer off the right field foul pole.

1:02That one clocked a blistering 116.9 miles per hour exit velocity. The hardest blast in Major League Baseball this season. Pirates snagged the win thanks to Aschraff's grit and Cruz's thunder, showing this young squad's got real firepower brewing.