Wed Jun 25 19:00:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Cruz’s Base-Running Blunder Leads to Benching in Pirates Loss**
MILWAUKEE – Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz was benched Tuesday night after failing to run out a double-play grounder in the seventh inning of the Pirates’ 9-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Cruz, believing there were two outs, slowed down after the force out at second base.
With the Pirates trailing 7-3 and a runner on first with one out, Cruz grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Manager Don Kelly pulled Cruz in the eighth inning, citing a lack of energy and effort.
“DK had all the rights to do what he did, and I’ll back him up on that,” Cruz said after the game. “It was my fault because I thought there were two outs in that situation. That’s why I let off running to first base.”
Kelly confirmed he spoke with Cruz about the incident. “We talked. He knows the expectation. Right there, I feel we fell a little short,” Kelly said. He declined to confirm whether Cruz would start in Wednesday’s game. “We’re going to sit down and talk, and we’ll figure that out,” Kelly stated.
Cruz, 26, is currently in a hitting slump, batting just .156 this month with 31 strikeouts. Despite a promising start to the season, his overall stats now stand at .208 with 13 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases.
Kelly acknowledged Cruz’s struggles at the plate but emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and effort in all aspects of the game. Cruz denied that his hitting slump affected the base-running incident and expressed willingness to learn from veteran teammates like Andrew McCutchen and Tommy Pham.
“They’re a really good example,” Cruz said. “They always run hard. They always go out there to do their 100%. That’s a teaching point for me. I accepted the way DK came to me and explained it and presented it to me.”
First Piper 