Pirates Newcomer Finally Busts Horrific Slump With First Homer Of 2026
Marcell Ozuna's first homer as a Pirate was a big one.
Pirates Newcomer Finally Busts Horrific Slump With First Homer Of 2026 originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh . Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here . It took him 14 games over three weeks, but Marcell Ozuna finally has his first home run as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates .
Ozuna went deep for the first time in 2026 during Thursday's 8-7 loss to the Washington Nationals, taking Nationals lefty Foster Griffin yard for his 297th career big fly. With the Pirates trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Ozuna launched a game-tying three-run homer off the left-field foul pole at PNC Park. He raised both arms in celebration as he rounded the bases and donned the welder's mask when he returned to the dugout as fans and teammates hoisted their cones .
Ozuna's first HR is a BIG ONE! š» pic. twitter.
com/7PdO96INMs ā Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 16, 2026 It was Ozuna's only hit of the game, but he made it count. He also walked. That makes five straight games reaching base, four straight games with a hit and three straight games with an RBI for the 35-year-old DH, who is finally starting to heat up for Pittsburgh after opening the season in a horrendous 2-for-39 slump and drawing boos from frustrated Yinzers.