Pittsburgh Pirates fans will always remember the name Jack Suwinski. The rookie outfielder etched his name in baseball history with an outstanding display of home runs.
Suwinski became the first rookie in the nearly 150 years of Major League Baseball to hit a walk-off home run in a three-dinger game. His unreal game helped the Pirates defeat the San Francisco Giants 4-3.
Against the Giants today, the Pirates' Jack Suwinski hit home runs in the 4th and 6th innings, then hit his second walk-off HR of the month in the bottom of the 9th.
Suwinski is the first rookie in MLB history to hit 3 homers, including a walk-off, in a single game. pic.twitter.com/FLVwQWJql2
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 19, 2022
Coming into today, the 23-year-old Suwinski had eight home runs, tied for second-most on the team, a slash line of .214/.278/.414 and 31 hits in 46 games. He was drafted in 2016 by the San Diego Padres and was traded to Pittsburgh last season as a part of the deal that sent Adam Frazier to the Padres.
Amazingly, Suwinski told Pirates manager Derek Shelton that he wasn't mentally ready to hit a third home run, according to ESPN. The outfielder said that he wasn't trying to get into his own head.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton spoke with Suwinski in the bottom of the eighth, asking if he was ready to go deep a third time. Shelton said he was told, “No.”
“I was not trying to think about that,” Suwinski said. “You start trying to do too much and then you just blow it or whatever. I was just trying to not think about that and just focus on what the pitcher had.”
Today was a big day for Pirates prospects. In addition to Suwinski's legendary feat, top prospect Oneil Cruz was called back up to the majors. The tallest shortstop in baseball will add some intrigue and power to the lineup.
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