Tyler Callihan hits two homers as Pirates earn wild comeback win against Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jun 10, 2026

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — On a four-game losing skid and facing Shohei Ohtani, the Pirates needed a hero.

If predictions were being made, none would have expected Tyler Callihan.

Callihan blasted his first career homer, a no-doubt blast that bounced into the Allegheny River, and a go-ahead three-run shot in the eighth inning to lead the Pirates to a wild, 9-8 comeback win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park.

Callihan went 2 for 2 with two homers, two walks, three runs and four RBIs.

The Pirates had played well, but Ryan Ward’s sixth-inning grand slam off Carmen Mlodzinski had put them into a 6-1 hole against the two-time defending champions with Ohtani on the mound.

But the Pirates chipped away. Callihan started the rally against Ohtani with a leadoff walk in the seventh, moved to second on Jake Mangum’s tapped single, then Brandon Lowe brought both home with a double down the right field line (on Ohtani’s 3-0 pitch). Ohtani was pulled, then a Bryan Reynolds grounder snuck under third baseman Max Muncy’s glove for a run-scoring error.

The Pirates still trailed by two going into the eighth. Dodgers reliever Kyle Hurt walked Nick Gonzales and Rafael Flores Jr., in for Endy Rodriguez, to start the inning and draw a mound visit from pitching coach Mark Prior.

Then Hurt left a first-pitch change-up down the middle to Callihan, one Callihan smacked for the go-ahead homer.

Spencer Horwitz added a two-run shot off lefty Jack Dreyer later in the inning, giving the Pirates valuable insurance runs. He scored Jared Triolo, who doubled off the right field wall.

The comeback was made possible by several excellent Pirates plays. Reynolds, playing left field, robbed Ohtani of a two-run homer in the third inning. Lowe made an excellent diving catch of Dalton Rushing’s liner. And the Pirates scored four runs, three earned, off Ohtani, the most Ohtani has allowed in a game all year.

One win is one win, but Wednesday’s was as impressive a win as any.

It was over when …

Gregory Soto has blown two 9-6 leads this season and narrowly avoided a third. He allowed a two-run homer to Ohtani in the ninth, but got the final two outs for his ninth save.

On the mound

Jared Jones started for the Pirates and didn’t allow a hit until the fourth, aided by Reynolds’ robbery. But in the fourth, doubles from Freddie Freeman and Muncy opened the scoring, then a two-out Kyle Tucker single got past Jared Triolo for a second run. Jones, having thrown 75 pitches, was done after four.

He threw his slider for 34 of his 75 pitches, more than his four-seamer (29). Seven whiffs and three of his four strikeouts came against the pitch.

Mlodzinski threw 76 pitches in his second true relief outing of the season. He walked three, the fourth time he’s done that this year.

At the plate

The Pirates managed 11 hits, including six off Ohtani.

Mangum had three hits. The eighth inning could have been bigger if Mangum had not made the first out trying to steal third on a 2-0 pitch.

Bucs bites

— Konnor Griffin threw out to 90 feet before Wednesday’s game, showing he’s cleared to begin throwing. He threw at roughly 75% intensity and reported he felt good after throwing.

— Rodriguez left Wednesday’s game with left hip discomfort. Henry Davis was placed on the paternity list pregame. For the final few innings, Flores was the only active catcher of the four on the 40-man roster.

Up next

The Pirates have a chance to win a series on Thursday at 6:40 p.m. with Mitch Keller (5-3, 4.81 ERA) on the mound. They’ll face Dodgers lefty Justin Wrobleski (7-2, 2.62).