Pirates' Oneil Cruz Taken Out vs. Brewers

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz had a poor performance in a 9-3 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.

Cruz hit into a double play in the top of the seventh inning and jogged to first base, showing a lack of hustle.

Pirates manager Don Kelly removed Cruz ahead of the bottom of the eighth inning, bringing in Alexander Canario in center field for the rest of the game.

Cruz had also made a fielding blunder in the series opener, 6-2 defeat to the Texas Rangers at PNC Park on June 20.

He had a ball hit to him in the top of the first inning and he went down to pick it up, but it hit off his glove and went behind him to the outfield wall. Cruz watched the rest of the play unfold, as right fielder Adam Frazier got the ball and threw it back to the cut-off man, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, which scored a run from a previous single.

Kelly spoke to Cruz about that incident after the game and defended him, but didn't care for his lack of effort in this contest, which led to him benching his center fielder.

"Just the energy and effort going down the line," Kelly said. "I think we were pretty clear the other day and he knows the expectation going forward."

Cruz spoke to reporters after the game through interpreter Stephen Morales, noting that he thought there two outs and not one, which is why he slowed up, while also commending Kelly for making the right decision in taking him out the game.

"Definitely because I did not run down the line to first base during that play," Cruz said. "DK had all the rights to do what he did, and I'll back him up on that and it was my fault because I thought there were two outs in that situation and that's why I let up running down to first base."

Cruz has struggled in June, slashing .156/.258/.221 for an OPS of .479, with 12 hits in 77 at-bats, two doubles, one home run, five RBIs, 10 walks to 31 strikeouts and eight stolen bases on 10 attempts.

He said that most of his struggles are physical and not mental, as he wants to get better contact with the ball than he has recently.

"I don't see it as frustrations, I see it as part of the game," Cruz said on his recent poor performances. "Every player goes through the ups-and-downs. You just have to confront them and get better every day. I don't see it as frustrations."

Kelly understands Cruz's struggles from the plate and relates as a long-time veteran of the game, but still wants Cruz showing that effort in center field and on the base paths, so that he's still effective in those areas.

"It's hard," Kelly said. "He's struggling from the plate right now and it's difficult when you're going through that and trying to figure it out and he's working hard to do that and that's the one thing that we've got to be mindful of is not letting that offense carry over to defense and base-running and the energy and effort that were giving in any other aspects of the game as well."

Kelly didn't confirm whether or not Cruz would start in the series finales vs. the Brewers on June 25.